RecurDyn for Beginners

- Innovation for Design & Analysis

with Multibody Dynamics  – 

Nobuyuki
Nobuyuki Shimizu

Copyright ○
C 2015 by Functi
FunctionBay
onBay,, Inc. All rights
rights reserved.
reserved.
1
Preface
 RecurDyn for
 RecurDyn for Beginners is divided into three parts. This book is intended to introduce the general

 purpose multibody dynamics software ‘RecurDyn’

‘RecurDyn’ for engineers and analysts who are engaged i n

analyzing, designing and manufacturing machineries, i.e. machines and mechanisms. When solving

 problems of machine and mechanism

mechanism dynamics, and vibration-control
vibration-control using RecurDyn, it is necessary
necessary

to know how to model and analyze the problems. This book answers the questions by explaining the

following:

1) Outline, development and future plans for RecurDyn

2) Fundamental theory of multibody dynamics on which RecurDyn is based

3) What RecurDyn is and how to use it, how to create input data for RecurDyn and how to handle

input data in RecurDyn.

From this contents, readers will learn both what RecurDyn is, and what the multibody dynamics
(MBD) on which RecurDyn is  based are. Consequently,
Consequently, the readers can understand how to analyze
actual problems by RecurDyn, associating with motion, vibration and control for machines and
mechanisms (generally referred to as MBD problems) which are encountered at manufacturing sites
which utilize RecurDyn. The readers can extract meaningful engineering data from RecurDyn's
computational results, and solve problems. Through this process, the MBD problems associated with
analyzing, designing and manufacturing machines and mechanisms can effectively be solved. From
the overview of RecurDyn in its functions and developments, application developments can be seen
in the fields of not only machine problems, but also biomechanics, molecular dynamics and other
 problems which require
require dynamics analysis.
analysis.

In Part 1 ‘Outline, development and future plans for RecurDyn,’ an outline of how RecurD yn was

developed and what RecurDyn can do will briefly be given. An overview of RecurDyn’s many

functions will also be given. There are many functions in RecurDyn. The overview of these items will

also be given. Next, comparisons between the MBD on which RecurDyn is based and the finite

element method (FEM) will be given followed by comparisons between the general purpose MBD

software and FEM software. After this, a brief review of future developments of RecurDyn will be

given.

2
Preface
 RecurDyn for
 RecurDyn for Beginners is divided into three parts. This book is intended to introduce the general

 purpose multibody dynamics software ‘RecurDyn’

‘RecurDyn’ for engineers and analysts who are engaged i n

analyzing, designing and manufacturing machineries, i.e. machines and mechanisms. When solving

 problems of machine and mechanism

mechanism dynamics, and vibration-control
vibration-control using RecurDyn, it is necessary
necessary

to know how to model and analyze the problems. This book answers the questions by explaining the

following:

1) Outline, development and future plans for RecurDyn

2) Fundamental theory of multibody dynamics on which RecurDyn is based

3) What RecurDyn is and how to use it, how to create input data for RecurDyn and how to handle

input data in RecurDyn.

From this contents, readers will learn both what RecurDyn is, and what the multibody dynamics
(MBD) on which RecurDyn is  based are. Consequently,
Consequently, the readers can understand how to analyze
actual problems by RecurDyn, associating with motion, vibration and control for machines and
mechanisms (generally referred to as MBD problems) which are encountered at manufacturing sites
which utilize RecurDyn. The readers can extract meaningful engineering data from RecurDyn's
computational results, and solve problems. Through this process, the MBD problems associated with
analyzing, designing and manufacturing machines and mechanisms can effectively be solved. From
the overview of RecurDyn in its functions and developments, application developments can be seen
in the fields of not only machine problems, but also biomechanics, molecular dynamics and other
 problems which require
require dynamics analysis.
analysis.

In Part 1 ‘Outline, development and future plans for RecurDyn,’ an outline of how RecurD yn was

developed and what RecurDyn can do will briefly be given. An overview of RecurDyn’s many

functions will also be given. There are many functions in RecurDyn. The overview of these items will

also be given. Next, comparisons between the MBD on which RecurDyn is based and the finite

element method (FEM) will be given followed by comparisons between the general purpose MBD

software and FEM software. After this, a brief review of future developments of RecurDyn will be

given.

2
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Footnote;

The multibody dynamics (MBD) and the finite element method (FEM) are the different subject of

study.
study. The terms, MBD and FEM cited in this book are often used to indicate a solution methodology

 based on the indicated subject of study which contains the methods of modeling, computing and

analyzing.

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---------------

In Part 2 ‘Fundamental theory of multibody dynamics on which RecurDyn is based,’ an outline

outline of

the multibody dynamics on which RecurDyn is based will briefly be given. It is important to know the

relationship between CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) and its supporting subjects of study when

we consider the role of the MBD in manufacturing. The finite element method has already been

established as a main supporting subject of study for CAE. Because of this, the relationship between

multibody dynamics and the finite element method will be briefly explored.

In Part 3 ‘Using RecurDyn’, RecurDyn Professional (RD/Pro) of RecurDyn’s large family of

software will be explained. RD/Pro (hereafter simplified to ‘RecurDyn’) - which has been in

development since RecurDyn’s initial stage - treats the rigid MBD problems. In this part, RecurDyn

will be explained, and some concrete examples will be used to show how t o use it. After, reading this

 part, readers
readers should be able to master
master how to use RecurDyn for
for simple
simple problems.
problems. Specifically,
Specifically, by using

simple mechanism analysis models, the following items will be st udied.

1) Creating analysis data for RecurDyn, executing computations

computations and evaluating

computational results

2) Fundamental features of RecurDyn: GUI, body, joint, force, contact and other entities

3) Special considerations for creating RecurDyn analysis data

4) Dynamics analysis of simple models using RecurDyn

5) File compositions of RecurDyn

3
Acknowledgements

I wish to thank Dr. Jin Hwan Choi, professor of KyungHee University and a founder of FunctionBay,
FunctionBay,

Inc., Korea, who gave me the chance to write this book and Mr. Sangtae Kim, a team manager of the

Technical Marketing team of FunctionBay,

FunctionBay, Inc., who patiently supported my writing of this book.

I also wish to t hank Dr. Juhwan Choi, a head of R&D center and a c hief product officer
officer of FunctionBay,

Inc. who provided information on numerical integration methods and Mr. Ho-Young Cha, a senior

research engineer
engineer of the
t he solver team of FunctionBay, Inc. who provided information on c ontact force

algorithms within RecurDyn. Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Takashi Suzuki, president

of FunctionBay K. K., Japan, who gave me permission to use several useful materials originated by

his team.