Kinematic Fundamentals

Degree of Freedom
Number of independent parameters needed
to uniquely define the position of a rigid body
in space at any instant of time
 Types of Motion
Translation
Rotation
Complex
 Links
Link is a rigid body which possesses at least
two nodes (points of attachment)
 Joints
A joint is a connection between two or more
links which allows some relative motion or
potential motion between connected links.
Joints are also called kinematic pairs
They can be classified
By type of contact
By no. of DOF they allow
By type of closure
By order
 Mechanism
Kinematics Chain
Assemblage of links and joints, interconnected in a
way to provide a controlled output motion in
response to a supplied input motion
Mechanism
A kinematic chain in which at least one link has
been grounded
Mechanism Chains
 DOF of a Mechanism
No. of inputs which need to be provided in order to create a
predictable output
Grueblers equation for planar mechanisms

M=3(L-1)-2J
Where
M = degree of freedom or mobility
L = number of links
J = number of full joints (half joints count as 0.5)
G = number of grounded links =1
 Kinematic diagram
In kinematics, we need to know
No. & Types of Pairs
No. & Types of Links
Relative location
All other geometric features, dimensions or
inertial parameters are irrelevant in the study of
kinematics
IC Engine
Kinematic Diagram-IC Engine
DOF-Problems
DOF-Problems
DOF-Problems
DOF-Problems
 DOF-Problems

L = 12
J = 15 (12 R + 3 P)
M=3
DOF-Problems
 Number Synthesis
Determination of no. and order of links and
joint necessary to produce motion of
particular DOF
Catalog of potential linkages to solve variety of
motion control problems
For simplicity we would only use revolute
joints with order 1
Half joints, multiple joints and sliding joint can
be introduced through linkage transformation
 Attributes of linkages
Hypothesis:
if all joints are full joints, an odd no. of DOF requires an even
no. of links and vice versa
Proof :
n = m = {1,2,3,.,n,m}
2n = 2m = {2,4,6,.,2n,2m}
Even integers = 2m = 2m
Odd integers = 2m-1 = 2n-1
No. of joints must be a positive integer and is given by Eq.
Below
J = 3/2 (L 1) M/2
 Attributes of linkages Case 1
Links (even) = L = 2n DOF (even) = M = 2m

J = 3/2 (2n 1) 2m/2

= 3n m 3/2
If n = 1 m=1
= 3 1 3/2
= 3/2
 Attributes of linkages Case 2
Links (odd) = L = 2n 1 DOF (odd) = M = 2m 1

J = 3/2 (2n 1 1 ) (2m 1)/2

= 3n m 5/2
If n = 1 m=1
= 3 1 5/2
= -1/2
 Attributes of linkages Case 3
Links (even) = L = 2n DOF (odd) = M = 2m 1

J = 3/2 (2n 1) (2m 1)/2

= 3n m 1
If n = 1 m=1
=311
=1
 Attributes of linkages Case 4
Links (odd) = L = 2n 1 DOF (even) = M = 2m

J = 3/2 (2n 1 1 ) 2m/2

= 3n m 3
If n = 1 m=1
=313
= -1
If n = 2 m=1
=613
=2
 Number Synthesis An Example
Problem: Use number synthesis to find the possible link
combinations for a 1 DOF, up to hexagonal order and for up
to 8 links using only revolute joints.
Solution
For DOF = 1, we can only use even no. of links, So
L = [2, 4, 6, 8]
Let
B = No. of Binary links
T = No. of Ternary links
Q = No. of Quaternary links
P = No. of Pentagonal links
H = No. of Hexagonal links
 Number Synthesis An Example
Since two nodes are needed for a joint (order 1)
J = Nodes /2
As no. of nodes = order of the link * no. of links of
that order
So J = (2B + 3T + 4Q + 5P + 6H)/2
J is also = 3/2 (L 1) M/2
Equating both equations we get
L 3 M = T + 2Q + 3P + 4H
L is also = B + T + Q + P + H
Number Synthesis An Example
 Gruebler Paradoxes
Linkages that do not behave as predicted by
the gruebler equation
Because the gruebler criterion pays no attention to
links sizes or shapes, it can give misleading results in
the face of unique geometric configurations
Redundant DOF
A particular link is moved without transferring its
motion to any other links of the mechanism
Gruebler Paradoxes
 Isomers
A mechanism having same number and order of
links but interconnected differently and thus
having different motion characteristics is called
an isomer
An isomer is only unique if interconnection
between its types of links are different
Link lengths and shapes do not figure into gruebler
criterion or condition of isomerism
Watts Chain
Stephonsons Chain
Isomers-Example
Isomers-Example
 Intermittent Motion
A sequence of motion & dwells
A dwell is a period where output link remains stationary
while input link moves
Intermittent Motion
 Linkage Transformation
The basic linkages from number synthesis can be transformed to a wider
variety of mechanisms through linkage transformation.
Basic transformation techniques are
Revolute joints can be replaced by prismatic joints with no change in
DOF of the mechanism
Full joints can be replaced by half joints, increasing DOF by 1
Removal of a link will reduce the DOF by one
The combination of rule 2 and 3 will keep the original DOF unchanged
Any ternary or higher-order link can be partially shrunk to a lower-
order link by coalescing nodes. This will create a multiple joint but will
not change the DOF of the mechanism
Complete shrinkage of a higher-order link is equivalent to its removal.
A multiple joint will be created and the DOF will be reduced.
Linkage Transformation
Linkage Transformation
 Problem
Remove all half joints from the mechanism shown
while keeping DOF unchanged and sketch it.
What would be the generic name of the transformed
mechanism?
 Inversion
An inversion is created by grounding a different link
in the kinematic chain
Range of Movement & Rotatability
Most of machines are driven by motors, so they
need 1 link that can completely rotate
For four bar, this is predicted by grashoff
condition, which is a relationship that predicts
the rotation behavior or rotatability of four bar
based only on link lengths
S+LP+Q
S = Shortest link
L = Longest link
P & Q = Length of the remaining links
Grashoff Linkage
S+L<P+Q
Non-Grashoff Linkage
S+L>P+Q
Special-case Grashoff Linkage
S+L=P+Q
 Problem

Figure shows a "pick-and-place" mechanism.

Sketch its kinematic diagram, determine its
mobility and its type (i.e., is it a fourbar, a
Watts sixbar, a Stephenson's sixbar, an
eightbar. or what?)
Problem -Pick-and-place" mechanism.
Solution