An educational software for the analysis and synthesis of planar four bar linkages

V. Petuya* M. Dez Ch. Pinto A. Hernndez Department of Mechanical Engineering. University of the Basque Country Alameda de Urquijo s/n. 48013- Bilbao, Spain.
AbstractIn this paper is presented a new educational computer program for the simulation of four-bar linkages, slider-crank mechanisms and other planar linkages derived from them. It has been developed by the authors1 as a complement to the Machine Theory lectures. As it is shown in the paper, the software covers almost all kinematical analysis and synthesis aspects from a graphical point of view. Finally, a complete design example done with the software presented is shown. This software is available via internet and is free of charge. Keywords: analysis, synthesis, educational software, four-bar linkage.

I. Introduction In recent years, there is an increasing interest in the use of simulation softwares in the teaching of Machine Theory. These computer programs help the student to understand deeply, and in a more visual way, the theoretical basis explained during the lectures. This is clear taking into account that more and more textbooks of Machine Theory include a CD-ROM with a simulation program to complement the book contents [1], [2], [3]. One possibility is the use of a commercial software package as, ADAMS [4], DADS [5] or Working Model. These kind of general-purpose programs have the advantage of their powerful capabilities and their reliability. However, in the case of ADAMS and DADS, it is necessary to spend a considerable time to train the student in the use of these programs that have been developed to be used by professionals and experts. In the case of Working Model, it is an analysis tool but not a synthesis tool. Also, due to their general-purpose approach, all these programs are based in multibody techniques. As a result, the geometrical bases of the Machine Theory are hidden into the mathematical formulation of the kinematic problems. Because of this, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of the Basque Country, an educational computer program has been developed to help the students in the understanding of the Machine Theory. This approach for the teaching of this subject is
* E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

not new. Other universities as Dresden University [6] or Aachen University [7] have previously used it in the lectures. The software MECAN4 presented in this paper is focused on the analysis and dimensional synthesis of the planar four-bar linkage and other mechanisms derived from it. There is also a version, BIEMAN, for the simulation of the slider-crank mechanism. The reason why this software is focused on the planar four-bar linkages, is that from an educational point of view, these kind of linkages cover almost all kinematic aspects common to other planar and spatial mechanisms [8], [9]. MECAN4, BIEMAN and their user manuals are available to be downloaded at the web page of the authors: www.ehu.es/compmech. II. Geometry module MECAN4 and BIEMAN have been developed in FORTRAN language and have a modular structure. The geometry module has a user-friendly interface based on the use of pull-down menus (figure 1).

Fig. 1. MECAN4: Pull-down menus.

To start with the kinematic analyses, the student has to enter the linkage parameters. It can be done by clicking on the screen or by keyboard. There are two ways to define the linkage: Enter the lengths of the mechanism links. Define the coordinates of the kinematic joints. In figure 2 the parameters that define the four-bar and the slider-crank linkages in the software are shown.

can note how their radiuses change with the position of the coupler. Also the acceleration pole is obtained. The cusp circle is obtained as the locus of centres of curvature of the envelopes to straight lines moving together with the coupler. The cubic of stationary curvature (c.s.c) and the pivotpoint curve (p.p.c).

Coupler curve I Path of moving pair

Assembly mode I

Crank Coupler curve II Assembly mode II Fig. 2. Mechanism parameters.

After the linkage parameters have been entered, an editable database is created and saved. The geometry module has also the usual edition options: zoom, modify, etc. III. Analysis module All the kinematic analyses are implemented in MECAN4 and BIEMAN. Using this software the student can know in deep the kinematic behaviour of any fourbar or slider-crank linkage. A. Position problem Once the user has defined the linkage, the position problem is solved automatically. This problem is solved graphically and all the assembly modes are obtained. All the position parameters of the linkage can be shown in graphical or tabular format. When the position problem has been solved, the student can compute the following kinematic curves (figure 3): Ranges of movements of all links. Also, using Grashof Theorem, cranks are detected in the mechanism. Coupler curves of each assembly mode. The student sees how, changing the dimensions of the links, the number of coupler curves changes. Pole curves of the coupler. The rolling of the moving polode along the fixed polode is simulated and the velocity pole is identified. De la Hire and Bresse circles are drawn. The student

c.s.c.

De la Hire circle

p.p.c. Cusp circle

Bresse circle Fig. 3. Computation of kinematic curves.

During analysis singular positions are also detected. The dead point and the uncertainty positions are obtained. In the case of a transition linkage, in an uncertainty position, the linkage gains an instantaneous degree of freedom (figure 4a). Thus, the simulation is stopped and the student can choose the branch of the trajectory to continue the movement (figure 4b and 4c). The transmission angle and the mechanical advantage are also calculated and shown in tabular or graphical format. These parameters help the student to analyse the quality of the transmission of movement and force in the mechanism.

a)

b)

c)

Fig. 6. Calculation of angular velocities. Fig. 4. Uncertainty position.

A. Coupler-curve synthesis. The student can also define a line moving together with the coupler. Then, the software calculates its envelope and the involute of the previous envelope. This calculation is very useful to understand in deep the Euler-Savarys Theorem in its most general form It consists on the calculation of the link lengths that make the coupler curve to verify a certain condition. A.1 Synthesis using precision points In the software three, four and five precision points can be defined. Then, a linkage whose coupler point passes exactly through these points is calculated. In this case graphical procedures based of point-position reduction and kinematic inversion concepts have been implemented [2], [10]. In figure 7 a solution of the synthesis with five precision points is shown.

Line

Involute

Envelope

Fig. 5. Envolvente and evolute curves.

B. Velocity and acceleration problems. Once the angular velocity and acceleration of the input link are introduced, the velocities and accelerations of the other links are computed. To do this, the loop equations are differentiated and the resultant linear systems of equations solved. Now the student selects a link and its velocity or acceleration is shown in tabular or graphical format as a function of the generalised coordinate (figure 6). IV. Synthesis module Using the software, the student can make different types of dimensional synthesis. In this section these capabilities are described.
Fig. 7. Coupler curve synthesis using 5 precision points.

When the student works with this synthesis module, the concepts of branch and order errors are easily understood. They are detected making the kinematic analysis of the linkage obtained. A.2 Synthesis of coupler curves with approximate straight lines. Given the positions of the kinematic pairs of the fourbar linkage, MECAN4 uses the theoretical concept of the Ball point (intersection between the De la Hire circle and the c.s.c) to obtain a coupler point that draws an

approximate straight path [11]. The length of this path depends on the lengths of the links and the position of the kinematic pairs. Figure 8 shows the path obtained locating the coupler point at the computed Balls point for this particular position.

four-bar linkage and a slider-crank mechanism are shown.

Fig. 8. Coupler curve with a straight section.

B. Coupler-position synthesis. As in the case of the coupler curve synthesis, graphical procedures have been implemented in the software for the coupler-position synthesis with three and four precision positions given the position of the fixed pairs. In figure 9 the result of a four position synthesis is shown.
Fig. 10. Cognate linkages.

D. Linkage with a permanent translational link. The student can also synthesize a one degree of freedom mechanism with a translational link. Based on the Roberts construction, MECAN4 translates one cognate until its fixed joint meets the non-common fixed pair of the original linkage. Joining the two input links and locating an additional link between the two coupler points, this link has translational movement. If it is pinned to both couplers, the mechanism has a redundant link that can be eliminated. In figure 11 the resulting link from this synthesis process is shown

Translational link

Fig. 9. Four position synthesis.

C. Cognate linkages. Based on the graphical construction of the Roberts Theorem [12], the path-cognates of a given linkage can be obtained. In this way, there are available two additional design possibilities. In the software, the cognate linkages can move together so Roberts Theorem is stated in a visual way. In figure 10 the cognates of a

Fig. 11. One-dof mechanism with a translational link.

V. Design example The software presented in this paper is not only used as a complement to the theoretical lectures. Using it, our students have to solve a final design problem. It is also used to solve a specific design problem. The design example is presented to the student at the end of the lectures of Machine Theory [11]. They must apply all the knowledge acquired and, aided by this software, be able to obtain a reliable and efficient solution to the problem. In this case, the goal is the design of an elevation planar mechanism fixed in a transporting truck with the following specifications: During the elevation phase the end-effector must have vertical permanent translation. The fixed joints must be located at the chassis of the truck. The design must be a 1-dof mechanism. The design problem proposed is a coupler-position synthesis. The coupler must move vertically with a null angular velocity. Thus, the first step is the synthesis of a four-bar linkage with a coupler curve with a straight section. In this case, a four-bar linkage in cycloidal position has been entered in MECAN4 and its Balls point has been calculated locating the coupler curve on it (figure 12)

K B A B0

C0

A0

Fig. 13. Cognate linkages.

Now, translating one cognate, a 1-dof linkage with a permanent translational link ( KK ) is obtained (figure 14).
K B K A B0 A0

p.p.c. De la Hire Circle

C c.s.c. Fig. 14. Mechanism with a translational link. P K (Balls point)

However, from a practical point of view, link KK is too much long. In this way, a similar four-bar loop AEFD will be used (figure 15)
K

Fig. 12. Calculation of the Ball point.

An alternative is to make a coupler-curve synthesis using precision points. In this case, after the synthesis of the four-bar linkage, the position problem must be solved to detect possible branch and order errors. The next step is the calculation of the cognate linkages (figure 13).

E F A

Fig. 15. Reducing the translational link.

To obtain not only a permanent translational movement, but also a vertical one an R-dyad is added obtaining a moving parallelogram EFGK (figure 16). So the link GK translates vertically.
K G

position problem is solved, the user can view all the representative kinematic curves during the linkage motion. It helps the student to assimilate the geometrical background of the Machine Theory. The synthesis module, based on graphical techniques, allow the student to start out in the mechanism design for specific applications. Currently a new version of the software is being programmed on Visual C# to make use of its new graphical capabilities. Acknowledgments The authors of this paper wish to acknowledge the finance received from the Spanish Government via Ministerio de Educacin y Ciencia (Project DPI200502207), the FEDER founds of the European Union and the University of the Basque Country (Project GIU05/46). References
[1] Norton, R.L. Design of machinery: an introduction to the synthesis and analysis of mechanisms and machines. McGrawHill, 2003. [2] Erdman, A.G. Sandor, G.N. Mechanism design. Analysis and synthesis. Prentice-Hall, 1997. [3] Waldron K.J. Kinzel G.L. Kinematics, dynamics and design of machinery. Wiley, 1999. [4] Orlandea, M.A. Chace and D.A. Calahan. A sparsity-oriented approach to the dynamic analysis and design of mechanical systems, Part I and II. Journal of Engineering for Industry, vol. 99, pp. 773-784, 1977. [5] Haugh, E.J. Computer-aided kinematics and dynamics of mechanical systems. Ed. Allyn and Bacon, 1989. [6] Luck, K. Gerstmann, R. Lehrsoftware zur kinematischen Synthese von Kurvengetrieben. Wiss. Z. der Uni Dresden 40, 314: 95-103. [7] Corves, B. Computer-aided lectures and exercises: Graphical analysis and synthesis in Mechanism Theory. Proceedings of the 11th World Congress in Mechanism and Machine Science. April 14 2004, Tianjin, China. [8] Huber, G. Dietmaier, P. Four-bar: and educational synthesis and design tool for planar four bar mechanisms. Proceedings of the 10th World Congress on the Theory of Machines and Mechanisms. June 20-24, Oulu, Finland. [9] Bottema, O. Roth, B. Theoretical Kinematics. Dover publications Inc. New York, 1990. [10] Nieto, J. Sntesis de Mecanismos. A. C. Madrid, 1978. [11] Hernndez. A. Cinemtica de mecanismos: anlisis y diseo. Ed. Sntesis, 2004. [12] Roberts, S. On three bar motion in plane space. Proceedings of the London Mathematical Society, VII, 1875.

E F A

Fig. 16. Adding a R-dyad.

Finally the end effector is fixed to link GK and the projected linkage mounted in the truck (figure 17).

K G

Fig. 17. Final design.

VI. Conclusions In this paper a new educational program for the kinematic analysis and synthesis of planar four-bar and slider-crank linkages has been introduced. The userfriendly graphical interface and its modular structure make it suitable to be used by undergraduate students without any previous simulation abilities. When the