Kinematics Simple Machine and Prime Mover - 2581 Words

What is Kinematics? Kinematics is the geometry of pure motion - motion considered abstractly, without reference to force or mass. Engineers use kinematics in machine design. Although hidden in much of modern technology, kinematic mechanisms are important components of many technologies such as robots, automobiles, aircraft, satellites, and consumer electronics, as well as biomechanical prostheses. In physics, kinematics is part of the teaching of basic ideas of dynamics; in mathematics, it is a fundamental part of geometric thinking and concepts of motion. The development of high-speed computers and robotics, and the growth of design synthesis theory and mechatronics have recently revived interest in kinematics and early work in†¦show more content†¦A pair of scissors is a pair of pliers with wedges as the cutting edge. Cutting something thick or hard is easier when the scissors are opened wide and the object is placed near the pivot pin. This placement decreases the distance between the load and the fulcrum, giving the scissors a higher MA than if the cutting was done near the tip of the scissors. Some complex machines are very complicated. An automobile is one such machine. The engine contains many levers, wheels and axles, and pulleys. The whole engine is held together by threaded bolts, which are a form of inclined plane. The transmission uses gears, which are a form of wheel and axle with specially shaped teeth on the outside of the wheels. Two gears fit together and transfer force and power from one gear shaft to another. By choosing the size of the gears, the speed and direction of the rotation of the axles can be controlled. Even devices that do not seem to be mechanical use simple machines. A computer, which is thought of as an electronic device, has a cooling fan. This fan is a complex machine in which the motor shaft turns the fan, which is a form of wheel. The disk drive uses a wheel and axle to turn the disk and a system of levers to position the heads that read and write the data on the disk. Mechanical Linkages A mechanical linkage is a series of rigid links connected with joints to form a closed chain, or a series of closed chains. Each link has two or more