MAE Seminar

Computer-aided Invention of Mechanical Movement

May 18, 2012

 By

J. Michael McCarthy, Professor

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of California, Irvine

This presentation describes recent results in the combination of linkage synthesis and geometric modeling into a new tool for the computer-aided design of linkage systems. The implementation of mathematical methods for linkage design has been limited by the non-linear nature of the design equations which yields designs that are impractical. The introduction of a non-deterministic search strategy has resulted in a design process that yields successful planar four and six-bar linkages, spherical four-bar linkages, and even a one degree-of-freedom 5-SS platform linkage. By integrating this linkage synthesis algorithm with the drawing macros of a geometric modeling package, we obtain a practical tool that allows the designer to specify a desired movement and have the design system generate useful linkages that provide this movement.