Introduction to FBDs

Created by:
Anna Dollr
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056 dollara@muohio.edu

Paul S. Steif
Department of Mechanical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 steif@andrew.cmu.edu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/. Copies or derivatives of this work should acknowledge the original creators. 2009

Introduction to FBDs

What bodies interact with Block C?

A B C

6 lb 8 lb 10 lb

Table Block A? Yes No

Gr Pi

Block B? Yes No
Gr Pi

Table? Yes No
Gr Pi

Earth? Yes No
Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs

What bodies interact with Block B?

A B C

6 lb 8 lb 10 lb

Table Block A? Yes No

Gr Pi

Block C? Yes No
Gr Pi

Table? Yes No
Gr Pi

Earth? Yes No
Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs Draw Free Body Diagram of B:

6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table

NAB 8 lb NBC

Introduction to FBDs Draw Free Body Diagram of B:

6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table
The only force that has known magnitude is the force of gravity! (without using equilibrium)

Recall how to label the unknown contact forces between blocks (equal and opposite):

force of B on A

NAB

A NBC

force of C on B
NBC force of B on C C

force of A on B NAB
B

Introduction to FBDs
6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table Are these free body diagrams of A, B and C correct?

NAB 6 lb NAB NBC 8 lb Ntable Gr Pi 8 lb 10 lb

Yes No

Introduction to FBDs
6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table
Here are the errors: NAB 6 lb NAB NBC 8 lb Ntable 8 lb 10 lb

Introduction to FBDs
6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table Correct free body diagrams are:

NAB 6 lb NAB Fy = NAB - 6 = 0 NAB = 6 lb NBC Fy = - NAB - 8 + NBC = 0 NBC = 14 lb 8 lb Ntable Fy = - NBC - 10 + Ntable = 0 Ntable = 24 lb NBC

10 lb

Introduction to FBDs
6 lb 8 lb 10 lb A B C

Table FBD of A
6 lb NAB NAB 6 lb 8 lb 10 lb Ntable 8 lb NBC NBC 10 lb Ntable

FBD of B

FBD of C

FBD of A, B, and C as a unit

Introduction to FBDs What bodies interact with Blocks B and C as a pair?

E D C B A B C

Table Block A? Yes No

Gr Pi

Block D? Yes No
Gr Pi

Block E? Yes No
Gr Pi

Table? Yes No
Gr Pi

Earth? Yes No
Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs Is this the correct free body diagram of B and C as a unit?
E D C B A C WC NBC B WB NAB WD

(Blocks B and C are enlarged)

Yes No

Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs How many errors there are in this FBD of B and C as a unit?

E D C B A

(Blocks B and C are enlarged) WD

WC NBC

WB NAB

Pi

2 Bl

3 Ye

Wh

Introduction to FBDs
WD NDC E D C B A NAB Errors: WD - force of earth on D should not be in the diagram NDC - force of D on C needed NBC which acts between bodies B and C should not be in the diagram only forces exerted by other bodies on [B and C] as a unit are to be in the FBD B C

WC NBC WB

Introduction to FBDs

E D C B A B C NCD WC WB NAB

correct FBD of B and C as a unit

Introduction to FBDs
Block is supported by a cord which exerts force on it through a washer :

NWB

FBDs:
=

NWB

T NWB

NWB WB T

WB

Force NWB exerted by the washer on block is equal to the tension T in the cord: WB

Introduction to FBDs 1
C B

Blocks rest on each other and are connected by cords.

2
A

cord exerts force on this block through a washer cord passes through hole in this block and exerts no force on it

Introduction to FBDs
All blocks have equal weight W.

1
C B Each pair of cords (e.g., pair 1 or pair 2) is located symmetrically about vertical centerline so both cords in a pair have the same tension.

2
A

Determine tensions in cords 1 and 2, and forces between contacting blocks

Introduction to FBDs Is this the correct FBD of block B?

WC

1
C B

T2 T1 WB T1

T2 T2

2
A

Yes No

Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs Which of the forces in this FBD of block B are correct?
WC B T2 T1 WB T1 T2

1
C B

2
A

Yes WC No

Gr Pi

WB

Yes No

Gr Pi

T1

Yes No

Gr Pi

Yes T2 No

Gr Pi

Introduction to FBDs

1
C B B

This is the correct FBD of block B

NBC WB T1 T1

2
A B T2 T1 WC WB T1 T2

Introduction to FBDs Draw the FBDs of each block A, B and C separately 1

C B B C

2
A A

Introduction to FBDs
C T2 WC NBC NBC C B B T2 A T1 WB T1 WA T2 T2

2
A

Block A: T2 = W/2

Block C: NBC = 2W

Block B: T1 = 3W/2

Introduction to FBDs Draw the FBD of: blocks A, B, C and cord 2, as one unit.

1
C B

2
A

Introduction to FBDs FBD of blocks A, B and C and cord 2 as one unit

WC WB T1 T1

1
C B

2
A WA

Fy = - 3W + 2T1 = 0

T1 = 3W/2

Introduction to FBDs

Introduction to FBDs

Introduction to FBDs