Display Force-Vectors

 

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Display Force-Vectors

 

Display Force-Vectors

Click the button to toggle “Display” and “Do not Display” Force Vectors.

MD-Icon-Force-Vectors-Show

Forces toolbar > Force-Vectors: Display

MD-Icon-Force-Vectors-Hide

Forces toolbar > Force-Vectors: Do not Display

MD-17-Menu-Forces-Display

Forces menu > Force-Vectors: Display: Enable or Disable

Force-Vectors show only when...

You enable: Force toolbar > Force-Vectors: Calculate

AND

You enable: Force toolbar > Force-Vectors: Display

AND

A minimum of one Part is kinematically-defined and it has a mass(kg) - see CAD-Line dialog | Mass Properties.

AND/or

A Spring FB applies a Force between two Points and the Parts are kinematic-defined.

AND

You enable: Display Filters toolbar > Display Part-Outlines (default)

Force-Vectors in the graphics-area

Each Force-Vector is the Force that ACTS-ON a Part at a Joint in a kinematic-chain.

Vector Location: rays from Points at Pin-Joints, Slide-Joints, Springs, Cam Contacts, gear contacts, belts.

Vector Direction: in the direction of the Force-Vector

Vector Length: scaled to the magnitude of the Force - see Vector Scale buttons

Vector Magnitude: that acts on the Point is at the arrowhead at the end of each Force vector

Vector Color: see below Colors: Part-Outlines and Force-Vectors.

Rotary Driving Moment / Driving Torque

The Torque-Vector is the Application-Torque that a motor and gear-box must be able to drive.

Location: at a Pin-Joint that you select to drive the kinematic-chain - see Configure Power Source

Length: proportional to the magnitude of the Torque.

Important:

The Torque-Vector does NOT include the torque to accelerate the inertia of a Servomotor or Gearbox

To select and include a Servomotor and Gearbox - see Kinematic Servomotor and Gearbox Sizing.

Linear Driving-Force

The Driving-Force is the instantaneous Force to drive the kinematic-chain.

Location: at a Slide-Joint that you select to drive the kinematic-chain - see also: Configure Power Source)

Length: proportional to the magnitude of the Driving-Force.

Important:

The Driving-Force does NOT include a Linear Servomotor to drive the kinematic-chain.

There is NOT a database of Linear Servo-motors.

Colors: Part-Outlines and Force-Vectors

When you enable Force-Vectors: Display, we  color of each Part-Outline is changed.

The color of the Part-Outline of each Part is the same color as the Force-Vectors that ACTS-ON the Part, at a Point in the Part.


TOP-TIP

To help identify which Force-Vectors act on a Part:

1.Hover above a Part-Outline

The Part-Outline AND the Force-Vector that ACTS-ON the Part change to the selected color, usually RED.

Use Configure Power Source to edit the color of each Force-Vector, and/or to hide Force-Vectors that act on different Parts.

See also: Kinetostatic Torque and Speed dialog