ME 7204 – Computer-Aided Analysis of Multibody Systems  

Catalog Description: ME 7204 Computer-Aided Analysis
Kinematic and dynamic analysis and design of mechanical systems, computer simulation and design of multibody systems such as automobiles, engines, compressors, cam-followers, robots, etc. (3 cr) Restriction: Graduate students and qualified undergraduates.

Prerequisite(s): ME 7000 (Advanced Engineering Analysis) or instructor’s approval.

Textbook/Required Material: Haug, E. J., Computer‑Aided Kinematics and Dynamics of Mechanical Systems, Allyn and Bacon, 1989. Selected handout materials to supplement text.

Course Assignments:

* Three exams

* Three assigned projects

* Five or more homeworks will be assigned and graded

* An independent project must be proposed by midterm and complete by the end of semester. Students are required to present their projects.

Course Objectives: The objectives of this course are to introduce to the students the principles of multibody kinematics, dynamics, and kinetostatics (inverse dynamics) and to develop skills for analyzing and re-designing planar and spatial multibody mechanical system for better performance.

Topics Covered:

1- Introduction to Multibody Mechanical Systems

2- Planar Vectors and Matrices

3- Planar Modeling

4- Kinematics of Planar Systems - Modeling and Analysis

5- Dynamics of Planar Systems

6- Dynamics of Planar Systems - Modeling and Analysis

7- Spatial Cartesian Modeling

8- Kinematics of Spatial Systems - Modeling and Analysis

9- Dynamics of Spatial Systems

10- Dynamics of Spatial Systems - Modeling and Analysis

11- Special Topics: Controls, elastic bodies, etc.