SphinxCAM: Computer-Aided Manufacturing for Spherical Mechanisms

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we present SphinxCAM, a computer-aided manufacturing software for spherical four-bar mechanisms. The kinematics of spherical mechanisms are reviewed as they pertain to their manufacture. This is followed by a brief review of some of the current computer-aided design (CAD) software for spherical four-bar mechanisms, e.g. Sphinx, SphinxPC, and Isis. These software packages provide the three-dimensional visualization and computational capabilities necessary to design spherical four-bar mechanisms. However, to date no tools exist to aid in the manufacture of spherical mechanisms. SphinxCAM, when used with the CAD tools mentioned above, facilitates the design, visualization, and manufacture of spherical four-bar mechanisms.