<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: Getting Started Tutorials - MechDesigner > The User Interface > 2: Model-Editor, Mechanism-Editor, Part-Editor |
The three editor-types have the same workspace.
Graphic-Area : |
To add, view, select, and edit elements |
Contextual toolbars : |
Toolbars to add elements that are contextual to each editor-type |
Name-Tabs : |
Tabs to select the Model or different Mechanism-Editors. Each name-tab has a light-bulb and color icon. Right-click a name-tab for a shortcut menu: •Open memo - see 6: Memo •Show with "other kinematic and sketch-elements" (Light-Bulb) •Edit color of "other kinematic and sketch-elements" |
When you start a new project, you are in the Model-Editor.
You MUST use the Model-Editor to add a minimum of one Mechanism-Editor.
Click the Model name-tab to see the Model-Editor. Graphic-area : the Orthogonal Front, Top, Right Planes, Planes that you add, Solids you add, the XYZ Triad at the Global Origin. X–axis : Red-Arrow Y–axis : Green-Arrow ( IMPORTANT : Gravity in direction of – Y-axis ) Z–axis : Blue-Arrow: Use the Model Editor toolbar to: •Add Planes and add Mechanism-Editors •View MD-Solids and CAD-Solids in the model |
The Model elements toolbar is to the left of the graphic-area. Model toolbar |
When you do the command Add Mechanism, you jump immediately to the new Mechanism-Editor with a new Mechanism name-tab.
Use Mechanism-Editors to build your machine model. Add to the Mechanism-Editor: •Parts, Joints, Gears, Cams, ... that become the kinematic-chains - the bones •Function-Blocks to plan how you want to move each kinematic-chain - the brain •Solids that become the 3D view - the flesh and skin on the bones •Springs to add external force functions - the muscles You can also analyze: •Kinematics : Linear/ Angular Position, Velocity, Acceleration of any Part and Joint •Kinetostatic : Linear Force or Angular Torques |
The contextual toolbars are left, right, and above the graphic-area.
Modeling FB toolbar - above the graphic-area Solids toolbar - above the graphic-area |
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Kinematic-elements toolbar Left of Graphic-Area |
Kinematic-FB toolbar Right of Graphic-Area |
Machine-elements toolbar Left of Graphic-Area |
Forces toolbar Right of Graphic-Area |
Add Parts with the Mechanism-Editor.
Start the Part-Editor in the Mechanism-Editor workspace.
To edit a different Part: close the Part-Editor, return to the Mechanism-Editor, and edit the different Part.
See also How to Start the Part-Editor
Use the Part-Editor to add: •Sketch-elements : Points, Lines, Arcs, Circles, Blend-Curves, Splines •Dimensions and constraints to or between sketch-elements Note: Constraints you add to a sketch-element show in the Selection-Window when you SHIFT-CLICK the sketch-element. |
Geometry toolbar Left of Graphic-Area. |
Constraints toolbar Right of Graphic-Area |