As soon as a technical object contains two or more parts, an engineer must found a way to hold them together, to link them. Any part, such as a nail, or any fluid such as a glue that holds together a technical object performs a mechanical function called linking. The part or fluid is referred to as a LINKING COMPONENT. A technical object may involve more than one type of link.
In mechanics, a COMPONENT is a part or fluid that performs a mechanical function.
LINKING is the mechanical function performed by any component that connects different parts of a technical object
Characteristics of links
DEGREES OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
In a technical object, linking limits the possibility of independent motion of one part in relation to another, for example between the bicycle tire and the wheel the complete link totally restricts the motion of one part in relation to the other. The tire will always follow the movement of the wheel.
In a partial link, however, the possibility of independent movement of one part in relation to the other is only partly restricted.
This image represents the six possible degrees of freedom of an object.