Synthesis of mechanisms integrated with motion and force transformation

Abstract

The synthesis of mechanisms has an important effect in the product development. A mechanism has two basic kinds of functions, i.e. to transform motion and to transform force. However, current methods always focus on either motion synthesis or force synthesis. The paper proposed a dynamic programming-based synthesis of multi-input or multi-output mechanisms with the simultaneous consideration of motion and force transmission. A general function model is proposed with a result of function matrix of mechanisms. After the solving process of single input and single output (SISO) system using dynamic programming algorithm is proposed, the single input and multiple outputs (SIMO) system, and the multiple inputs and single output system (MISO) are also discussed in detail, together with design evaluation. The synthesis of mechanisms for jacking up system in offshore platform is taken as an example, which demonstrates that the methodology is helpful to produce valuable mechanisms.