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Step 4.2: 'Auto-Profiles' & 'Auto-Layer' commands

Contents

Auto-Profiles / Auto-Profile and the Auto-Layer Commands

These commands add a Profile to each Part, for your convenience.

There is a small difference between the Auto-Profile and Auto-Profiles commands:

•	Auto-Profile: adds a sketch-loop and Auto-Profile element to one Part

•	Auto-Profiles: add a sketch-loop and Auto-Profile element to all Parts and to each Joint in a Mechanism name-tab.

They are 'toggle-commands'. If you use the same command again, the Auto-Profiles elements are removed.

It is 'best practice' to use these command when the Parts are kinematically-defined Parts [Part-Outlines are Green].

Add Solids menu [or toolbar] > Add Auto-Profile

Add Solids menu [or toolbar] > Add Auto-Profiles

Auto Solids menu [or toolbar] > Auto Layer [for use with Auto Profiles]

Use the Auto-Profiles and Auto-Layer commands

QST4-2-1

STEP 1:

Complete the Tutorial 2

The model opens in the Mechanism-Editor.

The Part-Outlines are green. This means the kinematic-chain is a kinematically-defined chain.

STEP 2:

Click Solids toolbar > Auto-Profiles
- or -
Click Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Solids sub-menu > Add Auto-Profiles

CM-AutoProfiles-Mechanism

The Command-Manager instruction is:

Automatically add Profile/Extrusions to all Parts

The Auto-Profiles is a toggle command. This means you can 'switch-off' the auto-profiles if you click Auto-Profile again.

STEP 3:

Click

in the Command-Manager

Example 'Bearing Diameters'

You can see the new Profiles (PINK) in the Mechanism-Editor.

The default radii of the 'bearings' are set in the Application-Settings dialog-box.

See Edit menu > Application-Settings > Auto-Profiles tab

STEP 4:

Click the Model name-tab

Spin your model to see the Extrusions.

QST4-2-4

STEP 5:

View toolbar > Spin tool,

- or -
View menu > Zoom sub-menu > Click Spin
- or -
SHIFT+DRAG
- or -
Use you arrow keys on your keyboard [up-down, left-right]

You can see that the 'back' of each Extrusion is coplanar with the Mechanism-Plane.

STEP 6:

Click Solids Toolbar > Auto-Layer
- or -
Click Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Solids sub-menu > Auto-Layer

The Auto-Profiles elements move along the Z-axis of the Mechanism-Plane so that the Extrusions elements become layered.

Each Extrusion element moves a different difference from the Mechanism-Plane.

Alternatively, you can edit each Extrusion with the Extrusion dialog-box to edit the Extrusion-Offset or Part-Offset, or the two.

QST4-3-5

In summary: the Auto-Profiles command:

•	Adds sketch-loops to Parts and Joints.

•	The default diameters of the sketch-loops at the Joints are given the Application-Settings > Auto-profiles tab for 'Grounded Bearings' and 'Standard Bearings'

•	Adds Profiles and Extrusions to the sketch-loops.

•	The Primary Contour of each Auto-Profile is on the Mechanism-Plane.

The Auto-Layer command:

•	You can use Auto-Layer command to move each Auto-Profile a different distance from the Mechanism-Plane.

Video of the Auto-Profile command

'Expand' then 'Play'

How to...

Add Auto-Profiles to the complete Mechanism

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