MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

ME 301 THEORY OF MACHINES I
SECTION 2
FALL 2020-2021

HOMEWORK 1 SOLUTION
Date Assigned: October 27, 2020, Tuesday
Due Date: November 03, 2020, Tuesday, until 23:59 (on METU-Class)
Prepared by: Alara Karaman

Instructions
• You should submit your homework using the assignment link on METU-Class ME 301 page before the
due date in .pdf format named as HW1_ME301_StudentName_StudentNumber.pdf
• Your homework should be prepared neatly. The discussions should be clear and concise.
• Homeworks for this course are individual assignments. Although you might have discussions with your
friends and the instructor, you are expected to prepare your solution for these problems on your own.
• Please print this homework and solve the questions in the spaces provided after the questions on this
sheet. Scan neatly and upload to Metu-Class before due date.

Problem Statement

For the following 10 mechanisms given:

a. Label the links and the joint types on the sketches, fill in the following tables and determine
the DOF of the system using the equation (DOF).
b. Is the actual DOF equal to the one provided by the equation (DOF)? If not, explain why and
find the actual DOF. Explain your reasoning clearly.

Sample Solution (Slider-Crank Mechanism)

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
𝑖=1

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 4 3R + 1P (3x1) + (1x1) = 4 1

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Mechanism 1. Pantograph for drawing circles
Hint: Check the animation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsDpRfXi8-4

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3(8 − 10 − 1) + 10 = 1

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 8 8R,2P (8x1) + (2x1) = 10 1

Mechanism 2. Double-Piston Engine

Hint: Check the animation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCE_lZfztZ0

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3(12 − 16 − 1) + 16 = 1

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 12 3P,13R (3x1) + (13x1) = 16 1

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Mechanism 3.
Hint: Check the animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAGZCB3vZDI

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 6(4 − 4 − 1) + 8 = 2

However, the rotation of the connecting rod (link

3) about its centerline is insignificant. Therefore,
significant DOF is, DOF = 2 – 1 = 1. This DOF
is associated with the reciprocating motion of the
slider. (link 4).

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

6 4 1R, 2S,1P (1x1) + (2x3) + (1x1) = 8 2

Mechanism 4.
Hint: Check the animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9ayXz9tEXU

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3(7 − 9 − 1) + 10 = 1

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 7 3P,1G,5R (3x1)+(1x2)+ (5x1) = 10 1

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Mechanism 5. Canfield joint
Hint: Check the animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3CmLAj1YzY

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 6(20 − 24 − 1) + 24 = −6

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

6 20 24R (24x1) = 24 -6

For this mechanism 𝜆 varying. So, divide this mechanism into 4 sub-mechanisms to find the actual DOF.
Sub-system A, B, and C are all four bars, and DOF of them are 1. So,

𝐹𝐴 = 𝐹𝐵 = 𝐹𝐶 = 1
For the remaining sub-system,
𝜆 = 6 , 𝑙 = 11 , ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = (12x1) = 12
𝑗

𝐹𝐷 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = 6(11 − 12 − 1) + 12 = 0
𝑖=1
So,
𝐹𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 𝐹𝐴 + 𝐹𝐵 + 𝐹𝐶 + 𝐹𝐷 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 𝟑

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Mechanism 6. A mechanism that converts rotation into swinging motion

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 6(7 − 8 − 1) + 12 = 0

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

6 7 5R,1P,2S (5x1)+(1x1)+(2x3) = 12 0

The mechanism can be separated into two sub-mechanisms, as shown in the figure. Sub-mechanism A is a
planar mechanism ( λ = 3 ) whereas, Sub-mechanism B is a spatial mechanism ( λ = 6). DOF of these two
sub-mechanisms should be calculated separately and combined to determine the DOF of the given
mechanism. The planar mechanism A is simply a slider-crank mechanism with DOF = 1.

If the spatial mechanism B is considered, the number of links and joints can be counted easily. It has 4 links
and 4 joints (2R+2S). Since it is a spatial mechanism, λ should be taken as 6. Using the DOF equation, the
DOF of this spatial mechanism can be calculated as 2.

𝜆 = 6 , 𝑙 = 4 , ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = (2x1) + (2x3) = 8
𝑗

𝐹𝐵 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = 6(4 − 4 − 1) + 8 = 2
𝑖=1
So,
𝐹 = 𝐹𝐴 + 𝐹𝐵 = 2 + 1 = 3

However, the rotation of (link 6) about its centerline is insignificant. Therefore, significant DOF is,

𝐹 =3−1=𝟐

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Mechanism 7.

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3(11 − 14 − 1) + 14 = 2

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 11 12R,2P (12x1) + (2x1) = 14 2

Mechanism 8.
𝑗

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3(7 − 9 − 1) + 9 = 0

However, this mechanism is a parallelogram,

i.e., one of the links (A0A, B0B, C0C) is
redundant and can be neglected. So, the
the new mechanism has,
𝜆 = 3 , 𝑙 = 6 , ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = (7x1) = 7

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 7 9R (9x1) = 9 0
𝑗

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖 = 3(6 − 7 − 1) + 7 = 𝟏
𝑖=1

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Mechanism 9. Stewart Platform
Hint: Check the animation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d84X60If2vM

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 6 (14 − 18 − 1) + 42 = 12

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

6 14 12S,6P (12x3) +(6x1) = 42 12

Evaluated degree-of-freedom is 12 while apparent degree-of-freedom is 6. The 6 dofs come from the
rotation of legs along their axes. These are passive dofs, because they do not affect the motion of the upper
platform with respect to the base.

𝐹 = 12 − 6 = 𝟔

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Mechanism 10. Random Reciprocating-Motion Mechanism
Note: Gears A, B and C are connected to the ground with revolute joints.

𝐹 = 𝜆(𝑙 − 𝑗 − 1) + ∑ 𝑓𝑖
𝑖=1
= 3 (12 − 16 − 1) + 18 = 3

The gear pairs in this mechanism are regular. Therefore, their DOF should be taken as 2 to calculate ∑ 𝑓𝑖

𝝀 𝒍 𝒋 (specify joint types) ∑ 𝑓𝑖 DOF

3 12 13R,1P,2G (13x1) + (1x1) + (2x2) = 18 3

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