Detection of structural properties of kinematic chains using graph theory and genetic algorithm

Kinematic chains represent the structure of mechanisms from a kinematic perspective. A large number of kinematic chains are generated during enumeration. Detection of all feasible mechanisms which can be derived from the enumerated kinematic chains with specified number of links and joints is a complicated task. Structural analysis of chains is also required to find possible arrangement of frame, input and output links. In this paper structural analysis of 8-links single degree of freedom and 9-links, two degree of freedom kinematic chains is carried out to derive mechanisms and structural properties of links using a combination of graph theory and genetic algorithm based approaches. An algorithm is developed and implemented on computer for automation of the structural analysis process. The number of mechanisms derived from the chains is in agreement with the earlier published results. The algorithm developed provides a platform for analysis of structural properties of mechanisms prior to dimensional synthesis.