Parameter-Control Function-Block dialog-box

The input to the Parameter controls the motion-values and one or all of these types: Dimension, Extrusion Depth, and Extrusion Offset.

There is only one input-connector. Thus if you want different dimensions to be controlled with different motions, you will need to add more than one Parameter-Control FB to the model.

Note-Pencil-20

Applications of the Parameter-Control FB include 'extruding toothpaste', 'filling bottles' ... These are modelled to help explanations are not machine based.

I give these motions a lower-case, and 'real' motion ALL-CAPS. This helps me identify them later in MotionDesigner.

The Parameter Control FB dialog-box

Dialog-ParameterControl

There controls in the Parameter Control FB are:

1s-red Enabled / Not Enabled check-box

2s 'Top-Box' - Profiles and Extrusion elements are put here when you select them in the graphic-area.

You must click the element to put it in the 'Bottom-Box'...

3s 'Bottom-Box - Elements that will be controlled by the motion-values at the input to the FB

The element types you can add are Dimensions, Extrusions and Profiles.

•Dimensions: The dimension is controlled directly
•Extrusion: The Solid is updated as the dimension is updated, if that dimension controls the shape of the Extrusion.
•Profiles: The Extrusion-Depth of the Extrusion element.

4s Delete icon - to remove an element from the dialog-box

5s 'OK', 'Cancel', 'Cancel and Undo all changes', 'Help' icons.

6s Control Actions  - to be done by the Parameter-Control FB.

Parameters can you control with the Parameter-Control FB.

The elements must be in the model before you can control them with the Parameter-Control FB.

It is usual to connect a wire with motion-values to the input-connector of the Parameter-Control FB. The motion at the input-connector becomes the absolute values for the elements you want to control.

The elements you can add and control are:

•Dimensions that you have added in the Part-Editor. The dimension may give a sketch-element's position or a sketch-element's dimensional size.
•Extrusions that you have added to sketch-loops.

This parameter is similar to an REBUILD ON/OFF switch. You must add the Extrusion element when the extrusion defines the Solid 'shape', and when a Dimension, which you have also added to the Parameter-Control FB, specifies the shape/size of a sketch-loop, to which you have added a Profile / Extrusion element.

•Profiles that you have added to a sketch-loop. The motion-values will control the Extrusion-Depth Parameter, as you would normal enter as a fixed dimension in the Extrusion dialog-box

How to use the Parameter-Control FB

Open the Parameter-Control FB dialog-box in the normal way. If necessary, see How to open a Dialog-Box.

To enable the FB

☑ Enabled
1.Click the check-box to enable the dialog-box.

To add elements to the dialog-box

1.Click the elements in the graphic area

To add a Dimension

1.In the Mechanism-Editor, click the sketch-element to which you have added the dimension with the Part-Editor

or

2.In the Part-Editor, click the dimension, or the sketch-element to which you have added a dimension.

The Dimension appear in the Bottom-Box immediately and ready to be controlled by the FB.

To add a Profile and/or an Extrusion:

1.In the Mechanism-Editor, click the Primary or Secondary Contour [Pink copy of the sketch-loop] of the Profile element.

The Profile and the Extrusion elements appear in the Top-Box.

To control the element, you must move the element to the Bottom-Box.

2.Click the element in the Top-Box. The element moves to Bottom-Box.

You can click one or the two elements.

About the 'Bottom-Box'

Driven Parameter

The name of the dimension, whose value is driven by this Function-Block.

The name of the Extrusion-Offset or Profile.

Solve Element

A Part when the 'Driven-Parameter' is a dimension.

An Extrusion when the 'Driven Parameter is an 'Extrusion' or a 'Profile'

Control-Action

The actual action taken by the FB are:

'Update dimension' when the 'Driven Parameter' is a 'dimension'

'Update extension depth' when the 'Driven Element' is a 'Profile'

'Rebuild Solid' when the 'Driven Parameter' is an 'Extension'.

To delete an element:

1.Select an element in one of the boxes, below,
2.Click the 'cross' to delete it.

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