Mechanisms

Prof.dr.ing. Csaba Antonya

antonya@unitbv.ro
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Lecture 2

 Structural analysis.
 Links, representation of links.
 Degrees of Freedom (DOF).
 Kinematic pairs (joints).
 Skeleton diagrams.
 Examples.
MECHANISMS

2 Lecture 2
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Theory of mechanisms

 Mechanisms - analysis
 Structural analysis
 Kinematics of mechanisms
 Dynamics of mechanisms
MECHANISMS

3 Lecture 2
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Kinematics of mechanisms

 Kinematics is the study of motion, i.e., the

study of displacement, velocity, and
acceleration, regardless of the forces that
produce the motion.
 Typically, the time history of one element
in the system is prescribed.
 We are interested in how the rest of the
element in the system is moveing
 Requires the solution linear and nonlinear
systems of equations.
MECHANISMS

 The role of kinematics is to ensure the

functionality of the mechanism

4 Lecture 2
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Dynamics of mechanisms

 Kinetics or Dynamics is the study of

motion and its relationship with the forces
that produce that motion.
 Analysis of the behavior of a given
mechanism when subjected to forces
 The determination of forces induced in
machine components by the motion
MECHANISMS

5 Lecture 2
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Chapter 1. Structural analysis of mechanisms

 Structural analysis is the study of the

nature of connection among the members
of a mechanism and its mobility.
 It is concerned primarily with the
fundamental relationships among the
degrees of freedom, the number of links,
the number of joints (pairs), and the type
of joints used in a mechanism.
 It should be noted that structural analysis
only deals with the general functional
MECHANISMS

characteristics of a mechanism and not

with the physical dimensions of the links.

6 Lecture 2
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CHAPTER I: Structural analysis of mechanisms

LINKS (a.k.a element, bodies …)

 The individual rigid bodies
making up a machine or
mechanism are called
members, elements, bodies or
links.
 A component forming a part of
a chain; generally rigid, with
provision at each end for
connection to two other links
 Links are rigid : the distance
MECHANISMS

between any two points fixed

to them remains constant

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Links

 Links may be:

 Mobile - also called a kinematic element
(crankshaft, piston, gear, rods, etc.);
 Fixed (or supposedly fixed) - in this case
called base-element (machine tool housing,
engine crankcase, etc.).

The position of the mobile elements (links)

will be determined in a reference system
attached to the fixed element (base)
MECHANISMS

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Schematic representation of links

 Highly simplified schematic diagram

(skeleton representation), which contains
important feature of the shape of each
link
 Often represented by lines, uniting pairs
(circles)
 Drawback / little resemblance to physical
hardware
 Classification of links
 Binary links
MECHANISMS

 Ternary links
 Quaternary link

9 Lecture 2
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Links

 Number of joints
 Binary links, connected to only two other
links

 Ternary links 1
MECHANISMS

 Quaternary link

10 Lecture 2
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Structural (stick or skeleton) diagrams

A striped-down (simplified) drawing

showing the essentials needed for
structural analysis. All links are numbered
while the joints are lettered.
1
2
A
B

4
MECHANISMS

D Structural diagram /
skeleton, representing
the punch mechanism
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Degrees of Freedom (DOF) – free element

Degrees of Freedom – number of independent

coordinates required to completely specify
the position of the link
An object in space has six degrees of freedom.

 Translation –
position along X, Y,
and Z axis (three
degrees of freedom)

 Rotation –
rotation angle about
MECHANISMS

X, Y, and Z axis
(three degrees of
freedom)
12 Lecture 2
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Degrees of Freedom (DOF) in PLANE

Three
independent
coordinates needed
to specify the
location of the link
k, xA, yA, and
angle 

An unconstrained link in the plane

MECHANISMS

has three degrees of freedom

Mechanism with L unconstrained
links has 3L degrees of freedom

13 Lecture 2
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Kinematic pairs (joints)

 The links of the mechanisms are connected in

order to transmit motion from the driver
(input link) to the follower (output link)
 The connections (joints between the links)
are called kinematic pairs (or joints)
 The joint consists of a pair of mating surfaces
– one for each of the joined links, formed by
the contact between two bodies and allows
relative motion between them.
 Guarantees the contact between two
members and constrains their relative motion
MECHANISMS

 Combination of two links kept in permanent

contact permitting particular kind(s) of
relative motion(s) between them
14 Lecture 2
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Kinematic pairs (joints)

 Joints are classified by the:

– how the contact is maintained or type of

physical closure of the joint: either force or
form closed.

– type of contact between the elements, line,

point, or surface.
• Lower pair
• Higher pair
MECHANISMS

– number of DOF allowed at the joint.

15 Lecture 2
 Based on how the contact is maintained
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1. Self / Form Closed Pairs –

Shape/Form of the links
maintain the contact. No
external force.

Follower

2. Force Closed Pairs –

External forces like
gravitational force, spring Cam Cam
force etc., required to
MECHANISMS

maintain the contact.

16 Lecture 2
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Degrees of Freedom (DOF) – joints: f

 Pairs (joint) are constraints between links

(rigid bodies) that result in the decrease
of the degrees of freedom
 The number of independent parameters
that is required to determine the relative
position of one link (rigid body) with
respect to the other link (body) connected
by the kinematic pair
 f=1…5
 f = 0, no relative movement
MECHANISMS

 f = 6, no constraint in relative motion

17 Lecture 2
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Degrees of Freedom (DOF) – joints: f

 For the correct determination of degrees

of freedom it is necessary to analyze only
the two links and the connection between
them and to strip off all other connections
and pairs.
 Is necessary to choose the coordinate
system on one pair (considered as fixed)
and analyze all possible independent
movement of the other in this reference
frame.
MECHANISMS

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Lower pair (Joints)

 Lower pair describes joints with surface

contacts (motion is transmitted through an
area contact)

– Examples:
– A door joint to a frame with hinges (revolute
(R) pair)
– A sash window (prismatic (P) pair)

 Advantages: The lubricant traps between

MECHANISMS

their enveloping surfaces , results in low

wear and long life

19 Lecture 2
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Lower pair (Joints)

Commonly used lower pairs

Name of Pair Letter Symbol D.O.F
1. Revolute / Turning Pair R 1
2. Prismatic / Sliding Pair P 1
3. Helical / Screw Pair H 1
4. Cylindrical Pair C 2
5. Spherical / Globular Pair S 3
6. Flat / Planar Pair F 3
MECHANISMS

20 Lecture 2
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Higher pair joints

 Higher pair - motion is transmitted through

a line or a point contact

 Examples:

– Gear teeth, cam and follower, two curved

surfaces

– At a macroscopic level, a block sliding on a

MECHANISMS

surface level, has contacts at discrete points,

the top of the surface asperities’ or surface
roughness

21 Lecture 2
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Slider (Prismatic or Translational joint)

 A slider is constrained
against moving in the
vertical direction as well
as being constrained from
rotating in the plane
 f=1
MECHANISMS

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Slider (Translational joint, Prismatic)
MECHANISMS

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Slider (Translational joint, Prismatic)

1 2 1

1 2
Degrees of freedom: 1
Symbol: P or T A
Relative motion: Linear
2
MECHANISMS

A: T1-2, f=1

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Slider (Translational joint, Prismatic)

 1 is the base element:

B

1 5 B: T1-5, f=1

5 1
1
MECHANISMS

 Frontal view:
B
5

1
5
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Slider (Translational joint, Prismatic) - example
MECHANISMS

D: T3-4, f=1

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Pin connection - Revolute joint (pair)

 Revolute joint f = 1

The revolute pair allows

one rotational degrees of
freedom between the links
MECHANISMS

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Pin connection - Revolute joint

Each pin connection

removes two degrees of
freedom of relative motion
between two successive
links.

Reprezentation:
Degrees of freedom: 1
1
Symbol: R
Relative motion: Circular A
MECHANISMS

A: R1-2, f=1

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Pin connection - Revolute joint

 One link is the base element 3

C
C: R1-3, f=1
1

 For spatial mechanism, when the axis of

rotation is not perpendicular to the
representation plain.
3
MECHANISMS

3 3

C C
1 1 C
1

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Pin connection - Revolute joint, example
MECHANISMS

B
D 5 D: T3-4, f=1
1 B: R1-3, f=1
3
4 E: R4-5, f=1
E

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Pin connection - Revolute joint, examples

1
C
MECHANISMS

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Helical pair - Screw pair

 The helical pair has the sliding and

rotational motion related by the helix
angle of the screw.
 f=1
MECHANISMS

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Helical pair - Screw pair

1 2
A

1 2
Degrees of freedom: 1
Symbol: H
A 1
Relative motion: Helical
MECHANISMS

A: H1-2, f=1

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Helical pair - Screw pair, example

B
MECHANISMS

3
B: H2-3, f=1

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Cylindrical pair

 f=2

Two-degrees of freedom joints

allows two simultaneous
independent relative motions,
translation and rotation, between
MECHANISMS

the joined links.

35 Lecture 2
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Cylindrical pair

CYLINDRICAL PAIR

Degrees of freedom: 2
Symbol: C
Relative motion: Cylindrical
MECHANISMS

3 3 3

C C C: C1-3, f=2
1 1 C
1
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Spherical joint, ball joint

 f=3
 A spherical pair is a
ball and socket joint

Spherical, or ball-
and socket joint,
allows three
independent
MECHANISMS

angular motions
between the two
links joined

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Spherical joint (Globular pair)

Degrees of freedom: 3
Symbol: S
E 3
Relative motion: Spherical
MECHANISMS

E: S2-3, f=3

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Spherical joint, ball joint - examples

B: S2-3, f=3
B 3

2
MECHANISMS

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Spherical joint with a bolt

 f=2
 Has a bolt in a guide

E 3
Allows two
2 independent angular
motions
E: Sb2-3, f=2 between the two
MECHANISMS

links joined

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Planar pair (flat pair)

Degrees of freedom: 3
Symbol: F
Relative motion: Planar
MECHANISMS

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The six lower pairs
Name (Symbol) DOF Contains

Rotation (R) 1 (Δθ) R

Translation(T) 1(Δx) T

Helicoidal (H) 1(Δθ) H (R or T)

Cylindrical (C) 2(Δθ), (Δx) RT

MECHANISMS

Spherical (S) 3 (Δθ), (Δφ), (Δψ) RRR

Planar (P) 3(Δθ), (Δx), (Δy) RTT

42 Lecture 2
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Higher kinematic pairs

 Higher pairs (joints) have either a line

contact or a point contact.
 Higher pairs exist in cam mechanisms, gear
trains, ball and roller bearings and roll-
slide joints, etc.
 For planar motion, both line contact higher
pairs and point contact higher pairs have
two degrees-of-freedom.
 The only constraint at the contact point is
along the common normal.
MECHANISMS

Lecture 2
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Higher kinematic pairs

Two surfaces are in contact (like cam-follower, two

ears),
Allowed: relative rotation and relative displacement
along a curve: f =2

3
3
A A: CF2-3, f=2
A 2
2
Gears – rotation and displacement between the teeth,
f=2
MECHANISMS

A 3
A: G2-3, f=2

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Higher kinematic pairs, cams gears, examples

C
A
1 2 2
G 1
3 B
MECHANISMS

3
C
1 C
1
G: RD2-3, f=2 B: CT2-3, f=2
45 Lecture 2
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Higher kinematic pairs: pin-in-slot joint

A pin-in-slot joint (rolling contact with sliding) is also

a higher pair with a line contact between the pin and
the slot.

Degrees of freedom: 2
Relative motion:
Linear and Circular
MECHANISMS

A
2
A: G2-3, f=2
3

Lecture 2
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Pin-in-slot joint, example

C
1
B 3
1
A 2
MECHANISMS

B: G2-3, f=2

47 Lecture 2
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Pin-in-slot joint

 Pin-in-slot joint can be replaced with one

revolute (C) and one prismatic (B) joint.

4
A C
B
2 2

3 3
B: T3-4, f=1 C: R4-2, f=1
4 4
MECHANISMS

C
B
2

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Pin-in-slot, example
MECHANISMS

2
A 1

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Other higher pairs

Cylindrical Plane Pair Cp 4

Spherical Plane Pair Sp 5
MECHANISMS

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Reprezenting joints (pairs)

DOF=1

DOF=1

DOF=1
MECHANISMS

DOF=2

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Reprezenting joints (pairs)

DOF=2

DOF=3
MECHANISMS

DOF=3

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Representing joints (pairs)

DOF=4

DOF=4
MECHANISMS

DOF=5

53 Lecture 2