Chapter 4

Position Analysis
4.1 Coordinate Systems
• Cartesian (Rx, Ry)
• Polar (RA, q)
• Converting between the two
R A  Rx 2  R y 2 Rx  R A cos
  arctan R y Rx  R y  R A sin 

• Position Difference, Relative position

– Difference (one point, two times) Y
RBA B
A
– relative (two points, same time)
RBA=RB-RA RA
RB

X
4.2 Translation, Rotation, and Complex motion
• Translation: keeps the same angle
• Rotation: one point does not move
• Complex motion: a combination of rotation and translation
4.3. Graphical Linkage Analysis
Given the length of the links (a,b,c,d), b
the ground position, and θ2. Find θ3 c
and θ4
• Draw an arc of radius b,
centered at A B1

• Draw an arc of radius c, b

centered at O4 A θ3
c
• The intersections are the two
a
possible positions for the
θ4
linkage, open and crossed θ2 d

O2 O4

B2
4.4. Analytical Position Analysis (Algebraic)
Obtain coordinates of point A:

Ax  a cos  2
Ay  a sin  2

Obtain coordinates of point B:

b 2  B x  Ax   B y  Ay 
2 2

c 2  B x  d   B y
2 2

These are 2 equations in 2 unknowns: Bx and By

=> Solve it!
4.5. Analytical Position Analysis (Complex number)
• Complex variable: i
• We can plot complex numbers on the real-imaginary
plane: Z=a+bi
• Euler identity e±iθ=cos θ ± i sin θ
• Cartesian form: RAcos θ + i RAsin θ
Imaginary
• Polar form: RAe
iθ

• Multiplying by eiθ corresponds

to rotating θ by
• Complex manipulations
• Complex conjugate Real
4.5. Analytical Position Analysis
• Given: link lengths a,b,c and d, q1, q2 (the motor
position)
• Find: the unknown angles q3 and q4
4.5. Analytical Position Analysis
Write
 the vector
 loop
 equation:
R2  R3  R4  R1  0
(Positive from tail to tip)
Substitute with complex vectors
aei 2  bei 3  cei 4  dei1  0

Take knowns on one side, unknowns on the other.

Call the knowns Z
i 3 i 4 i 2 i 1
be  ce   ae  de Z
Unknowns Knowns
4.6. Four-bar Linkage Analysis
i 3 i 4 i 2 i1
be  ce   ae  de Z
Define: s  ei3 , t  ei4 bs  ct  Z
Take conjugate to get a second equation: bs  ct  Z
 i3 1 1
For the conjugate of s we have s e  i3 
e s
So our second equation is
b c
 Z
s t
1
Note: Z
Z
 Fourbar Linkage Analysis
b c
bs  ct  Z  Z
s t
Use algebra to eliminate one of the unknowns
b c
bs  Z  ct Z 
Multiplying the two gives: s t
c
b 2  ZZ  Z  Z ct  c 2
t
Multiplying by t and collecting terms gives:
2

0  Z ct  ZZ  c  b t  Zc
2 2
 Quadratic equation in t

From the quadratic formula

t

 ZZ  c 2  b 2  ZZ  c 2
 b2 
2
 4c 2 Z Z
2Z c
Z  ct
s
b
 Fourbar Linkage Analysis
t
  ZZ  c
 ZZ  c 2  b 2  2
 b2  2
 4c 2 Z Z
s
Z  ct
2Z c b

• In MATLAB, 0  Z ct  ZZ  c  b t  Zc
2 2 2

Zc=conj(Z) B 1

t=roots([Zc*c,Z*Zc+c^2-b^2,Z*c]) b
A q
• q4=angle(t), q3=angle(s)
3

• Two solutions relate to the a

open and crossed q d q
2
4

positions O 2 O 4

B2
 MATLAB
Change your current directory
Type in your commands here … or

Use a text editor

>> a=2; b=3; c=4; d=5;
>> th1=0; th2=60*pi/180; >> th4=angle(t)*180/pi
>> z=-a*exp(i*th2)+d*exp(i*th1)
th4 =
B
z=
4.0000 - 1.7321i 114.7975
-161.6240 b
>> zc=conj(z) A q3
>> th3=angle(s)*180/pi
zc = c
4.0000 + 1.7321i
th3 =
a
>> t=roots([zc*c,z*zc+c^2-b^2,z*c])
39.2750 q2 q4
t=
d
-86.1015
-0.4194 + 0.9078i O2
-0.9490 - 0.3153i O4

>> s=(z+c*t)/b

s=
0.7741 + 0.6330i
0.0680 - 0.9977i
4.7. Crank Slider linkage
Inverted Crank Slider linkage
• Given: link lengths a, c and d, q1, q2 (the motor position),
and g the angle between the slider and rod
• Find: the unknown angles q3 and q4 and length b
Inverted Crank Slider linkage
• Write the vector loop equation
   
R2  R3  R4  R1  0
• Substitute with complex vectors
ae i 2  be i3  cei 4  de i1  0
• Geometry keeps
3 4 
• so
i 2 i  4   i 4 i1
ae  be  ce  de  0
 Inverted Crank Slider
i 2 i  4   i 4 i1
ae  be  ce  de  0
• Grouping knowns and unknowns
i  4   i 4 i 2 i1
be  ce  ae  de Z
i 4 i
• Calling s  e and t  e
• Gives bst  cs  Z  s (bt  c)
• Taking the conjugate to get the second equation
1 1 
s (bt  c)  Z   b  c 
• Multiplying the two givess t 
 1 2
b  bc t    c  ZZ
2

 t
 Inverted Crank Slider
 1 2
b  bc t    c  ZZ
2

 t
• The solution is a quadratic equation
in b
 1
0  b  c  t   b  c  ZZ
2 2

• Which has a solution of  t 

     
2
c t  1  t 1 c 2  4 c 2  ZZ
t t
b
2
• b=roots([1 c*(t+1/t),c^2-Z*Zc])
• Once b is known, s can be found using s  Z
bt  c
Crank Slider Mechanism
• Given: link lengths a, b and c, q1, q2 (the motor position)
• Find: the unknown angle q3 and length d
 4.8 Linkages of More than Four Bars
• Geared fivebar linkage
• vector loop equation
    
R2  R3  R4  R5  R1  0
• Complex vectors
i 2 i 3 i 4
ae  be  ce
i 5
 de  f  0
• Separate unknowns and knowns (q5=lq2+f)
i 3 
(same eqn.
be  cei 4   aei 2  de 5  f  Z
i
as 4bar)
 Sixbar Linkages
• Watt’s sixbar can be solved as 2 fourbar linkages
• R1R2R3R4, then R5R6R7R8
• R4 and R5 have a constant angle between them
 Sixbar Linkages
• Stephenson’s sixbar can sometimes be solved as a
fourbar and then a fivebar linkage
• R1R2R3R4, then R4R5R6R7R8
• R3 and R5 have a constant angle between them
• If motor is at O6 you have to solve eqns. simultaneously
 Position of any Point on a Linkage
• Once the unknown angles have been found it is
easy to find any position on the linkage
• For point S
Rs=sei(q +d )
2 2

• For point P
RP=aei q +pei (q +d )
2 3 3

• For point U
RU=d +uei (q +d ) 4 4
4.9. Transmission Angle
• Extreme value of transmission angle when links 1
and 2 are aligned
 b  c  d  a       arccos
2 2 2 2 2
 b  c  d  a 2

1  arccos   2  
2bc  2bc 
 

Extended
Overlapped
4.10. Toggle Position
• Caused by the colinearity of links 3 and 4.
 a 2
 d 2
 b 2
 c 2
bc 
2  cos 
1
  0   2toggle  
toggle
 2ad ad 
• For a non-Grashof linkage, only one of the values
between the () will be between –1 and 1
3 3

Overlapped
4
2
2 4
q2
Extended
q2
4.10. Toggle Position

Toggle:
4.11. Numerical solutions

Newton-Raphson Method- 1D
4.11. Numerical solutions

Newton-Raphson Method- Multi-D

Jacobian
Example: 4 bar