Interactive Computerized Symbolic Dynamics for the Dynamicist

This paper contains a discussion of a new methodology for employing, on a desktop computer, computerized symbol manipulation for formulating explicit equations of motion and writing complete FORTRAN simulation programs for multibody systems. The approach is based on Kane´s dynamical equations and its underlying concept is to use the computer to mimic the step-by-step process a human analyst undertakes while formulating equations of motion and writing FORTRAN simulation programs by hand. Implementation of the methodology is illustrated by means of examples.