A Relaxation and Gradient Combination Applied to the Computer Simulation of a Plane Four-Bar Chain

Abstract

This optimization process uses only output data received from an analog simulation of the four-bar mechanism. The complexity of the analytical expression for the coupler curve is illustrated and explains the necessity of such a complex method to the curve synthesis. The minimization of the matching error between the desired and the obtained coupler curve is achieved by a combined relaxation and gradient method, and could also be used for other problems which require optimum solutions. An attempt is made to compare the random method with the presented procedure.