Mechanical Sciences (Jan 2021)
Kinematic synthesis method and eccentricity effects of a Stephenson mechanism
Abstract
When implementing the technological process on crank presses, it is necessary to provide a predetermined working cycle of the slider motion: fast lifting, dwell, and slow lowering. The cycle cannot be realized without controlling the motor. In addition, using controllable motors increases the manufacturing cost. Due to the geometric and kinematic capabilities of the mechanism, changing the kinematics of the working link is the best choice. Thanks to the use of the Stephenson II mechanism, the slider skew is eliminated due to the parallel connecting rods and the increased area of slider contact. This study presents a numerical method for kinematic synthesis of the Stephenson mechanism that has kinematic advantages. The method is based on mean square deviation which is the minimizing of an objective function. Thanks to the proposed synthesis method, approximate dwell movement can be performed when the slider is on the bottom dead center. In this study, values of the crank length and parallel connecting rods' lengths, angular coordinates of the crank and connecting rods, and the eccentricity of the guide slider relative to the crank rotation axis were obtained. It is observed that eccentricity affects the lower forward and higher backward speed of the slider. The kinematic results of the slider movement are comparatively presented in this article.