Accurate Analysis of the In-line Slider Crank Kinematics

Moses Frank Oduori,

School of Engineering,
The University of Nairobi.
1. Introduction
The planar slider crank echanis is one of the ost coonly used four!bar linkage
echanis. "t is characteri#ed by three revolute $turning% pairs and one prisatic
$sliding% pair. "n reciprocating piston internal cobustion engines, the slider crank
echanis is used to convert the reciprocating otion of the piston into rotational
otion of the crank shaft. "n reciprocating piston air copressors and pups, the sae
echanis is used in the reverse to convert the rotational otion of the crankshaft into
the reciprocating otion of the piston.
"n the coonly available literature, analysis of slider crank kineatics is usually
siplified through e&pansion of ters under a radical into a series in 'hich then only the
first t'o ters are retained 'hile the rest of the ters are assued to be too sall to be
significant, and therefore discarded. This paper deonstrates that such siplification can
be avoided 'ithout too uch difficulty and goes on to discuss the effect of the
siplification on the end results of the analysis, as copared to the accurate analysis.
2. Position Analysis of the Slider Crank Mechanism
"n the general case, 'e 'ill consider the echanis to be an offset slider crank
echanis in 'hich the a&is of rotation of the crank and the a&is of reciprocation of the
slider are not concurrent, as illustrated Fig. 1.
The notations used in Fig. 1 are as follo's(
)ink * is the frae,
)ink + is the crank,
)ink , is the connecting rod and
)ink - is the slider.
"n analy#ing the echanis, it shall be assued that the crankshaft rotates 'ith unifor
velocity,
+

, such that(
t
+ +

$*%
* of *.
The positions of the links $crank, connecting rod and slider% ay be analy#ed by use of
the vector loop closure ethod, the relevant diagra of 'hich is sho'n in Fig. 2.
The direction of the vectors in Fig. 2 is indicated by the angle ade by the line of action
of the vector 'ith respect to the positive
x
direction. Thus the direction of the vector
1
r
is
/
*

and that of the vector

r
is
/
-
0/ . 1eferring to Fig. 2, the vector loop
closure e2uation is the follo'ing(
! 2 1
r r r r + +
$+%
3y considering the hori#ontal and vertical coponents of the vectors in turn, the
follo'ing relations ay be obtained(
+ of *.

+
+
, , + + -
, , + + *
sin sin
cos cos
r r r
r r r
$,%
The above e2uations can be re!arranged as follo's(

+ + - , ,
+ + * , ,
sin sin
cos cos
r r r
r r r
$-%
3y s2uaring and adding corresponding ters in e2uation $-% the follo'ing e2uation can
be readily obtained(
+ - + + + *
+
-
+
+
+
*
+
,
sin + cos + + + r r r r r r r r $4%
E2uation $4% can be re!arranged into the follo'ing for(
( ) / sin + cos +
+ - +
+
-
+
,
+
+ + + *
+
*
+ + r r r r r r r r $5%
E2uation $5% characteri#es the otion of the echanis. "t is iportant to note that(
6s the echanis oves,

r
reains unchanged both in agnitude and direction,
although its actual location in space oves 'ith the slider.
"n this analysis the crank is assued to rotate 'ith unifor angular velocity, 'hich
closely appro&iates ost practical situations. Therefore(
+ +
+
d
d

t
$.%
!. Kinematics of the In-line or Centred Slider Crank Mechanism
6 special case of the slider crank echanis that is coon in practice, and therefore of
particular interest, occurs 'hen
/

r
. Then, e2uations $,% to $5% reduce to the
follo'ing(

+
+
, , + +
, , + + *
sin sin /
cos cos
r r
r r r
$7%

+ + , ,
+ + * , ,
sin sin
cos cos
r r
r r r
$0%
+ + *
+
+
+
*
+
,
cos + + r r r r r $*/%
, of *.
/ cos +
+ + *
+
,
+
+
+
*
+ r r r r r $**%
E2uations $7% to $**% characteri#e the otion of the in!line or centred slider crank
echanis, 'hich is illustrated in Fig. !.
The vector loop closure diagra of the echanis sho'n in Fig. ! is given in Fig. .
a. Slider "is#lacement
The e2uation that characteri#es the otion of the in!line slider crank echanis is
reproduced belo'(
/ cos +
+ + *
+
,
+
+
+
*
+ r r r r r $**%
- of *.
For a given value of
+

, e2uation $**% is a 2uadratic in

*
r
, 'ith the values of
+
r
and
,
r
being constant for a given echanis. The e2uation ay be re!'ritten as follo's(
( ) / cos +
+
,
+
+ + + *
+
*
+ r r r r r $*+%
For any possible value of
+

, e2uation $*+% can be solved to obtain the follo'ing(

( )
( )

+
+ +
+
,
+
+ +
+ +
+ + +
+
*
+
,
+
+ +
+
+
+ + +
*
*
cos cos
cos cos
r r r r r
r r r r r
$*,%
No', by using a 'ell kno'n trigonoetric identity, 'hich in essence is a stateent of the
8ythagorean theore, it can be sho'n that(
+
+ +
+
+
+ +
+ +
+
sin cos r r r $*-%
Fro e2uations $*,% and $*-% it follo's that(
( )
+
+ +
+
+
, + + * *
sin cos + r r r r $*4%
( )
+
+ +
+
+
, + + + *
sin cos r r r r $*5%
E2uations $*4% and $*5% reveal that there are t'o possible configurations of the
echanis for each possible value of
+

. The vector loop closure diagra of the first

configuration is sho'n in Fig. 'hile the vector loop closure diagra of the second
configuration is sho'n in Fig. $.
For our purposes the configuration that is sho'n in Fig. 'ill be taken to be the correct
one. Therefore(
4 of *.
+
+ +
+
+
, + + *
sin cos + r r r r $*4%
%. Slider &elocity
Exact Solution
Starting 'ith e2uation $**%, 'hich is reproduced belo', the velocity of the slider can be
deterined through differentiation 'ith respect to tie, as follo's(
/ cos +
+ + *
+
,
+
+
+
*
+ r r r r r $**%
/ sin
d
d
cos
d
d
+
d
d
+
+
+
* +
*
+
*
*

,
_

t
r
t
r
r
t
r
r
$*.%
E2uation $*.% ay be re!arranged into the follo'ing for(
( )
+
+
+ * + + *
*
sin
d
d
cos
d
d

t
r r r r
t
r
$*7%
Fro e2uations $7% 'e can 'rite the follo'ing(

+

, , + + *
, , + + *
cos cos
cos cos
r r r
r r r
$7a%
Fro e2uations $*7% and $7a% it follo's that(
( )
( )

+
t
r r r r
t
r r r r
t
r
d
d
cos sin cos sin
sin
d
d
cos cos cos
d
d
+
, , + + + + + +
+
+
+ , , + + , ,
*
$*0%
Fro e2uations $0% 'e can 'rite the follo'ing(
, , + +
sin sin r r
$0a%
Fro e2uations $*0% and $0a% it follo's that(
( )
t
r r r r r
t
r
d
d
cos sin cos sin cos
d
d
+
, , + + + + , , , ,
*


$+/%
E2uation $+/% can be re!'ritten as follo's(
( )

,
_

,
+ , +
+
*
cos
sin
d
d
d
d
t
r
t
r
$+*%
5 of *.
No' let us introduce the follo'ing notations(
+
+
-
*
d
d
d
d
and

t
v
t
r
$++%
Then e2uation $+*% can be re!'ritten as follo's(
( )

,
_

,
+ ,
+ + -
cos
sin
r v
$+,%
The norali#ed slider velocity is the follo'ing(
( )
,
+ ,
+ +
-
cos
sin

r
v
$+-%
Approximate Solution
)et us return to the e2uation of slider position, 'hich is reproduced belo'(
+
+ +
+
+
, + + *
sin cos + r r r r $*4%
E2uation $*4% ay be re!'ritten in norali#ed for as follo's(
+
+
+
,
+
+
,
+
,
*
sin * cos

,
_

+
r
r
r
r
r
r
$*4a%
"n e2uation $*4a% the ter under the radical can be e&panded into a series as follo's(

+
-
-
,
-
+
+
+
+
,
+
+
+
+
+
,
+
sin
7
sin
+
* sin *

,
_

r
r
r
r
r
r
$+4%
"n practice, the ratio
- . /
, +
< r r
. For
, +
-4 . / r r <
, the above e&pansion ay be
appro&iated to good accuracy, as follo's(
+
+
+
,
+
+
+
+
+
,
+
sin
+
* sin *

,
_

r
r
r
r
$+5%
E2uation $*4a% can no' be re!'ritten as follo'(
+
+
+
,
+
+
+
,
+
,
*
sin
+
cos * +
r
r
r
r
r
r
$+.%
6lternatively(
. of *.
+
+
,
+
+
+ + , *
sin
+
cos +
r
r
r r r
$+7%
E2uation $+7% can no' be differentiated 'ith respect to tie in order to obtain the
e&pression for slider velocity, as follo's(
( )

,
_

,
_

+
,
+
+ + +
+
+ +
,
+
+ +
+ +
*
-
+ sin
+
sin
d
d
cos sin
d
d
sin
d
d
r
r
r
t r
r
t
r
t
r
v
$+0%
The appro&iate e&pression for the norali#ed slider velocity is the follo'ing(

,
_

+
,
+
+
+ +
-
+ sin
+
sin
r
r
r
v
$,/%
8lots of norali#ed slider velocity versus crank angle, for
/.+4 and ,4 . / , -4 . /
, +
r r
are sho'n in Figs. 'a, '% and 'c belo'.
7 of *.
0 of *.
The percentage deviation of the appro&iate velocity fro the accurate velocity 'as
calculated as follo's(
*//
velocity 6ccurate
velocity 6ccurate velocity e 6ppro&iat
9eviation :

6nalysis of the calculated accurate values and appro&iate values of the norali#ed
slider velocity for
-4 . /
, +
r r
revealed that the standard deviation of the percentage
deviation of the appro&iate velocity fro the accurate velocity 'as : -+ . * . Siilarly,
for
,4 . /
, +
r r
the standard deviation of the percentage deviation of the appro&iate
velocity fro the accurate velocity 'as found to be : 5* . / and for
+4 . /
, +
r r
the
standard deviation of the percentage deviation of the appro&iate velocity fro the
accurate velocity 'as found to be : +* . / .
The percentage deviation of appro&iate slider velocity fro accurate slider velocity is
plotted against crank angle in Fig. (, for
-4 . /
, +
r r
.
6pparently the appro&iate velocity does not deviate substantially fro the accurate
velocity, even for large values of the ratio
, +
r r
.
Earlier on the e&act e2uation of the norali#ed slider velocity 'as found to be the
follo'ing(
*/ of *.
( )
,
+ ,
+ +
-
cos
sin

r
v
$+-%
1ecall that in e2uation $+-% both
+
r
and
+

are constant. The right hand side of

e2uation $+-% can be e&panded to obtain the follo'ing(
+ + ,
+ +
-
sin cos tan
r
v
$+-a%
Fro e2uations $0a% and e2uation $+-a% the follo'ing ay be readily obtained(

+ +
, ,
+
+ + +
, ,
+
+ +
,
,
+ +
-
sin + sin
cos +
sin cos sin
cos
sin cos
cos
sin
r
r
r
r
r
v
$+-b%
Thus, the accurate e&pression for slider velocity ay be re!'ritten as follo's(

,
_

+
, ,
+
+
+ +
-
+ sin
cos +
sin
r
r
r
v
$+-c%
"t is no' uch easier to copare the accurate e&pression of slider velocity in e2uation
$+-c% against the appro&iate e&pression in e2uation $,/% and to see ho' any error in the
appro&iate e&pression actually arises. Essentially, the appro&iate e&pression assues
that
,
cos
is al'ays unity, yet the value of
,

changes as the echanis oves.

Moreover, the variation in
,

'ill be larger as the ratio

, +
r r
increases, leading to
greater deviation of the appro&iate velocity fro the accurate velocity. ;et the effect of
the variation of
,

on slider velocity is not substantial, as 'e have already seen.

c. Slider Acceleration
Exact Solution
The velocity e2uation 'as stated in e2uation $+-a% as follo's(
+ + ,
+ +
-
sin cos tan
r
v
$+-a%
)et us differentiate e2uation $+-a% 'ith respect to tie and introduce the follo'ing
notation(
** of *.
-
-
d
d
a
t
v

$,*%
The result of the differentiation is the follo'ing(
t t t r
a
d
d
cos
d
d
sin tan
d
d
sec cos
+
+
+
+ ,
,
,
+
+
+ +
-

$,+%
E2uation $,+% can be re!'ritten as follo's(
t t r
a
d
d
cos
cos
sin sin
d
d
cos
cos
+
+
,
+ , ,
,
+
+
+ +
-

,
_

$,,%
E2uation $,,% can be anipulated and re!'ritten in the follo'ing for(
( )
t t r
a
d
d
cos
cos
d
d
cos
cos
+
,
+ , ,
,
+
+
+ +
-

$,-%
1ecall e2uation $0a%, 'hich is reproduced belo'(
, , + +
sin sin r r
$0a%
E2uation $0a% can be differentiated 'ith respect to tie to obtain the follo'ing(
t
r
t
r
d
d
cos
d
d
cos
,
, ,
+
+ +

$,4%
Fro e2uations $,-% and $,4% the follo'ing can be obtained(
( )
t r
r
t r
a
d
d
cos
cos
d
d
cos
cos
+
,
,
,
+
+
+ +
,
+ ,
+ +
-

$,5%
1ecall too the follo'ing notation(
+ +
+
d
d

t
$.%
Fro e2uations $.% and $,5% the follo'ing can be obtained(
( )
,
,
,
+
+
+
,
+ ,
+
+ +
-
cos
cos
cos
cos

r
r
r
a
$,.%
E2uation $,.% is an e&pression of the non!diensional norali#ed slider acceleration.
Approximate Solution
Earlier on 'e sa' that the appro&iate e2uation for slider velocity is the follo'ing(
*+ of *.

,
_

+
,
+
+
+ +
-
+ sin
+
sin
r
r
r
v
$,/%
E2uation $,/% ay be differentiated 'ith respect to tie, in order to obtain the slider
acceleration, as follo's(

,
_

,
_

+
,
+
+ +
+
+
,
+ +
+
+ +
-
+ cos cos
d
d +
+ cos
+ d
d
cos
r
r
t r
r
t r
a
$,7%
The norali#ed acceleration ay be e&pressed as follo's(

,
_

+
,
+
+
+
+ +
-
+ cos cos
r
r
r
a
$,0%
8lots of norali#ed slider acceleration versus crank angle, for
, -4 . /
, +
r r

,4 . /
, +
r r
and
/.+4
, +
r r
are sho'n in Figs. )a, )% and )c belo'.
6nalysis of the calculated accurate values and appro&iate values of the norali#ed
slider acceleration for
-4 . /
, +
r r
revealed that the ean of the difference bet'een the
appro&iate acceleration and the accurate acceleration 'as about +*4 . / . This value
should be copared 'ith the a&iu agnitude of norali#ed acceleration of -4 . *
for
-4 . /
, +
r r
.
Siilarly, for
,4 . /
, +
r r
the ean of the difference bet'een the appro&iate
acceleration and the accurate acceleration 'as found to be *5. . / , as copared to a
a&iu agnitude of norali#ed acceleration of ,4 . * . For
+4 . /
, +
r r
the standard
deviation of the difference bet'een the appro&iate acceleration and the accurate
acceleration 'as found to be **04 . / , as copared to a a&iu agnitude of
norali#ed acceleration of +4 . * .
*, of *.
*- of *.
*4 of *.
The difference bet'een appro&iate slider acceleration and accurate slider acceleration is
plotted against crank angle in Fig. *, for
-4 . /
, +
r r
.
<alculation of percentage deviation of appro&iate acceleration fro the accurate
acceleration 'as avoided because it so happens that a&iu deviation of acceleration
occurs at crank angles of 0/ degrees and +./ degrees, 'hen the value of the accurate
acceleration is #ero. Therefore, at these values of the crank angle, calculation of the
percentage deviation of acceleration 'ould lead to division by #ero, 'hich does not yield
eaningful results.
6pparently the appro&iate acceleration does not deviate substantially fro the accurate
acceleration, even for large values of the ratio
, +
r r
.
E2uation $,+% can also be re!'ritten as follo's(
t t t r
a
d
d
cos
cos
d
d
cos
sin sin
d
d
cos
,
,
+
+ +
,
, + +
+
+ +
-

$-/%
Fro e2uation $0a%, 'e ay 'rite the follo'ing(
+
,
+
,
sin sin
r
r
$0b%
Siilarly, fro e2uation $,4% 'e ay 'rite the follo'ing(
t r
r
t d
d
cos
cos
d
d
+
, ,
+ + ,

$,4a%
Fro e2uations $0b%, $,4a% and $-/% the follo'ing can be obtained(

,
_

t r
r
r
r
t r
r
t r
r
t r
a
d
d
cos
cos
cos
sin
cos
d
d
cos
cos
d
d
cos
sin
d
d
cos
+
,
,
,
+
+
+
, ,
+
+
+
+
+
,
,
,
+
+
+ +
, ,
+
+
+ +
+
+ +
-
$-*%
Thus, fro e2uations $.% and $-*% the follo'ing can be obtained(

,
_

,
+
+
+
+
+
, ,
+
+
+
+ +
-
cos
cos
sin
cos
cos
r
r
r
a
$-+%
E2uation $-+% is another e&pression of the non!diensional norali#ed slider
acceleration.
*5 of *.
"n e2uation $-+%, if
,
cos
is held constant at the value unity, it can be sho'n that
e2uation $-+% reduces to the appro&iate solution stated in e2uation $,0%. This
deonstrates once again that the appro&iate solution effectively assues that
* cos
,

,
even though the values of
,

and
,
cos
continuously change as the echanis oves.
"n the physical sense, the appro&iate analysis actually assues that the connecting rod
reains parallel to the direction of otion of the slider, throughput the cycle of otion of
the in line slider crank echanis.
. Conclusions
The follo'ing can be concluded fro the above analysis of the in line slider crank
kineatics(
*. 6n accurate analysis of the in!line slider crank kineatics can be achieved 'ithout
too uch difficulty. Moreover, the results of the accurate analysis are not affected
by changes in the proportions of the lengths of the crank and the connecting rod, as
opposed to the results of the siplified analysis.
+. "n physical ters the siplified analysis of the in!line slider crank kineatics
assues that the connecting rod reains parallel to the direction of otion of the
slider, throughput the cycle of otion of the in line slider crank echanis. This
can be absurd, although it closely appro&iates the reality 'hen the length of the
crank is very uch saller than that of the connecting rod.
,. The velocity and the acceleration obtained by the siplified analysis of the in!line
slider crank kineatics do not substantially deviate fro the accurate, even 'hen
the ratio of crank length to connecting rod length is as large as -4 . / . Thus, for
ost practical purposes, it is acceptable to use the appro&iate analysis. =o'ever,
'hen the situation deands, an accurate analysis can be readily achieved.
*. of *.