INTRODUCTION

Kinematics: The study of motion without regard to

forces.

Kinetics: The study of forces on systems in motion.

DIAGRAM SHOWING LATHE PARTS

THE SHAPER

Number of links, L = 12,

10 11 11, 12

12

10

7
8

5 6
5

4
4

1
1

Mechanism: A system of elements arranged to transmit motion in a

predetermined fashion.
Machine : A system of elements arranged to transmit motion and energy in a
predetermined fashion.

Mechanism can also be defined as a device that transforms motion to some

desirable pattern and typically develops very low forces and transmits little
power.

Virtually any machine or device that moves contains one or more kinematic
elements such as links, gears, cams, belts, chains.

Mechanism: A combination of no. of bodies (usually resistant bodies)

assembled in such a way that the motion of one causes constrained and
predictable motion to the others is known as a mechanism.

A mechanism is made of no. of resistant bodies out of which some have

relative to the others.

Link: A resistant body or a group of resistant bodies (with no relative motion

among them) of a mechanism, connecting other members and having
motion relative to them is called a kinematic link.
(or)

A link is a rigid body that possesses at least 2 nodes that are points of
attachment to other links
Types:
1. Binary link 2nodes
2. Ternary link
3. Quaternary link

Kinematic pair: A kinematic pair or simply a pair is a joint of 2 links having

relative motion between them.
Classification: Based on
1. Nature of contact : Lower and higher pairs
2. Nature of Mechanical constraint : Closed and unclosed pair
3. Nature of relative motion
4. No. of DOF

Based on nature of relative motion:

Based on nature of mechanical constarint:

1. Closed pair or form closed pair
2. Unclosed pair or force closed pair

Kinematic chain:
A Kinematic chain is an assembly of links in which the relative motion of the
links is possible and the motion of each relative to the other is definite.

Linkage
Mechanism

Kinematic chain:
A Kinematic chain is an assembly of links in which the relative motion of the
links is possible and the motion of each relative to the other is definite.

Linkage: If one of the links of a KC is fixed to the ground

Mechanism: If motion of any one of the links results in definite motion of the
others.

LOWER KINEMATIC PAIRS

Surface contact pairs are lower pairs.

The commonly used lower pairs include
(1) Revolute Pair
(2) Prismatic Pair
(3) Screw Pair
(4) Cylindrical Pair
(5) Spherical Pair

(6) Planar Pair

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PRISMATIC PAIR (SLIDER JOINT)

Degrees of freedom: 1
Symbol: P
Relative motion: linear

27

SCREW PAIR (HELICAL PAIR)

Degrees of freedom: 1
Symbol: H
Relative motion: Helical

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CYLINDRICAL PAIR

Degrees of freedom: 2
Symbol: C
Relative motion: Cylindrical

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SPHERICAL PAIR (GLOBULAR PAIR)

Degrees of freedom: 3
Symbol: S
Relative motion: Spherical

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PLANAR PAIR (FLAT PAIR)

Degrees of freedom: 3
Symbol: F
Relative motion: Planar

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HIGHER KINEMATIC PAIRS

Higher pairs (joints) have either a line contact or a point contact.

Higher pairs exist in cam mechanisms, gear trains, ball and roller bearings and roll-slide
joints, etc.
For planar motion, both line contact higher pairs and point contact higher pairs have
two degrees-of-freedom.

The only constraint at the contact point is along the common normal.
A pin-in-slot joint (rolling contact with sliding) is also a higher pair with a line contact
between the pin and the slot.

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HIGHER KINEMATIC PAIRS

higher.SLDASM

33

Linkage: If one of the links of a KC is fixed to the ground

Mechanism: If motion of any one of the links results in definite motion of the
others.

Degrees of freedom

General defn: The DOF of a body is equal to the no. of independent coordinates requir
to specify its position.

Spatial D.O.F.

R Pair

P Pair

Planar D.O.F.

C - Pair

For a Link Six in spatial motion, three in planar motion.

For a Kinematic Pair
Number of independent co-ordinates/pair variables to specify the position
of one link with another link
(OR)
Number of independent relative motions possible between the links.
Maximum five and minimum one in spatial motion. Maximum two and
minimum one in planar motion.

Kinematic chain:
A Kinematic chain is an assembly of links in which the relative motion of the
links is possible and the motion of each relative to the other is definite.

A closed chain is a consecutive set of links in which the last link is connected
to the first.
An open chain is the one in which the last link is not connected to the first
link.

A closed chain mechanism.

An open chain mechanism.

KINEMATIC CHAIN CLOSED

Ground

5 bar linkage.SLDASM

Slider-crank
40

KINEMATIC CHAIN OPEN

Ground

fanuc robot.SLDASM

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Degrees of freedom/Mobility of a mechanism

No. of inputs required to get a constrained mechanism (or) no. of

position variables needed to sketch the mechanism with all link lengths
known.

DEGREES OF FREEDOM (DOF)

Kutzbachs (modified Grubler) equation

F = 3(n-1)-2P1-1P2

F D.O.F

P1 No. of kinematic pairs with 1 D.O.F.

P2 No. of kinematic pairs with 2 D.O.F.

Ken Youssefi

n No. of links

DOF 0

structure

DOF > 0

mechanism

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

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Exceptions