Procedure

I just followed the class code and made necessary changes to make it a 3d plot. First, I declared the
vertices of the mechanism, I then made the line segments in the mechanism using matplotlib 3d libraries
and he line segments were made to form a loop, I also assigned colors based on mountain/valley
configurations. Then I used a function to find error to constraint the required segments and angles in
space. Then I generated another function that could use this function in a loop. I then created a plot
using the errors and constraints using scipy optimize libraries to get the desired 3d configuration. I the
added a for loop to get other configurations

Discussions

1. With regard to step 2,

1. What values did you select for t0, t1, t2, and t3? (5 points)

ANS) The values that I selected are 72,112,41,135

2. what do the angles t0, t1, t2, and t3 sum up to? Why is that constant for paper? What physical

limitation or constraint of paper would you have break to get a different sum? (5 points)

ANS) The angles sum up to 360 degrees because those are the angles about a point in the same plane.
Because it’s a planar surface and all the joints are constrained this angle is constant. Maybe breaking or
manipulating a link or a joint will make It a non planar surface.

2. With regard to step 3, include 2 pictures of your mechanism: one flattened, and one of it erected

into a 3D shape. Identify mountain and valley folds by drawing dfferent line colors/patterns on your

mechanism (5 points).
3. Please describe how many unknown variables are used in your solver, and how many constraint
equations you use to solve them with. (5 points)

ANS) Initially the model with 5 individual points had 15 dofs. But I had to use 8 constraints (6-length, 2-
angle) to get the desired output.

4. Include your plot from step 5. (5 points)

5. With regard to step 6,

1. What remains constant as this mechanism moves in space? What changes? Answer with respect

to ti, qj , and vk. (5 points)

ANS) When the mechanism moves in space ti remains constant for constrained links but with every
configuration of the mechanism qj and vk vary as the angle and vectors of unconstrained joints or links
vary

2. What about the code from class has to change to work for this assignment? (5 points)

ANS) The 2d commands of matplotlib change to 3d commands like ‘axplot’. New 3d library and
commands to initiate in the beginning to retrieve 3d features. The class code being a complete 2d one
the constraints were different and that was changed.
6. With regard to step 7, what happens when you try to solve with all the vectors starting in the xy
plane?

ANS) It will be harder to get the constraints and will be hard to get a valid configuration.

7. Include your plot from step 8. (10 points)