How do I simulate a manipulator?

Open this page and use the live Servo Tuning Kit tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a manipulator from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Servo Tuning Kit

Servo Tuning Kit for a manipulator

Simulate a manipulator live in your browser. This runs the real Servo Tuning Kit solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

DC Motor

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DC MotorLive

step response & speed-torque

Controls

Presets

Voltage (V)

Armature resistance (Ω)

Load torque (N·m)

Motor constant Kt (N·m/A)

A DC motor speeds up until back-EMF balances the applied voltage, giving a first-order step response. Its steady speed drops linearly with load along the speed-torque line: maximum speed at no load, maximum (stall) torque at zero speed. The green dot is the operating point where motor and load torque match.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

No-load speed240 rad/s

Steady speed224 rad/s

Stall torque0.30 N·m

Current draw0.4 A

Reading this result: Light load: speed stays close to the no-load value, since only a small back-EMF drop is needed to supply the torque.

Governing equation

ω = \frac{V - I R}{k _{e}} = \frac{12 - 0.4 \cdot 2}{0.05} = 224 rad/s, τ = k_{t} I = 0.020 N\cdotm

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

↓

PID Control

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PID ControllerLive

step response tuning

Controls

Presets

Proportional Kp

Integral Ki

Derivative Kd

A PID controller drives a system to its setpoint using three terms: proportional reacts to the current error, integral eliminates steady-state offset, and derivative damps overshoot. Tuning the three gains trades off speed, overshoot, and stability — the workhorse of industrial control.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Overshoot0%

Settling time0.00 s

Steady-state error0.000

Governing equation

u (t) = 4.0 e (t) + 1.00 \int e d t + 0.5 \frac{d e}{d t}

Reading this result: Balanced gains — proportional for speed, integral to remove offset, derivative to damp overshoot: the textbook well-tuned response.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

↓

Bode Plot

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Bode Plot (2nd-Order System)Live

frequency response

Controls

Presets

Natural frequency (Hz)

Damping ratio ζ

A Bode plot shows how a system responds across frequency: gain in decibels on top, phase shift below. This second-order low-pass passes low frequencies and rolls off at −40 dB/decade above its natural frequency. Low damping produces a resonant peak; high damping smooths it away.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Natural freq1,000 Hz

Damping ζ0.30

Resonant peak+4.8 dB

Roll-off−40 dB/dec

Governing equation

H (s) = \frac{ω _{n}^{2}}{s ^{2} + 2 ζ ω _{n} s + ω _{n}^{2}} = \frac{6 , 28 3 ^{2}}{s ^{2} + 3770 s + 6 , 28 3 ^{2}}

Reading this result: Low damping ζ=0.30 produces a sharp +4.8 dB resonant peak just below fn — great for selectivity, but it rings in the time domain.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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About this simulation

The full Servo Tuning Kit tool models a manipulator with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

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Other ways to simulate a manipulator

Forward Kinematics for a manipulator Inverse Kinematics for a manipulator Differential Drive for a manipulator Cart-Pole Balance for a manipulator Quadcopter Control for a manipulator RRT Path Planning for a manipulator

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a manipulator?: Open this page and use the live Servo Tuning Kit tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a manipulator from your own measurements.