Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics

Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics

Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics


Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics

My 1990 book is now on-line as an iBook. It is available as of March 31, 2013. This 2013 version has corrections to errors and language, and includes a glossary and animations of various linkage systems. I hope you like it.

You can see it at the link: Introduction to Theoretical Kinematics.

Kempe Linkages

Translational Linkages from Kempe

These linkages guide a platform in straight-line translation. They are generalizations of traditional straight-line linkages and can be found in Kempe’s How to Draw a Straight Line. Mark Plecnik generated the SolidWorks files and animations to help my MAE 183 students.

 

Kassim Car Door

An RSSR-TS Car Door Linkage

Kassim Abdul-Sater provides this CATIA animation of a spatial linkage that guides a car door through a spatial movement. This is a spatial RSSR four-bar linkage that connects the SS coupler to ground using a TS chain to control its orientation. He reports that this application was inspired by Kaustubh Sonawale’s spherical Watt I car door linkage.

 

Ganson Sculpture

Kinetic Sculptures by Arthur Ganson

This is a video montage of kinetic sculptures by Arthur Ganson that were on display at MIT. You can see more at his website at the link: arthurganson.com

 

Spherical Car Door Linkage

Spherical Watt I six-bar up close

This view shows the operation of the spherical Watt I six-bar door linkage designed by Kaustubh Sonawale.

 

Spherical Car Door

Spherical Watt I six-bar linkage

The movement of this car door is guided by a spherical Watt I six-bar linkage. This is a test of our prototype MechGen 5 design system. This will be the first design system for these linkages and is a another example of the work by Kaustubh Sonawale and Alex Arredondo.

 

Six-bar Function Generator

Stephenson II six-bar linkage function generator

Mark Plecnik designed this Stephenson II function generator by specifying eight accuracy points and solving the resulting 22 polynomial equations using the numerical homotopy solver, Bertini. He then used Mathematica to examine the 68,000 roots to find 38 useful linkages. SolidWorks was used to generate the solid model and animate the design.

 

Plecnik Art

Mark Plecnik’s Art Project

Mark Plecnik designed this system to illustrate the movement of a wide range of specialized linkages and gear trains.

 

Svoboda Computing Mechanisms

A. Svoboda: Computing Mechanisms and Linkages

Svoboda:  Computing mechanisms and linkages

Svoboda: Computing mechanisms and linkages

Select this link to download a .pdf version of A. Svoboda, Computing Mechanisms and Linkages, Dover Publications, 1965, (17MB). This book was originally published by McGraw-Hill in 1948.

Kempe Straight Line

A. B. Kempe: How To Draw A Straight Line

Kempe: How to draw a straight line

Kempe: How to draw a straight line

Select this link to download a .pdf version of A. B. Kempe, How to Draw a Straight Line, MacMillan and Co., London, 1877. (1.8MB)