Integrated control and mechanism design for the variable input-speed servo four-bar linkages

This paper presents an integrated design approach for variable input-speed servo four-bar linkages. In order to satisfy the kinematic requirements, to reduce the shaking force and moment, to improve the speed trajectory tracking performance and to minimize the motor power dissipation, the dimensions of the links, the counterweights, the input-speed trajectory and the controller parameters are considered as the design variables simultaneously. The proposed integrated design approach is introduced and formulated with the optimization design problem. Examples are given to compare the results of the proposed design approach with the other two approaches and demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed integrated design approach. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.