Step 1.1: Add a New Mechanism-Editor

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Step 1.1: Add a New Mechanism-Editor

Objective of this Step

1.Before you start, do File menu > Save as... and save the model as Tutorial1

Auto-save does not start until the model has a file-name to save.

2.Do Add Mechanism

Add Mechanism command is to add a new Mechanism-Editor.

We must always add a minimum of one Mechanism-Editor.

When we do Add Mechanism, we will automatically jump to the new Mechanism-Editor.

3.Rename the new Mechanism-Editor.

*Mechanism, linkage, and kinematic-chain are different names for the same concept: at least two Parts that can move relative to each other at Joints.

Video

 

Tutorial 1: STEP 1.1

Add Mechanism to a Plane

 

Spin the View to see the Planes.

To spin the model:

1.Click in the Selection-Window

2.Move your mouse-pointer to the graphic-area

3.Use the LeftArrowb-sm-lessthan , LeftArrowb-sm-morethan , UArrowb-sm , Down-arrowb-sm arrow-keys on your keyboard

- or -  

1.Click View menu (or View toolbar)  > Zoom | Spin

- or -

1.SHIFT+DRAG with your mouse-pointer.

GA-NewModel

In the image you can see:

Red-14-1b Red, Green and Blue arrows, that are in the X-Y-Z-axis directions.

Red-14-2 Three fixed Planes

Red-14-3 Model name-tab

Red-14-4 Model-elements toolbar

Add Mechanism-Editor Command

Model Toolbar

Model-elements toolbar

1.Model-Editor: Click Model-elements toolbar > Add MechanismRed-14-1b

 

The Model-Element toolbar is to the left of the graphic-area.

 

 
Command-Manager for Add Mechanism command

Command-Manager for Add Mechanism command

The Command-Manager shows the:

Red-14-1b The command name with a simple explanation.

Red-14-2 One selection-box, with a hint: Select a Plane - this is what we must do!

Red-14-3 OK-tiny-11-15 OK, Cross-15 Cancel, Clear15x15 Clear buttons

CM-AddMechanism-Plane

2.Model-Editor: Click a Plane in the Graphic-area or the Assembly-Tree

When the Plane is the selection-box in the Command-Manager:

3.Click OK-tiny-11-15 below the selection-box in the Command-Manager.

- or -

3.Right-click the graphic-area

You automatically jump to the new Mechanism-Editor.

Note: Right-Click is a useful short-cut to make modeling faster.

The New Mechanism-Editor

The new Mechanism-Editor

The new Mechanism-Editor

 

The active editor is the new Mechanism-Editor

Red-14-1b The Green rectangle is symbol for the Base-Part. It is the frame that is fixed in the new Mechanism-Editor.

Red-14-2 The Mechanism name-tab is at the top of the graphic-area

Red-14-3 The Kinematic elements toolbar and Machine elements toolbar are collapsed and to the left of the graphic-area.

Red-14-4 The graphic-area is coplanar with the Mechanism-Plane

Red-14-5 The X-axis and Y-axis of the Base-Part is also the origin of the Mechanism-Editor and Mechanism-Plane.

Red-14-6 The cursor changes to a Mechanism cursor.

Optionally: Rename your new Mechanism

SW-Rename-Mech

It is good practice to rename elements.

1.Right-click Mechanism in the Assembly-Tree

A contextual-menu opens - see image

2.Click Rename element in the contextual-menu

The Rename Element dialog-box opens.

The Old Name is Mechanism.

3.Enter a name in the New Name box

4.Click OK-tiny-13-17 button to close the dialog.

5.Save your model: File menu > Save as
Rename dialog-box

Rename dialog-box