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9.4.2 Solving for a Parameter

A coupled system is used to find the length of the drive bar that causes the reaction moment at the driving constraint to be equal to 0.5. The driving constraint, number 1, is a RotationLock1 constraint constraining the rotation of the drive bar. Since this constraint only controls the rotation of the drive bar it can support no forces, only a moment. Thus, the reaction force at the constraint is exactly zero.

Here is the reaction force and moment that the driving constraint applies to the drive arm.

At T = 0.2, the driving constraint must apply a 0.65 unit moment to the drive bar to counteract the gravitational forces and the moment applied to the driven bar. A CoupleSystem object is built that seeks the value of bar2 that results in a reaction moment of 0.5 units at T = 0.2.

This builds the CoupleSystem object.

This solves the CoupleSystem object.

As with the examples given in Section 9.2, coupled systems can be built that couple multiple mechanism configurations. The conditions to be satisfied in such a system can be a mix of geometric conditions and algebraic conditions based on reaction forces.