Dimensional synthesis of planar Stephenson mechanisms for motion generation using circlepoint search and homotopy methods

Abstract The kinematic synthesis of Stephenson mechanisms for motion generation is often based on specifying arbitrary values for certain kinematic dimensions. If no appropriate values are known, an inadequate choice can make it impossible to find a good mechanism. In the present paper a synthesis method is described where kinematic dimensions can be chosen a priori (to meet side conditions, e.g., a limited area for the locations of the fixed pivots), but do not have to be chosen. A circlepoint search in combination with homotopy methods will be applied. Concerning the homotopy methods two approaches – via the Bezout number and the BKK bound – will be compared.