Integrated simulation of mechanical structures and their control system

This paper concerns the modeling and the integrated numerical simulation of flexible mechanisms subject to the action of a digital control system. A general method is proposed, based on the formalism of flexible multibody systems (MBS) using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Nonlinear e ects in the mechanical structure or in the control system can be taken into account. The numerical simulation tool is applied to design an active control system in a hot-dip galvanizing line, which aims at reducing the vibrations of the steel strip.