Dynamic Assemblies

Dynamic assemblies are one of the most useful and interesting features for Solidworks. Once all of the components are created, you can put the pieces together in an assembly and set constraints such that you can see the moving parts interact with each other. Today we are making this moving gear system.

Getting Started
Download the Gear Motion zipped file from courselink. Extract all of the files and save them to your H: drive

Assembling the Structure

You should have three pieces inside the Gear Motion Folder: Base Basic Gear Gear with Handle

Open Solidworks 2012 and create a new assembly. Selecting the first component to insert into the assembly is important because it determines what every other object is relative to. It is best to choose a static part that does not move in the overall design. Insert initial pieces Insert the Base: Insert Components -> Browse -> Base.prt Click to place the part on the screen..

Next add Basic Gear:

Insert Components -> Browse -> Basic Gear.prt

The part will most likely be placed on the screen perpendicular to the pivot columns. 1) Rotate the part Hold down the right button on your mouse and rotate the gear such that the secondary teeth are facing upwards. 2) Mate - > Concentric Start by mating the Basic Gear to the Base by choosing Mate->Concentric and then select a circle from the gear and the face of the resting pin. Click the checkmark. Your pieces should now be aligned along the central axis of the cylinder.

3) Mate->Coincident Mate the bottom face of the gear to the surface of the Base. Insert the next gear: Insert Components -> Browse -> Basic Gear.prt

Repeat steps 1 to 3 to place the Basic gear over the next pin. Mechanical Mate: Gear Now that you have two gears that appear to be in the correct position you can make them interact with each other

Zoom in really close so that you can see the inside cylindrical wall of the gears. Select the inside wall faces for your gear to mate with each other like so:

The gears are now successfully mechanically mated. If you spin one of the gears now the other should spin! Insert the next gear: Insert Components -> Browse -> Gear with Handle.prt Repeat steps 1 to 3 to put the gear in place. Repeat the same mechanical gear mate process:

Insert Perpendicular Gear: Insert Components -> Browse -> Basic Gear.prt Repeat Steps 1:3 as usual to place the gear against the side wall: Mating a Perpendicular Gear This process is exactly the same as mating normal gears. Select the inside cylindrical faces to achieve this

Check out your work:

Spinning the handled gear should move all 4 gears!

Animations
Animations are essentially a video file of the moving parts.

Exploded View
Click Exploded View at the top toolbar options: Assembly->Exploded View Click on the Basic Gear on the side of the Base and use the 3 point coordinate system to drag the gear outwards. Note the distance measurement changing on the left hand side. You can either drag out the piece to the location you want, or type in the distance. Click the checkmark.

Drag out the other pieces.

Exploded Line Sketch

This allows a user to visualize where the pieces came from more easily.

Click Assembly->Explode Line Sketch Click on the pin then on the hole in the gear that belongs there.

Make the connections for the rest of the gears. Click Exploded Line Sketch again once you have made all of the connections.

New Motion Study

To make an actual animation start by making a motion study. Click Assembly->New Motion Study Insert the Collapse Animation: Click Animation Wizard (the camcorder icon) - > Collapse - > Next Select your durations and the time you want the collapse to start

If you press play on the bottom left you can watch your masterpiece collapse. Note that it collapses in the reverse order you moved the pieces. Add a rotational view: Click Animation Wizard (the camcorder icon) - > Rotate Model - > Next Choose your axis, number of rotations and direction

Click Next and then choose the duration. Press play to watch what you have done!

Add in some motion graphics

Create a second motion study: Assembly->New Motion Study Click the Gear at the bottom to add an imaginary motor to the handle gear. Click Gear icon and then choose your Handled Gear. Choose an RPM and how you want the motor to work. (I choose Constant Speed) After you click the check mark a default 5 second clip is created. Save the motion study

Click the drop down menu that says Animation and change it to Basic Motion On the left hand side near the bottom click on the Calculate button (it looks like a calendar with a gear in the top right) This saves an analysis with your gear.

Go back to your original Motion Study Click the Animation button (camcorder button) Click Import motion from Basic Motion Select the Motion Study you just created Choose your durations and apply.

Save your work! At the bottom menu select Save Animation and save your production as a video file.