This thesis introduces the 'Mobile Manipulator Analyzer ' ('MMA'), a mobile manipulator user tool, that creates complete mobile manipulator simulation models that are solved using ' DADS Solver'TM.

A simulation model of 'MR-1', a real mobile manipulator designed and manufactured by 'Engineering Services Incorporated', was created using 'MMA' and 'DADS'TM . A thorough modeling and analysis procedure is performed on ' MMA', 'DADS'TM, and the 'MR-1 ' model. The procedure involves performing simulations for validation, sensitivity analysis, output analysis, static, quasi-static, and dynamic experiments, followed by applying a tuning procedure. Finally, a procedure to optimize the system parameters is presented.

Multi-body dynamic simulations require accurate mass property values. A procedure and test apparatus that measures the centre of gravity and moment of inertia for a range of complex components was developed for this purpose. The apparatus was designed and calibrated to produce moment of inertia results with a higher accuracy than hand or computer calculations.