Objective of this Step

1.Use the Add Mechanism command to add a new Mechanism-Editor. [We must always at least one Mechanism-Editor.
2.Review the Command-Manager
3.Learn how to clear  [to 'clear' is to remove the elements, so that you can select different elements] elements from the selection-box[s] in the Command-Manager
4.Rename the new Mechanism-Editor element.

One sentence summary:

We build kinematic-chains* with the tools in the Mechanism-Editor. Thus, we must add a Mechanism-Editor. We add the Mechanism-Editor to a Plane.

See Editors for a summary of the three different editors.

* 'Mechanism' and 'linkage' are other names for 'kinematic-chain'.

Video

 

Tutorial 1: STEP 1.1

Add Mechanism to a Plane

 

Step by Step:

Add a New Mechanism-Editor

We must select a Plane for the new Mechanism-Editor. To see all three of the standard Planes in the graphic-area, we must spin the model.

GA-NewModel

To spin the model:

1.Use the left, right, up & down arrow-keys on your keyboard - recommended

Note: You mouse-pointer MUST be in the graphic-area to use the arrow-keys:

LeftArrowb-sm-lessthan , LeftArrowb-sm-morethan , UArrowb-sm , Down-arrowb-sm

- or -

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

- or -

1.SHIFT+Pan with your mouse-pointer.

In the image above, you can see the:

1s-red XYZ [Red, Green and Blue] arrows

2s Three fixed Planes

3s Model name-tab, at the top of the graphic-area

4s Model Contextual Toolbar, to the left of the graphic-area

Model Toolbar
STEP 1: Click Model toolbar > Add Mechanism1s-red
- or -
Click Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Model sub-menu > Add Mechanism

The Model toolbar is vertical and to the left-side of the graphic area.

CM-AddMechanism-0

The Command-Manager starts a new dialog.

The Command-Manager has three areas:

1s-red A hint or an instruction

2s One, or more, selection-boxes that are orange before you select an element.

A short hint above each selection-box, a small element icon to its left-side and a red cross to its right-side

3s The 'OK', Cancel, or 'Clear' buttons.

The Command-Manager instruction is:

To add new Mechanism-Editor - Select a Plane.

CM-AddMechanism-Plane

There is one selection-box 2s[image above]. The short hint is 'Select a Plane'.

STEP 2: Click a Plane in the graphic-area
- or -
Click a Plane in the Assembly-Tree 1s-red

When a Plane shows in the selection-box2s.

•the cross, to the right-side of the selection-box, changes to a tick

When the correct Plane is in the selection-box:

STEP 3: Click 'OK' in the Command-Manager
- or -
Right-click the graphic-area.

You 'jump' to the new Mechanism-Editor.

The 'Add Mechanism' command is now complete.

TOP-TIP: before you click 'OK' you can make a different selection.

To make a different selection, you MUST clear : 'to remove' the active selection.

To clear the element[s] from the selection-box[s]:

1.Click in a selection-box [2s in image 2 above]

- or -

1.Click the 'Clear' 'cross' icon

You can select a different element.
The new Mechanism-Editor

The new Mechanism-Editor

Notes:

The active editor is the new Mechanism-Editor

1s-red The rectangle is the Base-Part Part-Outline. It is the symbol for the frame that is fixed in the new Mechanism-Editor.

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

Before you add a Part, the icon in the Mechanism name-tab is 'sketch-elements'.

After you add a Part, the icon becomes a 'Mechanism'

3s The Kinematic elements and Machine elements toolbars are collapsed and to the left-side of the graphic-area.

The Kinematic-FB toolbar is collapsed and to the right-side of the graphic-area.

4s The graphic-area is coplanar with the Mechanism-Plane

5s The Origin of the Base-Part is also the Origin of the Mechanism-Editor and Mechanism-Plane.

6s The Cursor (also called 'mouse', or 'pointer') changes to a 'Mechanism'.

Rename your new Mechanism

It is possible to rename all elements.

SW-Rename-Mech

To rename the Mechanism element:

STEP 1: Right-click the Mechanism element in the Assembly-Tree, or Selection-Window after you click it in the Assembly-Tree.

The contextual-menu opens - see image

STEP 2: Click 'Rename element'

Dialog-Rename-MyNewMechanism

The Rename Element dialog-box opens.

It shows the Old name as 'Mechanism'. The Old name is 'read only'.

The New Name is: '-1', or it is the New Name you have entered before.

STEP 3: Type a name in the New name box

For example, 'My New Mechanism'.

STEP 4: Click the OK [green tick] button.

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