Why edit a Part?

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > FAQs and 'How do I...?' > Part Editor: FAQs and How to...? >

Why edit a Part?

Why Edit a Part?

There are a number of reasons why you may want to edit a Part.

tog_minus        Edit the Length of Parts

MD-PE-LengthDimension

When you add a Part, you drag in the Mechanism-Editor. You must edit the Part to give the exact length to the Part.

See also: Edit the Length of a Part, Edit Dimension

tog_minus        Add Points and Lines for Pin-Joints, Slide-Joints and Ball-Joints

MD-PE-LinePoint

In a Part, you can use the CAD-Line for a Slide-Joint and its start-Point and end-Points for Pin-Joints

You can also add new Lines, CAD-Lines, and Points for joints in other places in a Part.

You MUST add Lines and Points to the Base-Part.

tog_minus        Add Points to Display Trace Points

MD-PE-Point4Trace

You can add a Point to a Part and then view the trace that the Point has on the Mechanism Plane during a machine-cycle.

There are some rules: see Add Trace-Point.

tog_minus        Add Sketch-Loops for Solid Extrusions

MD-EG-Sketch-Loop

You must sketch a sketch-loop before you can add a Profile / Extrusion. .

Use the Part-Editor to add the sketch-elements for the sketch-loop.

tog_minus        Add a Sketch-Loop for a Cam-Follower Profile

MD-PE-CamFollower

Each Cam needs a Cam-Follower. A Cam-Follower must be sketched in the Part as a sketch-loop.

You must also sketch the shape of the 'Cam-Blank' with the 3D-Cams.

tog_minus        Add Points to display or plot exact Kinematic Data

MD-Point-Velocity-Acceleration Vecotors-Small

For any Point that you add to a Part, you can:

•Show the instantaneous kinematic vectors (Velocity and Acceleration) of a Point with the Point Properties dialog-box

•Plot motion-values of Position, Velocity and Acceleration throughout the machine-cycle with the Point-Data FB or Measurement FB wired to a Graph FB

tog_minus        Add a CAD-Line

There is a CAD-Line between the start-Point and end-Point of every Part you add  to the model.

You can add one or more new CAD-Lines to any Parts. You use the CAD-Line to import DXF drawings, SolidWorks parts or STL files onto them.

CAD-Lines can be on top of each other, or at different positions in the Part

tog_minus        Use the Constraint Based Editing Tools for Mechanism Synthesis

See Mechanism-Synthesis.

•Three, Four and Five Position Synthesis

•Coupler Curve and Coupler Point Synthesis

•Function Generation

tog_minus        Add a Point or Line for a Measurement FB

MD-EG-MeasurementFB

Add a Measurement FB between two sketch-elements. See Add Measurement FB

The output from a Measurement FB is the dimension, velocity, and acceleration between the two sketch-elements.

The output from a Point-Data FB is position, velocity and acceleration of a Point.

You can use the output of a Measurement FB or Point-Data FB as the independent variable (X-axis) of a different FB.

tog_minus        Add a Point or Line for a Force Spring FB

MD-EG-SpringFB

Add a Point or Line added to anchor a Spring FB.

tog_minus        Add a Sketch-Path or Loop for a Motion-Path.

MD-EG-Motion-PathFB

A Motion-Path FB needs an open or closed sketch-element, sketch-path, or sketch-loop.

You must add a Motion-Path FB to add a Pulley - the sketch-loop is the path of the Belt.