Importance of Mechanisms

Many of the products we use contain moving assemblies of components (mechanisms). Mechanisms play a crucial role in the performance of such products. Examples of how mechanisms enable and improve mechanical products are provided in the table shown next:

General Machinery	Cable and pulley systems that increase load capacities Material handling systems that increase production rates
Electro-Mechanical	Tape-loading mechanisms for VCRs that reduce jamming Paper-handling mechanisms that increase the throughput of photocopiers
Automotive	Suspension designs that improve handling and reduce tire wear Window drop mechanisms that operate smoothly
Aerospace	Wing flaps and other control surfaces that require less power to control Landing gear that stows tightly within the fuselage
Off-Highway	Backhoe linkages that dig faster Loaders that are stable when working on the side of a hill
Entertainment	Amusement park rides that safely recreate exciting motions