Optimum design of four-bar linkage of beam-pumping unit based on sensitivity analysis

Sensitivity analysis on four-bar linkage of beam pumping unit was carried out in this study. The sensitivity of the six traditional design variables of the four-bar linkage on the maximum torque factor TF¿¿ ¿_max and the maximum acceleration a_max were analyzed, meanwhile, the effects of the design variables on the two object functions were determined. The variable with larger sensitivity value was conducted as the main design variable in this study, and a genetic algorithm (GA)is adopted to optimize the four-bar mechanism of beam pumping. The results show that the performance indexes of beam pumping unit were improved obviously as the result of modifying the sizes of sensitive parts.