An Interactive Environment for Multibody Simulation
Abstract Simulation of three dimensional multibody systems is a sophisticated analysis tool that is often used for design. Before a prototype is constructed, simulation provides a designer with a model that can be modified until a desired result is achieved. General purpose multibody dynamics packages are currently used around the world. During the evolution of multibody simulation, three dimensional graphics became an important tool for both system definition and evaluation of simulation results. In fact, three dimensional graphics was an enabling technology for simulation of large, complex three dimensional systems. However, the process has remained essentially a batch operation in which the analysis of the results is not accessible until the solution is complete. Changes in the model require starting the process over. Although the use of computer simulation in the place of early prototypes was a significant step forward in terms of reduced time and cost to develop a design, even more improvement is possible when the user is able to interactively change and analyze the system at any time in lieu of having to go through discrete trial and error steps. In order to reach this next level, this paper introduces an interactive computer graphics interface for three dimensional multibody dynamic simulation.