Joint coordinate method for analysis and design of multibody systems: Part 1. System equations

This paper presents a method, known as the joint coordinate method, for the computer aided design process of multibody systems. The relationship between joint and absolute velocities is described by a linear velocity transformation matrix representing the system kinematics. Joint coordinate method can generate a minimal set of equations of motion in terms of the generalized joint accelerations. This method can also yield reaction and actuator forces acting at the kinematic joints that are necessary for forward and inverse dynamics analyses. Applications of this method to static equilibrium and design sensitivity analyses are also studied. Comparisons between the absolute and joint coordinate formulations are given in terms of their computational efficiency.