Theory of Machines
A mechanism is a set of rigid bodies whose joints remove exactly enough freedom to leave the motion you wanted. These topics animate the motion rather than describing it, which is the only way a linkage ever makes sense.
Start from the beginning →1 topic you can watch now, 23 still to come.
Mechanisms and mobility
Links, pairs, and how many inputs a mechanism needs.
- Kinematic pairs and their classification
- Kinematic chains and inversions
- Grashof's criterion
- Four-bar and slider-crank mechanisms
- Straight-line and steering mechanisms
Velocity and acceleration analysis
Where each point of a moving linkage is going, and how fast.
- Relative velocity method
- Instantaneous centre method
- Acceleration diagrams and Coriolis component
- Klein's construction
Cams and followers
Designing a shape so that motion comes out the way you specified.
- Cam and follower types
- Displacement diagrams: uniform, SHM, cycloidal
- Cam profile construction
- Jump and undercutting
Gears and gear trains
Transmitting rotation at a fixed ratio, without slip.
- Law of gearing and involute profile
- Interference and minimum teeth
- Simple, compound and reverted trains
- Epicyclic gear trains and torque
Dynamics of machinery
The forces a moving machine puts back into its own frame.
- Static and dynamic force analysis
- Flywheels and turning moment diagrams
- Balancing of rotating and reciprocating masses
- Governors
- Gyroscopic couple
- Free and forced vibration, whirling of shafts