| Summary: | Historically machine and mechanism design relied heavily upon analytical and graphical means to evaluate the performance a system. With increasing complexity, these methods have been modified for use with computational tools. General purpose solvers have been created such as Adams, DADS and Dap3d to analyze different machines and mechanisms. Although these tools are available, they allow limited access to source code or utilize a language that is not readily taught in academics.
This thesis will focus on the creation of a general-purpose simulation enviroment using the currently used programming language Matlab. Four simulation programs have been created allowing simulation of kinematics and dynamics for planar and spatial mechanical systems. Discussed along with the program operation is the mathematics behind normal computational dynamics. A section is dedicated to the solution and its implementation of purely kinematic methods allowing the solution of planar and spatial systems. Constraints are heavily utilized in the formation of multi-body systems and their equations and formulations are detailed. For spatial kinematic simulations, Euler parameters are discussed in detail, and the related equations needed for multibody system simulations have been provided. The mathematics of the dynamic simulations is also discussed, along with addition of non-rigid elements such as springs and dampers.
Example simulations of specific systems have also been included, showing the results of interest utilizing the graphical user interfaces that have been created. Along with these examples is a simulation that includes two dimensional beam elements injected into the dynamic solver, which illustrates how multiple fields of engineering can be included in the simulations === Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.
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