Vibrational transport dynamics of a particle in an offset slider crank mechanism

This paper introduces a novel vibrational transport paradigm centered on a slider’s asymmetric periodic motion within an offset slider crank mechanism. The temporal and spatial asymmetry inherent in the slider motion is highlighted, demonstrating its significant impact on the particle drift speed. The offset parameter controls these asymmetries to yield superior transport properties compared to the conventional slider crank mechanism. Numerical investigations employing Fast Fourier Transform techniques corroborate the observed phenomenon, establishing a direct proportionality between the mean drift velocity of the particle and the offset magnitude. Analytical validation through perturbation methods further confirms these findings. Notably, the study reveals a counterintuitive enhancement in average drift velocity attributed to the effect of sticking, wherein intermittent stick-to-slip transitions intermittently amplify particle drift velocity. To this end, the number of such transitions and their distribution over the particle travel time, are observed to cast a subtle influence on the particle mean velocity over the slider. Further, these factors are dependent on the offset of the mechanism. These insights could be useful in increasing the transport efficiency of mechanical vibratory feeders.