Chapter two

Position analysis

Laith Batarseh
 Position analysis

To perform position analysis, you must have the links dimensions and the
location of fixed points and find the position relationships between all moving
links.
 Position analysis

The mechanism shown in figure is assumed to have d1, d2, d3, d4 and Ө1 (the
angle between the grounded links) as given data (position of fixed points and
dimensions of links) and Ө2 as input and the required is to find both Ө3 and Ө4.

B
d3
Ө4
Ө3
A d4

d2
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis

The slider mechanism shown

in figure can be processed in
position analysis if we know
the dimensions d2, d3, a and
Ө1 with Ө2 as input to find
both Ө3 and S.
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism
Assume the there is the following 4-bar mechanism where d1, d2, d3, d4 and Ө1
are given data and Ө2 is input and the required is to find both Ө3 and Ө4

B
d3
Ө4
Ө3
A d4

d2
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism
Solution:
Draw a dividing line from points A and O4. this line has a length equal z.
A new two angels developed: α and β.
Name the angle between links 2 and 3 as γ

B
d3
γ Ө4
Ө3
A d4
α
d2 z β
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism
Solution:
Take the triangle o4 – A – o2
Apply the cosine low: z 2  d12  d 22  2d1d 2 cos 2  1     (1)
Apply cosine low again to find β: d 22  z 2  d12  2 zd1 cos     (2)
Rearrange Eq.2  d 22  z 2  d12 
  cos 
1

  2 zd1 
A

d2 z β
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism
Solution:
Take the triangle o4 – A – B
Apply the cosine low:

z 2  d32  d 42  2d3d 4 cos     (3)

Rearrange Eq.3

 z 2
 d 2
 d 2

  cos 
1 3 4
 B
  2 d d
3 4  d3 γ
Ө4
Remember: z is obtained from Ө3
A d4
Eq.1.
α
z β
O4
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism
Solution:
Take the same triangle o4 – A – B
Apply the cosine low to find the angle α:

d32  z 2  d 42  2 zd4 cos     (4)

Rearrange Eq.4 :

 d 2
 z 2
 d 2

  cos 
1 3 4
 B
  2 zd 4  d3 γ
Ө4
Ө3
A d4
Finally: Ө3 = 180 – α – γ
α
z
 Ө4 = 180 – α – β – Ө1
O4
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechanism
Assume the there is the following slider crank mechanism where L, R and Ө1
are given data and Ө2 is input and the required is to find both ф and x

A
ф
R
Ө2 L
x
B
O
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechanism
Solution
Drop a perpendicular line from point A to line OB as shown. The length of
this line is z.
As shown: LOC + LBC + x = R+L. this is the 1st equitation.
Take the triangle OAC.
Using sine law to find z: z = R sin(Ө2)
You can find that α = 90 - Ө2 . After knowing all the angels of triangle OAC,
we can find the distance LOC using cosine law
A
ф
R α
z L
Ө2
x
C
B
β
O
LOC LCB
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechanism
Or LOC can be found easily by : LOC = R cos(Ө2). As you can see, you can find
the distance LOC in many ways
Let us go to the triangle ABC: the angle β can be found as : β = sin-1(z/R)
directly. In direct way: ф = 180 – β.
LCB = L cos(β).
Back to the first equation: x = R+L – (LOC + LCB )

A
ф
R α
Ө2 z L
x
B
C β
O
LOC LCB
 Position analysis
Using vector algebra
The most common and the easiest way to perform position analysis is by using
vector algebra. In this method, the links are assumed as vectors. So, it is
convenient at this stage to review some of the vector algebra principles.
Because we are dealing with planner mechanisms, the vectors that represent
the links are in two dimensional forms:

V  L cos i  L sin   j  LU

is a vector
•L is the vector length
•Ө is the polar position of the vector( or the angle between the vector and the x-axis)
•i and j are unit vectors in x and y dimensions respectively.
•UӨ is a unit vector in the direction of Ө: U   cos i  sin   j
 Position analysis
Using vector algebra
If we assume that V1 and V2 are vectors represented as:

V1  L1 cos1 i  L1 sin1  j  L1U 1 and V2  L2 cos 2 i  L2 sin 2  j  L2U 2

Then

V1  V2  L1 cos 1   L2 cos  2 i  L1 sin 1   L2 sin  2  j

V1  V2  L1 L2 cos 2  1 
R  V1 xV2  R  L1 L2 sin  2  1 
 Position analysis
Performing position analysis using vectors

To perform position analysis using vector algebra, follow the following

steps
Connect between kinematic pairs using vector (i.e. by lengths and
angels )
Using vector algebra to find vector equations that satisfy the
mechanism connectivity.
Solve these equations in term of vector parameters relating known
quantities to unknown quantities
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach

As in the previous example, d1, d2, d3, d4 and Ө1 are given data and Ө2 is
input and the required is to find both Ө3 and Ө4
B
d3
Ө4
Ө3
A d4

d2
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

The vector equation can be derived as shown in Eq.1

d 2  d3  d1  d 4    (1)
B
d3
Ө4
Ө3
A d4

d2
Ө2 O4
d1
Ө1
O2
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation
All the vectors in Eq.1 can be represent as:-

d1  d1U 1
d 2  d 2U  2
   ( 2)
d 3  d 3U 3
d 4  d 4U  4

Where: d1, d2, d3 and d4 are the lengths of the links 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively
and UӨ1, UӨ2, UӨ3, and UӨ4 are unit vectors in the direction for the links 1, 2, 3
and 4 respectively.
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

Substitute Eq.1 in Eq.2:-

d 2U 2  d3U 3  d1U 1  d 4U 4 - - - (3)

Rearrange

d3U 3  d1U 1  d 4U 4  d 2U 2 - - - (4)

loop closure equation

 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

Dot product each side by itself to eliminate UӨ (e.g. d 3U  3  d 3U  3  d 32 ).

The dot product for the right side is calculated as:-
d1U 1  d 4U 4  d 2U 2 d1U 1  d 4U 4  d 2U 2 
   (5)
 d12  2d1d 4 cos1   4   2d1d 2 cos1   2   d 42  2d 4 d 2 cos 4   2   d 22

Remember: V1  V2  L1 L2 cos 2  1 

•Eq.5 equals the dot product of the left side of Eq. 4 which is simply d 32
Now, we have a single scalar equation with one unknown: Ө4
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

d12  2d1d 4 cos1   4   2d1d 2 cos1   2   d 42  2d 4 d 2 cos 4   2   d 22  d32    (6)

Note that: cos(a+b) = cos(a) cos(b) – sin(a) sin(b); cos(a-b) = cos(a) cos(b)+sin(a) sin(b)

Apply the previous identity to Eq.6:

d12  d 22  d 42  d 32  2d1d 2 cos1   2   2d1d 4 cos1  cos 4   sin 1 sin  4 

 2d 4 d 2 cos 4  cos 2   sin  4 sin  2   0
Eq.7
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

To simplify Eq.7, make the following assumptions

a  2d1d 4 cos1   2d 2 d 4 cos 2 

a cos 4   b sin 4   c  0    (8)
b  2d1d 4 sin1   2d 2 d 4 sin 2 
c  d12  d 22  d 42  d 32  2d1d 2 cos1   2 

•To find a solution for Eq.8, use the following identity

 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation
4 
Assume   tan 2  and substitute in Eq.9

1 2 2
a b  c  0    (10)
1  2
1  2

Rearrange Eq.10

   
a 1   2  2b  c 1   2  c  a  2  2b  a  c   0    (11)

Eq.11 is quadratic equation in Φ and the solution is found as:

1, 2 
 b  b2  c2  a2  41, 2  2 tan 1 1, 2 
ca
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism: vector algebra approach
Vector equation

go back to Eq.4 to find Ө3. separate the sine (sin(Ө)) and the cosine (cos(Ө))
terms and by equalizing the sine terms with each other or the cosine terms to
each other, the following equations will be produced:

d3 sin 3   d1 sin 1   d 4 sin  4   d 2 sin  2  (a)

---(12)
d3 cos3   d1 cos1   d 4 cos 4   d 2 cos 2  (b)

Divide (a) on (b)

 d1 sin 1   d 4 sin  41, 2   d 2 sin  2  
 31, 2  tan 1

 1
d cos  1   d 4 cos  4 1, 2   d 2 cos  
2 
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechansim
Problem statement

Find Ө3 and S for the

crank - slider mechanism
shown in figure.
Assume d2, d3, α and a
are given data and Ө2 is
input
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechansim
Loop closure equation

d 2U  2  d 3U  3  aU  90  sU
Rearrange

d 3U  3  sU   d 2U  2  aU  90
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechansim
Loop closure equation

Dot product each side by itself to eliminate UӨ3

d 32  s 2  2sd 2 cos   2   a 2  2ad 2 sin    2   d 22

 s 2  2sd 2 cos   2   a 2  2ad 2 sin    2   d 22  d 32  0
Remember: Uα+90 .Uα = 0 and cos(α+90-θ2)=sin(α- θ2)

To simplify the previous equation make the following assumptions

b  2d 2 cos   2  c  a 2  2ad 2 sin   2   d 22  d 32

and substitute them in loop equation: s  bs  c  0

2
 Position analysis
Slider crank mechansim
Loop closure equation

This equation s 2  bs  c  0 is quadratic in S and it has solution equal

 b  b 2  4c
s1, 2 
2
go back to loop equation to find Ө3 as in the previous example:-

 s1, 2 sin    a cos   d 2 sin  2  

 31, 2 1
 tan  
 1, 2
s cos    a cos    d 2 cos  
2 
 Position analysis
Example: 4-bar mechanism
Find Ө3 and Ө4 for the given 4-bar mechanism
Solution

Using the previous analysis for the following values of

 d1 =0.868
d2 =0.12
d3 =1.018
d4 =0.570
θ1 = 0.0o
θ2= 60.0o
 Position analysis
Example: 4-bar mechanism
Solution

a  2d1d4 cos1   2d 2 d 4 cos 2   0.9696

b  2d1d 4 sin1   2d 2 d 4 sin2   0.1247

c  d12  d 22  d 42  d32  2d1d 2 cos1   2   0.01266

1, 2 
 b  b2  c2  a2  41, 2  2 tan 1 1, 2   96.58 , 81.93
ca
To find θ3:
 d1 sin 1   d 4 sin  41, 2   d 2 sin  2  
 31, 2 1
 tan    43.43,28.78
 d1 cos1   d 4 cos 41, 2   d 2 cos 2 
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism Grashof condition
Statement: the sum of the shortest and longest link of a planar 4-bar
linkage is less than or equal to the sum of the remaining two links, then
the shortest link can rotate fully with respect to a neighboring link.
 Position analysis
4-bar mechanism Grashof condition

Consider the previous 4-bar mechanism and the values T1, T2 and T3:
T1 = d1+d3 – d2 – d4
T2 = d4+d1 – d2 – d3
T3= d4+d3 –d2 –d1
 Position analysis
Exercise #1 : inverted slider mechanism

Find Ө3 and s for the inverted slider mechanism shown in figure. Assume d1, d2, d3
and Ө1 are given data and Ө2 is input
 Position analysis
Exercise #1 : 6 bar mechanism

Analyze the 6-bar mechanism shown in figure If

Ө1, Ө7,α, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7 and h are known
Ө2 is input
Ө3, Ө4, Ө5 and Ө6 are unknowns
Hint: loop closure equations are:

 d 2U  2  d 3U  3  d 7U  7  d 4U  4

 d 2U 2  hU  3  d5U 5  d6U 6  d1U 1