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Mechanism | Add Mechanism [Editor]

Contents

What is a Mechanism?

A Mechanism, in this context, is a Mechanism-Editor.

In the Mechanism-Editors you will add the elements to build kinematic-chains, cams, gears, belts and more...

Add Mechanism-Editor

[left of Graphic-Area]: Model elements toolbar > Add Mechanism

Menu:

Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Model sub-menu > Add Mechanism

Model Toolbar
[Click icons or labels to see more...]

STEP 1: Click Add Mechanism

Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Model sub-menu > Add Mechanism

Model elements toolbar > Add Mechanism

Command-Manager - no elements

Command-Manager

The instruction is:

Add new Mechanism-Editor : Select a Plane

There is one selection-box.

Command-Manager - with Plane element

STEP 2: Click a Plane

Click the Plane in the graphic-area or the Assembly-Tree.

The Plane must be a child to the active Mechanism-Editor.

The Plane shows in the Command-Manager's selection box.

STEP 3: Click in Command-Manager

When you click , you 'jump' to the new Mechanism-Editor.

Mechanism Editor - Identify

The New Mechanism-Editor - in the Graphic-Area

The terminology we use in Mechanism-Editors is:

•	Mechanism-Plane or the Graphic-Area

•	Mechanism name-tab [ Note: the icon is a 'sketch-element' before you add a Part ].

•	Mechanism toolbars

The elements in the new Mechanism-Editor are:

•	Base-Part, with a rectangular Part-Outline. Its Origin is also the origin of the Mechanism Plane.

•	The X–axis is horizontal, positive direction is to the right, and the +Y–axes is vertical, upwards.

AT-AddMechanism

The New Mechanism-Editor - in the Assembly-Tree

The Assembly-Tree:

•	Plane4 is a child to the Front Plane

•	Mechanism2 is a child to Plane4

•	BasePart2 is a child to Mechnaism2

Video

Tutorial 1: STEP 1.1

Add Mechanism to a Plane

Notes:

•	To move a mechanism to a different Plane, you must save and then open the model as an LXL file-type. - see Here.

•	It is good-practice to save the model before you delete a Mechanism-Editor.

Inversions

If you want to view the model from the perspective of a Part – that is, an inversion – add a Plane to a Line in the Part, and then select the Plane to add a new Mechanism-Editor.

When you click the new Mechanism-Editor name tab, all other Parts move relative to it. Hence, it is an 'inversion' with respect to others Mechanism-Editors.

More Details...

You add Mechanism-Editors to Planes.

You can only select a Plane that is a child to the Model or the active Mechanism-Editor.

GA-PlaneonLine

To add a Mechanism:

STEP 1:

If necessary, spin the graphic-area to view the Plane.

Use View menu > Zoom > Spin

- or -

Use your Keyboard Arrow Keys

Note: You can do Add Mechanism in the Model and in a Mechanism-Editor.

Command-Manager - no elements

STEP 2:

Click Add Mechanism in the Model-Toolbar

The instruction in the Command-Manager is:

Add new Mechanism-Editor : Select a Plane

GA-PlaneonLineClick

STEP 3:

Click the Plane in the graphic-area

AT-PlaneonLineClick

- or -
Click a Plane In the Assembly-Tree

Command-Manager - with Plane element

The Plane you click should show in the selection box in the Command-Manager.

To select a different Plane

1.	Click in the selection-box to clear the selection.

STEP 4:

Click 'OK' in the Command-Manager

GA-MechanismTab

What will you See?

1.	The active view becomes the new Mechanism-Editor.

2.	A new Mechanism name-tab [R11.2 - a sketch icon before you add a Part].

3.	The Base-Part.

AT-NewMechanism-BasePArt

Assembly-Tree

The Assembly-Tree:

•	Plane5 is a child to the 'Base-Part' in 'Mechanism'

•	'Mechanism3' is a child to 'Plane5'

•	'BasePart3' is a child to 'Mechnaism3'

If 'Plane5' is a child to a moving Part, and the Part moves, then 'Mechanism3' and 'BasePart3' also move.

'Plane5' may move when:

•	you edit it with the Add Plane dialog-box

•	it is also a child to a Part that moves.

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