The Display and User Interface

To arrange MechDesigner:

1.Start MechDesigner.
2.Maximize MechDesigner with the 'maximize icon' at the top and right-side of the application-window.
3.To show more of the workspace, drag the vertical light-grey line, that is to right-side of the workspace, to the right.
4.Click in the MotionDesigner graphs. The blend-points move together, which is normal.

Main-User-Interface-Numbers

The User Interface has six panels

1

Main menu-bar & General Use toolbars

MechDesigner: The menus and toolbars are above and below the main graphic-area. There are contextual toolbars.

See more: Menus and Toolbars

Note: MotionDesigner has its own toolbars, tutorials and reference help topics.

2

Editors: Model-Editor, Mechanism-Editor or Part-Editor

Model-Editor: the editor you see when you start MechDesigner.

Mechanism-Editor: the editor to build kinematic-chains with Parts, Joints and 'Motions'...

Part-Editor: the editor to edit Parts, their length and also add geometry to position joints, and to add shapes for extrusions.

Workspaces - Graphic-Area, Name-tabs, Contextual toolbars

Graphic-area:: the workspace and where you build your model.

Name-tabs: identify the name and editor type

Contextual toolbars: to the left-side and the right-side of the graphic-area.

See more: Main Graphic Workspace

3

Project-Explorer

The Project-Explorer is to the left-side of the graphic-area and Local-Toolbar]

It has three areas :

•Selection-Window (top)
•Command-Manager (middle)
•Element-Explorer with two tabs (bottom)

Use the Selection-Window and Element-Explorer to select and edit elements.

Use the Command-Manager to run commands.

See more: Project-Explorer

4

Feedback Area

The Feedback Area is below the graphic-area.

It has four areas:

•Left-side: Hints [read-only] about the commands as you move your mouse over each icon.
•Middle: Messages [Read-only] - for example a reason you cannot do a command.
•Gold Sliders:  'Animation Speed' and 'Master-Machine-Angle'.
•Four Buttons: (bottom and middle) to change the scale length of Kinematic and Kinetostatic Vectors.

See more: Feedback-Area

5

MotionDesigner:

MotionDesigner is docked to the right-side. You can show and hide MotionDesigner.

•Design motions in MotionDesigner.  Use Function-Blocks in MechDesigner to link motions to Motion-Parts and Motion-Points.

See more: MotionDesigner

6

Memo: NOTE memo is not shown in image above:

Add text to the memo. You can open and edit the memo later. See memo.

See more: Memo

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