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COMPUTER AIDED DETECTION OF ISOMORPHISM AMONG KINEMATIC CHAINS AND MECHANISMS USING THE CONCEPT OF MODIFIED DISTANCE J. N.

YADAV and C. R. PRATAP


Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bihar Institute of Technology, Sindri, Dhanhad, Bihar PIN-828 123, India

V. P. AGRAWAL
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110 016, India

(Received 6 September 1994; in revisedform 17 August 1995; receivedfor publication 10 October 1995)

Abstract--A computer aided method has been proposed for detecting isomorphism among planar kinematic chains with sample joints using a new invariant called the arranged sequence of modified total distance ranks of all the links (ASMTDRL). This invariant takes into account the degrees of'links, and degrees-of-freedom and types of joints of the kinematic chain. Two computer aided methods have also been developed for identifying distinct mechanisms of a planar kinematic chain with simple joints.

INTRODUCTION

Structural analysis and synthesis of kinematic chains is an important aspect of mechanism design. In the early stage of mechanism design, it is helpful to determine all the distinct kinematic chains (in short chains) with the required number of links and degree-of-freedom. One very important problem encountered during structural synthesis of chains is the detection of possible isomorphism among the given chains. Attempts have been made in the past to develop methods for detecting isomorphism among planar chains with simple as well as multiple joints [1-11]. Rao and Varad Raju [12] proposed the hamming number technique to detect isomorphism among chains and inversions. They, however, could derive only 1828 distinct mechanisms from the 230 ten-link, single-degree-of-freedom chains as against 1834 already reported in the literature [4]. Recently, Agrawal et al. [13] developed an invariant called the total distance ranks of all the links arranged in decreasing (or increasing) order, which is based on the concept of distance. This invariant, however, was not found to be sufficient for the test of isomorphism. Further work by the authors on distance concept showed that the discriminating ability of this invariant could be improved by taking into consideration the degrees of links, and degrees-of-freedom and types of joints. In the present paper, a new invariant, called the arranged sequence of modified total distance ranks of all the links, has been developed, taking the above factors into account. Based on this, a computer aided method has been developed for detecting isomorphism among planar chains with simple joints. Two computer aided methods have also been developed for identifying distinct mechanisms of a planar chain with simple joints.

DEFINITIONS In the process of developing the new invariant for a chain, some new terms have been introduced and defined [14] as follows: (i) Link-path. A link-path in a chain is an alternating sequence of distinct links and distinct joints, starting and ending with links, such that each joint connects the links preceding and following it in the sequence. For example, the sequence l, a, 2, b, 3, m, l0 is a link-path in the chain shown in Fig. I.
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Fig. 1. Ten link, single-degree-of-freedom kinematic chain with simple joints.

(ii) Modified length of a link-path. The modified length L of a link-path is defined as L=D+W
where D and W are, respectively, the sum of the degrees of all the links and the sum of the weights of all the joints in the link-path. The weight of a joint is defined as the sum of its degree-of-freedom and type value. The proposed type values for different types of joints are presented in Table 1. The type values are so chosen that no two different types of joints have the same weight. For example, the modified length of the link-path 1, a, 2, b, 3, m, 10, in Fig. 1, is 17. (iii) Modified distance between two links. It is defined as the modified length of the shortest link-path (based on the concept of modified length) whose terminal links are the given links. (iv) Modified link-link relation matrix. The modified link-link relation matrix of an n-link chain is defined as an (n x n) matrix whose any i, jth element, Ro, is defined as "(weight of the joint between links i and j) +(degree of link j)
R/j

if links i and j are directly connected, if i is equal to j, otherwise.

0 z (infinity),

(v) Modified link-link distance matrix. The modified link-link distance matrix of an n-link chain is defined as an (n x n) symmetric matrix whose any i, jth element, D U, is defined as the modified distance between links i and j. Accordingly, Dij is equal to zero for all i.
Table 1. Proposed type values for different types of joints (kinematic pairs) Joint I. 2. 3. 4. Revolute Prismatic Gear Cam Degree-of-freedom (a) 1 1 2 2 Type value (b) I 2 2 3 Weight (a + b) 2 3 4 5

5. Screw
6. Cylindrical 7. Spherical 8. Planar

1
2 3 3

5
5 5 6

6
7 8 9

Computer aided detectionof isomorphism


MODIFIED LINK-LINK DISTANCE MATRIX ALGORITHM

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It is cumbersome to generate the modified link-link distance matrix of a given chain directly by its visual inspection. So an algorithm has been developed in the present work to derive the modified link-link distance matrix of a chain from its modified link-link relation matrix with the help of the computer. The algorithm consists of the following steps: Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step Step 1--Write down the modified link-link relation matrix of the given chain. 2--Take any kth column of the matrix. 3--Take any finite element, R~k, on this column. 4--Take any finite element, Rkj, on the k th row. 5--Let S = Rik + Rkj. If S is less than Ru, replace R,j by S. 6--Repeat steps 4 and 5 for all other finite elements on the kth row. 7--Repeat steps 3-6 for all other finite elements on the kth column. 8--Repeat steps 2-7 for all other columns of the matrix. 9--Add the degree of each ith link to all the elements, except the main diagonal element, of the ith row of the resulting matrix. The matrix so obtained is the modified link-link distance matrix of the given chain.

In order to make this algorithm suitable for computer implementation, each of the infinite elements, z, of the modified link-link relation matrix has to be replaced by a large but finite number. As per requirement of the algorithm, the value of z should be greater than the largest element of the modified link-link distance matrix of the chain. So z has been replaced by 99 in the present work.

N E W STRUCTURAL INVARIANTS

We define a new structural invariant for a link of a chain, called the modified total distance rank. It is the sum of the modified distances of a link to all other links of the chain, and is given by the sum of all the elements of the row (or column) of the modified link-link distance matrix of the chain corresponding to the link. The modified total distance rank is an invariant for the link as it is independent of the labelling of the chain. If we arrange the modified total distance ranks of all the links of a chain in decreasing or increasing order, we get a finite sequence of natural numbers, which is an invariant for the chain, as it is also independent of the labelling of the chain. We call this invariant the arranged sequence of modified total distance ranks of all the links, and abbreviate as ASMTDRL. For example, we consider the chain shown in Fig. 1. The modified link-link relation matrix of this chain is given by equation (1). Link
1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

0 4 99 99 99 99 4 99 99 99

5 99 0 5 99 99 99 99 5 99 99 0 5 99 99 99 99

99 4 0 4 99 99 99

99 99 99 4 0 4 99 99 99 99

99 99 99 99

5 99 99 99 99 99 99

99 99 99 99 99

99 99 5 99 99 5 99 99 5 0

2 3 4 5
MR

5 99

5 99

6 7 8 9 10

5 99 99 0 5 99 5 99 0 5

(1)

5 99 0 4 5 99 0 4

99 99 5 99

99 99 5 99

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The modified link-link distance matrix of the chain derived from its modified link-link relation matrix is given by equation (2): Link
1

1
0

2 7 0 8 12 16 17 12 8 12 13

3 12 8 0 7 11 13 17 13 12 8

4 16 12 7 0 6 11 16 17 16 12

5 16 16 11 6 0 7 12 17 16 12

6 12 17 13 11 7 0 8 13 12 8

7 7 12 17 16 12 8 0 8 12 13

10 17 13 8 12 12 8 13 12 7 0

2 3 4 5 MD = 6 7 8 9 10

7 12 16 16 12 7 12 16 17

12 16 8 12 13 12 17 16 17 16 13 12 8 12 0 7 12 7 0 7

DR 115 105 101 113 113 101 105 107 110 102 (2)

Modified total distance ranks of all the links of the chain are presented in column DR following the matrix. By arranging the total distance ranks of all the links of the chain in decreasing order, we get the ASMTDRL for the chain as 115,113,113,110,107,105,105,102,101,101. If we arrange the elements of a row of the modified link-link distance matrix of a chain in decreasing (or increasing) order, we get a finite sequence of integers, which is also an invariant for the link corresponding to the row. We call this invariant the arranged row.
DETECTION OF I S O M O R P H I S M AMONG KINEMATIC CHAINS

ASMTDRLs for all known nonisomorphic chains with upto 10-1inks and three-degrees-of-freedom have been determined and analysed in the present work. It has been found that all the nonisomorphic chains have distinct ASMTDRLs. So it is proposed that ASMTDRL of a chain may be used as a reliable index for detecting isomorphism among planar chains with simple joints. If any two chains have identical ASMTDRLs, they are isomorphic, otherwise not. The proposed test, being simple and computationally efficient, is probably the most suitable for being incorporated in computerized structural synthesis of kinematic chains.
IDENTIFICATION OF D I S T I N C T MECHANISMS OF A K I N E M A T I C C H A I N

The number of distinct mechanisms that can be derived from a given chain is equal to the number of distinct links in the chain. So the problem reduces to that of identifying distinct links of a chain. The following two methods have been developed in the present work for this purpose.

Method 1

The relative disposition of a link is reflected in the arranged row of the link. So in this method, the number of distinct links in a chain is determined by comparing the arranged rows of all the links of the chain. For example, we consider the chain shown in Fig. 1. By arranging all the rows of the modified link-link distance matrix of the chain, given by equation (2), in decreasing order, it may be concluded that there are only seven distinct links in this chain.
Method 2

In this method, a link of the given chain is removed, and ASMTDRL of the remaining structure is determined. The relative disposition of the removed link is reflected in the ASMTDRL of the remaining structure~ and so it is taken as the identification code for the removed link. It is important to mention here that the degrees of the links in the remaining structure are taken to be the same

Computer aided detection of isomorphism Table 2. Identification codes for all the links of the chain shown in Fig. 1 Identification code for the link 100 122 135 118 118 135 122 118 106 123 100 109 119 100 I00 119 109 108 101 106 97 108 107 99 99 107 108 102 99 106 97 107 107 98 98 107 107 102 97 I01 95 98 102 94 94 102 98 96 97 101 94 97 102 90 90 102 97 96 93 98 90 94 98 90 90 98 94 90 93 95 90 89 88 90 90 88 89 88 89 92 85 84 88 89 89 88 84 88 89 92

443

Link
1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

as in the original chain. So in this method, the number of distinct links in a chain is determined by comparing the identification codes for all the links of the chain. An algorithm has been developed in the present work to determine the identification code for any ith link of a given chain. The algorithm consisting of the following steps: Step l - - W r i t e down the modified link-link relation matrix of the given chain. Step 2 - - R e p l a c e all the elements of the ith row and column of the matrix, except the main diagonal element, by z. It implies that the ith link has been removed from the chain. Step 3--Derive the corresponding modified link-link distance matrix from the resulting modified link-link relation matrix using the modified link-link distance matrix algorithm. Step 4---Add all the elements, except that on the ith column, of each row of the modified link-link distance matrix. Step 5 - - A r r a n g e the resulting numbers in decreasing order. Omit the first element of the sequence as it corresponds to the removed link i. The resulting sequence is the identification code for the ith link of the chain. The identification codes for all the links of the chain, shown in Fig. 1, are presented in Table 2. We see that the links 2 and 7, 3 and 6, and 4 and 5 have identical identification codes. So we conclude that there are only seven distinct links in this chain, and seven distinct mechanisms can be derived from it. The numbers of distinct mechanisms for different cases of planar chains with simple joints, determined in the present work, are presented in Table 3. Although the proposed method 1 is simpler and faster than method 2, the latter is more reliable as is evident from Table 3. It may be pointed out that the number of distinct mechanisms of the 98, 3-F, 10-1ink chains determined by method 2 is 684, as against 682 reported in the literature [4]. However, the results for I-F, 6-1ink, I-F, 8-1ink, I-F, 10-1ink, and 2-F, 9-1ink chains are in agreement with those available in the literature [15,16]. As far as the authors' knowledge go, the results for the remaining cases of chains are not available in the literature for comparison. CONCLUSIONS In this paper, a computer aided method, based on the concept of modified distance, has been proposed for detecting isomorphism between two given planar chains with simple joints. Two Table 3. Numbers of distinct mechanisms of some known cases of planar chains with simple revolute joints Total number of distinct Category of Total number mechanisms derived by the chains of chains Method 1 Method 2
l-F,6-1ink 1-F,8-1ink

l-F,10-1ink 2-F,7-1ink 2-F,9-1ink 3-F,6-1ink 3-F,8-1ink 3-F,10-1ink

2 16 230 4 40 1 7 98

5 71 1821 14 253 l 26 683

5 71 1834 14 254 1 26 684

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c o m p u t e r aided m e t h o d s have also been developed for identifying distinct m e c h a n i s m s o f a p l a n a r chain with simple joints. The p r o p o s e d m e t h o d s are heuristic a n d intuitive in nature. However, they have worked well o n all the k n o w n cases of p l a n a r chains with simple joints.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

REFERENCES J. J. Uicker and A. Raicu, Mech. Mach. Theory 10, 375-383 (1975). T. S. Mruthyunjaya and M. R. Raghavan, Trans. ASME, J. Mech. Des. 101, 488-494 (1979). T. S. Mruthyunjaya and M. R. Raghavan, Mech. Mach. Theory 19, 357-368 (1984). T. S. Mruthyunjaya and H. R. Balasubramanian, Natl Conf. Mach. Mech. LLSc., Bangalore, India, pp. 53-60 (1985). R. K. Dubey and A. C. Rao, Natl Conf. Mach. Mech. LLSc., Bangalore, India, pp. 36--40 (1985). A. G. Ambekar and V. P. Agrawal, 86-DET-169, A S M E Des. Engng Tech. Conf., Columbus, Ohio (1986). A. G. Ambekar and V. P. Agrawal, Mech. Mach. Theory 22, 453-461 (1987). A. C. Rao, Ind. J. Technol. 26, 105-109 (1988). E. R. Tuttle, S. W. Peterson and J. E. Titus, Trans. A S M E J. Mechanisms Transmissions Automtn Design 111,498-503 (1989). V. P. Agrawal and J. S. Rao, Mech. Mach. Theory 24, 309-321 (1989). J. T. Kim and B. M. Kwak, Trans. ASME, J. Mech. Des. 114, 103-108 (1992). A. C. Rao and D. Varada Raju, Mech. Mach. Theory 26, 55-75 (1991). V. P. Agrawal, J. N. Yadav and C. R. Pratap, Proc. A S M E 22nd Biennial Mechanisms Conf., DE-Vol. 46, Mech. Des. Synthesis, Arizona, U.S.A., 121-128 (1992). J. N. Yadav, Ph.D. Thesis, Ranchi University, Ranchi, India (1992). E. R. Tuttle, S. W. Peterson and J. E. Titus, Trans. ASME, J. Mech. Des. 111, 494-497 (1989). T. S. Mruthyunjaya, Mech. Mach. Theory 19, 497-505 (1984). DETECTION DE ISOMORPHISME AID]~ P A R C O M P U T E U R AU MILIEU DES CHAINES CINEMATIQUE ET MECHANISMS PAR USAGE DE CONCEPT DE DISTANCE MODIFII~ Rqhm~a~Une methode aid6 par computeur a et6 propos~ pour detecter de isomorphisme au milieu des chaines cinematique platane avec joints simples par usage d'une invariable s'appal6 la serie des toute les anneaux des ranges de distance total (ASMTDRL). Ce invariable prend soin des degr6s des-anneaux, degr6s des libert6 et types des joints des chaines cinematique. Deux methodes aid6 par computeur a aussi et6 develol~ pour l'identite distinctif des mechanisms de la chaine cinematique platane avec les joints simples.

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