The Element-Properties dialog-box lists kinematic values of an element.

Elements that have Element Properties are:

•Part, Pin-Joint, Slide-Joint, 2D-Cam, Part-Outline, Line, Circle, Arc, Point, Gear-Pair, Function-Blocks, Wire...

To show the Elements Properties dialog-box:

In the graphic-area:

1.Hover (move your mouse-pointer above) any element so that it becomes red...

2.CTRL + CLICK

The Element-Properties dialog-box is now open.

The two steps are also described as Hover+CTRL+Click key combination.

Note:

The Element Properties dialog-box does not open:

•If you Hover+CTRL+Click more than one element. You must try again.

Element-Properties of a Point.

In this case, the Element Properties are of Point23', which is a child to Part3 (Element's Part), which is a child to Mechanism (Element's Mechanism).

Properties of a Point:

•'Part Pos': the Point's vector position within the coordinate-system of the Part.

•'Mech Pos': the Point's vector position within the coordinate-system of the Mechanism-Editor.

•'Glob Position': the Point's vector position within the coordinate-system of the Model-Editor.

•'Velocity', 'Acceleration':

oi , j : the magnitude of the vector's Velocity and Acceleration , in the X and Y directions, respectively.

o|n| : the total magnitude of the vector's Velocity and Acceleration

oΘ :  the direction of the vector's Velocity and Acceleration . ('0' is the X-axis direction of the Mechanism-Plane)

'V' indicates they are 'vector' values.

A Trace-Point shows the path of a Point on the Mechanism-Plane for one machine-cycle.

You can show any number of Trace-Points at one time.

Other terms for Trace-Point are: locus, curve, and coupler curve.  

To show a Trace-Point:

1.Click Kinematic-elements toolbar > Add Trace-Point  

2.Click a Point in the graphic-area

3.Click in the Command-Manager

Do 1-3 again to show more Trace-Points, as required.

How to Drag a Point to continually update the Trace-Point.

In the Part-Editor

1.Do Geometry toolbar > Add Point sketch-element

Do not add to the Point any constraints or dimensions.

In the Mechanism-Editor

1.Do Kinematic-elements toolbar > Add Trace-Point

Drag the Point (slowly) in the Mechanism-Editor.

Video : Add Trace-Point

Tutorial 2.B Add Trace-Point

Show Velocity and Acceleration Vectors for a Point

In the graphic-area:

1.Double-click a Point of a Green Part

Use Filters toolbar> Points if this is difficult!

The Point dialog-box opens. (or the Select-Elements dialog  - select one Point from the Selection-Elements dialog if you click more than one Point)

2.Click Show or Hide Vectors

3.Click the Show Velocity Vector

4.Click Show Acceleration Vector

5.Click to close the dialog-box.

Do 1-5 again to show or hide Kinematic Vectors of different Points

Note 1:

If necessary, change the color of the graphic-area, or the vectors, to see more clearly the vectors and the kinematic-values - see Application Settings > Graphics tab > Display colors

About the Velocity and Acceleration Vectors in the graphic-area

•The vectors show only when the Point moves relative to the Mechanism-Plane

•The length of the vectors are proportional to the Point's instantaneous Velocity and Acceleration.

•The magnitude of the vectors shows at the arrowhead of each vector

•The color (default) of the vectors are Velocity, Acceleration

•The vectors update their values and length each Machine-Step

Scope Option

The vectors are relative to the:

•Local xyz axes - Mechanism Axes (default)

•Global XYZ axes - mODEL-aXES

Velocity Vector Options

The Velocity vectors are the:

•Magnitude of the Velocity (default)

•X component of the velocity

•Y component of the velocity

To scale the vectors:

You can stretch or shrink the length of the vectors. Click the Velocity and the Acceleration (Accel.) buttons in the Feedback-Area.

1.Click the up button to increase the length of the vectors

- or -

1.Click the down button to decrease the length of the vectors

Top-Tip - make the vectors very short to see only the magnitude of the vectors near to the Point.

DO NOT USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

To show the Dimensional Instant Radar Scale:

In the graphic-area:  

ALT+Click

The Instant-Scale shows next to your mouse-pointer.

As you zoom-in or zoom-out the scale also auto-scales.

There are 10 concentric circles.

There are two thick circles, which show the actual dimension value at their radii.

•Inner Dark Circle (50.000 in the image) is circle #5

•Outer Dark Circle (100.000 in the image) is circle #10

Linearly interpolate the dimensions for the other circles.

Note: If the numbers have too may zeros, the inner number overwrites the outer number.

You should reduce the number of digits. To reduce the number of zeros: Application-Settings > Number-Format.

MechDesigner compiles Parts and Joints into Dyads. You

Dyads always have two(2) Parts and three (3) Joints.

You may find that the two Parts assemble when you add the Joints.

But, when you cycle your model, you may find that Parts cannot assemble at all points in the machine-cycle.

The Kinematic-Tree indicates to you whether the Dyads can assemble or not.

The Kinematics-Tree uses symbols to indicate three KINEMATIC STATES.

KINEMATIC-STATE 1

•   - There is a kinematic solution for the Kinematic-Chain at all points in the machine-cycle.

KINEMATIC-STATE 2

•   - There is not a kinematic solution at all points in the machine-cycle.

KINEMATIC-STATE 3

•  -  There is not a kinematic solution at this instant in the machine-cycle.