Machine Settings

Use the Machine Settings dialog-box to change the Machine Speed, Number-of-Steps in a machine-cycle, and the edit the engineering Units.

See Edit menu > Machine Settings

How to Open:

•Click Edit menu > Machine-Settings
•Click Edit toolbar Icon-MachineSettings

Machine Settings dialog-box

Machine-Settings

Machine-Settings

tog_minus Cycling Parameters 

Cycling Parameters

Cycling Parameters

Cycles  ∕  Min: See also Note 1

RPM: Revolutions per Minute of the Machine.

MotionDesigner reads this parameter.

Note: Time ∕ Cycle - calculate as: 60 ∕ (Cycle ∕ min)

Number-of-Steps: [See also Note 4]

The number of increments for cycle one machine-cycle.

See Run menu > Step Forward]
•Number-of-Steps is not the number of cam-points.  Use the Cam-Coordinates dialog-box, see Note 2
•Number-of-Steps = Number-of-Points along a Graph in a Graph FB
•Number-of-Steps = Facets along a Trace-Point
•Number-of-Steps = Points in the Motor Torque and Speed Curves

tog_minus Engineering Units 

Engineering Units

Engineering Units

See also Note 3

Linear:

 

mm (default), cm, metres, inch.

Angular:

 

deg (default), radians, cycles

Force:

 

N (Newtons) (default), Pound force [lbf]

Torque:

 

N.m, N.mm, (default), ft.lbf

Stress:

 

Pascal [Pa] [N ∕ m2] (default), Mega Pascals [Pa] [N ∕ mm2], PSI [lbf ∕ in2].

Mass:

 

kg (default), gms (grams), lb, oz
tog_minusNotes...                

Note 1: Cycles ∕ Min does not change the 'animation-speed'. Change the 'animation-speed' with the Animation Speed Slider.

Note 2: To calculate and export cam points for cam manufacture, see Cam-Coordinates dialog-box.

Note 3: We do not display the dimensional units in the graphic-area.

A length dimension that is 100 becomes 3.94 when you change from mm to inches.

An angular dimension that is 100 becomes 1.75 when you change from degrees to radians.

Note 4: Warnings: The model is calculated for each step of the machine-cycle.

•Too many Steps?
•A 'high' value does not make the model more accurate.
•If you want to increment the model with small steps, use the 'spin-box' in the Master Machine Angle DRO.
•We re-calculated each time you enter a new value - use your keyboard to enter the new value one time.
•The value becomes the default value, when you exit.

A 'high' value (the actual 'high' value depends on the complexity of the model) will slow the editing of complex models. Make 'high' (greater than 360) when you want to view, in the graphic-area, more points in a graph, facets along a trace-point, complex cams. In all cases, the model does not become more precise with more steps. To precisely set the model at a particular position, use the MMA.

Tutorials and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 14.2 + © Machine, Mechanism, Motion and Cam Design Software by PSMotion Ltd