ON THE LIMITATIONS OF PREDICTIONS OF THE DYNAMIC-RESPONSE OF MACHINESWITH CLEARANCE CONNECTIONS

The results of experimental and analytical studies of the dynamic resp onse of machines with flexible links and connection clearances are pre sented. These results suggest that both a large amount of variability and high sensitivity to small parameter changes and operating conditio ns are inherent properties of the dynamic response of such systems. Th is work indicates that the accuracy of dynamic force predictions given by computer simulations for such systems may be fundamentally limited , and therefore such simulations should be used with care in system de sign.