Four-Bar Function Generation Using Excel Solver

The Chapter presents a simple and efficient way of approximating a function with a four-bar mechanism using four or five design parameters including one or both of the initial crank angles. The method only involves solution of linear set of equations and evaluating determinants, whereas nonlinear equations are numerically solved using a simple program such as Excel. So, the method is easy to explain and can be taught in an undergraduate course along with the well-known linear three precision point synthesis problem. Precision point synthesis, order synthesis, mixed order synthesis, least squares approximation and extreme point synthesis can all be treated using the same method. The proposed method is illustrated with numerical examples for all mentioned synthesis problems and shown to be quite efficient with very low amount of structural error values.