Mech. Mach. Theory Vol. 23, No. 5, pp. 367-375, 1988 0094-114X/88 $3.00+0.

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Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved Copyright © 1988 Pergamon Press pie

STABILITY A N A L Y S I S OF F O U R B A R M E C H A N I S M . P A R T I - -
W I T H T H E A S S U M P T I O N T H A T D A M P I N G IS ABSENT

VASANTI MASUREKAR and K. N. GUPTA

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute, Matunga, Bombay 400019
and Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India
(Received 9 December 1987)

Abstract--With increasing machine speed, rigid link assumption is no more valid, hence, links of the
mechanism are subjected to vibration. Stability analysis of a vibrating system gives the speeds at which
the system response is unbounded. It is necessary to avoid these speeds or to provide sufficient damping
for better performance of the system. This paper presents the theoretical work done for stability analysis,
which is simple and can be extended to any mechanism in general. It gives the speed ranges, in which
response is unbounded, and presents the study of the response at various speeds for undamped system,

1. INTRODUCTION In this paper, an equation of motion for a four bar

The present day demand of high production requires mechanism is represented as a linear, second order,
machines to run at high speed. At this speed, it is ordinary, non-homogeneous differential equation,
necessary to take into consideration the elasticity of with varying co-efficients. Then the homogeneous
links in the mechanism. Many research workers have part of the equation is considered for stability anal-
tried to represent the vibration of such mechanisms ysis, and transformed into a Hill's type of equation.
in a more and more realistic form. In general, realistic The condition for stability is derived with a very
mathematical formulation is quite a complicated simple approach, as compared to[l, 2]. It can be
differential equation, for which an exact solution is applied to any mechanism. Here it is applied to a four
practically impossible[l-7]. The equation can also be bar mechanism to determine the unstable regions.
represented in the form of a Hill's or Mathieue's type Behaviour of the system in stable and unstable re-
equation as in[l, 5]. The most interesting character- gions is also presented.
istic of these equations is that for a certain re-
lationship between its coefficients it has unbounded 2. SYSTEM REPRESENTATION
solution.
Badlani and Midha[3] have simplified the equation The equation of motion representing transverse
of motion to Mathieue's equation. They have done vibration of the connecting link of the four bar
the stability analysis for a slider crank mechanism mechanism shown in Fig. 1, is derived in[l 1], which
without taking damping into account. Badlani and
Kleinhenz[4] have simplified the equation by repre-
senting the displacement in asymptotic series. They
have neglected damping and obtained a rough esti-
/
mate of stable regions, by considering the approxi-
mate series solution.
Badlani and Midha[5] have presented the study of
the effect of internal material damping on dynamic
response of slider crank. In this case, the equation is
reduced to Mathieue's equation and the stability
analysis is done, applying the method discussed by
Bolotin[6]. Jandrasits and Lowen[1, 2] have consid-
ered the damping and represented the system by a
Hill's type of equation, which is a more general form
for the stability analysis. Formation of Hill's deter-
minants, for 2rr - P and 4n - P solutions and pro-
cedures for getting stable and unstable regions, and
?
also the comparison of on and off resonance response
with experimental results is given in[l, 2]. Methods t~
suggested by other authors[8-10] do not use a Mat- P~x
hieue's or Hill's type of equation for stability ana- d
lysis, which is a comparatively simpler approach. Fig. 1. A four bar mechanism with elastic coupler.
367
368 VASANTI MASUREKARand K. N. GUPTA

is based on a continuous parameter approach and 3. DERIVATION OF CONDITION FOR

equilibrium method, assuming: STABILITY
(i) only the connecting link of the mechanism is The stability analysis of the system can be done by
elastic, and it is a simply supported beam; converting the homogeneous part of equation (2) into
(ii) the crank notates with constant speed; Hill's equation.
(iii) initial curvature does not exist; Denoting 2 = lip 2 and ~,(0) = FI(0) - F2(0), ho-
(iv) shear force and rotary inertia effects are mogeneous part of equation (2) becomes
negligible;
+ [,~ + V,(0)] Y = 0. (3)
(v) the cross sectional area is uniform through-
out the length. Here, ~k(0) depends upon the terms which are
2n-periodic, hence ~(0) is also a 2n-periodic func-
The equation obtained is:
tion.
- mt
Floquet solution[6] for these type of equations is
- 12y +
Y*(t + T) = oY*(t).
[2
Therefore,
x I G cos(0 - ~b) + ~ + : , ]
Y(t) = Y(t)e ~ lo~e,

+: [o.o. where,
log # = log Q + i arg Q.
+:'[G cos(0 - 4~) + 12~] Here ~b(0) is a general periodic function and not
necessarily even function. To find Q directly is incon-
ddf.F'ff(2ifi+]*.~)dxl venient for practical calculation.
Solution of equation of motion is bounded when
absolute value of Q is smaller than unity. For
greater than unity unstability occurs. On the bound-
aries of unstability Q is equal to unity, either stability
=G sin(0 - ~b)- l*$; (l) or unstability can take place. It is difficult to predict
the behaviour of solution on the boundaries.
where
Bolotin[6] has suggested to consider the equation on
x a 03 the boundary as inadmissible, irrespective of the
:=~, ~=~, a=~, /--~, behaviour of the solution on the boundary.
If ~ (0) in Hill's equation is T periodic, then on the
i* = 0"3 = cob2 boundary of the stable and unstable regions, the
07' p ,o = 02. solution is either T-periodic or 2T-periodic. For the
problem discussed here, ~b(0) is 2~-periodic, so the
solution on the boundaries of stable and unstable
E is Young's modulus of elasticity for the connecting
regions is either 2n or 4n periodic. Hence, it can be
link. I and m are respectively, area moment of inertia
represented as
and mass per unit length of connecting link.
fix = Px/mC°2b, Px is axial force acting on the coupler.
Other details are explained in Fig. 1. Equation (1) is Y(O)= ,=0.2.,~.... ( Akc°s ~-~ + Bksin-~-) (4.1,
then simplified to a linear equation, neglecting all
non-linear terms, further it is simplified to an ordi- (2n -periodic)
nary differential equation, assuming harmonic mode
or
shape, then applying Galerkine's technique, the final
form obtained is given as: Y(O) = AkCOS~- + Bksin (4.2)
k~ 1,3,5,... \
+ [L + l, = (2) (4n-periodic)
LP" J

where, t~(0) = ~. /~,cos nO + o,sin nO (5)

n=0

fi 4G cos(0 - 4) - 2i*
Y= sin n.f' F3(0) = rc 3.1. Derivation of condition for 2n-P boundaries
FI(0) - F2(0) = n 2 The conditions for 2~t-periodic boundaries can be
( i2) 5i2 obtained in the following steps:
x Px -t G cos(02 - 4) + -3 4
(i) substitute (4.1) and (5) in (3);
 Stability analysis of four bar mechanism--I 369

(ii) separate the terms containing A k and Bk tO × kO

obtain two homogeneous equations as A k and - 0 Ak o, sin nO cos -~- = 0 (7.1)
Bk are arbitrary;
(iii) also sin kO/2, cos kO/2 are arbitrary, based on -~-+2 B, sin +
this fact, obtain the condition for 2n-periodic k=0,2,4 .... k=0,2,4 ....

boundaries.
x ~ BkldnCOSnO sin -~
kO +
Following the above steps-- n~0 k ~0,2,4 . . . .

k 2+ 2 ) ( Akcos k-~+ Bksin k~02) x~ BkO,sin nO sin ~ = 0 (7.2)

n~O

+ (,,,,cos.o +o,,sin,,O)
k~0,2,4 .... n=O
Expanding the second term of (7.1) and writing the
first and second terms together:
x ( A , c o s - ~ + B, sin ~ ) = 0 (6)
~.~ k-/w+
r /k 2 ).)+.~_0/,t,
s ,.-
" co .0]
(ii) ~ ----4 + ,~ AkCOS + ~
k- 0,2,4,... k =0,2,4 .... kO
x A, c o s - T = S (8)

n~0
cos + k=~,2,4 .... where

2+2~ 2pl 2#: 2//3 .. "

22
2plcos 0 ---~+2+(2~o-1-~2)'cos 0 (/a~ + #3)cos 0 (#2 + 1~4)cos 0 . ..
42
S= 2~2cos 20 (#~+~3)cos 20 - ~- + )- + (2#0 + #4)'cos 20 (tq + #5)cos 20 ...
62
2~3cos 30 (#2 + p4)cos 30 (/q + #5)cos 30 - ~- + ).

: + (2go + #6)cos 30 ...

(iii) Equation (8) contains only cos terms.

If the third term of equation (7. I) is expanded then one can see that it contains only sin terms. Hence the
two homogeneous equations obtained are

---~-+2 + ~ /~.cosn0 AkCOS ~-0; (9.1)

k~0,2,4 .... n=O

v.sinnO Akcos kO
* =0,z4,... I_,=0 _1 -~ = 0 (9.2)
Since (9.2) does not give relation between Fourier coefficients and 2 like (9.1), it is not required in the further
analysis. From (8) and (9.1), the following condition is obtained
(2#o + 2) 2/h 2/12 2#3

21a~ + 2~ + la2/ PI + #3 /~2 + #4

---o (10.1)
2/~2 /.41+/./3 /A + kt~ •••
+ 2 ~ + #4/

+ 2~ + ~4 "'
370 VASANTIMASUREKARand K. N. GUPTA

Similarly from (7,2) the following condition is obtained.

/'/1 - - 1"/3 f12--f14 f13--f15

+ 2tto + #2]

~u~-- ~3 /'/1 ~ / ' / 5 /~2 - - 1-/6 • • •

+ 2 ~ - #4]

62 =0 00.2)
f12--f14 fll--fl5 fll -- //7 • • •

+ 2~0 - #s] ' ""

• : :

Thus (10.1) and (10.2) are the conditions for 2n-periodic boundaries.

3.2. Derivation of condition for 41t-periodic boundaries

Following the procedure discussed in Section 2.1 to equation (4.2), conditions are obtained for 47t-periodic
boundaries--

,2 /
-~-+~
+2p.o+~] fll'['-fl2 fl2"~3 f13"[-f14 "'"

~l+P2 +2/./o+~3/ ~1+~4 ~2+~5 ...

----0 (ll.l)

f12"[-f13 fll"~'fl4 +2/.to+#5] ~+~6 ...

~3"~-~4 ~2"+'~5 ~1"~-~6

+ 2~ + ~7]
: '

-~-+~
i" 1
+ 2~ -/~l] /~1 - #2 #2 -/~3 /~3 -/~4

-~-+,l
.° .
#~ - ~u2 + 2~ - #3] ~ - #4 #2 - ~5

--i-+a =0 (11.2)
]'/1 - - 1"/6 • " "
#2 - #3 #~ - / ~ 4 + 2~ - ~5]

+ 2 ~ -/~7]
 Stability analysis of four bar mechanism--I 371

two solutions of different periods bound the regions

COn, the lundamentat natural frequency~'~
and ',p(8) at 30 values at 8
Fourier coefficients tar
are computed
Hill's Matrix I'H] corosponding to
Hill's determinant, are formed
Eigen VaLues .A. of matrix
I[H'I are computed
of stability.
Two sets of 2n-periodic boundary frequencies are
obtained from solutions of (10.1) and (10.2). Denote
it by (coil. . . . . cam) corresponding to (10.1),
J
(col~. . . . . cam), corresponding to (10.2). Similarly
two sets of 4~r-periodic boundary frequencies are
I U"°u lNE I obtained from solutions of (11.1) and (11.2). Denote
I 1to fit given I it by (fill . . . . . f~m) corresponding to (11.1),
~'*-'t tabulated I
1 I!u=tion ,n I (fill . . . . . f~m) corresponding to (11.2). Two nearby
~ourier series l boundaries of identical periods bound the regions of
instability. Hence, 2If-periodic unstable regions are
obtained as [coH, cole], [co21,co22]. . . . . [cam, con], and
4n-periodic unstable regions are obtained as
Available [['~ll, ['~12]' [~'~21' ['~22] ..... [~'~NI' ~N2]"
SUBROUTINES
for computing Step Ill--study of system behaviour in stable and
l
eigen wiues
of given
matrix
unstable regions

l To study the system behaviour, equation (2) is

solved by Hamming's predictor corrector method, for
various values of crank speeds in different stable and
unstable regions.
lBounderVFreq = tOIo= ~ n / V ~ I

5. ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE AND RESULTS

Fig. 2. Flow chart showing the procedure for computing
boundary frequencies.
4. PROCEDURE FOR THE COMPLETE
STABILITY ANALYSIS OF MECHANISM
Step I--determination of boundary frequencies
Figure 2 gives the flow chart to determine the
boundary frequencies, according to which the pro-
grammes are developed in [11] to determine the
boundary frequencies for any mechanism, if the
equation is brought in the form of Hill's equation.
Step II--determination of unstable regions
From the theory of stability, two solutions of
identical periods bound the regions of instability, and
Procedure discussed in Section 3 for the complete
stability analysis is applied here for the following four
bar mechanism, with fixed link 254 mm long, coupler
280 mm, crank 64 mm and follower 270 mm. Links
are made of mild steel, width of all links is 25 nun,
thickness for coupler is 2 mm. Crank and follower,
each is made in two symmetrical pieces of thickness
4 mm. Table 1 shows frequency ratios for 2n and 4n
periodic unstable ranges, it also gives corresponding
crack speeds for the above mechanism. Figures 3-6
give the displacement response at various speeds as,
in stable region but not near the boundaries, in 2~-P
unstable region, in 4n-P unstable region and in stable
region but near the boundary respectively. In Fig. 6,
for the speed in stable region but very near to
boundary, response is unbounded. It is observed
in[11] that, when speed is in stable region but very
near to 2n-P boundary, the response is unbounded.
We say that the region is definitely stable, when the
corresponding response is certainly bounded. The

Table 1. Boundary frequency ratios and corresponding stable and unstable regions
2n-Periodic 4n-Periodic
co__nnB.F. ratio Unstable regions co__nnB.F. ratio Unstable regions
co crank speed in r.p.m, co crank speed in r.p.m.
0.9485--1.03476 3353.705-3658,576 0.63784-0.875 3966.72-5440.44
2.0356-2.0366 1703.947-1704.764 1.54745-1.573 2206.01-2242.58
3.0199-3.02 1149.079-I 149.15 2.5254-2.526 1373.82-I 374.15
4.014 864.565 3.516-3.516 986.89-987
5.0107 692.57 4.512 769.104
6.00878 577.54 5.5096 629.855
7.0074 495.23 6.508 533.23
8.0064 433.44 7.5069 462.28
9.0057 385.343 8.50605 407.98
372 VASANTI MASUREKARand K. N. GUPTA

0-12

0"08

0.04

- 0-04

-0.08

-0.12

Fig. 3. Displacement vs 02 at 1600 r.p.m., the crank speed in stable region, but not near boundary.

0-5;

0.4

li
0-3

0.1
0
0 --
1211"

-0-1 ,

-0.2 , ~]

-0.3

-0.4

-0"5

Fig. 4. Displacement vs 02 at 1704 r.p.m., the crank speed in 2n-P unstable region.
 Stability analysis of four bar mechanism--I 373

0"08

O'OE

0"04

0'02

-0"02
hi
I
-0.04

-O.OG

Fig. 5. Displacement vs 02 at 1373.4 r.p.m., the crank speed in 4~r-P unstable region.

0"3

0"2

0'1

0
1T

-0'1

-0"2

-0"3

-0"4

Fig. 6. Displacement vs 02 at 1680 r.p.m., the crank speed in stable range but near the boundary frequency.
 374 VASANTI MASUREKAR a n d K . N . G U P T A

Table 2. Corrected boundary frequencies giving definitely stable regions

Correction to obtain the
definitely stable regions Corrected
Boundary (I + x %) boundary
frequency Period x (Nearby boundary frequency) frequency
3353 2n 15 (1 -0.15) (3353) 2853
2243 4n 0.5 (1 + 0.005) (2243) 2254
2206 4n 0.7 (I - 0.007) (2206) 2190
1705 2n 6 (1 + 0.06) (1705) 1820
1704 2n 4 (1 - 0.04) (1704) 1635
1374.15 4n 0.15 (1 +0.0015) (1374.15) 1376
1378.8 4n 0.15 (1 -0.0015) (1373.8) 1372
1149 2n 4 (1 + 0.04) (1149) 1195
1149 2n 3 (1 - 0.03) (1149) 1103
987 4n 0.1 (1 + 0.001) (987) 988
987 4~ 0.5 (1 - 0.005) (987) 982
864 2n 3 (1 + 0.03) (864) 893
864 2n 3 (1 - 0.03) (864) 841
Hereafter 4n-P boundaries do not show unstability whereas 2n-P boundaries still
show unstable ranges, so only 2n-P boundaries are considered below--
692.57 2n 2 (I + 0.02) (692.57) 707
692.57 2n 2 (1 - 0.02) (692.57) 679
577.33 2n 0.25 (I + 0.0025) (577.33) 579
577.33 2n 0.44 (1 - 0.0044) (577.33) 572

2 ]T-P AND 4"{T-P

U N S T A B L E REGIONS
u1 (SHOWN UPTO Sth H A R M O N I C )
c~ - - ~
•2 "25 .333 "5 1.0 ~ ,
.5ss~~
-5
T T
.4 1 -
'3

-2

.1

I I,
~o~ ~o r~o coo' looo noo 14oo 16'oo looo
CRANK SPEED r.~

Fig. 7. Stability chart.

estimated boundary frequencies in Table 1 are taken
as guide-lines to determine the definitely stable regions
by trial and error method, as shown in Table 2.
Stability chart based on Table 2 is given in Fig. 7.
6. CONCLUSIONS
Figures 4 and 5 shows that, the response is
2n-periodic in 2n-periodic unstable region and
4n-periodic in 4n-periodic unstable reloon. Rate of
increase in amplitude is considerable in 2 n - P unstable
region.
F r o m the stability chart in Fig. 7 unstable regions
are smaller for lower speeds, also 2~-P unstable
region is larger than nearby 4 ~ - P unstable region. It
is more risky to run the machines near the boundaries
of 2 x - P unstable region.
Definitely stable regions are determined here by
trial and error method as shown in Table 2. Including
this correction, the approximation procedure devel-
oped here for stability analysis of mechanism is
simple and useful for practical application, as it
readily gives definitely safe speeds.
REFERENCES
1. W. G. Jandrasits and G. G. Lowen, Trans. A S M E J.
mech. Des. 101, 77 (1979).
2. W. G. Jandrasits and G. (3. Lowen, Trans. A S M E J.
mech. Des. 101, 89 (1979).
 Stability analysis of four bar mechanism--I 375

3. M. Badlani and A. Midha, Trans. A S M E J. mech. Des.
104, 159 (1982).
4. M. Badlani and W. Kleinhenz, Trans. A S M E J. mech.
Des. 101, 149 (1979).
5. M. Badlani and M. Midha, Trans. A M S E J. mech.
Transm. Automn Des. 105, 452 (1983).
6. V. V. Bolotin, The Dynamic Stability o f Elastic Systems.
Holden-Day, San Francisco (1964).
7. S. C. Chu and K. C. Pan, Trans. A S M E J. Engng Ind.
97, 542 (1975).
8. I. G. Tradjbaksh, Trans. A S M E J. mech. Des. 104, 698
(1982).
9. Z. G. Zhu and Y. Chert, Trans. A S M E J. Mech.
Transm. Automn Des. 105, 637 (1983).
10. C. S. Hsu, Trans. A S M E J . Appl. Mech. 30, 363 (1963).
1I. V. V. Masurekar, Dynamic analysis of high speed
mechanisms. Ph.D. thesis submitted at Indian Institute
of Technology, Bombay, India.

ANALYSE DE STABILITt~ DU MI~CANISME A QUATRE BARRES EN

ABSENCE DE L'AMORTISSEMENT--1t~RE PARTIE
R6sum6----Avec la vitesse croissante des machines, l'hypoth6se des liens rigides n'est plus valable, vu que
ces liens sont soumis aux vibrations. L'analyse de stabilit6 du syst6me vibrant donne les vitesses pour
lesquelles la r6ponse du syst6me n'a pas de bornes. I1 est n6cessaire d'6viter ces vitesses ou de pourvoir
un amortissement suttisant. Cette 6tude th6orique est g6n6rale s'appliquant aux diff6rents m6canismes.
Elle donne les limites des vitesses critiques et pr6sente l'analyse des r6ponses du m6canisme pour divers
vitesses en absence de ramortissement.

M.M.T. 23/5--D