Article
Article
Acceleration analysis
Article By:
Adams, Douglas P. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Last reviewed:August 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.002600
A mathematical technique, often done graphically, by which accelerations of parts of a mechanism are determined. In high-speed machines, particularly those that include cam mechanisms, inertial forces may be the controlling factor in the design of members. An acceleration analysis, based upon velocity analysis, must therefore precede a force analysis. Maximum accelerations are of particular interest to the designer. Although an analytical solution might be preferable if exact maxima were required, graphical solutions formerly tended to be simpler and to facilitate visualization of relationships. Today, for advanced problems certainly, a computer solution, possibly one based on graphical techniques, is often more effective and can also produce very accurate graphical output. See also: Force; Kinematics; Mechanism
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