STEP 1: Add an element

- see Model Editor ; Mechanism Editor ; Part-Editor

STEP 2: Open the element's dialog-box

- see How to open a Dialog-Box

STEP 3: Edit the element's parameters

- see How to edit a Parameter in a Dialog-Box

STEP 3: Close the dialog-box

In most cases, you must close the dialog-box before you can open a different dialog-box

GENERAL DIALOGS

Rename

Replace Old Name with New Name

Model / Mechanism

Lighting. Synchronize Solids

Application Settings

General, Number-Format, Auto-Profiles, Accessibility, Colors

Machine Settings

Machine Speed, # Steps, Units

Element Properties

Read-Only -  Motion or Force Properties for an Element

Model-Editor

Add or Edit Plane

Edit Offset of Plane

Add Mechanism-Editor

Select a Plane, and OK the Command-Manager. No dialog.

Add or Edit Plane

Edit Angle of Plane or Offset of Plane

Profile / Extrusion

MD-Solid - a Prismatic Extrusion

CAD: DXF, SOLIDWORKS

DXF-Element

New DXF File, DXF Units

CAD-Line

> DXF tab >> DXF Layer Editor

Import DXF File, Convert Entities to MD Sketch-Elements.

> SOLIDWORKS

CAD-Solid - import SOLIDWORKS or STL model

> Mass Properties

User Mass-Properties and SOLIDWORKS Mass-Properties

> STL Import

Import an STL file

> Display Options

Edit the Color, Transparency, ...

CAMS: 2D & 3D

2D-Cam

> Parameters

Edit the Start-Angle and Range (defaults are 0 and 360), Enable Lifetime, Edit Safety-Factor.

> Display

Display Colour Profile as: Cam-Profile, Pressure-Angle, Contact-Force, or Shear-Stress

> Roller Life

Edit the Roller bearing, enter factors for ISO 281 calculations

> Cam Life

Edit the Cam steel, Quality, Heat-Treatment, and Enter its Hardness

Conjugate Cam FB

Required for Force Analysis, Roller Life with Conjugate-Cams and Groove-Cams.

Cam-Data FB

Plot Contact-Force, or Shear-Stress, Radius-of-Curvature, Pressure-Angle, Sliding-Velocity

Cam-Coordinates

Calculate and Export Cam Coordinates

3D-Cam

Calculate and Export Cam

FUNCTION-BLOCKS

Linear-Motion FB

Output is 0 - 360, again and again - a machine 'clock'.

Gearing FB

Linear equation applied to input motion values.

Motion FB

Link a Motion in MotionDesigner to the model

Motion-Dimension FB

Edit the Starting Angle or Position of a Motion-Part

Motion-Path FB

Edit the starting position of a Motion-Point

Point-Data FB

Measure Point's Position, Velocity and Acceleration.

Measurement FB

Measure Linear or Angular Position, Velocity and Acceleration.

Graph FB

Plot data

Graph Settings

Graph Display

Spring FB

Define a function for a Spring

Force-Data FB

Measure Force or Torque

CAD Control FB

Control SolidWorks mates from MechDesigner.

Magnetic-Joint

Glue Profiles together.

Math FB

User defined functions.

Statistics FB

Statistics of Element

Polynomial Fit FB

Fit Polynomials to Data-Values at its input-connector.

Parameter-Control FB

Edit the length of a 'static-dimension', Extrusion-Depth, Extrusion Offset. with a motion

Continuous Crank

Make a Crank rotate with a modulated speed

Modeling TOOLS

Design-Set

Add different dimensions and parameters to one dialog.

Briefcase FB

Put other FBs in a Briefcase - to make you model easier to review.

Make Movie

Produce a GIF file or series of PNG, JPG , of BMP images

Point-Cloud

Import XY data, convert to a curve

Pattern

Copy solids multiple times in space and time.

OTHER Dialogs

Point Properties

Edit Position of a Point, Display Velocity and Acceleration Vectors.

Blend-Curve

Edit the Angle, Curvature, and Curvature-Rate at the start-Point and end-Point of a Blend-Curve

Ball-Joint

3D Joint for Spatial Mechanisms

Gear-Pair

Edit the module, number-of-teeth, mesh, ...

Rack-Pinion / Ball-Screw

Edit the module, number-of-teeth, ...

Pulley

Number of Teeth on the Pulley.

Kinetostatic: Gearbox and Servomotor Sizing

Size a Gearbox and Servomotor for the Application.

Configure Power Source

To move a motor or other power source to the correct joint or cam

Dimension

Dimension Value

Miscellaneous

Tutorial Videos

Play Tutorial Video

Example Models

Select Elements

Choose one or more elements for a list of elements

Dependent Elements

Information

View References

Elements that are referenced by an Elements