Computer Exercises in Mechanics for Industrial Engineers

THESE EXERCISES SERVE THE PURPOSE OF TRAINING THE UNDERSTANDING OF SEVERAL BASIC CONCEPTS IN ELEMENTARY UNIVERSITY-LEVEL MECHANICS. WHEREAS MECHANICS IS OFTEN TAUGHT AS A COURSE WHERE “PEN AND PAPER” ARE THE ONLY TOOLS, THESE EXERCISES ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE KNOWLEDGE ON HOW THE BASIC THEORY WORKS, ON PRACTICAL PROBLEMS, BY USING A MODERN SIMULATION COMPUTER SOFTWARE. BY SIMULATIONS THE GENERAL PERFORMANCE OF VARIOUS MECHANICAL SYSTEMS MAY BE STUDIED AS WELL AS THE SPECIFIC EFFECTS OF PARAMETER CHANGES LEADING, EVENTUALLY, TO A BETTER OR EVEN TO AN OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE. THE SIMULATION EXPERIENCE WILL HOPEFULLY ENHANCE THE STUDENTS INSIGHTS INTO THE PRINCIPLES OF MECHANICS AS WELL AS GIVING SOME GENERAL FEELING FOR WHAT IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE WITH A MODERN MULTIBODY SIMULATION TOOL. WE, THE DIVISION OF MECHANICS AT LUND UNIVERSITY, BEGAN WORKING ON THE CONCEPT RECENTLY AND WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS STILL A WAY TO GO BEFORE THE CONCEPT IS FINISHED. THEREFORE ANY COMMENT, SUGGESTION, ETC. IS MUCH APPRECIATED. WE HAVE DELIBERATELY SELECTED AN ENGINEERING SOFTWARE PACKAGE, ADAMS, FREQUENTLY USED IN INDUSTRY, TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT WITH AS MUCH OF THE REAL THING AS POSSIBLE. THIS ALSO PREPARES THE WAY FOR STUDIES IN OTHER MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TOPICS, SUCH AS ROBOTICS OR MACHINE ELEMENTS. A FEW EXERCISES, SUCH AS THE DOUBLE PENDULUM, HAVE A DEEP THEORETICAL BACKGROUND WHICH BY FAR EXCEEDS WHAT IS TYPICALLY OBTAINED IN THE FIRST COURSE IN MECHANICS. WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL SERVE AS AN INSPIRATION FOR FURTHER STUDIES IN MECHANICS