mechanism design

video: inverted peaucellier mechanism

I was recently screwing around with mechanisms for straight-line motion and came across the Peaucellier mechanism. I modeled it up and inverted it to see if I could get the straight line in a smaller footprint. There are a lot of pseudo straight-line mechanisms out there, but this one is pure.

Tagged as: linkgage, mechanism design, straight line motion

continue…

video: flexible shaft couplings

Some components (like machined flexible shaft couplings) just don’t look too awesome in photos. They need videos. Check out the video below featuring Heli-Cal.  

Tagged as: couplings, mechanism design

continue…

best mechanism design library

I’ve been sitting on this one for a while, but the Kinematic MOdels for Design Digital Library (KMODDL) is probably the best collection of mechanisms and mechanism-related materials I’ve found. The site (which is shamefully difficult to come across via google, and not much easier to navigate internally) is full of images, videos, CAD, tutorials, [...]

Tagged as: mechanism design

continue…

four bar linkage 3 position synthesis (4min video)

I’ve had occasion to do some four bar linkages lately, and it got me thinking that it might be worthwhile to do some short screencasts on some mechanisms synthesis techniques. This video shows how to define a four bar linkage based using 3 different positions of the coupler bar (the middle bar in a four-bar [...]

Tagged as: four bar linkage, mechanism design, mechanism synthesis

continue…

video: mechanisms, courtesy of Ralph Steiner

I’ve mentioned some great mechanism resources before, as well as supplying the 507 mechanical movements pdf. But while they really are great resources (and they are… I use them all the time!), there is something to be said for video. I submit for your consideration, the work of Ralph Steiner

Tagged as: 507 mechanisms, mechanism design, mechanisms and devices, product design

continue…
Thumbnail image for 507 Mechanical Movements PDF: another great mechanism resource

507 Mechanical Movements PDF: another great mechanism resource

Not too long ago I told you about three great mechanism references, one of which was the not-so-cheap Mechanical Devices Sourcebook. Well times are tough, and I’ve been reminded of the Sourcebook’s Grand-daddy: 507 Mechanical Movements. The link is a free PDF (507 has long since crawled out from under copyright protection) and there is no [...]

Tagged as: 507 mechanisms, mechanism design, mechanisms and devices, mechanisms and mechanical devices sourcebook, references

continue…
Thumbnail image for three great mechanism references

three great mechanism references

Mechanisms are awesome, but they don’t seem to get much love in the search engine world. All told, these are the three best references I’ve seen that actually help in mechanism design. Flying Pigs Paper Animation has some nice flash of your standard mechanisms. Boston’s Museum of Science has a wall of mechanisms, so be [...]

Tagged as: mechanism design, mechanisms and mechanical devices sourcebook, references

continue…