Add a Solid to the Tool-Part.
We use the Pattern tool to make copies of Solid elements.
We will add the Solid element to the 'Tool-Part'. The 'Tool-Part' is one of the two Parts in the RPR Dyad. We renamed in Step 15.4 one of the Parts in the RPR dyad to 'Tool-Part'.
There are two methods to add a Solid to a Part. You can do the two methods to each Part.
| • | Use the Part-Editor to add a to give the shape of a Tool, then add a Profile/Extrusion element that becomes the Solid. |
| • | Edit a CAD-Line to import a part or assembly document from SOLIDWORKS®. |
You can also:
| • | Import a DXF File; then convert DXF Lines or Circles to MechDesigner sketch-elements and sketch-loop; and a Profile/Extrusion to the sketch-loop. |
| • | Edit a CAD-Line to import an STL file from other CAD. |
Use the two methods to add Solids to a Part
Add a Sketch-Loop, Profile and Extrusion, and Holes
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We will add a sketch-loop to Part in the RPR dyad that we joined to the Slider-Set 1.
The sketch-loop will become the 'Tool'. In this case, the tool is a 'tool-holder'.
The distance between the two Pin-Joints in the Dyad, identified by dimension , changes as the Slider-Sets move around the arcs at each end of the Belt.
The distance changes:
| • | from 100mm when the Part is along the straight of the Belt |
| • | to a minimum of 93.55mm when Part moves along the arc/pulley of the Belt. |
Thus, we must add a short 'slot' to the Part.
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The images shows the sketch for the tool-holder.
There is a short slot - (not easy to see in the sketch).
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Now the shape of the Solid Extrusion is complete:
There is:
| o | the hole for the Pin |
| o | the hole for the Slot  |
| o | the hole for the Tool-holder |
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Here, I have added:
| • | a Profile and Extrusion to give the shape of the tool-holder |
| • | a Hole through the Tool-holder |
You must pass a hole through each extrusion, unlike more sophisticated CAD.
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Import a Solid from CAD
Parts from SolidWorks® can have much more design detail. To do this:
| 1. | Import an Assembly onto one CAD-Line. |
or
| 1. | Use the Part-Editor to add more CAD-Lines to one Part |
| 2. | Import different CAD files on to each CAD-Line. |
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| 1. | Open SOLIDWORKS; and design a chain link |
- or -
| 1. | Open SOLIDWORKS, Open Link100 from the 'Examples' folder in your account. |
| 2. | Save the SOLIDWORKS Part, if necessary |
| 3. | In MechDesigner, edit the CAD-Line of the Part that is in the Dyad, attached with a Pin-Joint to the Y-Slider of Slider-Set 1. |
| 4. | Use the CAD-Line dialog-box > SOLIDWORKS tab, to import the part from SOLIDWORKS. |
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We can also add a Sprocket and a Pin to drive the links along the Path.
| 1. | Add a Rotating Part (Crank) at both ends of the Path, at the centre of the Arcs. |
| 2. | Edit the CAD-Lines in the Rotating Parts, to import the Sprockets from SOLIDWORKS with the CAD-Line dialog-box |
| 3. | Import a Drive-Pin. You can add a new CAD-Line, if necessary. |
The image shows the three Parts on three different CAD-Lines
| • | The Chain-Link and Tool-holder |
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