A new computational algorithm for 7R spatial mechanisms

Abstract This paper describes a new computational technique for the analysis of general 1-DOF, 7R spatial-mechanisms. The problem is first formulated in standard notation, using 4 × 4-matrices to represent Euclidean motions. A different mathematical notation is then introduced by which Euclidean motions are represented by pairs of quaternions. Basic quaternion facts are reviewed, and the fundamental system of equations is defined. Special techniques required to solve the fundamental system are then presented and applied to an example.