Kinematics: Theory And Applications

Jens Wittenburg Kinematics Theory and Applications Kinematics Jens Wittenburg Kinematics Theory and Applications Jens Wittenburg Institut für Technische Mechanik Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Karlsruhe, Germany ISBN 978-3-662-48486-9 ISBN 978-3-662-48487-6 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-48487-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2015951089 Springer Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London © Springer Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Printed on acid-free paper Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer. com) For Rosemarie Preface This book is devoted to the kinematics of the single rigid body and of systems of inter-connected rigid bodies. Engineers are confronted with an endless variety of systems ranging from simple planar mechanisms to robots, walking machines, prothetic devices, vehicles, stewart platforms, shaft couplings, gears etc. Subjects of kinematics are relationships between two and more positions, finite and infinitesimal displacements and continuous motions. The book is intended for use as textbook in advanced courses on kinematics of mechanisms. It focuses on a solid theoretical foundation and on mathematical methods applicable to the solution of problems of very diverse nature. Applications are demonstrated in a large number of fully worked-out problems. In kinematics a wide variety of mathematical tools is applicable. The most important tools are vectors, tensors, matrices, complex numbers, quaternions, dual numbers, dual vectors, dual quaternions and elements of line geometry. Whereever possible vector equations are formulated instead of lengthy scalar coordinate equations. The principle of transference is applied to problems o