Kinematic Synthesis with Configuration Spaces*

This paper presents two algorithms for kinematic synthesis of mechanisms . A mechanism is specified by its input and output motions . The algorithms determine a three dimensional structure of rigid parts that implements the given specification . Both algorithms are based on a new composition operation on configuration spaces . Both algorithms are efficient, constraint-satisfaction schemes that operate on abstract motion descriptions . The class of synthesis problems for which the methods apply is identified . Experimental results with both algorithms are obtained with a prototype system implemented in CLP(7L) [5] .