Abstract: Based on the Monte Carlo simulation, a hybrid experimental simulation system for mechanism motion reliability is developed by using the LMS Virtual.Lab and the Visual Basic .NET. In the hybrid simulative experiment system, the LMS Virtual.Lab is used to perform the kinematic and dynamic analysis; the Visual Basic .NET is used to develop the user interface and build the uncertainty models used for reliability analysis, as well as extract the useful result data from the output file of LMS Virtual.Lab. Finally, two examples, i.e. the mechanism motion reliability analysis of a crank\|slider mechanism in which geometry errors and joint clearance errors are considered, and the multi\|failure mode reliability analysis and sensitivity analysis of a lock mechanism in which the effect of dynamic characteristics on the reliability are considered, are adopted to illustrate feasibility and efficiency of the hybrid simulation system.

Key words: Mechanisms, Reliability, Monte carlo methods, Computer simulation, Dynamic models