Segment :

A motion is divided, or split, into segments. Different segments are needed to satisfy multiple motion-design requirements in a machine-cycle.

Blend-Point :

A Blend-Point is at the start and end of each segment. Blend-Points bind segments together, so that the motion flows from segment to segment.

Each Blend-Point has a motion-value at the end of a Segment and a motion-value at the start of the following segment.

Motion-Law :

You must select a motion-law for each Segment to suit the motion-design requirements, and/or the dynamics of a machine. Each Motion-Law is a mathematical function. The Motion-Law, together with the motion-values at the Blend-Points, control the motion-values between each Blend-Point.

Motion-Derivative :

Velocity, Acceleration, and Jerk are the first, second, and third motion-derivatives of Position. Simply, the gradient of a graph is its motion-derivative. The gradient of Position is Velocity, the gradient of Velocity is Acceleration, the gradient of Acceleration is Jerk.  

Segment Editor :

Use to edit the Segment-Width, select the Motion-Law, edit the motion-values at the Start of the Selected-Segment and at the End of the Selected-Segment.

Blend-Point Editor :

Use to edit the X-axis of the Blend-Point, the Y-axis motion-values at the End of the Previous-Segment and at the Start of the Selected-Segment.

Selected-Segment :

The active segment. It is a different color to the other segments.

Previous-Segment :

The segment immediately preceding (to the left of / earlier than / before) the Selected-Segment.

Next-Segment :

The segment immediately following (to the right of / later than / after) the Selected-Segment.

Each Blend-Point has one(1) X-axis value. It is the machine-angle, or time-instant, on the X-axis when a segment ends and the next segment starts.

The symbol for a Blend-Point is a small diamond. The diamond is actually two triangles.

Blend-Point - two triangles to give a diamond shape. Each triangle represents the end of a segment and the start of a segment.

Active Blend-Point - has a red, or orange, outline, at the start of the red Selected Segment.

The Start of a Segment. This symbol may be Green, Black, Clear, or Grey.

The End of a Segment. This symbol may be Black, Clear, or Grey.

Note: to increase the size of the Blend-Point symbols, see Active-Motion-Settings > Accessibility > Line and Symbol Sizes > Symbol Size.

MotionDesigner :

Toolbars & Motion-toolbar (below graphs)

Motion name-tabs

Machine Speed - see MechDesigner > Machine-Settings dialog

Motion-Evaluator at Pointer.

Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Jerk (P.V.A.J) Motion Graphs

To Float ...

1.Click MechDesigner > Visibility menu > Dock / Float MotionDesigner.

MotionDesigner is now floating.

The first time only:

2.Re-size and re-position MotionDesigner.

If you float MotionDesigner again, it will return to the new size.

To Dock ...

1.Click MechDesigner > Visibility menu > Dock/Float MotionDesigner.

MotionDesigner is now docked to the right of MechDesigner.

Blend-Point & Segment toolbar

Edit toolbar

File toolbar

View toolbar

The Motion-Law Selector is in the Motion toolbar, below the graphs.

Click the drop-down list box, to show the different motion-laws that you can select for each Segment.

You can configure many of the Motion-Laws with parameters that are in the Segment-Editor.

Motion-Width value is below the graph plots.

Motion-Width = total width of all Segment-Widths.

Typically, the Motion-Width is 360. equal to the range of the Master Machine Angle.

To review EVALUATED Motion-Values at a Machine-Angle:

At the bottom of MotionDesigner application :

1.Edit the Machine-Angle to a real value

2.Position, Velocity, Acceleration, and Jerk Values are evaluated to the right

Note: Evaluated Values are exact values at the Machine-Angle

Motion name-tabs

Motion name-tabs

The default motion names are Motion0, Motion1, Motion2, ...

To rename a Motion

1.Select a Motion-Name-tab

2.Right-click the Motion name-tab

3.Click Rename in the shortcut menu

4.Enter a new name in the Rename Motion dialog

5.Click to close the Rename Motion dialog.

To show motion-values at a Blend-Point, or a point on a graph:

1.Move your pointer to a motion graph, or to a Blend-Point

The X and Y motion-values for the graph will show next to your pointer.

Note: You may need to increase the Line-Thickness (of the graphs) and increase Symbol-Size (of the Blend-Points).

Motion Graph Area: where we plot the four motion-derivatives: Position, Velocity, Acceleration, and Jerk.

Motion name-tab: at the top of the graph. In this image there is only one name, which is the default name.

Selected-Segment : is Red.

Y-axis Units : to the left of the graph of each motion-derivative (P V A J)

X-axis Units : below the graphs

Machine-Speed : below the X-axis and graphs

Note:

•Machine-Speed is controlled in the Edit menu > MechDesigner > Machine Settings, not in MotionDesigner

•To edit the line colors, line thicknesses, and icons sizes: Edit toolbar > Active Motion Settings > Accessibility tab