<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > 2.2 Mechanism-Editor: > Kinematic elements > Add Ball-Joint |
You must do Add Ball-Joint two(2) times, to add a Ball-Joint to each end of one Part. The Part with a Ball-Joint at each end has the derived name of Connecting-Part.
One Ball-Joint joins the Connecting-Part to a Part in the active Mechanism-Editor.
And one Ball-Joint joins the connecting Part to a Part in a different Mechanism-Editor.
Terminology:
Ball-Joint : |
A Ball-Joint makes a Point in one Part to be coincident with a Point in a different Part. |
Connecting Part : |
A Part with a Ball-Joint at its start-Point and at its end-Point |
Completely-Free Part : |
A Part with 3 degrees-of-freedom |
Free Part : |
A Part with 1 degree-of-freedom |
See also: Ball-Joint dialog-box, Connecting Part Length and Diameter.
See also Ball-Joint configurations
A typical preparation: |
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Mechanism-Editor A
Mechanism-Editor B - the active Mechanism-Editor
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Notes: •The Mechanism-Editors cannot be parallel to each other. They are usually perpendicular(⊥) to each other. •The Completely-Free Part joins to Part •Try to estimate the length of the Completely-Free Part. If the Completely Free Part is too short or too long, so that the Ball-Joints at each end cannot possible join with Part |
Do Add Ball-Joint two(2) times. One time to each end of the Completely Free Part. |
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STEP 1: Start the Add Ball-Joint command
STEP 2: Add Ball-Joint #1
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When you do Add Ball-Joint #1 you can see the Ball-Joint symbol. However, the Points They do snap together after you do Add Ball-Joint #2
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STEP 3: Add Ball-Joint #2
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Result - expected
Note: If the arrangement of the two Connecting-Part and the Part that was the Free-Part is not correct, then see Change-Dyad Closure |
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Kinematics Tree In the Kinematics-Tree, •The Ball-Joints •The letter S represents a Spherical-Joint.
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Notes: •You cannot add Solids to Connecting-Parts. •To edit the the symbolic diameter of the Ball-Joint - see Ball-Joint dialog-box |
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Edit the Length of the Connecting-Part Edit the Connecting-Part in the Part-Editor: 1.Mechanism-Editor: Double-click the symbol for the Connecting-Part 2.Part-Editor: Edit the Length dimension of the Connecting-Part 3.Exit the Part-Editor
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Edit the Symbolic Radius of the Connecting-Part Edit the Connecting-Part in the Part-Editor: 1.Mechanism-Editor: Double-click the symbol for the Connecting-Part 2.Part-Editor: Add a Line or Circle 3.Part-Editor: Add a dimension to the Line or Circle 4.Exit the Part-Editor Notes: When you edit dimensions in a Part and the view is not the Front View, the CAD-Line, Axes, sketch-elements and dimensions may show in unusual places! If you cannot add or edit a dimension, then do View | Front Plane. Use Visibility toolbar > Show Solids in Mechanisms
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