Using language that is clear, concise, and to the point, the textbook introduces fundamental theories, computational methods, and program development for analyzing simple to complex planar mechanical systems. The author chose MATLAB® as the programming language, and since students may not be skilled programmers, the examples and exercises provide a tutorial for learning MATLAB. The examples begin with basic commands before introducing students to more advanced programming techniques. The routines developed in each chapter eventually come together to form complete programs for different types of analysis.
Pedagogical highlights
Contains homework problems at the end of each chapter, some requiring standard pencil-and-paper solution in order to understand the concept and others requiring either programming or the use of existing programs.
Electronic highlights
All the programs that are listed in the book, and some additional programs, will be available for download and will be updated periodically by the author. Additional materials for instructors, such as a solutions manual and other teaching aids, will also be available on the website.
The author organizes the analytical and computational subjects around practical application examples. He uses several examples repeatedly, in various chapters, providing students with a basis for comparison between different formulations. The final chapter describes more extensive modeling and simulation projects. Designed specifically for undergraduates, the book is suitable as a primary text for a course on mechanisms or a supplementary text for a course on dynamics.