Abstract
Stiff structures made of elastic bodies and linkages consisting of rigid bodies are studied for centuries. Compliant mechanisms that straddle these two are extensively researched only in the last two decades, barring a few insightful results before that. The question addressed in this note is simple: Are compliant mechanisms really different from stiff structures and rigid-body linkages? If so, how much and in what ways? By discussing the fundamental concepts in structures and linkages, it is argued here that compliant mechanisms are as much similar to stiff structures and rigid-body linkages as they are different from them. Similarities and differences among the three categories of engineering solid entities are delineated from the viewpoints of function, mobility, analysis, synthesis, materials, fabrication, scaling, and balancing. It is noted here that the contrast among the three mainly arises due to viewing them from the continuum or discrete perspectives.
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Ananthasuresh, G.K. (2013). How Far are Compliant Mechanisms from Rigid-body Mechanisms and Stiff Structures?. In: Kumar, V., Schmiedeler, J., Sreenivasan, S., Su, HJ. (eds) Advances in Mechanisms, Robotics and Design Education and Research. Mechanisms and Machine Science, vol 14. Springer, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00398-6_7
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