mekanizmas

Mekanizmas, in engineering and science, is a system of interconnected moving parts designed to transmit, modify, or convert motion and force. It is the arrangement of rigid bodies—links—connected by joints that constrain their movement to produce a desired output motion. A mechanism is often a subset of a machine; a machine includes energy sources and control systems, while the mechanism focuses on the geometry and kinematics of motion.

Key concepts include the kinematic chain, degrees of freedom, and constraints. The motion of a mechanism is analyzed in terms of position, velocity, and acceleration of its moving parts. Common mechanisms are linkages (such as four-bar linkages and slider-crank mechanisms), gear trains, cams and followers, belts and pulleys, screws, and wedges. These can convert torque to force, amplify motion, change direction, or synchronize components.

Simple machines—lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, screw, wedge, and pulley system—are often viewed as basic mechanisms because they illustrate fundamental ways to change force and distance. Complex mechanisms combine several of these elements to achieve specified tasks, for example in clocks, automotive systems, robotics, and industrial equipment.

Design considerations include efficiency, friction, wear, backlash, tolerances, lubrication, and dynamic stability. Mechanisms are studied in kinematics and dynamics to predict motion and forces, and in design to ensure reliability and precision. In biology and biomechanics, natural mechanisms underlie joint function and motor control, illustrating how motion is achieved across living systems.