Multiple sweeping using the Denavit-Hartenberg representation method

The method of consecutive revolving or extrusion of a geometric entity in a CAD system is typically used by a designer to represent complex solids. While it is evident that consecutive sweeping is a very effective tool, it has been restricted by the associated difficult mathematics in representing consecutive sweeps and in analyzing the resulting equations. The Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) method, first introduced in 1955 in the field of kinematics to mathematically relate motion between two coordinate frames, provides an effective formulation for characterizing the resulting solid model. Design variations imposed on sweep properties are easily propagated through the formulation to update the solid. This paper illustrates the use of the DH formulation for multiple sweeps and demonstrates the method through examples. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.