Teaching Robotics With a Reconfigurable 3D Multibody Dynamics Simulator

Abstract

The theoretical foundations of a software package used to teach Robotics by simulation of 3D multibody systems is described. The software called PADROB is based in a methodology that automatically assembles and solves the equations of motion of a 3D mechanism specified according to modeling conventions. The system of equations is time-integrated to simulate the behavior of a multibody mechanism subject to a set of external forces and moments. Models are constructed by specifying bodies and connections (joints) between them, and they easily reconfigurable. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals. Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 18: 108-116, 2010: Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com): DOI 10.1002/cae.20202