Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > Tutorial 1: Add a Part that Rotates

Objective of Step 1.2

•To learn how to identify the Mechanism-Editor

•To learn how to add a Part

•To review the elements and symbols in a Part

Video

Make sure the Mechanism-Editor is active (and not the Model-Editor)

Graphics-area: Mechanism name-tab

To make sure the Mechanism-Editor is active:

1.Click the Mechanism name-tab at the top of the graphics-area

1.Click Mechanism in the Assembly-Tree (see image below)

Notes:

In the Assembly-Tree, the Base-Part is a child to the Mechanism. element.

In the graphics-area, the symbol for the Base-Part is a rectangular Part-Outline.

Assembly-Tree: Mechanism element

Add the Part

Drag to Add-Part

STEP 1: Start the Add Part command

1.Expand the Kinematic-elements toolbar - it is to the left of the graphics-area

2.Click the Add Part icon in the toolbar

Use the keyboard shortcut:

1.Click the INSERT key on your keyboard

The mouse-pointer changes to Add Part.

To add the Part, ...

STEP 2: Drag in the graphics-area

Do NOT click the graphics-area before you drag. If you do, you will need to do Add Part again.

Drag is:

Mouse-button-down... to locate the start-Point of the Part

... move your mouse...

... mouse-button-up - to locate the end-Point of the Part

Parts and elements in the Mechanism-Editor

The new Part in the graphic-area

Parts you add to the model:

The Part-Outline is oval - it is the symbol of a Part

A CAD-Line is from the start-Point to the end-Point of an added Part

start-Point of CAD-Line is where you mouse-button-down to add the Part.

end-Point of CAD-Line is where you mouse-button-up.

X-axis and Y-Axis - at the start-Point and on the Mechanism-Plane.

+X-axis direction from the start-Point to the end-Point of the CAD-Line.

+Y-axis direction from the start-Point, at 90º to the CAD-Line, and on the Mechanism-Plane.

+Z-axis direction from the start-Point, and uses the Right-Hand-Rule.

Use the CTRL+S keyboard shortcut to save your model.

Drag in the graphics-area

You use the Drag mouse action to add many element-types. For example, to add a Part, a wire, a Line, an Arc, a Circle, a Blend-Curve, ...

Drag is always:

Mouse-button-down... to locate the start-Point of the element