Operation Video of Jansen's Linkage
Reflection
What worked well:
I achieved in building a functioning model of Jansen's linkage.
The loose links were neither too tight nor too loose, making the movement of the model look well-orientated and precise.
Areas of improvement
Using popsicle sticks was not the best choice for making the segments, simply because they were too thick. I either had to enlarge the scales for the length of the segments at the first place, or use narrower sticks to prevent them from getting stuck by each other especially when segments P1–P6 and P5–P7 came too close together, stopping the motor. To solve this problem, the length of the central crank link was slightly reduced so that the movement in general is more subtle and there is room for the segments to move without getting stuck.
Using a DC motor was not a good choice for supplying circular motion to the central crank link, since the output, or torque, was weaker expected. This reminded me that DC motors are inadequate for providing motion to complex structures, and it should rather be used for simple work such as moving wheels or propellers. Using a stepper motor would have been much better, since although its speed may be much slower, its power output is much stronger, so it would be able to provide enough torque for the entire structure.
Comments