Comparison of Geometry Software for the Analysis in Mechanism Theory

Abstract

Using geometry software within the process of mechanism development has not yet become common practice in mechanical engineering, even though in the early design stage, in which these tools are often applied, geometry software tools have a huge advantage. At this time the mechanism is not completely designed but consists of its kinematic parameters exclusively. This enables a broad analysis of a quickly generated mechanism respectively a basic synthesis for certain links of this mechanism far away from the first implementation in a CAD-system. In several mechanism lectures at IGM students were invited to familiarize with geometry software thus learning about the development of a mechanism right from the beginning. For this task the interactive geometry software Cinderella is applied, representing a freeware tool provided by Springer. But since there is a wide variety of geometry software with large differences in properties, dimensions, graphic user interface, ease of use etc., this paper presents a comprehensive comparison of common geometry software used in many different disciplines of education and later on in working life. This requires a global research into geometry software applied within the process of mechanism development. Subsequently this very long list can be split up into different groups possessing similar characteristics. Based on these characteristics an objective comparison and evaluation will be carried out. The evaluation criteria can be extracted from different show cases where a certain synthesis or analysis procedure is performed. Finally, the result of this paper is a recommendation which kind of geometry software can be efficiently applied to a present problem where a mechanism has to be developed.