MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

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

HOMEWORK 4 Solution
Date Assigned: December 10, 2020, Thursday
Due Date: December 17, 2020, Thursday, 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 as a zip file named as HW4_ME301_StudentName_StudentNumber. The zip file should
involve the source codes of your programs and the homework report in .pdf format named as
HW4_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.
• Scan your homework neatly and upload to Metu-Class before due date.

Problem 1

Note: Mechanism is drawn unscaled.

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a. Write down the scalar velocity loop equations in terms of the dimensions and the position
variables of the mechanism.
b. Determine an equation(s) which yield the singular position(s) of the mechanism if the input is
𝜃12 .
c. Sketch the mechanism at the singular position(s).

Note: In your solution, define the link dimensions as follows.

|𝑂2 𝑂4 | = 𝑎1 |𝑂2 𝐴| = 𝑎2 |𝑂4 𝐵| = 𝑏4 and |𝐵𝐶| = 𝑏5

Solution:

a. The number of independent loops is,

𝐿 =𝑗−𝑙+1 =7−6+1 =2
Virtually disconnect the joint at A,
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑂 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
4 𝐴 = 𝑂4 𝑂2 + 𝑂2 𝐴

𝑠34 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 = 𝑎1 𝑖 + 𝑎2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12

Virtually disconnect the joint at C,
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑂4 𝐵 + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵𝐶 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑂4 𝐶
𝑏4 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 + 𝑏5 𝑒 𝑖𝜃15 = 𝑠16
Writing the imaginary and real parts of LCE-1,
𝑠34 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 = 𝑎2 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃12 (1.1)
𝑠34 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 = 𝑎1 + 𝑎2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃12 (1.2)
Writing the imaginary and real parts of LCE-2,
𝑏4 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 + 𝑏5 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 = 𝑠16 (1.3)
𝑏4 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 + 𝑏5 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃15 = 0 (1.4)
The velocity loop equations in terms of dimensions and position variables, are obtained by
differentiating equations (1.1)-(1.4) with respect to time.

𝑠̇34 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 − 𝑠34 𝜃̇14 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 = −𝑎2 𝜃̇12 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃12 (1.5)

𝑠̇34 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 + 𝑠34 𝜃̇14 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 = 𝑎2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃12 (1.6)

−𝑏4 𝜃̇14 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 − 𝑏5 𝜃̇15 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃15 = 𝑠̇16 (1.7)

𝑏4 𝜃̇14 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 + 𝑏5 𝜃̇15 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 = 0 (1.8)

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b. Equations (1.5) and (1.6) can be written in matrix form as

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 −𝑠34 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 𝑠̇ 34 −𝑎 𝜃̇ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃12

[ ] { ̇ } = [ 2 12 ] (1.9)
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 𝑠34 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 𝜃14 𝑎2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃12

The first singular position of the mechanism occurs when the determinant of the coefficient
matrix of the above equation is zero.

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14 −𝑠34 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14

| | = 𝑠34 (𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 𝜃14 + 𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝜃14 ) = 𝑠34 = 0
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14 𝑠34 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14

So, one of the singular positions of the mechanism occurs when 𝑠34 = 0.
Now consider equations (1.7) and (1.8), which can be written as

−𝑏5 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃15 −1 𝜃̇15 𝑏 𝜃̇ 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14

[ ] { } = [ 4 14 ] (1.10)
𝑏5 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 0 𝑠̇16 −𝑏4 𝜃̇14 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14

In the above expression we consider that 𝜃̇14 has been obtained from equation (1.9). The
other singular position(s) of the mechanism are obtained by equating the determinant of the
coefficient matrix of equation (1.10) to zero.

−𝑏 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃15 −1
| 5 | = 𝑏5 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 = 0
𝑏5 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 0

𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃15 = 0
𝜋 3𝜋
So, the other singular positions of the mechanism, occur when 𝜃15 = or 𝜃15 = . Note that 𝑏5
2 2
cannot be zero.

Alternative Solution: One may write the equations (1.5)-(1.8) in a matrix form (where the
unknowns are 𝑠̇34 , 𝜃̇14 , 𝜃̇15 and 𝑠̇16 and obtain the singular positions by setting the determinant
of the coefficient matrix equal to zero. But in this case a 4x4 matrix is considered and taking its
determinant symbolically, may be difficult.

c. The figure of the problem is not a scaled one, so showing the singularities on it may not be
possible. However, the three singular positions of the mechanism have been drawn in a scaled
form as shown below.

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Figure 1 Singularity when 𝑠34 = 0

3𝜋 𝜋
Figure 2 Singularity when 𝜃15 = Figure 3 Singularity when 𝜃15 =
2 2

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Problem 2

Note: Mechanism is drawn unscaled.

Consider the planar mechanism in Homework 3. The mechanism is driven with constant
𝑟𝑎𝑑
angular velocity 𝜃̇12 = 𝜔12 = 3 (𝐶𝐶𝑊). The dimensions of the mechanism are
𝑠

|𝐴𝐵| = 𝑏2 = 400 𝑚𝑚 |𝐵𝐶| = 𝑏3 = 100 𝑚𝑚 |𝐷𝐸| = 𝑏4 = 200 𝑚𝑚

|𝐷𝐻| = 𝑐4 = 1300 𝑚𝑚 |𝐴𝐹| = 𝑏1 = 600 𝑚𝑚 |𝐸𝐹| = 𝑐1 = 500 𝑚𝑚
|𝐶𝐺| = 𝑐3 = 100 𝑚𝑚

a. Derive the scalar velocity loop closure equations of the mechanism.

b. Determine the analytical expressions for the velocity variables 𝜃̇14 and 𝑠̇43 in terms of the input
angular velocity, position variables and fixed dimensions.
c. Determine the analytical expressions for the x & y components of the linear velocity of point G
(𝑉𝐺𝑥 , 𝑉𝐺𝑦 ) in terms of velocity variables ( 𝜃̇12 , 𝜃̇14 , 𝑠̇43 ), position variables and fixed dimensions.
d. Determine the analytical expressions for the acceleration variables , 𝜃̈14 and , 𝑠̈43 in terms of
velocity variables ( 𝜃̇12 , 𝜃̇14 , 𝑠̇43 ), position variables and fixed dimensions.
e. Using the expressions obtained in part (b), plot the variations of the velocity variables with
respect to 𝜃12 for full rotation of link 2 (𝜃12 = 0,2,...,360°).

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f. Using the expressions obtained in part (c), plot the variations of the x & y components of the
linear velocity of point G with respect to 𝜃12 for full rotation of link 2 (𝜃12 = 0,2,...,360°).
g. Using the expressions obtained in part (d), plot the variations of the acceleration variables with
respect to 𝜃12 for full rotation of link 2 (𝜃12 = 0,2,...,360°).

Notes:

• You may directly use the position analysis performed in homework 3.

• Make sure to submit the source code of your programs, explain the procedure using
comments etc.
• Properly annotate the plots (label the axes with proper units, etc.).

Solution:

a. Recall the loop closure equation of the mechanism from Homework 3 Solutions.
𝜋
𝑏4 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 + 𝑠43 𝑒 𝑖(𝜃14 − 2 ) + 𝑏3 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 = 𝑐1 + 𝑏1 𝑖 + 𝑏2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12
Simplifying the expression yields,
(𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 − 𝑠43 𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 = 𝑐1 + 𝑏1 𝑖 + 𝑏2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12
Take the derivative of the equation with respect to time.

𝑖𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 − [𝑖 2 𝜃̇14 𝑠43 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 + 𝑠̇43 𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 ] = 𝑖𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12
Simplifying the expression gives,
[𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 ) − 𝑖𝜃̇14 𝑠43 − 𝑠̇43 ]𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 = 𝑖𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12
Note that, 𝜃14 is already known; therefore, it is possible to divide the both sides of Equation by
𝑖𝑒 𝑖𝜃14

𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 ) − 𝑖𝜃̇14 𝑠43 − 𝑠̇43 = 𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑒 𝑖(𝜃12 −𝜃14 )

Separating the Real and Imaginary parts,

𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 ) − 𝑠̇43 = 𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) (2.1)

−𝜃̇14 𝑠43 = 𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) (2.2)

b. The velocity variables 𝜃̇14 and 𝑠̇43 can be obtained by solving the Equations (2.1) and (2.2).
From equation (2.2), 𝜃̇14 can be directly written as,

𝜃̇14 = −𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 )/𝑠43

𝑠̇43 can be solved from Equation (2.1),
𝑠̇43 = −𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) + 𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )

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Substituting the expression for 𝜃̇14 ,

𝑠̇43 = −𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) + [−𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 )/𝑠43 ](𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )
Simplifying the expression,

𝑏2 𝜃̇12
𝑠̇43 = − [𝑠43 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) + (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 )]
𝑠43
c. The position of the point G can be written as,
𝑟𝐺 = 𝑏2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12 − (𝑏3 + 𝑐3 )𝑒 𝑖𝜃14
Taking the derivative of 𝑟𝐺 with respect to time,
⃗ 𝐺 = 𝑖𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12 − 𝑖𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑐3 )𝑒 𝑖𝜃14
𝑉
Writing the real and imaginary parts yields,
𝑉𝐺𝑥 = −𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃12 + 𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑐3 )𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃14

𝑉𝐺𝑦 = 𝑏2 𝜃̇12 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃12 − 𝜃̇14 (𝑏3 + 𝑐3 )𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃14

d. The acceleration variables 𝜃̇14 and 𝑠̇43 can be obtained by means of two ways. The first method
is to differentiate the velocity loop closure equation and solving for 𝜃̇14 and 𝑠̇43 . The second
method is to differentiate the velocity variables with respect to time directly.
Differentiating the velocity loop closure equation with respect to time yields

𝜃̈14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 ) − 𝑖(𝜃̈14 𝑠43 + 𝜃̇14 𝑠̇43 ) − 𝑠̈43 = 𝜃̈12 𝑏2 𝑒 𝑖(𝜃12 −𝜃14 ) + 𝜃̇12 𝑖(𝜃̇12 − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑒 𝑖(𝜃12 −𝜃14 )

Separating the real and imaginary parts gives,

𝜃̈14 (𝑏3 + 𝑏4 ) − 𝑠̈43 = 𝜃̈12 𝑏2 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) − 𝜃̇12 (𝜃̇12 − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) (2.3)

−𝜃̈14 𝑠43 − 𝜃̇14 𝑠̇43 = 𝜃̈12 𝑏2 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) + 𝜃̇12 (𝜃̇12 − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) (2.4)
Note that 𝜃̇12 is constant; hence, 𝜃̈12 = 0. Substituting 𝜃̈12 = 0 and solving 𝜃̈14 from Equation
(2.4) gives,
1
𝜃̈14 = − (𝜃̇ (𝜃̇ − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) + 𝜃̇14 𝑠̇43 )
𝑠43 12 12

Similarly, solving Equation (2.3) for 𝑠̈43 and inserting 𝜃̈14 ,

1
𝑠̈43 = 𝜃̇12 (𝜃̇12 − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 ) − (𝜃̇ (𝜃̇ − 𝜃̇14 )𝑏2 𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃12 − 𝜃14 )
𝑠43 12 12
+ 𝜃̇14 𝑠̇43 )(𝑏3 + 𝑏4 )

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Note that the position analysis must be performed prior to the velocity and acceleration analysis.
In the following parts, only the script necessary for the calculation and plotting of the
corresponding variables are given.
e. MATLAB Script for the velocity analysis part:

% Velocity Analysis
% theta14d = omega14, s43dot = v43
omega12 = 3;
omega14 = - omega12 * b2 * sin(theta12-theta14) ./ s43;
v43 = - (omega12 * b2 ./ s43).*(s43.*cos(theta12-
theta14)+(b3+b4)*sin(theta12-theta14));
% Plots
figure
subplot(2,1,1),plot(theta12*180/pi,omega14,'Linewidth',2);
title('\omega_{14} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('\omega_{14} [rad/s]');
grid on;
subplot(2,1,2),plot(theta12*180/pi,v43,'Linewidth',2);
title('v_{43} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('v_{43} [mm/s]');
grid on;

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f. MATLAB Script for the calculation of the velocity of point G:

% Velocity of Point G
vGx = -omega12 .* b2 * sin(theta12) + omega14 .* (b3+c3) .* sin(theta14);
vGy = omega12 .* b2 * cos(theta12) - omega14 .* (b3+c3) .* cos(theta14);
figure
subplot(2,1,1),plot(theta12*180/pi,vGx,'Linewidth',2);
title('v_{Gx} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('v_{Gx} [mm/s]');
grid on;
subplot(2,1,2),plot(theta12*180/pi,vGy,'Linewidth',2);
title('v_{Gy} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('v_{Gy} [mm/s]');
grid on;

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g. MATLAB Script for the acceleration analysis part:

% Acceleration Analysis
% theta14doubledot = alphadot, s43doubledot = a43
alpha14 = (-1./s43).*(b2 * omega12 .*(omega12 - omega14).*cos(theta12-
theta14) + omega14.* v43);
a43 = omega12 .*(omega12 - omega14) * b2 .* sin(theta12-theta14) + alpha14
* (b3+b4);
figure
subplot(2,1,1),plot(theta12*180/pi,alpha14,'Linewidth',2);
title('\alpha_{14} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('\alpha_{14} [rad/s^2]');
grid on;
subplot(2,1,2),plot(theta12*180/pi,a43,'Linewidth',2);
title('a_{43} vs \theta_{12}');
xlabel('\theta_{12} [deg]');
xlim([0,360]);
ylabel('a_{43} [mm/s^2]');
grid on;

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