ME 3210 Mechanism Design

Velocity Analysis
Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
Mechanical Engineering Department

Ronald M. Sosa
Velocity

Velocity Fixed Pivot (Pure Rotation)

Time derivative equivalent to multiplying by je

Velocity Fixed Pivot (Pure Rotation)

Velocity Difference

V
PA
V
PA
Absolute Velocity = Translation Component + Rotation Component
Velocity Difference vs. Relative Velocity

V
PA
V
PA
V
P
A
V
P
A
Same equation, different physics
Instant Centers (ICs) of Velocity

Instant Centers (ICs) of Velocity

Kennedys Rule:
Any three bodies in plane motion will have exactly three instant centers,
and they will lie on the same straight line.

The bodies do not need to be connected in any way.

ICs: Fourbar Linkage
Step 1:
Identify joints as ICs (pin joints connect links 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 and 1-4). Draw
circle with all links represented as points (numbered 1 through 4).
Pin joints will be permanent ICs (will not change)
ICs: Fourbar Linkage
Step 2:
Identify another IC by connecting another pair of
links (i.e., links 1 and 3) using a dotted line in
the circle.
Identify two triangles (1-3,3-4,1-4 and 1-3,2-3,1-
2).
Apply Kennedys rule to connect I
1,2
and I
2,3
.
Extend line to project to I
1,3
Apply Kennedys rule in second triangle to
connect I
1,4
and I
3,4
. Extend line to project to I
1,3
.
I
1,3
will be intersection between extended I
1,2
I
2,3
and

I
1,4
I
3,4

3
I
1,3
is valid for this
instance, it will change
with further motion.
ICs: Fourbar Linkage
Step 3:
Identify another IC by connecting another
pair of links (i.e., links 2 and 4) using a
dotted line in the circle.
Identify two triangles (2-4,2-3,3-4 and 2-4,1-
2,1-4).
Apply Kennedys rule to connect I
1,2
and I
1,4
.
Extend line to project to I
1,4
Apply Kennedys rule in second triangle to
connect I
2,3
and I
3,4
. Extend line to project to
I
2,4
.
I
2,4
will be intersection between extended
I
3,4
I
2,3
and

I
1,2
I
1,4
.

I
2,4
is valid for this
instance, it will change
with further motion.
ICs for Velocity Analysis
ICs represent points in a plane with identical velocities
for the related links
I
1,3
represents extended portions of links 1 and 3
I
1,3
involves link 1 (ground, stationary) and link 3
(coupler, complex motion).
Link 1 is stationary, all points on link 1 (including I
1,3
) will
have zero velocity
Similarly, I
1,3
represents a point of zero velocity for link 3

ICs for Velocity Analysis

Velocity Analysis of a fourbar mechanism

Page 2 ME 3210 Mechanism Design
After position analysis you
can be a vector velocity
analysis.
For the mechanisms
shown in figure using
analytical method
(complex number) find the
relationship between angle
e
3
and e
4

R
1
R
2
R
3
R
4
u
1
u
2
A
B
O
2
O
4
cg
P
= 0
4 1 3 2
4 1 3 2
4 1 3 2
u u u u i i i i
D
e R e R e R e R
R R R R R
+ = +
+ = + =

R
1
R
2
R
3
R
4
R
D
u
1
u
2
A
B
O
2
O
4
Velocity Analysis of a fourbar mechanism
( ) ( ) ( )
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2
1
1 1
4 4 3 3 2 2
cos cos cos Imag
sin sin sin Real
sin cos sin cos sin cos
constant a is R because 0
1
4 3 2
u e u e u e
u e u e u e
u u e u u e u u e
e
e e e
u
u u u
R R R
R R R
i R i i R i i R i
e R i
e R i e R i e R i
i
i i i
= +
=
+ = + + +
=
= +
( ) ( ) ( ) u u e e
u
u
u
sin cos
then constant, a is R if
i iR e iR
dt
de
R
dt
R d
R e R
i
i
i
+ = = =
=
Analytical method
Page 3 ME 3210 Mechanism Design
3 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2
3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
3 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2
3 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
3 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
sin cos cos sin sin cos cos sin
sin cos sin cos sin cos
cos sin cos sin cos sin
sin cos cos cos
cos sin sin sin
u u e u u e u u e u u e
u u e u u e u u e
u u e u u e u u e
u u e u e u e
u u e u e u e
R R R R
R R R
R R R
R R R
R R R
+ = +
= +
=
= +
=
( ) ( )
( )
( )
3 4 4
3 2 2 2
4
3 4 3 4 4 4 3 2 3 2 2 2
sin
sin
sin cos cos sin sin cos cos sin
u u
u u e
e
u u u u e u u u u e

=
=
R
R
R R
ME 3210 Mechanism Design Page 7
Analysis applying numerical method
The equations (real and imaginary) are two nonlinear equations with two
variables that can be solve using the Newton Raphsons method. For this
numerical method is necessary to calculate the Jacobian. Next use a
spreadsheet (Excel, Q-Pro, etc.) or Programming by C, C++, FORTRAN, etc,
or use Matlab or Matcad, for iterate
R
1
R
2
R
3
R
4
R
D
u
1
u
2
A
B
O
2
O
4
( ) ( ) ( )
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2
cos cos cos Imag
sin sin sin Real
sin cos sin cos sin cos
u e u e u e
u e u e u e
u u e u u e u u e
R R R
R R R
i R i i R i i R i
= +
=
+ = + + +






Page 8 ME 3210 Mechanism Design
Analysis applying numerical method
(

=
(
(
(
(

c
c
c
c
c
c
c
c
=
4 4 3 3
4 4 3 3
4 3
4 3
4 3
cos cos
sin sin
) , (
u u
u u
e e
e e
e e
R R
R R
G G
F F
J
3 4 4 3
3 3
1
3 4 4 3
4 4
1
4 4
3 3
e e e e
e e
e e
e e e e
e e
e e
c
c
c
c

c
c
c
c
c
c

c
c
=
c
c
c
c

c
c
c
c
c
c

c
c
=
+
+
i i i i
i
i
i
i
i i
i i i i
i
i
i
i
i i
G F G F
G
F
F
G
G F G F
F
G
G
F
( )
( )
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 4 3
4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 4 3
cos cos cos , Imag
sin sin sin , Real
u e u e u e e e
u e u e u e e e
R R R G
R R R F
+ =
+ =