COSMOSMotion Advanced Training

COSMOSMotion 2007

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

About this course

Prerequisites
Course Design Philosophy
Using this book
A note about files
Conventions used in this book
Class Introductions

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 1
CAM Synthesis

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 1: Topics
Use spline function data to control the displacement of a
follower joint
Create a trace path of a point to get the CAM profile
Modify the SolidWorks part with this CAM Profile

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 1: Spline Data

Spline fitting functions
Akima spline (AKISPL)
Fast
More data points for accuracy

Cubic spline (CUBSPL).

Data points need not be evenly spaced

Spline data files

* .TXT or *.CSV file format.

Minimum of 4 data points
File should contain one data point per line.
The data point consists of two values, the
time and the value at that time.
Commas or spaces can be used as
separators between the values.

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 1: Results Trace Path

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 2
Suspension Steering System

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 2: Topics
Learn about Flexible connectors or Bushings
Create Advanced Plots

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 2: Mechanism Summary

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

Lesson 2: Results
Toe angle vs. Spindle_Height
Straight

Right Turn

Left Turn

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Lesson 2: Bushings
Bushings
Defines a force acting in all three directions. You can also
define a torsional force for the bushing,
Allows constraints, such as rigid joints to be replaced by a
force-based object.
Isotropic bushings
Use this option if you have uniform translational or torsional
properties.

Orthotropic bushings
Specify different properties in different directions. For example,
a bushing mount for a suspension arm will have different
properties in the z-axis, than in the x-axis and y-axis.

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Lesson 2: Results with Bushings

Toe angle vs. Spindle_Height
Straight

Right Turn

Left Turn

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

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Lesson 3
Conveyor Belt

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 3 Topics
Automatically map advanced SolidWorks CAM
mates
Create Action-Reaction forces.
Understand the concept of markers.
Create functions based on markers.

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Lesson 3: Markers (Local Coordinate Systems)

What Are Markers?
Markers are coordinate frames to define the attachment
location and orientation for a motion entity on a part.

Used in the definition of constraints and forces.

Results are typically computed at markers
Can be used to measure specific a result during
solve for function expressions (e.g relative velocity,
displacement, force)

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Lesson 3: Markers (Local Coordinate Systems)

A Joint has a marker on each
part it connects. The marker on
the first part is considered the I
marker, and the second is the J
marker.
The joint defines the position of
the I marker relative to the J
marker.
e.g. An axis is aligned, the origins
for the 2 markers are coincident

In COSMOS Motion, I and J

Markers are initially aligned and
at the same location for joints (ie
the model starts assembled)

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Lesson 3: Markers (Local Coordinate Systems)

Markers are not typically
needed by the standard user.
Only required when:
Creating advanced function
expressions where the user
needs to measure information
about the mechanism (result
dependant functions).

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Lesson 3: Results
Force Expression: 10*(10-VM (337,338))
Translational Velocity of
Conveyor Belt

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Lesson 4
Surgical Shear

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 4 Topics
Simulate and control the cutting force of the surgical
shear blade using expressions and markers.

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Lesson 4: Results
Cutting Force Expression
IF(VX(89,90,90):IF(DX(89,90,90):0.,0.,IF(0.393DX(89,90,90):0.,0.,-1*(DX(89,90,90)-0.393))),0.,0.).

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Lesson 5
Redundancies

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 5 Topics
Learn about Redundancies and how they affect the
simulation results
Use Flexible joints to automatically remove redundancies in a
mechanism

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Lesson 5: What are redundancies?

Redundancies are important as they effect the force
distribution in the mechanism.
Occur when there are more unknowns than there are
equations to solve.E.g. Simply Supported beam
Equations:

Sum of Forces in y-direction

Sum of Forces in x-direction
Sum of Moments about z-direction

y
x
y
x

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

3 Unknowns:
FyA
FxA
FyB,
4 Unknowns:
FyA
FxA
FyC
FyB,

3 Equations

No Redundancies

1 Redundancies
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Lesson 5: Solver and Redundancies

When you have a redundant constraint, you have two or
more joints effectively fighting to control a degree of
freedom.
In simple cases, the solver automatically removes
constraint equations to stop the redundancies.
In complex situations, the solver may not remove the
correct redundancy. Simulations still run, but may give
different motion or force distribution to that expected.

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

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Lesson 5: Solver and Redundancies

Solver checks the mechanism contains redundancies and
will try to remove them.
There is a certain logic by which redundancies are
removed. The solver will remove redundancies based on
the following order:
Rotational Constraint
Translational Constraint
Motion Inputs

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Lesson 5: Solver and Redundancies

What this means:
Solver looks for rotational constraints it can remove to eliminate redundancies.
If it cannot find any rotation constraints to remove, it will then try to remove
translational constraints.
If it cannot removed any translational constraints, it will try to remove an input
motion (as a last resort).

If all these attempts fail, the solver will abort with a

message stating to check for redundant or inconsistent
constraints in the mechanism (or to see if it is in a locked
position).

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

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Lesson 5: Flexible Joints

Option to treat all joints as flexible
connectors
One step process to eliminate
redundancies

Typical Door hinged at more than

one location to share the weight of
the door
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Lesson 6
Drive Shaft

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 6 Topics
Create an Action Only Moment
Export the force/moment loads on a part to COSMOSWorks
Run the structural analysis in COSMOSWorks and view results

2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

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Lesson 6: Load Bearing Faces

FEA Export
Export force and moment results to
COSMOSWorks to study the structural
response (stresses and deflections) of that
component
A force at a general 3D location in space is
not supported. Loads should be distributed
over surfaces and not edges
Define the load bearing surface at the time
you create a COSMOSMotion entity
If not specified, loads are distributed on the
geometry used in the definition of the
SolidWorks mates. This is true only for
mapped joints from SolidWorks mates

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Lesson 7
Dynamic Balancing

Image courtesy of National Optical Astronomy

Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities
for Research in Astronomy, under cooperative agreement
with the National Science Foundation.

Lesson 7 Topics
Understand force imbalances and dynamic balancing applications
Evaluate the force imbalance in a piston crankshaft mechanism
and use COSMOSMotion results to improve performance of this
system

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Lesson 7: Example Washing Machine

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Lesson 7: Piston Crankshaft Mechanism

To balance the mechanism as closely as possible, we need to have a
force that acts in an opposite direction to the inertia/momentum forces
being transmitted by the connecting rod to the crankshaft.
Can only minimize the imbalance but cannot eliminate the imbalance

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Lesson 7: Counterweight Designs

Design the counterweight to keep the imbalance between the
forces a minimum.
If the counterweight is too small, then there will be a high force
from the connecting rod.
If the counterweight is too large, then there will be a high force
from the counterweight (Crank_arm).
The two key methods are offset and thickness. The range of offset
is typically restricted by installation issues.
Focus on thickness of counterweights.

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Lesson 7: Results
Magnitude of the reaction force on
the Bearing_Inline Joint.

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Lesson 7: Results
Bearing load as a function of the crank_arm width
(counterweight thickness)

If the crank_arm width < 13mm, then the momentum of the piston and
connecting rod is larger than that of the crank arm.
If the crank_arm width > 13mm, the momentum of the crank arm is
higher.
Force imbalance is minimal for a crank_arm width of 13 mm.
2007 SolidWorks Corp. Confidential.

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