Add Graph FB

Toolbar :

Kinematics FB toolbar

Icon-FB-Graphs

Graph FB

Menu :

Add menu > Add Graph FB
STEP 1: Add a Graph FB to the graphic-area
1.Click Add menu > Add Graph FB

- or -

Click Kinematics FB toolbar > Add Graph FB

2.Click the graphic-area

The Graph FB is now in the graphic-area.

STEP 2: Connect wires
1.Drag wires from the output-connectors of FBs to input-connectors of the Graph FB.

There are five(5) input-connectors on the Graph FB.

From the Top input-connector of the Graph GB

•#1 – 4 : Y-axes of the graph - See Below: Y-axis Options
•#5 : X-axis of the graph - See below X-axis Options

Note: Optional inputs to the X-Axis input-connector (#5 input-connector)

Option 1: No Wire - the X-axis becomes the same as the Master-Machine-Axis

Option 2: Linear-Motion FB or Gearing FB - input motion-values are linear, The Gearing FB can reduce or increase the scale of the X-axis, or offset the start of the X-axis from zero.

Option 3: Motion FB or Measurement FB - input motion-values do not increase at a constant rate.

Note: if there is a fly-back across the graph, click Rebuild Now - this command will often remove the fly-back.
STEP 3: Open the Graph FB
1.Click the Graph FB in the graphic-area

The Graph FB is in the Selection-Window

2.Right-click the Graph FB in the Selection-Window

In the contextual-menu:

3.Click Edit element

or, see How to open a Dialog-Box

See: Graph FB to review the Graph Interface.

See Graph Display Option to review the kinematic, kinetostatic and Cam-Data that you can plot with a Graph FB.

See also:

Function-Block menu

Application Settings | Number Format | Data Format

tog_minusGraph FB Interface

Dialog-GraphFB-A

 

The Graph FB:

1r Y–axis : Scales:

•Maximum = 4, scales correspond to wires at input, Y1 to Y4
•The colour of the Y–axis and the plot-line are the same.

2r Y–axis : Data-Channel Selector

•Each wire that is connected to an input-connector has up to 3 Data-Channels
•Select the Data-Channel in the drop-down box - see Y–axis Data-Channel Options

3r Digital Readout (DRO):

•The X–axis and the Y1 – Y4-axis values at the vertical cursor Red-14-6.
•The Number-Format for the X–axis, Y–axis, and Data in ClipboardRed-14-7 is configured in Application Settings | Number Format tab.

4r The Graph Area:

•The colour-coded graphs for each Y–axis input
•Vertical-CursorRed-14-6

The Vertical-Cursor AND the Master Machine Angle 'jump' to where you click in the graph area, and also to where you drag your mouse pointer.

5r Toolbar:

•Save, Print, Graph Settings, Zoom Extents, Pan Left, Pan Right, 'Copy Graph Data to Clipboard' – see Red-14-7 below

Also, note these tools:

6r Vertical-Cursor

When you click in the Graph areaRed-14-4, a Vertical Cursor will snap to your mouse pointer

When you drag your pointer in the graphic-area:

•the Vertical Cursor will move with your pointer along the X-axis
•the Digital ReadoutsRed-14-3 will continuously update to indicate the Y-axis values at the X-axis
•the Master Machine Angle will update to the value of the X-axis at the position of the Vertical Cursor
•the kinematically-defined Chains will move to value of the Master Machine Angle

7r Copy Graph Data to Clipboard

•When you click the right-most tool/icon in the toolbar, above the GraphsRed-14-5, all of the graph data is copied to the Clipboard Red-14-7.

Notes:

•Configure the Number-Format for the X–axis, Y–axis, and 'Data in Clipboard' in Application Settings | Number Format tab.
•Paste this data to Excel, or to MotionDesigner Data Transfer table. You can plot it as an overlay or use it as a Motion (use Z Raw-Data).

tog_minus2r Y-Axis Data-Channel Options:

Each wire you connect to the Graph FB has three Data-Channels.

Use the Y-axis Selector to select which data-channel to plot.

The data-channels that are available with each wire are a function of the FB from which you connector the wire to the Graph FB input-connector.

If the wire you connect to the Y–axis input-connector is from a:

•Function-Block (Linear-Motion, Gearing, Motion, Motion-Dimension):
oLinear position, velocity, acceleration of the Measurement Dimension or Point.
oAngular position, velocity, acceleration of the Measurement Dimension.
oLinear position, velocity, acceleration of the Measurement or Point
oAngular position, velocity, acceleration of the Measurement
oPressure-Angle.
You can plot three Pressure Angles – See Pressure Angle
oCam Radius-of-Curvature.
You can plot Radii-of-Curvature for Cam 1 and Cam 2.
oContact Cam-Force
oMaximum Contact-Shear-Stress.
You must know the material-properties to obtain this data. See 2D-Cam dialog-box.

If the Force-Data FB references a:

oPin-Joint with a motor, and gearbox  you can plot Motor Drive Torque.
oSlide-Joint with a motor, you can plot Motor Drive Linear Force
oJoint
▪Total Force ( FT = √(FX2 + FY2), or
▪Force in the X-axis direction : FX
▪Force in the Y-axis direction: FY
o2D-Cam: you can plot the Cam Contact Force
oSpring FB: you can plot the Total Force, the X Force and the Y Force acting on the Point.

Note:

To show all three Data-Channels from one output-connector a Function-Block, then drag a wire from the same output-connector to different input-connectors on the Graph FB.

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