Forces | Configure Power Source

Configure Power Source

Use the 'Configure Power Source' to make sure the 'driving' element is correct: a Joint, 2D-Cam, Gear-Pair, or Spring.

When you use Calculate Forces and Display Force-Vectors, MechDesigner puts a Power Source at the joint that has it motion specified by a Motion-Dimension FB. This is the default case.

However, especially with inverse-kinematics, that the input driving is not at the joint with the Motion-Dimension FB. Then, we must move the Power Source to a Joint, Spring or Cam.

	[Right-side of Graphic-Area]: Forces toolbar > Configure Power Source
Menu:	Add menu > Forces sub-menu > Calculate-Forces FB
Dialog-box:	Configure Power Source dialog-box
What to do:	To open the Configure Power Source dialog-box 1. Click a kinematically-defined Chain [with the Symbol] in the Kinematics-Tree 2. Click Force toolbar > Configure Power Source
		1. Click a kinematically-defined Chain in the Kinematics-Tree. The orange square must show around the icon to the left of the Kinematic-Chain 2. Right-click the kinematic-chain or icon with the orange square 3. Click Configure Power Source in the drop-down menu [only one item in menu!]
Why use:	We use the Configure Power Source dialog-box to move the Power Source to a: • Different joint in the kinematic-chain - Pin-Joint or Slide-Joint - or - • 2D-Cam - or - • Spring
Result:	MechDesigner opens the Configure Power Source dialog-box.
See Also:	Tutorial 13: Use Forces