Exact Modeling of n-Link Spatial Serial Structures Using Transfer Matrices

Finding natural frequencies and mode shapes for flexible structures can be a challenging problem. Although well-known approaches exist for single flexible links, the problem becomes increasingly more complex when dealing with multiple links. Spatial configurations add an additional layer of difficulty. This work presents a systematic method for finding the natural frequencies and mode-shapes for n-link serial structures using a transfer matrix approach. The method is validated by finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments.