The Display and User Interface

Start MechDesigner.

MD can take longer than many application to start. It may be downloading Type Libraries, and checking on-line for your software protection status.

When you start MechDesigner, you start a new document automatically.

To arrange MechDesigner:

1.Maximize MechDesigner with the 'maximize icon' at the top and right-side of the application-window.
2.To show more or less of the main graphic-area [workspace]2s, drag the vertical light-grey line, that is at its right-side to the right or left.

Main-User-Interface-Numbers

Note-Pencil-20 This is the 'charcoal' and 'dark' styling.

1

Main menu-bar & General Use toolbars

MechDesigner: The General Use menus are at the top of the the application above the main graphic-area and toolbars. There are also contextual toolbars.

You can also see the MechDesigner release [MD Pro 13.2.180 in the image above].

Note-Pencil-20 4K displays should be set to 2560 x 1440, and Windows Display set to 'Smaller - 100%'.

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

Editor names

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.

Workspace

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-pointer 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 the Motion FB in MechDesigner to link motions from MotionDesigner to Motion-Parts and Motion-Points.

See more: MotionDesigner

6

Memo

Note-Pencil-20 The memo shows each time you start MechDesigner, unless you deselect the 'Automatically Open at Start' check-box.

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

See more: Memo

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