How do JMD (Journal of Mechanical Design) papers differ from papers in JMR (Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics)?
The new Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics (JMR) evolved in part from the JMD community, see the JMD January 2008 Editorial: A New Year, a New Editor, and a New Journal. In general, research work in mechanisms and robotics aimed at design synthesis would belong to JMD, while theoretical analysis work would fit better in JMR. The respective Technical Editors are re-routing submissions using this main criterion. For a commentary on analysis vs. synthesis, see the JMD March 2008 Editorial: Design analysis and synthesis.