Introduction to Graphical Kinematic Analysis

Graphical Kinematic Analysis of Mechanisms

Need for the graphical analysis

1) We have seen that the analysis done by writing the vector loop equations is very accurate, however, needs the
solution of non-linear algebraic equations, and, therefore, difficult.
2) The graphical analysis is simpler and gives a good physical idea about the motion of different links.
3) This can be done quickly. However, the graphical analysis is not as numerically accurate as the analytical method.

Let us see some basics of planar kinematics of a rigid body.

1) The concept of a rigid body is used.

2) A rigid body is a hypothetical body, in which the distance between any two points on the body remains constant.
Such a body is, however, not realistic, because actually all bodies undergo some deformation under load, however small
it may be, but still, this concept is valuable in the sense that we do not want to see our mechanism deformed, as it
works.

3) Also the concept is needed to help us predict the kinematic and dynamic characteristics easily.
See figure-1. In figure-1 AB is a line in the rigid body. The body is seen to move from left to right from position 1 to 4.
please note that the line AB remains parallel to itself in all these positions. Such a motion of the rigid body is called
‘Translation’. Also note that the loci of A and B are straight lines, parallel to each other. This translation may also be
called Rectilinear Translation. The important point is that all the points on a rigid body in translation move by the same
amount in the direction the body translates, the velocity and acceleration of translation of any point in the body, with
respect to the reference, is the same along the direction of translation at any instant of time.

See figure-2. In the figure we see that as the rigid body undergoes a movement from position 1 to position 2 the orientation
of the line AB changes to A’B, where A’B makes an angle θ with the line AB. The point A has shifted in this process to
point A’ in position 2, but the point B has remained in its own place as in position 1. The body is said to have rotated or
undergone ‘Rotation’ about an axis passing normal to the plane of the body through point B. It may be seen that in
rotation the arc length of the points on the line AB is directly proportional to the distance of the point from the point B.

Figure-1 Figure-2
Let us see figure-3. The body has rotated from orientation 1 to orientation 2 by an angle θ about an axis which passes
outside the physical boundary of the body. In this case A moves to A’, B moves to B’ and the length of the arc AA’ and BB’
is decided by the distance of the point from the axis.
Let us see figure-4. In the figure the line AB in the rigid body moves from position and orientation A1B1 to A2B2 to A3B3,
which are all parallel to each other. Therefore, the body is translating. However, it may also be noted that the loci traced by
A and B are parallel curves. A translation of this kind is called Curvilinear Translation. Figure-5 shows the combined
translation and rotation of a rigid body or the general planar motion of a rigid body.

Line parallel to AB

The axis passes through this point Curvilinear Translation General planar motion of a rigid body
Figure-4 Figure-5
Figure-3
 Velocity and acceleration of a point in a plane, the importance of reference frame

The figure-5 on the left shows a point P moving along a path along
Cross radial the direction shown. Two different coordinate frames have been
Y shown to locate and track the moving point.

The XY frame is the fixed reference frame, where the red underline
Radial indicates that it is fixed in space. The coordinates of this point are
𝐫ത P (x,y) measured along X and Y axes. The unit vectors along the directions
are 𝑒ෞ𝑥 and 𝑒ෞ𝑦 respectively.
θ
O X The other reference frame is the radial and cross-radial directions.
Figure-5 The unit vectors along these directions are 𝑒ෝ𝑟 and 𝑒ෞ𝜃 respectively.

It should be noted that the radial and cross radial frames are not fixed for all instants of time, and the frame keeps changing
with the position of point P.

The position of the point P may be given by the vector 𝐫ത in both the reference frames. The position velocity and acceleration
vectors are given by
Position vector: 𝐫ത = x 𝑒ෞ𝑥 + y 𝑒ෞ𝑦 … (1), Velocity vector: 𝐯ത = xෞ ሶ 𝑒𝑦 … (2), Acceleration vector: 𝐚ത = xෞ
ሶ 𝑒𝑥 + yෞ ሷ 𝑒𝑦 … (3)
ሷ 𝑒𝑥 + yෞ
Position vector: 𝐫ത = x 𝑒ෞ𝑥 + y 𝑒ෞ𝑦 … (1), Velocity vector: 𝐯ത = xෞ ሶ 𝑒𝑦 … (2), Acceleration vector: 𝐚ത = xෞ
ሶ 𝑒𝑥 + yෞ ሷ 𝑒𝑦 … (3)
ሷ 𝑒𝑥 + yෞ

Let us find the position velocity and acceleration vectors in the radial-cross-radial frame or the (r-𝜽) frame. ∆ෞ
𝒆𝒓

Position vector: 𝐫ത = r 𝑒ෝ𝑟 … (4) ; in this ‘r’ is the radius given by the length of the line OP. ∆𝜃
ෞ𝒓
𝒆
Figure-6
Velocity vector: 𝐯ത = rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + r𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ … (5) the unit vector 𝑒ෝ𝑟 is differentiated with respect to time to get 𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ , as the vector changes
with time. The rate of change of a unit vector is nothing but its rate of change of direction as its magnitude is always unity. The
figure-6 shows the orientation of the unit vector 𝑒ෝ𝑟 at two instants of time, which are ∆t apart. It may be seen that the
magnitude of ∆𝑒ෝ𝑟 is ∆𝜃 over the interval of time ∆t, and so as the interval ∆t tends to 0, the vector ∆𝑒ෝ𝑟 tends to be ┴ to the
direction of 𝑒ෝ𝑟 and with a magnitude of 𝜃.ሶ The direction perpendicular to the radial direction is called the cross-radial
direction. The unit vector in the cross radial direction, when moving in the direction of ∆𝜽, taken to be anticlockwise in
ෞ𝜽 .
this case, is 𝒆

So we shall write 𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ = 𝜃ෞ

ሶ 𝑒𝜃 .

Therefore, the velocity vector in the r-𝜃 frame is written as 𝐯ത = rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + r𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ = rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + r𝜃ෞ
ሶ 𝑒𝜃 … (6)

Similarly the acceleration vector is written as 𝐚ത = rሷ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ + rሶ 𝜃ෞ ሷ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ሶ 𝑒ෞ𝜃ሶ … (7)
ሶ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ෞ
In a similar way we shall be able to prove that 𝑒ෞ𝜃ሶ = −𝜃ሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 . To prove this you should construct the
Similarly the acceleration vector is written as 𝐚ത = rሷ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ + rሶ 𝜃ෞ ሶ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ෞ ሷ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ሶ 𝑒ෞ𝜃ሶ … (7) In a similar way we shall be able
to prove that 𝑒ෞ𝜃ሶ = −𝜃ሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 .
To prove this you should construct the same kind of figure as drawn in figure-6. Therefore, the equation (7) may be rewritten
as
𝐚ത = rሷ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟ሶ + rሶ 𝜃ෞ ሷ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ሶ 𝑒ෞ𝜃ሶ = rሷ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + rሶ 𝜃ෞ
ሶ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ෞ ሶ 𝑒𝜃 + rሶ 𝜃ෞ
ሶ 𝑒𝜃 + r𝜃ෞ ሷ 𝑒𝜃 − r𝜃ሶ 2 𝑒ෝ𝑟
Or
𝐚ത = (rሷ − r𝜃ሶ 2 )𝑒ෝ𝑟 + (2rሶ 𝜃ሶ + r𝜃ሷ )෢ 𝑒𝜃 … (8)

The equations (4), (6) and (8) give the expressions of position vector, velocity vector and the acceleration vector in the (r-𝜽)
frame.

Let us write down the expressions

𝐫ത = r 𝑒ෝ𝑟 … (4)
𝐯ത = rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + r𝜃ෞሶ 𝑒𝜃 … (6)
𝐚ത = (rሷ − r𝜃ሶ 2 )𝑒ෝ𝑟 + (2rሶ 𝜃ሶ + r𝜃ሷ )෢
𝑒𝜃 … (8)

In each expression, the positive sign and the negative sign decides whether vector acts in the direction or opposite to the
direction of the unit vector.
Let us see the expression of the acceleration vector

Cross-radial acceleration caused by both

change of radius and the angular velocity. Cross radial acceleration caused
This is called Coriolis component by change of angular velocity

𝐚ത = (rሷ − r𝜃ሶ 2 )𝑒ෝ𝑟 + (2rሶ 𝜃ሶ + r𝜃ሷ )෢

𝑒𝜃 … (8)

Radial acceleration caused by Radial acceleration caused by angular velocity. This

change of radius works towards the centre. This is also called centripetal
acceleration
Let us see the equations once again

𝐫ത = r 𝑒ෝ𝑟 … (4) If, as a special case, the radius does not change with time, i.e. if
𝐯ത = rሶ 𝑒ෝ𝑟 + r𝜃ෞሶ 𝑒𝜃 … (6) the radius remains constant, the point traces a circular path. In
𝐚ത = (rሷ − r𝜃ሶ 2 )𝑒ෝ𝑟 + (2rሶ 𝜃ሶ + r𝜃ሷ )෢
𝑒𝜃 … (8) such a case the cross-radial direction becomes tangential to the
path and is called the tangential direction. The radial velocity,
radial acceleration and the Coriolis component of acceleration in
this case are all zero.
This has significance for motion of a rigid body in plane, as, the
distance between two points on a rigid body does not change.
Let us learn the same basics in vector form. The figure-7 shows that XYZ is the
fixed reference frame, and xyz is the frame that moves in space and carries a
point B, which moves with respect to the frame xyz. Let us try to find out the
position, velocity and acceleration with respect to the frame XYZ.

Position of point B is given by

ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 + 𝝆
𝐫ത𝐗𝐘𝐙 = 𝐑 ഥ 𝐱𝐲𝐳 ... (9) Z 𝐫ത

Velocity of point B is
ഥሶ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 + 𝝆
𝐯ത𝐗𝐘𝐙 = 𝐑 ഥሶ 𝐱𝐲𝐳 ഥሶ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 + 𝝆
=𝐑 ഥሶ 𝐱𝐲𝐳 ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ ഥ𝛒𝐱𝐲𝐳 … (10)
+ 𝛚
𝐗𝐘𝐙 𝐱𝐲𝐳

Acceleration of point B is
𝐚ത 𝐗𝐘𝐙
= 𝐑 ഥሷ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 + 𝝆
ഥሷ 𝐱𝐲𝐳 + 𝛚 ഥሶ 𝐱𝐲𝐳
ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ 𝝆 ഥሶ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ ഥ𝛒𝐱𝐲𝐳 + 𝛚
+𝛚 ഥሶ 𝐱𝐲𝐳
ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ 𝝆 Figure-7
𝐱𝐲𝐳 𝐱𝐲𝐳 𝐱𝐲𝐳
ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ 𝛚
+𝛚 ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ ഥ𝛒𝐱𝐲𝐳
Or
ഥሷ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 + 𝝆
𝐚ത𝐗𝐘𝐙 = 𝐑 ഥሷ 𝐱𝐲𝐳 ഥሶ 𝐱𝐲𝐳
ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ 𝝆
+2𝛚 ഥሶ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ ഥ𝛒𝐱𝐲𝐳 +
+𝛚
𝐱𝐲𝐳 𝐱𝐲𝐳
ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ 𝛚
𝛚 ഥ 𝐗𝐘𝐙 ⅹ ഥ𝛒𝐱𝐲𝐳 … (11)
The expression of acceleration in (r-𝜽) frame and the vectorial expression match
after the first term.
The velocity analysis of a rigid body executing general planar motion.
Suppose AB in figure-8 represents a rigid link at any instant of time in a kinematic diagram. Let the link AB execute a general
planar motion with respect to the frame XY. The figure gives its position at the instant of time. Therefore let us try to find the
velocity of the point B with respect to the fixed frame XY, or synonymously with respect to the fixed-point O, the origin of the
reference frame. Suppose ഥ 𝐕𝐀/𝐎 is the velocity of point A with respect to the fixed-point O or with respect to the fixed
reference frame XY. Let us find the velocity of point B graphically.

Mathematically ഥ𝐕𝐁/𝐎 = ഥ𝐕𝐀/𝐎 + ഥ 𝐕𝐁/𝐀 , the locus of B with respect to A is a circle, as the length of link AB is a constant
because A and B are the points on a rigid body. Let the velocity of point A with respect to O, ഥ 𝐕𝐀/𝐎 be given in magnitude and
direction in the figure-8. We choose a pole ‘o’ to mark the velocity of all points, which are fixed, as shown in figure-9. We
draw a vector ‘𝐨𝐚’ from o to a in a chosen scale to mark the vector ഥ𝐕𝐀/𝐎 in magnitude and direction. The scale should always
be written.

Y
B

ഥ𝐀/𝐎
𝐕
A

O X
Figure-9
Figure-8
Since ഥ𝐕𝐁/𝐀 is ┴ to the orientation of link AB, so we draw any line xy ┴ to link AB in
figure-8. The vector ഥ𝐕𝐁/𝐀 will be along this line. Two options of ഥ
𝐕𝐁/𝐀 of many have
been shown as vector ab or vector ab′.

For the earlier the velocity of point B is given by vector 𝐨𝐛 and for the latter the vector
is 𝐨𝐛′. For the first, B rotates in anti-clockwise direction and for the second, B rotates in
the clockwise direction about point A. This may be easily determined by assuming that
the vector is shifted to point B.

𝐚𝐛 𝐚𝐛 ′ Figure-9
The value of angular velocity may also be found out from the ratio or , which
𝐀𝐁 𝐀𝐁
is chosen.