Multibody systems are the appropriate models for predicting and
evaluating performance of a variety of dynamical systems such as
spacecraft, vehicles, mechanisms, robots or biomechanical systems. This
book adresses the general problem of analysing the behaviour of such
multibody systems by digital simulation. This implies that pre-computer
analytical methods for deriving the system equations must be replaced by
systematic computer oriented formalisms, which can be translated
conveniently into efficient computer codes for - generating the system
equations based on simple user data describing the system model -
solving those complex equations yielding results ready for design
evaluation. Emphasis is on computer based derivation of the system
equations thus freeing the user from the time consuming and error-prone
task of developing equations of motion for various problems again and
again.