Abstract: An optimal synthesis method of crank – rocker linkages for continuous path generation is put forward, which sets up the optimal synthesis model based on the orientational structural error of the fixed link and utilizes the modified genetic algorithm to obtain the global optimal solution. The orientational structural error of the fixed link can effectively reflect the difference between the generated curve and the desired curve, avoid the difficulty of selecting corresponding comparison points on the two curves in the traditional synthesis methods and decrease the independent design variables from ten to six. The results of synthesis examples verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Key words: Coupler curves, Genetic algorithm, Optimal synthesis, Structural error