Objective of this Step

1.Before you start, do File menu > Save as...

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

2.Use the Model toolbar > Add Mechanism* command to add a new Mechanism-Editor.

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

3.Use the Command-Manager to complete the command.

When we complete Add Mechanism, we automatically jump to the new Mechanism-Editor

4.Rename the new Mechanism-Editor element.

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

However, in this context, a Add Mechanism is always to add a new Mechanism-Editor.

See Editors for a summary of the three different editors.

One sentence summary:

We add a new Mechanism-editor to a Plane.

Video

 

Tutorial 1: STEP 1.1

Add Mechanism to a Plane

 

Step by Step:

Spin the View to see the three Planes in the Model-Editor.

We add a Mechanism-Editor to a Plane.

To see the three default Planes in the graphic-area, we can spin the model.

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 the:

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 a New Mechanism-Editor

Model Toolbar
STEP 1: Add a new Mechanism-Editor
1.Model-Editor: Click Model-elements toolbar > Add MechanismRed-14-1b

CM-AddMechanism-0

The Command-Manager shows the:

Red-14-1b The actual 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 correct Plane is the Selection-Box:

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 modelling 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 rectangle is the Base-Part. It is the symbol for 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

Tutorials and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 14.2 + © Machine, Cam, Mechanism, and Motion Design Software by PSMotion Ltd