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

One of the methods works well for you most times. However, occasionally, you may need to use a different method.

METHOD 1: Use the Selection-Window

Click the Part-Outline (or Y-axis)

STEP 1: Click the Part-Outline

1.Click the Part-Outline ONE-TIME - see image

or

1.Click the Y-axis of the Part ONE-TIME

OR

1.Click the Part element in the Assembly-Tree ONE-TIME

If the Part-Outline is near to other elements, you may also click those elements.

All of the elements you click are in the Selection-Window.

Shortcut menu in Selection-Window

STEP 2: Edit the element from the Selection-Window

In this case, we want to edit the Part element (to start the Part-Editor)

1.Identify the Part element in the Selection-Window

2.Right-click the Part element in the Selection-Window

A shortcut menu is next to your pointer.

3.Click Edit Element in the shortcut-menu

METHOD 2: Double-click

Double-Click Part-Outline (or Y-axis)

STEP 1: Double-click in the graphic-area

1.Double-click the Part-Outline in the graphic-area

OR

2.Double-click the Y-axis of the Part

IMPORTANT:

Occasionally, with some graphic-cards, you must double-click the arc of the Part-Outline near to the start-Point to edit a Part. You may find it easier to double-click the Y-axis of the Part you want to edit.

Double-Click Part in Assembly-Tree

Or

1.Double-click the Part element in the Assembly-Tree

METHOD 3: Use Edit menu > Edit Part in Part-Editor / Edit-Part icon in toolbar

Edit Part in Part-Editor

STEP 1: Preselect Part-Outline

1.Click a Part-Outline

2.Click Edit Part in Part-Editor (left of graphic-area)

OR

STEP 2: Preselect Edit Part in Part-Editor

1.Click Edit Part in Part-Editor (left of graphic-area)

2.Click a Part-Outline

3.Click the graphic-area

METHOD 4: Right-Click in the graphic-area or Assembly-Tree

GST-1-7-5

STEP 1: Right-click the Part-Outline

1.Hover over the Part-Outline so that it becomes the selected color

2.Right-click the Part-Outline in the graphic-area

You will see a shortcut menu.

3.Click Edit Part in Part-Editor in the shortcut menu.

Notes:

Do not click the Part-Outline before you right-click it.

GST-1-7-6

Note: You cannot edit a dimension when a different command is active

METHOD 1: Use the Selection-Window

Make sure All commands are NOT selected

1.Click the Dimension Line, Dimension-Line arrowhead, or the Extension Line

The Dimension-Line arrowhead is the easiest.

2.Right-click the dimension element in the Selection-Window

3.Click Edit Element in the shortcut-menu

The Dimension dialog is now open.

METHOD 2: Double-click the Dimension-Line

1.Double-click the Dimension Line, Dimension-Line arrowhead, or Extension Line

The Dimension-Line arrowhead is the easiest

See Dimension-Line

The Dimension dialog is now open.

GST-1-7-7

METHOD 3: Right-click the Dimension-Line

Make sure All commands are NOT selected

1.Right-click the Dimension Line, Dimension-Line arrowhead, or Extension Line

The Dimension-Line arrowhead is the easiest

2.Click Edit Element in the shortcut menu

The Dimension dialog is now open.

There are three different methods to edit a parameters value.

Method 1: Use your Keyboard

Dialog-Dimension-EditDirectly

Enter a data-value directly:

1.Enter the data-value with your keyboard

2.Press the Enter key on your keyboard to update to the new value

You must press the Enter key (also called the Return key) to update the value.

Dialog-Dimension-SymbolicEqtn

Enter a symbolic equation:

1.Enter the data-value with your keyboard

2.Press the Enter key on your keyboard to update to the new value

You must press the Enter key (also called the Return key) to update the value.

Symbolic parameters:

•Simple Arithmetic: +, –, *, /;

•Indices: ^, Sqrt();

•Trigonometric (Angles are Radians), pi, Sin(), Cos(), Tan(), Sinh, Cosh, Tansh, ArcSin(), ArcCos(), ArcTan2( ; )

Method 2: Use the 'Spin-Box' tool

Dialog-Dimension-UsingtheSpinBox

Spin-Box arrow buttons (in the blue-box)

Top : Left arrowhead to decrease the data-value by the Spin-Increment

Top : Right arrowhead to increase the data-value by the Spin-Increment

Bottom : Left arrowhead to divide the Spin-Increment by 10

Bottom : Left arrowhead to multiply the Spin-Increment by 10

Edit the Data Value

•Click the Top : Left arrowhead to decrease the data-value. (Data-value after one click: 67.12345 – Spin-Increment(1) = 66.12345 )

•Click the Top : Right arrowhead to increase the data-value (Data-value after one click: 67.12345 + Spin-Increment(1) = 68.12345 )

Edit the Spin-Increment

•Click the Bottom : Left arrowhead to decrease the spin-increment (Data-value after one click: 1 ÷ 10 = 0.1 )

•Click the Bottom : Right arrowhead to increase the spin-increment (Data-value after one click: 1 × 10 = 10 )

WARNING: The model re-builds each time you click the top arrow-buttons of the Spin-Box tool

Method 3: Use the shortcut-menu

dialog-dimension-zeroround

1.Right-click inside the data box

The Zero / Round / Copy / Paste shortcut menu shows.

•Zero: - do not use for dimensions, generally

•Round: the value becomes the nearest value that is exactly divisible by the Spin-Increment.

3 Methods to Close the Part-Editor

To close the Part-Editor, use one of these 3 methods:

1.Double-click the Y-axis* or a sketch-element

or

1.Cancel Edit Part in Part-Editor to the left of the graphic-area

or

1.Right-click in the graphic-area

2.Click Edit Part in Part-Editor icon in the shortcut menu

* Why the Y-axis?

Because, if you double-click the X-axis, you may actually double-click the CAD-Line and open the CAD-Line dialog.

When you return to the Mechanism-Editor:

The X-axis and Y-axis are small.

Note:

•The Part is 70mm long.

•Base-Value of the Motion-Dimension is 75°.

GA-PartinMechEditor

Step 1.7: Edit the Length of the Part

Step 1.7: Edit the Length of the Part

Objective of Step 1.7:

Video