Position Analysis

Position Analysis
Introduction
A principal goal of kinematic analysis is to find acceleration of moving link in a
mechanism and hence finding dynamics forces. Dynamics force are required to
find stress in the components to make sure proposed mechanism will not fail
under certain operating conditions. In order to find acceleration one must find
first positions of the all the links. There are several methods by which we can
perform a position analysis: graphical, vector and analytical.

Coordinate systems and inertial frame of reference

A coordinate system is a method for identifying the location of a point and is used in
engineering to understand and solve problems.
Global or Absolute Coordinate: often attached to Earth, though it could as well be attached
to another ground plane.
Local Coordinate: within global frame work
 Example

Global or Absolute Coordinate system Local Coordinate system

attached to object

Inertial frame : means constant velocity, acceleration,

a=0
Are we in inertial frame? Yes But technically No

If Earth is used as an Global reference frame but it

is not stationary. When we speak about absolute
position, velocity and acceleration keep in mind
that ultimately until stationary point in the
universe is not found, all motion are relative.
 Position
The position of a point in the plane can be defined by the use of a position
vector
Cartesian coordinates: The cartesian form
provides the X and Y components of the
vector

Polar coordinates: The polar form

provides the magnitude and the angle of
the vector
Each form is directly convertible
into the other by:
 Displacement
is the change in its position and can be defined as the straight-line distance
between the initial and final position of a point which has moved in the
reference frame

One body in two successive positions => Two bodies simultaneously in separate positions
position difference => relative position
The vector RBA denotes the difference in position, or the displacement, between
A and B. This can be expressed as the position difference equation RB and RA are
absolute positions of A and B:
𝑅𝐵𝐴 = 𝑅𝐵 − 𝑅𝐴
OR
𝑅𝐵𝐴 = 𝑅𝐵𝑂 − 𝑅𝐴𝑂

subscript O denoting the origin of the XY reference frame

Fourbar Linkage: Coordinate systems