Mechanism synthesis using the workstation environment

Some capabilities of modern engineering workstations and their impact on the mechanism synthesis process are discussed. Specific examples of ongoing work at the University of Minnesota utilizing the Apollo color raster workstation to provide user-friendly general-purpose user-interface tools are presented. The application of these tools to the LINCAGES-4 four-bar linkage synthesis and analysis program and the Minn-Dwell dwell mechanism synthesis program is described. The impact that this environment can have on computer-aided design is assessed