NX I-deas Mechanism Simulation Advanced mechanical system motion simulation Benefits Summary • Perform advanced motion NX™ I-deas™ Mechanism Simulation software, offered in the NX I-deas digital simulation of articulated simulation suite, is a sophisticated add-on or superset module for the mechanisms quickly and standard Mechanism Design within the NX I-deas digital product design suite. easily Augmenting the capabilities of the MasterFEM package, Mechanism • Perform virtual tests on a Simulation mimics the complex motion of articulated mechanisms. Using variety of design variations assemblies created in other modules of NX I-deas, Mechanism Design enables before a physical prototype you to create joint constraints, contact locations, and connectivity exists, including information in order to apply motion and load inputs. Mechanism Simulation performance, interference helps you understand, from the earliest stages of conceptual design, the and load history dynamics and tolerances of a mechanism, enabling you to explore more • Import and export simulation “what if” alternatives. The result is a better, more refined product design. results using standard ADAMS formats Features • Simulate the behavior of mechanisms whose motion is affected by a wide range of forces • Observe the effects on mechanisms when specific physical character-istics are subjected to various forces, torques, loads, displacements, velocities and accelerations • Recover and apply as loads to finite element models such characteristics as rigid body forces, torques, velocities and accelerations • Evaluate XY plots and configurations concurrently, using integrated ADAMS/ postprocessing animation, for easy interpretation and documentation of results NX I-deas Mechanism Simulation offers advanced mechanical system simulation capabilities. NX www.siemens.com/nx NX NX I-deas Mechanism Simulation System requirements • Transfer joint and body loads directly to systems whose motion is affected by Mechanism Simulation shares MasterFEM forces (actuators, impacts, gravity loads, the NX I-deas system • Create an .mnf (modal neutral file) from etc.) Rigid body forces, torques, velocities requirements. Model Solution (requires only a Model and accelerations can be recovered and Solution license) applied as loads in a finite element Recommended system analysis. For the physical characteristics of configuration Rigid body dynamics a mechanical system that can be simu- For information on particular Mechanism Simulation imitates the lated, see the table on the reverse side. operating systems or behavior of under-constrained mechanical graphics cards, please visit http://support.ugs.com/ Simulating physical characteristics Characteristic Simulation effect Force-driven, Drive product concept through work cycle by applying motion-transient behavior forces and/or torques to a system at rest. Observe transition to equilibrium speed. A wide range of tools for mechanical Force-driven, Define springs and/or external loads. Observe motion design simulation motion-force balance simulation to achieve force balance. NX I-deas Mechanism Simulation, available with the NX I-deas digital simulation suite, Contact/impact modeling Model collisions between related parts or between a offers the same range of capabilities as the (sphere-sphere, sphere-plane, part in freefall and the ground (as in a drop test). Mechanism Design module within the NX curve-curve) Observe part collision effects. I-deas digital product design suite, plus Gravity effects Apply gravity loads. Observe behavior as a mechanism advanced tools and enhancements that moves from initial position to static equilibrium. make it ideal for in-depth motion simulation and load analysis of articulated Bushing connector effects* Vary bushing stiffness in various directions to mimic mechanisms. certain joint types. Connect two parts with several bushings. Get accurate distribution of loads. In addition to kinematic and dynamic Mechanism aligns itself to reach force balance. solves, Mechanism Simulation enables * Mechanism Simulation enhances the capabilities of Mechanism Design, which only simulates rigid you to: connectors and spring dampers, by adding bushings. • Define loads as forces and torques • Define bushings and field matrix spring dampers Load transfer joint loads are transformed into finite • Recover and plot forces and torques Once a Mechanism Simulation solve is element loads applied at the nodes. • Interrogate results directly from other completed, the resulting forces, torques, Gravity, velocities, and accelerations are NX I-deas software using ADAMS/post- gravity, velocities and accelerations can be transferred to the finite element load set. processor (delivered with Mechanism automatically transferred to MasterFEM. A Optionally, the joint loads can be saved in Simulation) user simply picks a rigid body in the a time history ADF (associated data file) for mechanism, then selects a time step. use in Durability or Response Analysis Nodes are created at marker locations and within NX I-deas. NX Performance tuning ADAMS technology: reducing Based on Mechanism Simulation results, dependence on physical testing Response Analysis and use of ADAMS With ADAMS capabilities, an engineering requests provide post-solution methods for team can quickly perform virtual tests on a calculating relative position, velocity, variety of design variations before a forces and acceleration between any two physical prototype exists. What used to arbitrary rigid bodies. Mechanism take weeks or months to physically model Simulation results and geometry are and test can now be done in just hours automatically transferred to ADAMS/post- with ADAMS technology in NX I-deas. processor. Simultaneous display of Benefits of physical testing – including assembly configurations and function plots performance determination, interference are possible using the ADAMS/post- checking, and load history determination – processor tool. are available to Mechanism Simulation and MasterFEM users. The ADAMS/postprocessor is delivered with Mechanism Simulation, allowing you to investigate model results in greater depth. Manufacturers who use this technology not only reduce the time and cost of new product development, they accelerate innovation and improve the quality of mechanical designs. © 2011 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Contact Inc. All rights reserved. Siemens and the Siemens logo are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. D-Cubed, Femap, Siemens PLM Software Geolus, GO PLM, I-deas, Insight, JT, NX, Parasolid, Solid Americas 800 498 5351 Edge, Teamcenter, Tecnomatix and Velocity Series are Europe 44 (0) 1276 702000 trademarks or registered trademarks of Siemens Product Asia-Pacific 852 2230 3333 Lifecycle Management Software Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other logos, trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks used www.siemens.com/nx herein are the property of their respective holders. X5 2294 2/11 B.