MeCAD an interactive graphic system for the simulation of planar mechanisms

This work presents a new extensions of MeCAD an interactive graphics system for the simulation of planar mechanisms. This program has been developed at the Department of Industrial and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Brescia and it is used in teaching research and also in industrial settings. The present version allows the kinematics and dynamics analysis of planar lineages. The motion of the actuators can be freely assigned and the MeCAD evaluates the motion of any point of interest. As for the dynamics it is possible to give any element the mass properties, the external forces, and, consequently, to calculate the actuator actions and constrain forces. This paper describes new extension which includes transmission system as gears, epicyclical trains, and drive belts.