Per-Arne Almeflo Posted December 17, 2002 Share Posted December 17, 2002 What are the possibilities and limitations for modeling linkages in IronCad? I need to make hooks and board turning arms and such, powered by hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. Can it be done iterative with IronCad parts? Is anyone doing similar things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmccall Posted December 27, 2002 Share Posted December 27, 2002 So far I haven't run into any limitations per-say, but just depending on how complex the motion is it may take some time to get them all in , meaning how many individual animation commands will be needed for each section ( or degree or angle ) of motion. I modeled a crank and rod assembly pretty easily, just took time since I had to think and calculate what the path of the crank end of the rod would take. (big end making a circle while rotating and moving linear...etc.) Now I am modeling the path for a rotary engine... thats entirely different! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Per-Arne Almeflo Posted December 27, 2002 Author Share Posted December 27, 2002 I'm not talking about animation here, but how to get an arm to move a pushrod which moves another arm in real time. When I change one smart dimension all the linkage should move according to the constraints. This is to design the right ratio so I get the movement I want. I don't want to make calculations on a paper. In 2D I could draw it graphically with off setted circles and lines, and now I want to do it with solids in the 3D world. Has not anyone explored the limits around this in Ironcad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IronKevin Posted December 28, 2002 Share Posted December 28, 2002 You can create some simple linkages with the Mate/Align Constraint Tool and "Locked" SmartDimensions. However, there are limitations to 2-3 levels of constraints between parts. IronKevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Calderazzo Posted December 28, 2002 Share Posted December 28, 2002 The attached file is a simple crank/slider assembly which is animated but will also work by turning the crank with the triball. The scene browser shows the constraints which were used. No calculations were needed. crank.ics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Frank Calderazzo Posted December 29, 2002 Share Posted December 29, 2002 Sorry for the lack of an attachment to my previous post. Will try again with this one. If it doesn't attach, wil someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong? crank.ics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Per-Arne Almeflo Posted January 3, 2003 Author Share Posted January 3, 2003 Thanks for the example file. There seem to be very much of one way streets with these constraints. The crank can move the slider, but the slider cannot move the crank. Also the second hole in the link is not controlled by the slider pin, but by a smart dimension that keeps a constant height over the base guide. Isn't it possible to get the second hole of the link follow the slider pin? Or is this type of feedback info prohibited? It seems necessary to allow feedback info, for a pneumatic cylinder to tilt when the piston rod turns a link, or do you have any workaround tips for this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Urban Olars Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 IronCAD is very limited right now if you want to build linkages with pneumatic cylinders etc. involved. I hope this will be improved in the future however. I the meantime I suggest you export your model to an external simulation software like MSC Visual Nastran Motion or similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Per-Arne Almeflo Posted January 8, 2003 Author Share Posted January 8, 2003 I was hoping IronKevin could tell us improvements are on it's way, as he did so meritoriously once before! Anyway, going to full motion simulation software seems to be massive overkill. I guess such a software would cost more than the full IronCad, and I just want to see how things move between end stops of the cylinder, not simulate forces or strain. Also, IronCad documentation lacks all information about linkages and mechanisms. A tutorial would be appreciated, even more so when the mechanism possibilities are extended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpawlak Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 There's a piston animation tutorial on http://www.iccentral.com under Tips & Tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handersson Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Hi! I tryed with a smart dim. representing a cyl. to check what happens with attachment angle. or Rotate attachment w. Tribal for see what length is needed on a Cyl. See file. Henrik Solidmakarna Set Cyl lenght w smart dim or use Tribal.ics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Per-Arne Almeflo Posted January 13, 2003 Author Share Posted January 13, 2003 Thanks for the tip, this is useful when trying out the stroke length of a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. It is a pity that the constraints are so limited in IronCad so far. On the URL: http://www.d-cubed.co.uk/customers.htm it is presented that most of the 3D CAD companies including IronCad are using the D-CUBED modules for constraint handling. Why is it then that those other CAD software packages have more possibilities and stability with their constraints? And, look at those other modules they offer at D-CUBED, anyone besides me that's interested in such possibilities? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Urban Olars Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Owens Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 IronDudes, What's the deal with IC constraints and simulation? According to the D-CUBED web site, it takes 1 programmer about 2 - 3 months to integrate their constraint system (2D/3D DCM) into an existing CAD system. It seems a natural next step, and a natural extension to the existing animation, to add mechanical simulation to IronCAD. If IronCAD is using the D-CUBED 2D/3D DCM, the existing IC constraint system should be much better than it currently is. Sincerely, Andrew Owens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Ludin Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 quote: Originally posted by Per-Arne Almeflo: Why is it then that those other CAD software packages have more possibilities and stability with their constraints? id=quote>id=quote> Look again at http://www.d-cubed.co.uk/customers.htm. IronCAD is listed as a customer for the 2D module only. That should answer your question. Beat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wim Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 wow, i would like the Profile Geometry Manager and the Assembly Engineering Managerof D-cube implemented in Ironcad! When will this happen Chris? Wim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lohman Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 As with all enhancement requests, we have to weigh the importance and difficulty of each new item that we add against the list of (literally) thousands of other things that we intend to add. There are TONS of things like the other D-Cubed stuff that we plan on adding to our products and they will all eventually make it in. We just have to take them one at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gstuart Posted January 16, 2003 Share Posted January 16, 2003 Anyone interested in linkage creation should check out this http://www.heron-technologies.com/watt/wattspecs.html A very facinating program. Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gstuart Posted January 16, 2003 Share Posted January 16, 2003 I tried the link after I posted and it didn't work. Try this http://www.heron-technologies.com/watt Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Urban Olars Posted January 16, 2003 Share Posted January 16, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Chris Lohman: ......... We just have to take them one at a time. id=quote>id=quote> Hire more developers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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