Design Sensitivity Analysis of Planar Mechanism and Machine Dynamics

Abstract

A method of formulating and automatically integrating the equations of motion of quite general constrained dynamic systems is presented. Design sensitivity analysis is carried out using a state space adjoint variable method that has been employed extensively in optimal control and structural design optimization. Both dynamic analysis and design sensitivity analysis formulations are automated and numerical solution of state and adjoint differential equations are carried out using a stiff numerical integration method that treats mixed systems of differential and algebraic equations. A computer code that implements the method is applied to two numerical examples. The first example concerns a relatively simple slider-crank mechanism. The second example treats a more complex agricultural trip plow that undergoes intermittent motion.