Tecnológico Nacional de México Campus Ciudad Juárez

Marcos Abraham Rodríguez López

17111651
Machinery Dynamics
Unit 2
Kinetics of a Rigid Body. Work and Energy.
October 22, 2020
Unit 1 was about rigid bodies kinetic principle through Force and Acceleration and how you can find
unknown values and solve problems using these concepts. In this unit about the Work and Energy
Method we learn that when the quantities involved in the data of a rigid body with general plane
movement are changes in quickness of its mass center and the length of the movement between two
consecutive positions, the Work and Energy Method is the right one to find the answer.

It is important to know about the Rigid Bodies Kinetic Phenomenon and understand what influences a
rigid body to react and/or perform in each situation, in order to design better mechanisms and
constantly improve and innovate them.

In this drivetrain/suspension mechanism there are rigid bodies with general plane movement,
barycentric rotational movement, rolling movement and some of them with even more than one kind of
movement. Most notoriously the tire has rolling movement. The hub/bearing assembly has barycentric
rotational movement. The axle has both barycentric rotational movement and general plane movement.
The coil over has general plane movement, as well as the lower control arm and the steering knuckle.

In this mechanism we can use the Form #2 of Work and Energy Method, which considers not only the
gravitational potential energy but the elastic potential energy as well. Using this we can find how stiff
and long the spring has got to be in order for the coilover to do its work and absorb any irregularities in
the surface in which the tire is rolling given the weight of the car, the distance that the tire center of
mass moves, and the time that takes for the tire to go back to its natural position.
 The steering knuckle can move vertically, and it can partially
rotate around the coilover and the ball joint. Giving the Steering
knuckle a general plane movement.

The coilover compresses

vertically which makes the whole assembly to move
vertically as well. This movement is considered a general
plane movement.

The lower control arm is articulated in the subframe of the car

and its connected to the steering knuckle from one end, which
can move vertically, giving the control arm a general plane
movement.

The hub/bearing assembly

rotates around the axle which is fastened through the
center. The bearing allows the hub to rotate and keeps the part
that is attached to the steering knuckle from rotating. This gives
the hub, barycentric rotational movement.
 The axle is being rotated by the engine, and it is fastened
through the center of the hub which makes the wheel
rotate. This gives the axle barycentric rotational
movement, the wheel/hub can move vertically which
means that one end of the axle can move vertically as well,
this gives the axle general plane movement.

The wheel and tire are being rotated by the axle and the
hub and is advancing vertically, giving it a rolling
movement.

I chose this assembly because there is multiple movements that are with in the rigid bodies kinetics and
because I recently worked in my cars drivetrain/suspension and realized how I could use dynamics and
material mechanics to understand its functioning and how mechanical design is used in the industry.

CONCLUSION
This principle can be used in many machines like an engine and a cable that is used in tow trucks to pull
vehicles up the ramp when the quantities in the given and unknown data are the change in the
quickness of the mass center of the car, the radius of the pulley, the distance that it moves and the time
that it takes, you can use the Energy Conservation Theorem and more specifically Forces and Energy
Method to find the solution.