Proceedings of WTC2005
World Tribology
DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND FABRICATION OF A SIX-LEGGED WALKING MACHINE
Rakesh Sehgal1 Ashutosh Tiwari2
National Institute of Technology Infosys Technologies Ltd.,
Hamirpur-177 005 (H.P.) India Hebbal Electronics City, Hootagalli,
Mysore – 570018 (India)
ABSTRACT
This paper presents the steps involved in the design,
analysis and fabrication of a six-legged walking machine. The
suggested machine uses the basic four bar chain mechanism
and slotted lever type quick return mechanism with some
modifications. The synthesis of the link lengths is based on
Freudenstein’s (algebraic) three accuracy points. The velocity
and acceleration analysis of oscillating links explains the effect
of change in the crank’s angular velocity and acceleration on all
other links. The suggested machine is capable of moving
forward and backward, turning right and left and rotating
around a point on the commands given.
Keywords: Walking machine, Freudenstein’s method,
Accuracy points, Degrees of freedom
INTRODUCTION
Walking machines are also increasingly gaining
importance in space for planetary exploration, where the terrain
is rugged thus reducing the expensive and dangerous Extra
Vehicular Activities by astronauts. Walking machines find
wide range of applications like in military logistic support
where there are no highways. The six-legged walking machine
suggested in this paper runs with an external power supply and
is suitable to perform long term continuous motion. The
conversion of the drive to the final motion is purely mechanical
utilizing 4-four bar chain mechanisms and two slotted lever
quick return mechanisms (Gupta, 1968, 1980 and Gupta, 1978).
For moving the six legs two D.C motors of 12 volt are used
along with gear trains to increase the torque and decrease the
speed for the successful execution of the final motion
(walking). Commands of motion are given to it by controlling
knobs linked to the machine by electric cables. The specialty of
the speed control unit is the ability to reduce the speed not at
the cost of its power. The material of the body and the links
chosen is aluminium because of its light weight. The suggested
machine is capable of moving forward and backward, turning
right and left and rotating around a point (by reversing the
direction of one side motion of the machine). Machine,
1 1
ProceedingsCongress
of WTC2005 III
World Tribology Congress III
September 12-16, 2005, Washington, D.C., USA
September 12-16, 2005, Washington, D.C., USA
WTC2005-64111
WTC2005-64111
Vivek Sood2
Infosys Technologies Ltd.,
Hebbal Electronics City, Hootagalli,
Mysore – 570018 (India)
however, suffers from the limitation of moving in a two
dimensional plane only that is it can not move through
staircases.
SYNTHESIS, ANALYSIS AND FABRICATION
Figure1 shows the line diagram of the suggested six -
legged walking machine. Here OAA, BD, OCC are the legs,
OBB the rotating crank, OAOBOC the fixed link, OAOBBA,
OBOCCB two four bar chain mechanism and OBBD is slotted
lever quick return mechanism used in the walking machine.
The whole of the machine can be divided into two parts; one
consisting of electrical components starting with power supply
to the electric motor and the other consisting of mechanical
components converting the rotary motion of the D.C. motor
output into the final oscillatory motion of the legs resulting into
the walking of the machine.
D 8
A C
5 7 3
B 2
6
4
OA
OC
OB 1
Figure1. Line diagram of one side of six legged walking
machine with all links numbered
As the crank rotates the outer legs oscillate due to the two
four bar chains used and the central leg slotted lever quick
return mechanism undergoes diamond shaped path where its
power transmission path is executed slowly for its stable steady
movement and the rest is followed in quick succession for
minimum wastage of transmitting power. Initially whole of the
body of the machine rests on the outer four legs and as the
crank rotates weight of the machine shifts on the forward four
legs and the machine moves forward since its first two legs are
stretched forward. Then slowly weight of the body shifts on the
last four legs and the machine makes this new position as a
platform launch its forward two legs in order to move forward.
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© 2005 by © ASME
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This cycle is repeated to obtain a continuously forward walking
movement. The major component of power transmission is the
central leg. Since torque of the D.C motor used is quite less, it
is increased at the cost of decreasing its speed by using gear
trains. The slotted lever mechanism used in this machine is
modified quick return type of mechanism. In this, the return
stroke of the lever instead of traversing the path comes back to
the original position by traversing ellipse. For this purpose
lever and crank are joined by a pin joint (OB) instead of sliding
joint as in normal case of a slotted lever and the point (D) about
which the lever oscillates is made sliding.
For the convenient operation of D.C. motors a D.P.T.T.
(double pole triple through) in the form of a hand control is
used. Power source used here is an external transformer which
gives constant 12 Volt D.C. supply. L.E.D’s are used to show
the direction of movement of the machine.
Various link lengths for each set of linkage are determined
using algebraic (Freudenstein, 1954, Freudenstein and Maki,
1980) method with three accuracy points (Chebyshev, 1961).
The function used to calculate the link lengths is found using
SYSTAT after constructing an approximate kinematic model of
the linkages and evaluating values of (follower position) for
various (crank position). The function = 88.5 – 31.5 cos
is thus used to find the link lengths which are given below.
OAOB (Fixed) = 200 mm (assumed); OBB (Crank) = 23.8 mm
OAA (Follower) = 46.8 mm; AB (Coupler) = 202.7 mm
Using the above link lengths and aluminium, acrylic and
steel as fabrication materials for legs, body and shafts, a
working model of the six – legged walking machine is made
and tested for all the possible types of motions. Two
photographs of the walking machine are shown in figure 2.
Figure 2. Six–legged walking machine
Position analysis is carried out using expressions for the
dependent variables (angular and linear positions) in terms of
the dependent variables (link lengths, input crank rotation, etc)
found out using analytical techniques (Erdman and Sandor,
1997, Duffy, 1981, Myszka, 2002). Expressions for the linear
and angular velocities as well as accelerations of all links of the
mechanism in terms of known parameters are then evaluated
and velocity and acceleration analysis is carried out.
RESULTS, DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
The velocity and acceleration analysis is done taking the
working speeds and calculated link lengths into consideration.
Plot between angular velocity and crank angle at a fixed crank
velocity (1rad/sec) is shown in figure 3. Similarly acceleration
graph is also obtained at fixed crank acceleration (3rad/sec2)
and is shown in figure 4. In these plots, the variations in the
angular velocity and acceleration of the coupler and rocker
links are shown with respect to the angular velocity and
2 2
Figure3. Variation in the Relative Angular Velocity of the links
Figure 4. Variation in the Relative Angular Acc. of the links
acceleration of the input link. The following conclusions are
drawn:
Ø The variations in the angular velocity ( c) and acceleration
(αc) of the rocker link relative to the input link is very high
when it’s length is small.
Ø As the length of rocker arm is increased, the variation in
the angular velocity and acceleration decreases. Therefore
it’s capacity to control the torque variation increases.
Ø There is very less variation in the angular velocity ( b)
and acceleration (αb) of the coupler link relative to that of
the input link, at both the situations; i.e. it is less when
rocker arm length is small and even lesser when length is
more. This ensures the smooth functioning of the machine.
The limitations of the suggested machine can be overcome
by introducing few design improvements and the same can be
adopted for commercial purpose.
REFERENCES
Chebyshev, P.L., 1961, Modern Mathematical Classics:
Analysis, Ed. Richard Bellman, Dover Publications, Inc.,
New York.
Duffy, J., 1981, Analysis of Mechanisms and Robot
Manipulators, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York
Erdman, A. G. and Sandor, G. N., 1997, Analysis and
Synthesis, Vol.1, Prentice-Hall, Third Ed., pp. 322 -55.
Freudenstein, F., 1954, “An analytical approach to the design of
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Freudenstein, F and Maki, E. R., 1980, “The creation of
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Gupta, K. C., 1980, “Synthesis of position, path and function
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mechanisms,” ASME Trans., Vol.95 (2), pp. 481-86.
Myszka, H. David, 2002, Machines and Mechanisms, Pearson
Education, Singapore, pp. 99 -144, 161 -253.
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© 2005 by © ASME
#### by ASME