Kinematic Diagram Script

Python script for generating slider-crank kinematic diagrams and graphical position-analysis plots for the kinematics project report.

Project Purpose

This repository supports the graphical position analysis portion of a slider-crank linkage project. The script generates plotted mechanism configurations for selected crank angles so the figures can be included in the final report.

What the Script Does

The script:

• computes slider-crank geometry from linkage parameters
• solves for connecting rod angle θ₃ and slider displacement d
• plots the mechanism configuration for selected crank angles
• generates figures for both the open and crossed branches
• saves the plots as .png files for use in the report

Mechanism Parameters

The script is currently configured with:

• a = 16.0 in
• b = 118.0 in
• c = 0.0 in

Selected crank angles:

• θ₂ = 35°
• θ₂ = 90°
• θ₂ = 245°

Requirements

• Python 3
• Matplotlib

Install Matplotlib with:

pip install matplotlib

How to Run

Run the script from the project directory:

python3 plot.py

Output

The script creates a folder named slider_crank_plots and saves the generated figures there.

Expected output files:

• theta2_35_open.png
• theta2_35_crossed.png
• theta2_90_open.png
• theta2_90_crossed.png
• theta2_245_open.png
• theta2_245_crossed.png