ME316: Kinematics and Dynamics

of Machines
Abhishek Gupta
IIT Bombay
Function generation mechanisms

Input – output link motions are related

Motion generation mechanisms

Motion of a link is controlled

Watt’s linkage
 Developed by James Watt
 Approximate straight line
mechanism
 Used to prevent lateral
movement of real axle

 Motion of a reference
point is of concern
Degrees of freedom (DOF)
 DOF: Number of independent parameters required to
uniquely define the position of a system at any instant of
time
 A mechanical systems mobility can be classified according
to the number of degrees of freedom
 Types of motion
 Pure translation: All points on the body describe parallel
(curvilinear or straight) paths
 Pure rotation: One point on the body (center of rotation) has
no motion with respect to the fixed frame of reference. All
other points move in circular arcs.
 Complex motion: Simultaneous translation and rotation
Links and joints
 A link is a rigid body that posses at least two nodes
 Nodes are points of attachment of other links

 Binary link: 2 nodes

 Tertiary link: 3 nodes
 Quaternary link: 4 nodes
 A joint (or kinematic pair) is a connection between two
or more links (at their nodes) that allows motion
Classification of joints
 Joints can be classified base upon
 The type of contact between the links
 Lower pair – surface contact
 Higher pair – point or line contact
 Number of degrees of freedom allowed at the joint
 By the type of physical closure
 Form closed – links are kept together by geometry
 Force closed – require external force to keep links together
 By number of links joined
 Order of a joint is one less than the number of links joints
Kinematic pairs
 Kinematic pairs describe the relative motion between
two bodies

Lower pairs – joints with surface contact

Higher kinematic pairs

Higher pairs – joints with point or line contact

Some definitions
 Kinematic chain: Links joined together to provide a
controlled output motion to a supplied input motion
 Mechanism: A kinematic chain in which at least one link is
“grounded” (attached to the frame of reference)
 Machine: Mechanism designed to do work
 Link classification
 Ground: Link or links that are fixed with respect to the
reference frame
 Crank: Pivoted to ground. Makes complete revolution
 Rocker: Pivoted to ground, has oscillatory motion
 Coupler: Not attached to ground, has complex motion
Drawing kinematic diagrams
Determining degrees of freedom
 Gruebler’s equation for planar mechanisms

DOF = 3(N-1) – 2L - H

DOF : Degrees of freedom

N : number of links
L : number of lower pairs
H : number of higher pairs