· Inventor Simulation Skills

· Automatically convert Mate and Insert constraints into standard joints

· Convert Mate and Insert constraints into standard joints, one joint at a time

· Manually creat joints

· Run dynamic simulation to see how joints, loads, and component structures interact as a moving, dynamic mechanism

· Weld components within Dynamic Simulation to create rigid, unified structures

· Apply forces

· Using Input and Output graphers

· Defining joint properties

· Exporting and applying Dynamic Simulation loads in Stress Analysis

· Export load conditions at any motion state to Stress Analysis

· Understand differences between Assembly environment and Dynamic Simulation environment

· Dynamic Simulation environment

· Components have

· zero degrees of freedom

· Build joints from constraints to add degrees of freedom

· Assembly environment

· Components have

· six degrees of freedom (unconstrained and ungrounded components)

· Add constraints to restrict degrees of freedom

· Convert constraints to joints

· Click Convert Assembly Constraints tool

· In Convert Assembly Constraints dialog

· Select two components in graphics window

· Check both (all) constraints check-boxes

· Click OK

· Define gravity

· Double-click Gravity node

· Or Right-click and select Define Gravity

· Clear check box in Suppress field

· In Inventor window

· Pick a vertex on component

· Pick an edge for direction

· Reverse direction if needed with Direction button

· Weld parts

· Click and Ctrl+Click two parts to weld

· Right-click second part

· Select Weld Parts

· Parts become a rigid body

· Welded group node is created in the Mobile Groups directory in browser

· Use Insert Joint tool to create joints

· In Insert Joint dialog box

· Select joint type from drop down list

· Or Click Joint Table button for visual joint selection from thumbnails

· Joint triads (xyz directions) use shapes not colors as does the 3D axes indicator

· Both z direction must be same to create joint

· Click OK to insert joint

· Create a spring with Insert Joint tool

· Select two edges to define spring limits

· Click OK to create spring

· Right-click spring node in browser

· Select Properties to change stiffness and type of spring

· Add damping to spring properties

· Add a value in Damping field

· Running simulation now shows damping effect

· Applying Forces

· Click Force tool

· Select a vertex

· Select an edge for direction

· Flip direction with Flip Direction button if needed

· Magnitude: Add a value

· Click OK

· Editing forces

· Right-click force in browser (Force1)

· Change Magnitude

· Click OK

· Click Play on Simualtion panel to view effect

· Click Stop button or wait till simulation is over

· Click Construction Mode button to return to construction mode

· Create torque damping

· Right-click a joint in Standard Joints directory in browser

· Select Properties

· Click dof 1 (R) tab

· Click Edit Joint Torque button

· Select Enable joint torque check box

· Damping field: Enter a value (50 N mm s/deg)

· This adds a little red arrow to node icon

· Click Run on Simulation Panel to view damping effect

· Input Grapher

· In properties dialog of a standard joint

· Click dof 1 (R) tab

· Click Edit Joint Torque button

· Click Input Grapher icon located next to Damping field

· Joint Torque dialog opens

· Add new datum points to form new sectors

· Add starting and ending values for loads for each sector

· Also specify duration of sectors with a time in seconds value in X2 field of Ending Point section

· Output Grapher

· Displays graphs and numerical values of all input and output variables in a simulation during and after the simulation completes

· Click Output Grapher tool

· Output Grapher dialog box has

· Toolbar

· Browser

· Time steps pane (drag to open)

· Graph window

· Context menus with content based on the location of the cursor when you right-click

· With Output Grapher we can

· Display a graph of any simulation variable

· Apply Fast Fourier Transform to one or more simulation variables (Link to tutorial)

· Save simulation variables (see context menu)

· Compare current variables to variables you save from a previous simulation

· Derive variables from calculations using simulation variables

· Prepare simulation results for FEA

· Send simulation results to Excel or a text file

· Export load to Stress Analysis

· Click Dynamic Simulation Settings tool

· Click AIP Stress Analysis

· Click OK

· In FEA Load-Bearing Faces Selection dialog box

· (To access: Right-click part (link:1) in Export to FEA directory in browser and click

· FEA Load-Bearing Faces Selection)

· Click part in Parts Selected for FEA section

· Click a joint in Joints to complete: Load Bearing section of dialog box

· Select two faces (already selected) of joint

· Do same with other joint(s) (face already selected)

· Click OK

· Click Run on Simulation Panel

· In time steps pane of Output Grapher

· Click 0.4 s, 0.935 s, and 3.0 s time steps

· Note: Selection boxes for time steps in Output Grapher are available only in simulation mode

· Close the Output Grapher

· Closing the Output Grapher exports load on the link part at those points in simulation to Stress Analysis

· Import load into Stress Analysis

· In Assembly environment

· Double-click part (link:1) to activate it

· Select Applications > Stress Analysis

· Click the Motion Loads tool

· Click OK to message stating that load was successfully created

· Click the Stress Analysis Update tool

· Stress analysis is performed on link part and results appear in graphics window