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MotionSolve User Guide
MotionSolve is a system level, multibody solver that is based on the principles of mechanics.
MotionSolve Optimization Guide
Optimization Capabilities in MotionSolve
Optimization capabilities in MotionSolve include equations of motion for a multibody system, design variables and limits, and analysis support.
Analysis Support
MotionSolve supports DSA only for Kinematic, Static, and Quasi-static analyses

Welcome
What's New
View new features for MotionSolve 2024.1.
Overview
MotionSolve^® is an integrated solution to analyze, evaluate, and optimize the performance of multibody systems.
Tutorials
Discover MotionSolve functionality with interactive tutorials.
MotionSolve User Guide
MotionSolve is a system level, multibody solver that is based on the principles of mechanics.
- Introduction to MotionSolve
- Platform Support, Recommended Hardware, and Licensing
- Run MotionSolve
- Model Systems
- Model Simulations
- Visualize Results - Animation and Request Plots
- Couple MotionSolve with Other Software
- Customization Capabilities
- Analysis Tips
- NLFE Bodies Introduction
- User Subroutines in MotionSolve
- msolve API
- MotionSolve Verification Manual
- MotionSolve Optimization Guide
  - Introduction
    The MotionSolve Optimization Guide explains the design sensitivity and optimization capabilities in MotionSolve.
  - Optimization Capabilities in MotionSolve
    Optimization capabilities in MotionSolve include equations of motion for a multibody system, design variables and limits, and analysis support.
    - Equations of Motion for a Multibody System
      This section describes equations of motion.
    - The Optimization Problem Formulation
      Optimization algorithms work to minimize (or maximize) an objective function subject to constraints on design variables and responses.
    - Design Variables and Limits
      Design variables are used to define parametric models.
    - Response Variables
      Model behavior is captured in terms of Response Variables.
    - Sensitivity Calculation
      The sensitivity of an output y (u) to an input u is defined as the change in y due to a unit change in u.
    - Scaling Mechanism
      Both Dv and Response can be scaled in msolve.
    - Analysis Support
      MotionSolve supports DSA only for Kinematic, Static, and Quasi-static analyses
    - License Usage for Optimization Jobs in MotionSolve
      The optimization capability in MotionSolve typically involves several solver simulations - one to determine sensitivities for the initial design and several consequent design simulations to determine and adjust design variables based on responses to satisfy the overall optimization criteria.
    - Optimization Problem Formulation and Solution
      Topics in this section include optimization problem types and optimization search goal and methods.
  - Application Areas
    Optimization is a vast area that has a many applications in diverse areas such as engineering, economics, business and medicine.
  - Optimization Input Data
    The input data for an optimization is organized in a python parametric model class with methods that operate on the class.
  - Optimization Output Data
    Every optimization run generates a variety of files.
  - Advanced Topics
    Advanced topics include a scaling optimization problem and tips on how to debug optimization runs.
  - SLA Suspension Example
    This example, referred to as MV3010 in this section, describes the optimization of an SLA suspension and is also available in MotionSolve tutorial topics/solvers/ms/optimization_using_mv_hs_intro_r.html.
  - PID Controller Example
    In this example, we are designing a PID controller whose job is to minimize the effects of a disturbance force on the position, velocity, and acceleration of a block.
  - Glossary
- MotionSolve Environment Variables
- References
MotionSolve Reference Guide
This manual provides a detailed list and usage information regarding command statements, model statements, functions and the Subroutine Interface available in MotionSolve.

Analysis Support

MotionSolve supports DSA only for Kinematic, Static, and Quasi-static analyses

At this time, DSA for Dynamic analysis is only supported via finite differencing, dsa=”FD” and dsa=” FD_SERIAL”.

DSA for Linear analyses is not supported.

Note: To compute the sensitivities, MotionSolve requires the design variables, how the model is parameterized with these design variables, and what the response variables are. DSA yields correct answers only when the model is designable. For non-designable models, it returns ZERO as the answer.