Synthesis and optimization of flexible mechanisms

Abstract

This paper resumes researches done in two European projects: SYNAMEC and SYNCOMECS. As a result of this activity, an integrated computer-aided tool for the synthesis and design of flexible mechanisms has been developed. Within the SYNAMEC project, a software system for the mechanism type synthesis (choice of topology), the integration into existing mechanism and the preliminary dimensional synthesis (choice of sizes and physical properties) was developed. This tool was improved in the SYNCOMECS project to include compliance in its components library. Once preliminary design is achieved, the combined use of SAMCEF-Mecano, SAMCEF-Field and BOSS-Quattro software allows optimizing detailed models of the system taking into account all mechanical effects. Aeronautical applications are shown, where starting from an initial configuration suggested by the integrated type synthesis tool, the users can optimize and design its system from early pre-design sizing to detailed stress analysis using a single software in a GUI environment.