Virtual Concept Workshop 2014

Virtual Concept International Workshop, Medellin Colombia, March 2014

Abstract

Modelling of mechanisms according to VDI 2206

Alejandro Velsquez Lpez1 , Mauricio Aramburo Londoo, Olga L. Barrientos Isaza

(1) : Carrera 49 No 7 Sur 50, Medelln, Colombia.

+57 (4) 2619500 ext. 9866
E-mail : {avelasq9, marambu1, obarrie1}@eafit.edu.co

Short Abstract: This paper describes the implementation

of the VDI 2206 design guideline during the modelling of a
mechanism for a medical device which is operated with an
electric linear actuator. The topological, physical, mathematical
and numerical models are obtained in order to improve an
existing design. After an optimization routine from the
numerical model constrained by dynamic and geometric
properties of the standard components, the resultant mechanism
was significantly improved.

dealt with until all the systems are integrated and the
requirements are satisfactory met.
Modelling is perhaps the most important task to perform
since it appears along the whole design process (gray shaded
area in Figure 1). In this paper the modelling of the folding
leg mechanisms of a mechatronic bed [CV1] for health
institutions is described in order to depict the benefits
obtained after an optimization routine performed with its
numeric model.

Key words: Mechatronic design, VDI 2206, modelling,

planar mechanism, medical bed.
2- MECHANICAL MODELLING
1- INTRODUCTION

The design methodology for mechatronic systems 2206 [V1] is

a worldwide accepted guideline developed by the Society of
German Engineers (from the German acronym VDI).
It basically consists on a V-Model (Figure 1) starting with
product requirements until reaching a desired output: a product
which usually consists on a mixture of mechanical devices,
electronic circuits, electric components and an informatics
control unit which is usually in charge of dealing with the
information signals coming from sensors and s ending the
respective signals to the actuators .

Four types of models are usually given for mechatronic

systems; namely topologic, physic, mathematic and numeric
[V1]. Topology reflects the relative position between each
component, without considering the physics behind.
Nevertheless a deeper analysis is required to enhance the
understanding of the device being designed, and these are the
physical phenomena happening within each component.
Afterwards, the relationships between all the components
physics are collected into mathematical equations. Finally
these equations are solved either from analytic methods or
numeric methods, being this latter mostly used due to the
current computing capacities that can be commercially foun d
both in hardware and software means.
2-1 Topological Model

Three topologies were suggested as shown in Figure 2, where

the subfigure on the left was taken from an existing design
[CV1]. The main difference among them was the node
positioning of the linear actuator in reference to the nodes of
the mechanic bars that resemble the leg folding mechanism.

Figure 1: V-Model [FA1].

The V-model represents an analogy of the depth that has to be

Paper Number

-1-

Figure 2: Leg folding mechanism topologies.

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Virtual C oncept Workshop 2014

Modelling of mechanisms

2-2 Physical Model

Length of main bar e = 70cm

Distance g = 33cm
Distance D = 68cm
Vertical displacement of medical bed = 33cm

After deciding upon a good topology (shaded subfigure from

Figure 2) a physical model was created in order to understand
the type of forces being applied on the main bar of the leg
mechanism with the weight of a patient being applied.
The lower position of the bed, was the most demanding in
terms of actuating force due to the alignment between the leg
bars and the linear actuator. Thus it was the ideal position to
compare the results.
After performing a simulation with Working Model 2D the
results are shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5. Clearly the
former leg mechanism design (Figure 4) required a force
much higher than the force disposable from the linear
actuator (9257N), which in fact was the reason why gas
springs were installed. In the other hand the mechanism
obtained after the numeric optimization remain within the
limits (4554N) resulting in the removal of gas springs and
reducing the manufacturing cost.

Figure 3: Physical model of leg folding mechanism.

2-3 Mathematical Model

After considering the static and geometric conditions from

Figure 3, the mathematical model was built with the following
equations (1), (2), (3) and (4).
(

(1)

)
(

(
(

(2)

(3)
Figure 4: Lower position of leg mechanism before optimization.

)
(

(
)

(4)

2-4 Numerical Model

In order to analyse the different possible solutions that would

optimize the mechanism from a vertical displacement point of
view, the length of the bar (e) and distance (D) where iterated
from 0cm to 70cm and from 0cm to 100cm respectively while
checking dynamic constraints such as the force of a
commercial linear actuator (F1-a less than 6000N). The
numerical model was built using Visual Basic for Applications
(VBA) environment within Microsoft Excel and proving to be
an affordable tool.

3- RESULTS

After performing an exhaustive evaluation of all the possible

combinations of the iterating variables, the following results
were obtained.

Paper Number

-2-

Figure 5: Lower position of leg mechanism after optimization.

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Modelling of mechanisms

4-CONCLUSIONS

Achieving the different models suggested by VDI 2206 eases

an incremental understanding of the technical system being
either designed or redesigned, as it was the present case.
Furthermore, by implementing common spreadsheet software
packages with programming capabilities, an exhaustive
combination evaluation can be performed resulting in a

5- References

[CV1] Correa S. and Velsquez A. <http://serviciospub.sic.

gov.co/~oparra/serv_57/externas/DetallePatente.php?consultan
do=patentescolombianas&parametros=opparametros&vano=10
&vtra=3&vnum=13895&vcon=%20%20&vcons=0&vcre=418
36&vtem=IM>
[FA1] Farhan A. Salem and Ahmad A. Mahfouz. A proposed
approach to mechatronics design and implementation
education oriented methodology. In Innovative Systems
Design and Engineering, 4(10): 12-39,2013
[V1] VDI 2206: 2004. Design Methodology for mechatronic
systems.

Paper Number

-3-

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