Tools for integrated modeling, design, and nonlinear control

Increasingly, design engineers are identifying new opportunities for innovation by incorporating active microprocessor control into mechanical systems of all types; e.g., spacecraft and aircraft, ground vehicles, robots, and machine tools. These mechanical systems are often complex, multibody dynamical systems with rigid and elastic substructures. Their behavior is often inherently nonlinear over their operational range. Effective design of such systems and their controls relies on computer analysis for composing and screening alternative design concepts before constructing expensive prototypes. As a consequence, there has been a considerable amount of work on computational tools to support the development of models for systems with embedded control elements. To achieve optimal performance, it is critical to integrate the design of the system structures and the embedded control architecture and laws