Configure Power Source dialog-box

To calculate forces correctly, you must 'Configure the Power Source' correctly.

We use the Configure Power Source dialog-box to make sure the correct element [for example, a Part] transfers the 'power' to each degree-of-freedom in a kinematic-chain.

Power Source elements can be:

•Motors at Joints (Linear or Rotary)
•Cams provide power to cam-followers
•Springs

Special Cases of 'Configure the Power Source'

In MechDesigner, it is possible that the model has more Parts than the real-world application.

For example: We use 'Piggyback Sliders' to plan and define the planar motion of a point on the Mechanism-Plane. We then add a Dyad between the Sliders and the Base-Part. The two Parts in a Dyad might represent the two links of a planar robot.  In this case, the piggyback sliders are not needed in the 'real-world'.

When this is the case, you MUST remodel the mechanism without the Piggyback Sliders. You must then define the motions again for the Parts that will actually be driven, and then give the Power Source directly to these Parts and Joints.  There are MechDesigner 'tricks' that you can use to create the motions of the new mechanism. Please email for details.

tog_minus        How to open the Configure Power Source dialog-box

KT-ConfigurePowerSource

The orange square must show around the Kinematic-Chain icon before you right-click KT-Kinematic-Chain-Solved-Selected

2.Right-Click the Kinematic-Chain
3.Click Configure Power Source in the pop-up menu

OR

The orange square must show around the Kinematic-Chain icon before you right-click

2.Press ALT+P on your keyboard

The Configure Power Source dialog-box opens.

Configure Power Source for a Kinematic-Chain

There are two tabs in the dialog-box:

tog_plus        Power Source tab

Dialog-13.2-ConPowSource-PowSo

Motion Dimensions

Motion-Dimensions | Motor Element

Each Motion-Dimension has a default Motor-Element, which is the Joint that Motion-Dimension drives directly.

Even if the Motor Element is the same as the default, please so these  steps:

1.Click a Motion-Dimension in the box

Before you do '2', below, make sure the Motion-Dimension is 'actively selected',

Motor Elements:

When you select a Motion-Dimension, MechDesigner shows in the box below those elements that can drive the Motion-Dimension. These are the so-called Motor Elements.

Possible Motor Elements include: Joints, Cams, Conjugate-Cams, and Springs, or any combination of these elements.

Each Motor Element is identified with a unique name and an icon.

1.Click, in the box at the bottom, a possible Motor Element.

When you click a Motor Element it shows in the Motor Element box above.

Note-Pencil-20 [MD14+] If necessary, you must do Add Conjugate-Cam FB to identify a Conjugate-Cam in the model. Only then is the Conjugate Cam available as a Motor-Element

See Also: Tutorial 13

If the Kinematic-Chain has two or more Motion-Parts - because it has two or more degrees-of-freedom - then you must choose the Motor Element for each Motion Dimension.

tog_plusDisplay Colors tab

Dialog-13.2-ConPowSource-Colors

Use this tab to customize the display of Force Vectors that are in the graphic-area.

When you show Force Vectors, you can, for each Part:

•Change the colour of each Part-Outline and Force Vector
•Show or hide the Force Vector on the Element
•Display Force Vector
oAt the Joint
oas a Polygon of Forces
ouse the two options above
oor not to show the Force Vectors acting on the Part

Tutorial and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 13.2 + © Machine, Mechanism, Motion and Cam Design Software by PSMotion Ltd