ME748 : Computer Aided Simulation of Machines

Term Project 1 : Kinematic Analysis

Every student will have to create a (virtual) model and simulate a mechanism using a
mechanism simulation code or software (e.g. Adams or SimMechanics etc). It is expected
that this will be the same mechanism which was studied in Assignment 1. However, the
student also has the option of changing the mechanism at this stage. The model will be used
to generate displacement, velocity and acceleration curves of the important components of
the machine. The model will have to be validated against some theoretical (manual)
calculations. These details will have to be compiled in the form of a report. The model will
have to be demonstrated in a session for which the date and time will be announced later.
The report should contain the following sections:

Section 0 : Mechanism Description

(This section and its subsections are necessary only if the student has chosen a
mechanism different from what he had chosen for Assignment 1. Else, this
section can be omitted.)
Section 0.1
Section 0.2
Section 0.3
Section 0.4

Picture (or sketch) of the mechanism

Purpose of the mechanism
Kinematic sketch
Expected speed of operation (maximum/minimum speeds, if reported)

Section 1 : Model specification

Section 1.1

Pictorial Depiction
Photograph of the actual machine shown side by side with a screenshot of the
model in the same angle of view (e.g. front view or isometric view).
[It is expected that the model created (and all its components) will conform to
the approximate shape and size of the mechanism used in the real machine
(and its components).]

Section 1.2
Geometry and Material
Section 1.2.1 Dimensions of every component
(Any other geometric detail which would be needed for creating the model)
Section 1.2.2 Masses of every component
Section 1.2.3 Moments of inertia of every component
Section 1.3

Constraints on the motion of each component

(May require details of the joints)

Section 1.4
Motion transmission
Section 1.4.1 Driving component
Section 1.4.2 Component which gives output of interest
Section 1.5
Kinematics
Section 1.5.1 Expected displacement profile of output component

Section 1.5.2 Expected velocity profile of output component

Section 1.5.3 Expected acceleration profile of output component
(If these graphs are not available in literature, then they may be hand drawn
based on what is expected from the mechanism)

Section 2 : Kinematic simulation

This section should contain the plots of simulated kinematic parameters (ie. displacement,
velocity and acceleration) for
a) The output component
b) At least two other components/links which are important for transmitting motion from
input to the output component/link.
The independent axis should be either Time or Motion of the input link.
Section 2.1
Section 2.1.1
Section 2.1.2
Section 2.1.3
Section 2.1.4

Output component
Simulated and expected displacement profile of the output component
Simulated and expected velocity profile of the output component
Simulated and expected acceleration profile of the output component
Comments

(The three figures in this section should show the simulated and expected plots in the same
figure. In section 2.1.4, an attempt should be made to explain the dissimilarity between them,
if any. Zero error between these plots is not expected.)
Section 2.2
Other components
Section 2.2.1 Simulated and expected displacement profile of two components other than
the output component
Section 2.2.2 Simulated and expected velocity profile of two components other than the
output component
Section 2.2.3 Simulated and expected acceleration profile of two components other than the
output component
Section 2.3
Sensitivity analysis
Section 2.3.1 Study of the sensitivity of the kinematic parameters of the output component
to small changes in the dimensions (eg. link lengths) of the two other
components

Section 3 : Validation of kinematic simulation

Section 3.1

Theoretical evaluation of kinematic parameters

In this section, the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the output
component should be evaluated manually at four positions of the input link
separated by 90 degrees. If the input link (component) does not have rotary
motion, then the entire cycle of action should be divided into four
(approximately) equal time intervals and the output components motion
should be evaluated at the end of each interval.

These kinematic parameters should not be evaluated through simulation. They

should be evaluated by graphical or analytical techniques.
Section 3.2
Comparison of kinematic parameters
Section 3.2.1 The four values of displacement evaluated in section 3.1 superimposed in the
plot of section 2.1
Section 3.2.2 The four values of velocity evaluated in section 3.1 superimposed in the plot
of section 2.1
Section 3.2.3 The four values of acceleration evaluated in section 3.1 superimposed in the
plot of section 2.1
Section 3.2.4 Comments
(An attempt to explain the difference (if any) between the theoretically
evaluated kinematic parameters and those obtained through simulation. Zero
error is not expected.)