Date: 14/06/2012

New ver. of SimMechanics helps creating realistic parts and geometry by leveraging MATLAB

MathWorks has announced a new version of SimMechanics that enables users to create realistic parts and geometry by leveraging MATLAB. SimMechanics automatically creates a 3D animation during simulation that can be replayed without rerunning the simulation.

With SimMechanics, engineers in industries such as aerospace and defense, automotive, and industrial automation and machinery can model 3D mechanical systems in a Simulink block diagram using bodies, joints, constraints, and force elements. SimMechanics models can connect to Simscape and other Simulink products for physical modeling, such as SimElectronics and SimHydraulics. This helps engineers to detect integration issues between electrical, mechanical, and control systems early in the development process before any physical hardware is built.

Additional key features include:

1. Rigid body definition using standard geometry and custom extrusions defined in MATLAB for quickly prototyping mechanical parts.
2. Automatic calculation of mass and inertia tensor for ensuring accurate models.
3. Visualization and animation of multibody system dynamics with 3D geometry for rapid analysis of simulation results.
4. Ability to enter exact and approximate state targets for simplifying the specification of the initial state.
5. Block diagram representation for clearly documenting connections to other parts
Simulink libraries for sharing and reuse of parts and mechanisms.

Availability and Pricing:

SimMechanics 4.0 is available immediately. U.S. list prices start at $2000.
For further information, visit www.mathworks.com/products/simmechanics