Novel Methodology for Inflection Circle based synthesis of Straight Line Crank Rocker Mechanism

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Prashant Shiwalkar ◽  
S. D. Moghe ◽  
J. P. Modak

Abstract Emerging fields like Compact Compliant Mechanisms have created newer/novel situations for application of straight line mechanisms. Many of these situations in Automation and Robotics are multidisciplinary in nature. Application Engineers from these domains are many times uninitiated in involved procedures of synthesis of mechanisms and related concepts of Path Curvature Theory. This paper proposes a predominantly graphical approach using properties of Inflection Circle to synthesize a crank rocker mechanism for tracing a coupler curve which includes the targeted straight line path. The generated approximate straight line path has acceptable deviation in length, orientation and extent of approximate nature well within the permissible ranges. Generation of multiple choices for the link geometry is unique to this method. To ease the selection, a trained Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is developed to indicate relative length of various options generated. Using studied unique properties of Inflection Circles a methodology for anticipating the orientation of the straight path vis-à-vis the targeted path is also included. Two straight line paths are targeted for two different crank rockers. Compared to the existing practice of selecting the mechanism with some compromise due to inherent granularity of the data in Atlases, proposed methodology helps in indicating the possibility of completing the dimensional synthesis. The case in which the solution is possible, the developed solution is well within the design specifications and is without a compromise.

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Zhao ◽  
James P. Schmiedeler

For a path generation problem, this paper uses the base topology of a single degree-of-freedom (DOF) rigid-body mechanism solution to synthesize fully distributed compliant mechanisms that can trace the same path. Two different strategies are proposed to employ the base topology in the structural optimization so that its design space size can be intelligently reduced from an arbitrary complexity. In the first strategy, dimensional synthesis directly determines the optimal size and shape of the compliant mechanism solution while maintaining the exact base topology. In the second, the base topology establishes an initial mesh network to determine the optimal topology and dimensions simultaneously. To increase the possibility of converging to an optimal design, the objective metrics to evaluate the path generation ability are computed in a novel manner. A section-by-section analysis with a rigid-body transformation is implemented to examine the full path of each candidate mechanism. A two-objective genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to find a group of viable designs that tradeoff minimizing the average Euclidean distance between the desired and actual paths with minimizing the peak distance between corresponding points on those paths. Two synthesis examples generating straight-line and curved paths are presented to demonstrate the procedure's utility.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sridhar Kota ◽  
Arthur G. Erdman ◽  
Donald R. Riley

Knowledge acquisition is a big bottleneck in any expert system development. Several “rules-of-thumb” are developed for designing linkage-type dwell mechanisms. These rules of thumb are based on path curvature theory (Part 1 of this paper) and systematic synthesis, analysis and classification of straight-line, circular-arc and symmetrical coupler-curve generating linkages. The methods of representing the domain-specific knowledge in an expert system are discussed here. “Frames” for structural representation of knowledge and “production rules” to control the reasoning during the design process are proposed here. Frames and rules, in the light of dwell-mechanism synthesis are presented. Finally, a conceptual design example illustrates the various stages that the actual expert system goes through in the design process when these concepts are fully developed and programs are written out in LISP. These concepts are developed with an eye toward future development of a general expert system for type and dimensional synthesis of mechanisms.


1982 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. N. Sandor ◽  
A. G. Erdman ◽  
L. Hunt ◽  
E. Raghavacharyulu

It is well known from the theory of Kinematic Synthesis of planar mechanisms that the Euler-Savary Equation (ESE) gives the radius of curvature and the center of curvature of the path traced by a point in a planar rolling-contact mechanism. It can also be applied in planar linkages for which equivalent roll-curve mechanisms can be found. Typical example: the curvature of the coupler curve of a four-bar mechanism. Early works in the synthesis of mechanisms concerned themselves with deriving the ESE by means of combined graphical and algebraic techniques, using certain sign conventions. These sign conventions often become sources of error. In this paper new complex-number forms of the Euler-Savary Equation are derived and are presented in a computer-oriented format. The results are useful in the application of path-curvature theory to higher-pair rolling contact mechanisms, such as cams, gears, etc., as well as linkages, once the key parameters of an equivalent rolling-contact mechanism are known. The complex-number technique has the advantage of eliminating the need for the traditional sign conventions and is suitable for digital computation. An example is presented to illustrate this.


1987 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 308-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sridhar Kota ◽  
Arthur G. Erdman ◽  
Donald R. Riley

Linkage-type mechanisms have certain advantages over cams for dwell applications. The design of a typical six-link dwell mechanism involves adding an output dyad to the basic four-bar mechanism that generates either a circular arc or a straight line portion of the coupler curve. The entire motion characteristics of these four-bar mechanisms should be considered in order to design a suitable dwell linkage. Part 1 of this paper is devoted to the study of four-bar linkages which generate straight line, circular arc and symmetrical curves. Part 2 discusses how the design experience gained in this study can be applied to develop an expert system for designing linkage-type dwell mechanisms. Using path curvature theory and design charts developed by Tesar, et al., hundreds of four-bar straight-line mechanisms are systematically investigated. Based on the typical shapes of coupler curves these mechanisms are then classified. A synthesis technique has been developed to design four-bar mechanisms for circular arc generation. Symmetrical coupler curves with straight-line or circular-arc segments, which are required for designing double-dwell mechanisms, are studied. This paper is part of the research that is underway to develop an “expert system” for designing mechanisms to generate straight lines, circular arcs, symmetrical curves, parallel motion and dwell.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Khan ◽  
I. Ullah ◽  
M. Al-Grafi

Abstract. Dimensional synthesis of mechanisms to trace given paths is an important problem with no exact solution. In this paper, the problem is divided into representation of curve shape and learning the relation between curve shape and mechanism dimensions. Curve shape is represented by Fourier descriptors of cumulative angular deviation of the curve, which do not depend on the position or scale of the curve. An artificial neural network (ANN) is trained to learn the (unknown) relation between the Fourier descriptors of a planar curve and the dimensions of the mechanism tracing that curve. Presented with any simple, closed, planar curve, the ANN suggests the dimensions of a four-bar whose coupler curve is similar in shape. A local optimization procedure further refines the results. Examples presented indicate the method is successful as long as the curve shape is such that the mechanism is able to trace it.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-30
Author(s):  
A. Guo ◽  
Z. Zhou ◽  
R. Wang ◽  
X. Zhao ◽  
X. Zhu

Abstract The full-wing solar-powered UAV has a large aspect ratio, special configuration, and excellent aerodynamic performance. This UAV converts solar energy into electrical energy for level flight and storage to improve endurance performance. The UAV only uses a differential throttle for lateral control, and the insufficient control capability during crosswind landing results in a large lateral distance bias and leads to multiple landing failures. This paper analyzes 11 landing failures and finds that a large lateral distance bias at the beginning of the approach and the coupling of base and differential throttle control is the main reason for multiple landing failures. To improve the landing performance, a heading angle-based vector field (VF) method is applied to the straight-line and orbit paths following and two novel 3D Dubins landing paths are proposed to reduce the initial lateral control bias. The results show that the straight-line path simulation exhibits similar phenomenon with the practical failure; the single helical path has the highest lateral control accuracy; the left-arc to left-arc (L-L) path avoids the saturation of the differential throttle; and both paths effectively improve the probability of successful landing.


1965 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Tesar ◽  
J. P. Vidosic

Four-bar linkages possess many unique advantages as straight-line mechanisms. Formulations involving linkage geometry and curvature theory are developed to yield the lengths of the approximate straight line for specified accuracies. Design data such as link dimensions, transmission angles, and crank rotation angles are also obtained. Classical mechanisms including the Watt, Evans, Chebychev, and Roberts types are analyzed and compared. More detailed data, including a design data chart, are presented for linkages based on a Ball-double Burmester point.


Motor Control ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 331-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin Van Thiel ◽  
Ruud G.J. Meulenbroek ◽  
Wouter Hulstijn

In this study we tried to establish whether point-to-point aiming movements are planned in workspace, joint space, or both. Eight right-handed subjects performed horizontal, vertical, and diagonal aiming movements on a transversal plane. Movements were performed at several speeds. Curvature variations of the hand and corresponding joint-space paths were investigated as a function of position, direction, and speed. Straightness of hand paths predominated for vertical movements but was systematically violated for horizontal and top-right to bottom-left movements. Furthermore, the hand-path curvature of the latter movements increased with speed. Joint-space paths showed more deviation from a straight line than hand paths except for top-left to bottom-right movements in which the paths were equally curved. A comparison of normalized path curvatures at the hand and joint level indicated that in aiming, the coordinative rule of straight-line production seems to apply to both workspace and joint-space planning. The present findings confirm Kawato's (1996) views that optimization processes operate concurrently at the two control levels of arm-trajectory formation under study.


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