Multibody dynamics simulations are currently widely accepted as valuable means for dynamic performance analysis of mechanical systems. The evolution of theoretical and computational aspects of the multibody dynamics discipline make it conducive these days for other types of applications, in addition to pure simulations. One very important such application is design optimization. A very importan...

Multibody dynamics analysis was originally developed as a tool for modeling mechanisms with simple tree-like topologies composed of rigid bodies, but has considerably evolved to the point where it can handle nonlinear flexible systems with arbitrary topologies. It is now widely used as a fundamental design tool in many areas of mechanical engineering. In the automotive industry, for instance, m...

The dynamic analysis of planar multibody systems with revolute clearance joints, including dry contact and lubrication effects is presented here. The clearances are always present in the kinematic joints. They are known to be the sources for impact forces, which ultimately result in wear and tear of the joints. A joint with clearance is included in the multibody system much like a revolute join...

Computer-based tools for modelling and simulation have changed the best practise of product development. Simulation of mechanical dynamic systems have a large potential in product development but are only partly used today due to, for example, modelling complexity. A method, or tool, that supports distribution of multibody dynamic analysis models, in a modular way, is proposed and developed. Et...

The number of multibody dynamics courses offered in the university is increasing. Often the instructor has the necessity to go through the steps of an algorithm by working out a simple example. This gives the student a better understand of the basic theory. This paper provides a tutorial on the numerical integration of differential-algebraic equations (DAE) arising from the dynamic modeling of ...

We present the new, general, explicit form of the equations of motion for constrained mechanical systems applicable to systems with singular mass matrices. The systems may have holonomic and/or non-holonomic constraints, which may or may not satisfy D’Alembert’s principle at each instant of time. The equation provides new insights into the behaviour of constrained motion and opens up new ways o...

Implicit Runge-Kutta integration algorithms based on generalized coordinate partitioning are presented for numerical solution of the differential-algebraic equations of motion of multibody dynamics. Second order integration formulas are derived from well known first order Runge-Kutta integrators, defining independent generalized coordinates and their first time derivative as functions of indepe...

Extrapolation methods using the structure in the equations of motion of multibody systems are given in this article. The methods are explicit in the differential part and implicit in the nonlinear constraints. They admit a robust formulation in which only linear systems of equations are solved most of the time. Related methods, which are linearly implicit also in the differential part, are deve...

In this work we present some results from the EUROPORT project EUROPENGER{FEDEM. We give a brief presentation of the FEDEM code (Finite Element Dynamics in Elastic Mechanisms), which is a multidisciplinary, multibody simulation package for mechanical systems , and the preliminary results obtained in the parallelization of the system. We have emphasized the data distribution strategies and probl...