This paper presents a number of systematically designed compliant topologies and discusses how the intrinsic kinematic behavior can be extracted from them. This is then applied to the number synthesis of linkages. Many techniques developed for number synthesis of linkages enumerate numerous possible kinematic chains, but few can select the best configuration among them. A systematic computational approach that can select the best configuration based on kinetostatic design specifications is presented here. This is a serendipitous result that transpired when two well-developed design techniques for compliant mechanisms were combined. A number of examples with nonintuitive design specifications are included to illustrate the new approach to the number synthesis. The examples also illustrate that the kinematic behavior is aptly captured in the elastic mechanics-based topology optimization method to compliant mechanism design. Dimensional synthesis is also accomplished in the same procedure, which is an added benefit of this approach.
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March 2003
Technical Papers
A Computational Approach to the Number of Synthesis of Linkages
Anupam Saxena,
Anupam Saxena
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315
**
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G. K. Ananthasuresh
G. K. Ananthasuresh
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315
Search for other works by this author on:
Anupam Saxena
**
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315
G. K. Ananthasuresh
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6315
Contributed by the Mechanisms and Robotics Committee for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL DESIGN. Manuscript received Jan. 2001; rev. May 2002. Associate Editor: S. Agrawal.
J. Mech. Des. Mar 2003, 125(1): 110-118 (9 pages)
Published Online: March 21, 2003
Article history
Received:
January 1, 2001
Revised:
May 1, 2002
Online:
March 21, 2003
Citation
Saxena, A., and Ananthasuresh, G. K. (March 21, 2003). "A Computational Approach to the Number of Synthesis of Linkages ." ASME. J. Mech. Des. March 2003; 125(1): 110–118. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1539513
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