Prof.

Albert Espinoza
Mechanical Engineering Department
Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico
Spring 2015

Position Representation: Complex Numbers

Cartesian form:
Polar form:

RA cos i RA sin j

Rx +jR y RA cos jRA sin

RA@

RAe j

To convert from polar to Cartesian form, use the

Euler identity:

e j cos j sin
Polar complex number notation makes vector representation more compact
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Coordinate Conversion (Cartesian to Polar)

Cartesian form:
Polar form:

RA cos i RA sin j
RA@

Rx +jRy RA cos jRA sin

RAe j

RA Rx 2 R y 2
Ry
arctan
Rx

Polar complex number notation makes vector representation more compact

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Position Fixed Pivot (Pure Rotation)

Position
= = cos + sin

Position in XY coordinates
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Types of Motion
Pure Translation
All points have same displacement

Pure Rotation
Different points have different displacement

Complex Motion
Simultaneous translation and rotation

Chasles Theorem
Any displacement of a rigid body is equivalent to the sum of a
translation of any one point on the body and a rotation of the
body about an axis through that point.

Total displacement = translation component + rotation component

RBA RAA RBA

Position Difference (Displacement)

Position Difference Equation Two points in the same body
=
= +
Same equation represents:
Position Difference
Relative Position

Coordinate Systems

y
x

Coordinate Systems:
GCS = Global Coordinate System, (X, Y)
LNCS = Local Non-Rotating Coordinate System, (x, y)
LRCS = Local Rotating Coordinate System, (x, y)
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Coordinate Transformation
It is often necessary to transform the coordinates of a point defined in one
set of axes (x-y) in another (X-Y).
If the position of A is defined
with respect to (wrt) axes x-y,
and it is desired to transform its
coordinates to the global (inertial)
set of axes (X-Y), we use the
following equations:
= cos sin
= sin + cos
Or in matrix form:

cos
=

sin

sin
cos
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Position Analysis of Fourbar Linkage

The fourbar linkage provides 1 DOF (Mobility=1)

Link 2 is normally the input link
Link 4 is normally the output link
All angles are measured w.r.t. +x axis and are positive if CCW
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Possible Solutions of Fourbar Linkage

There are two possible closed-form solutions for 3 and 4 for a given
2 (open and crossed configurations)

Crossed vs Open: Assuming that link 2 is in the first quadrant, a

Grashof linkage is defined as crossed if the two links adjacent to the
shortest link cross one another and open is they dont cross.
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Vector Loop Fourbar Linkage

R2 R3 R4 R1 0

e j cos j sin

ae j2 be j3 ce j4 de j1 0
a cos 2 j sin 2 b cos 3 j sin 3 c cos 4 j sin 4 d cos 1 j sin 1 0

b cos 3 a cos 2 c cos 4 d

b sin 3 a sin 2 c sin 4

b 2 sin 2 3 cos 2 3 a sin 2 c sin 4 a cos 2 c cos 4 d

2

b 2 a sin 2 c sin 4 a cos 2 c cos 4 d

2

b 2 a 2 c 2 d 2 2ad cos 2 2cd cos 4 2ac sin 2 sin 4 cos 2 cos 4

K1

d
a

K2

d
c

K3

a 2 b2 c 2 d 2
2ac

K1 cos 4 K 2 cos 2 K 3 cos 2 cos 4 sin 2 sin 4

A cos 2 K1 K 2 cos 2 K 3
B 2sin 2

C K1 K 2 1 cos 2 K 3

A tan 2 4 B tan 4 C 0
2
2

1 tan 2 4
2 tan 4
2
2 ; cos
sin 4
4
2 4

2
1 tan
1 tan 4
2
2

B B 2 4 AC

2
A

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4 2 arctan
1,2

Vector Loop Fourbar (Continued)

Using a similar approach for 3:
a cos 2 j sin 2 b cos 3 j sin 3 c cos 4 j sin 4 d cos 1 j sin 1 0

c cos 4 a cos 2 b cos 3 d

c sin 4 a sin 2 b sin 3

c 2 sin 2 4 cos 2 4 a sin 2 b sin 3 a cos 2 b cos 3 d

2

c 2 a sin 2 b sin 3 a cos 2 b cos 3 d

2

c 2 a 2 b 2 d 2 2ad cos 2 2bd cos 3 2ab sin 2 sin 3 cos 2 cos 3

K1

d
a

K4

d
b

K5

c 2 d 2 a 2 b2
2ab

K1 cos 3 K 4 cos 2 K 5 cos 2 cos 3 sin 2 sin 3

D cos 2 K1 K 4 cos 2 K 5
E 2sin 2

F K1 K 4 1 cos 2 K 5

D tan 2 3 E tan 3 F 0
2
2

1 tan 2 3
2 tan 3
2
2
; cos
sin 3
3

1 tan 2 3
1 tan 2 3
2
2

E E 2 4 DF

2D

3 2 arctan
1,2

The minus solutions represent the open config.

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and the plus solutions the crossed config.

Position Analysis of Fourbar Linkage

Linear position of linkage moving joints:

= 2 = cos 2 + sin 2
= 3 = cos 3 + sin 3

= + 4 + 4 = cos 4 + sin 4 +
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Position of any Point in a Linkage

The position of any point in a linkage requires a simple vector calculations
Position of point P is given as:
R P R A R PA

3 Relative angle between vector R PA and R BA

ae j2 pe j (3 3 )

a cos 2 j sin 2 p cos(3 3 ) j sin(3 3 )

Position of point S:
R S se j (2 2 )
s cos( 2 2 ) j sin( 2 2 )

R PA

Position of point U:
j ( 4 4 )

RU ue
R O4
u cos( 4 4 ) j sin( 4 4 ) d

RA

RP

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Example: Fourbar Linkage

Given: L1 6, L2 2, L3 7, L4 9, 2 30 , R P 6, 3 30
Determine: The Grashof condition
The possible solutions for both open and crossed configurations
The x and y coordinates of points A, B, and P (w.r.t. GCS) for the open configuration

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