Matrix Representation of Topological Changes in Metamorphic Mechanisms

Metamorphic mechanisms form a class of mechanisms that has the facilities to change configuration from one kind to another with a resultant change in the number of effective links and mobility of movement. This paper develops formal matrix operations to describe the distinct topology of configurations found in a metamorphic mechanism and to complete transformation between them. A new way is hence introduced for modeling topological changes of metamorphic mechanisms in general. It introduces a new elimination E-elementary matrix together with a U-elementary matrix to form an EU-elementary matrix operation to produce the configuration transformation. The use of these matrix operations is demonstrated in both spherical and spatial metamorphic mechanisms, the mechanistic models taken from the industrial packaging operations of carton folding manipulation that stimulated this study.