Object-oriented interactive mechanism design and analysis

We have developed a Ch Mechanism Toolkit for analysis and design of mechanisms. The toolkit was developed using Ch, an embeddable C/C++ interpreter with high-level extensions. The toolkit consists of animation program QuickAnimation(TM) and a collection of classes for design and analysis of commonly used mechanisms. The Ch Mechanism Toolkit allows users to write simple programs to solve complicated planar mechanism problems. The toolkit can handle mechanisms ranging from the simple fourbar linkage to various sixbar linkages. The Ch Mechanism Toolkit can also be used to design cam-follower systems. It is an effective tool for engineering practice as well as for teaching and learning mechanism design and analysis. This paper describes the design and implementation of the Ch Mechanism Toolkit and its applications.