Dr.

Samir Mustapha
Lecture 1
Mechanics of machines: MECH332

Some Terminology

What is a link?
What is a frame?
What is a joint or kinematic pair?
What are lower and higher pairs?
What is a closed loop kinematic chain?
What is an open loop kinematic chain?
What is a linkage?
What is planar motion, planar linkages?
What is spatial motion, spatial linkages?
What is inversion? Will be covered in the next lecture
What is a cycle and period?
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Mechanism and Machines

Machines: is a device for transferring and transforming
motion and force (power) from source to the load. It is also
referred as the study of the geometry of motion, and how
things move relative to each other.
Mechanism: is the division of machine design which is
related/concerned with the kinematic design of linkages,
cams, gears and gear trains.

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology Links
The representation of a mechanism using lines is referred
to at the skeleton representation of the mechanism.

Lines connecting different parts on the mechanism are referred

to as Links:
Links are assumed to be rigid.
Links are joint together to form a kinematic chain.
Links are responsible to transmit motion and forces.
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Type of links

Binary Link

Ternary Link

Quarternary Link

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology - Frame
The fixed link is called a frame or a base link.
When there is no link that is actually fixed, we may consider
as being fixed and determine the motion of the links relative
to it. E.g. an automobile engine, the engine case/block may
be considered the frame, even though the automobile may
be moving.

Cylinder: frame

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology Joints or Kinematic Pair

The parts that are connecting the links are known as
Joints (which permits constrained relative motion).
For instance, the joint between the crank shaft and the
connecting rod is refereed to a revolute joint or pin joint.

Revolute pair has 1 degree of freedom (DoF), one

element is fixed and the other is allowed to rotate.
DoF will be discuss in more depth later during the
course

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology Lower and Higher Pairs

Connection between rigid bodies are classified as:
Lower pair : the element of a lower pair are in surface
contact with one another. Lower pair include revolute or pin
connections (e.g. a shaft in a bearing). Only one DoF is
allowed.
Higher pair: the element of a higher pair are in point or line
contact with one another (if we disregard deflection). A
higher pair include a pair of gears or a disk cam and a
follower. More than one DoF is allowed (rolling and sliding )

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology Examples of Lower and Higher

Pairs

Lower pair

Higher pair

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Terminology Closed Loop Kinematic Chain

Chain: A kinematic chain is an assembly of links and pairs
(joints).
Each link in a closed loop kinematic chain is connected to
two or more other links.
Lift platform

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Terminology Open Loop Kinematic Chain

One or more of the links is connected to one other link.

Industrial robot
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Terminology: Linkage
Some references define linkages as kinematic chains
joined by only lower pairs.
The term is commonly used to identify any assemblage of
rigid bodies connected by kinematic joints. Linkage
configuration may serve as a component of a mechanism,
a machine or an engine.

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Terminology Planar Motion and Planar

Linkages
If all points in a linkage move in a parallel planes, the
system undergoes planar motion and the linkage may be
described as planar linkage.

BMW F33 4 Series: four moving pieces swing into action, folding
one on top of the other until nothing is left of your trunk space.
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Terminology Spatial Motion and Spatial

Linkages
In a spatial mechanism, different particles may move in
paths which dont all always remain in a plane. This is
referred to as spatial motion and the linkage may be
described as spatial or three dimensional linkage (3D).

Boeing 707-338 series of aircraft

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

Stewart platform
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Symbols used for Kinematic diagrams

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AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Symbols used for Kinematic diagrams

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Mechanism and Machines: Mechanism

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mechanism: Example 1
(Nutcracker)

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility or Numbers of Degrees of Freedom

Mobility is one of the most fundamental concepts to the
study of Kinematics. The mobility of a mechanism is the
number of degrees of freedom it possesses. This
translates into a number of independent input motions
leading to a single follower motion. Equivalently it is the
minimum number of independent parameters required to
specify the location of every link within a mechanism. Oleg- p. 6
A single link constrained to move
with planar motion has 3 DoFs.
The x and y translation and the
rotation angle.

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility or Numbers of Degrees of Freedom

Two unconnected planar links six DoFs.

When the links are pinned together by a

revolute joint, the two-link system will
posses only four degrees of freedom.
Connecting two planar links with a
revolute joint had the effect of removing
two DoFs from the system. In other words,
revolute joint permits a single DoF
(rotation) between the connected links.
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility : Grbler/Kutzbach Criterion

With this logic, it is possible to develop a general equation
which can help to predict the mobility of a planar
mechanism.

3(n 1)....DoFs
For instance, a planar mechanism with n links, each link will
have 3 DoFs. Recognising that one link is connected to the
ground, this will remove 3 DoFs, this will leave the system
with:

M 3(n 1) 2 f 1 f 2

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility : Grbler Criterion

Each one degree of freedom joint removes 2 DoFs from
the system, and similarly each two degrees of freedom
joint removes 1 DoF. Then, the total mobility (M) of a
system is given by Grublers equation:
M 3(n 1) 2 f 1 f 2

M= mobility of number of DoFs

n= the total number of links (including the ground)
f1= the number of 1 DoF joints
f2= the number of 2 DoF joints

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility : Grbler Criterion

Only four types of joints are commonly found in planar
mechanisms:
1- Revolute (1 DoF)
2- Prismatic (1 DoF)
3- Rolling contact (1 DoF)
4- Cam or gear joint (2 DoF)
The following definitions apply to the actual mobility of a
device:
: the device is a mechanism with M DoF (they are free to move
M 1

once an external driving force is applied)

: the device is a statically determinate structure (constrained
M 0
with no movement allowed, this forms a structure)
M 1 : the device is a statically indeterminate structure (this is
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overconstrained )AUBMECH
Fall 2014/2015

Mobility : GrblerKutzbach Criterion

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Grublers Criterion: Violation

Grublers formula does not take into account the specific
geometry of the mechanism (often occurs when several
links are parallel).
Consider the following examples:

M 3(5 1) 2(6)
M 0
This device can actually move
and is a mechanism with 1 DoF.

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AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Special case - mobility

2

4
2
3

or

By definition, a pin joint connects two links.

When three links must be joined by 2 joints:
One connects link 2 to 3
The other connects link 3 to 4
Therefore all 3 links are joined.
Joint connecting k links at one
joint must be counted as (k-1)
joints
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AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility Example 2
Determine the mobility of the device below.
There are four links and four revolute.
n= 4; the total number of links (including the ground)
f1= 4; the number of 1 DoF joints
f2= 0; the number of 2 DoF joints

M 3(4 1) 2(4) 0
M 980
M 1
This is 1 DoF mechanism.
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility Example 3
Determine the mobility of the device below.
There are four links connected by 5 joints.
n= 5;
f1= 4; the joint connecting three links at a point count
twice
f2= 0;

M 3(4 1) 2(5) 0
M 9 10 0
M 1
This is a statically indeterminate
structure.
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mobility Example 4
Determine the mobility of the device below.
Three links exist, two 1 DoF revolute joint and one with 2 DoF
higher pair joint. In the higher pair, the two contacting bodies
may translate along the tangent line or rotate about the contact
point.
n= 3;
f1= 2;
f2= 1;

M 3(3 1) 2(2) 1
M 6 4 1
M 1
This is 1 DoF mechanism.
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mechanism: Example 1
(Nutcracker)
Determine the mobility of the device below.

n= 6;
f1= 7;
f2= 0;
M 3(6 1) 2(7)
M 1

This is 1 DoF mechanism.

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AUB Fall 2014/2015

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More Example - Grbler Criterion

a
c

Mobility of various
configurations of connected
links:
(a)n = 3, f1 = 3, f2 = 0, m = 0;
(b)n = 4, f1 = 4, f2 = 0, m = 1;
(c)n = 5, f1 = 5, f2 = 0, m = 2.

Effect of additional links on

mobility:
(a) m = 1, (b) m = 0 and (c)
m = -1.

MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mechanism and Machines: Mechanism

"Linkage mechanism simulator free software

available at : http://www.edu-ctr.pref.kanagawa.jp/LinkWeb/index_e.htm
MECH 332
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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Mechanism and Machines: Machine

"ROBOTEE LINKAGE 2.0 free software

available at : http://www.robotee.com/index.php/robotic-linkageMECH 332
mechanism-designer-and-simulator-linkage-2-0-all-free-81003/
AUB Fall 2014/2015

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