Entries by Prof. McCarthy

2018 UCI Phantom FSAE Autocross

This video captures the first autocross run by Matt Clark at the 2018 FSAE Lincoln competition. If I remember correctly is was 62.7sec, just behind their earlier 61.9sec run. Matt’s second run, the final of four runs, was anticipated to be even better but there was a problem with the car. This view of the […]

Smitty’s Fabrication Training Videos

This series of training videos were prepared by Robert “Smitty” Smith to help our engineering students understand the principles of fabrication necessary for project based learning. Hand Tools Fasteners Soldering Measurements and Layouts Metal Forming, Part 1 Metal Forming, Part 2 Cutting, Grinding and Fitting Basic MIG Welding I https://youtu.be/lzBGZaS1apw?si=LTWdQehgs_Jg19Jo   Basic MIG Welding II […]

Superluminal: Chapters 1-5

Superluminal, the new book by R. W. Frost, follows David Minor’s experiences with MitsukoTek Corporation’s troublesome Satellite 9.  It is the year 2035 and a new technology has swept the globe… Here are Chapters 1 through 5. Chapter 1 Wanting to be left alone, David finds himself caught up in something uncomfortable. Chapter 2: David […]

Rectilinear Six-Bar (Candy Coating Linkage)

Jeff Glabe designed this six-bar linkage to move through six task positions while maintaining a parallel orientation.  This required the calculation of 55,000 linkages to find 26 that work.  This one has the additional feature that it is operated by a rotating crank (the red link).  The video is a collaboration of Jeff Glabe and […]

Introduction to Linkage Synthesis

This introduction to the graduate course ME 322 Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms shows the potential for design innovation using a mathematical formulation to compute the dimensions of a device from its required task, literally the calculation of its form from the desired function.   More notes on Kinematic Synthesis    Also see my book Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms: a project based […]

Curvature Theory for Planar Point Trajectories

These notes for the Stanford University graduate course ME 322 Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms present the curvature properties of point trajectories in a planar moving body such as the coupler link of a four-bar linkage. Update:  December 13, 2017. These notes have been revised to use the notation for the components of the pole acceleration and […]

Four-bar Linkage Synthesis, Two and Three Task Positions

These notes for the Stanford University course ME 322 Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms introduce the synthesis of a four-bar linkages that guide the coupler link through two and three specified task positions. More notes on Kinematic Synthesis    Also see my book Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms: a project based approach December 12, 2017.  These notes have been […]

Four-bar Linkage Analysis Notes

These notes have been prepared for the Stanford University graduate course ME 322 Kinematic Synthesis of Mechanisms.  This first set details the position and velocity analysis of a four-bar linkage.  Update:  December 12, 2017.  These notes have been revised to represent rotation matrices using boldfaced letters.  Remarkably, because 2×2 matrices commute this allows these matrices to be replaced by complex […]