How would you calculate the center of gravity of a complex object containing many parts?
Approximately 50 different pieces assembled together. All pieces are different sizes.
Aaron:
If you can determine the center of gravity of each part and its mass then you can use that information to determine the center of gravity of the system by summing the system mass moment of inertia. The CG is the point were the sum of the Masses x the square of the distances is equal to zero.
Niel
Neil, You’re close but goofed, the sum of the first moments = zero gives the center of mass, the sum of the second moments gives the total moment of inertia and is non zero.
If you have access to CAD solid modeling software, you may create a an assembly of all the required parts and after adding material properties to each of the parts, the CAD program will do this for you. I know that CATIA will because I have done exactly this. This will even account for oddly shaped parts that may be difficult to determine directly.
OES:
OOPS, Thank you for the correction.
Niel
