A Tutorial of Pro/MECHANICA Motion

Pro/MECHANICA MOTION is a motion analysis package that provides mechanism modeling

and mechanism design optimization capabilities. This product enables you to analyze your
mechanism’s motion and forces.
Objectives
• Enhancing the Lecture on An Introduction to Pro/MECHANICA Motion
• Familiarizing Pro/MECHANICA Motion Menus
• Learning the Process of Motion Analysis Using Pro/MECHANICA
This tutorial, prepared by Dr. D Xue, is used to show how to use Pro/MECHANICA MOTION.
The mechanism to be designed and analyzed is shown in Figure 1. This mechanism is an
assembly composed of four components: LINK1, LINK2, SLIDER, and SLOT. The SLOT is
fixed with the ground. The LINK1 is in motion with a constant rotational speed. When LINK1 is
at a certain position, the positions of the LINK2 and SLIDER can be calculated automatically.

Fig. 1 The Mechanism with Four Components

I. Starting Pro/ENGINEER
In MS Windows, execute Start->Programs->pore
II. Modeling the Four Components
The four components, LINK1.PRT, LINK2.PRT, SLIDER.PRT, and SLOT.PRT, are created as
four parts in Pro/ENGINEER. The dimensions of the four parts are shown in Figure 2. This is
the mechanism that we have used in Laboratory 2b.
 Fig. 8.2 Four of
Figure 2. Components Pro/ENGINEER Parts Mechanism
the Four-bar Linkage

III. Modeling the Assembly

1. Creating the assembly LINKAGE
Choose File->New..., select Assembly button for Type, enter assembly name LINKAGE to
create an assembly called LINKAGE.ASM, click Ok button. Choose View->Model Tree to turn
it off. Choose Utilities->Environment..., uncheck Datum Planes and Coordinate Systems, set
Display Style=Hidden Line, click OK button.
2. Assembling the components SLOT and LINK1
Choose ASSEMBLY->Component, COMPONENT->Assemble, select name SLOT.PRT, click
Open button, click OK button. Choose COMPONENT->Assemble, select name LINK1.PRT,
click Open button. Click Add button of the Component Placement dialog box, select Constraint
Type=Mate, select the front surface of SLOT and back surface of LINK1. Click Add button of the
Component Placement dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the cylindrical surface of
SLOT and lower cylindrical surface of LINK1. Click Add button of the Component Placement
dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the lower internal surface of SLOT and right
surface of LINK1. Click OK button. The created assembly is shown in Figure 8.3 (a).

Fig. 8.3 The Steps to Create the Assembly

3. Assembling the component LINK2
Choose COMPONENT->Assemble, select name LINK2.PRT, click Open button. Click Add
button of the Component Placement dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the front
surface of LINK1 and back surface of LINK2. Click Add button of the Component Placement
dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the right cylindrical surface of LINK1 and left
cylindrical surface of LINK2. Click Add button of the Component Placement dialog box, select
Constraint Type=Mate, select the lower internal surface of SLOT and bottom surface of LINK2.
Click OK button. The created assembly is shown in Figure 8.3 (b).
4. Assembling the component SLIDER
Choose COMPONENT->Assemble, select name SLIDER.PRT, click Open button. Click Add
button of the Component Placement dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the back
surface of LINK2 and front surface of SLIDER. Click Add button of the Component Placement
dialog box, select Constraint Type=Mate, select the right cylindrical surface of LINK2 and
cylindrical surface of SLIDER. Click Add button of the Component Placement dialog box, select
Constraint Type=Mate, select the lower internal surface of SLOT and bottom surface of SLIDER.
Click OK button. The created assembly is shown in Figure 8.3 (c).
5. Saving the created assembly
Choose File->Working Directory..., select the working directory (such as H:\PC\Motion), click
OK button. Choose File->Save, enter a name LINKAGE.ASM to create a file LINKAGE.ASM
to preserve the created data.
IV. Starting Pro/MECHANICA
1. Copying the LINKAGE.ASM to a new file called LINKAGE2.ASM for motion analysis
Choose File->Save As..., enter the new name as LINKAGE2.ASM. Click OK button. Select
include all sub-components check-box, click OK button, close the Pro/TABLE window by
selecting File->Exit. Click Yes button of the copy confirmation dialog box. Choose File->Erase,
Current... to clear the window, click OK button, choose File->Open..., select LINKAGE2.ASM,
click Open button.
2. Changing to Pro/MECHANICA environment
Choose Applications->Mechanica, click Continue button of the unit confirmation window, choose
MECHANICA->Motion.
V. Analyzing the Mechanism Using Pro/MECHANICA MOTION
1. Building the motion model
The materials, bodies, connections, and driver are defined at this stage.
(1) Specifying the materials
Choose MEC MOTION->Model, MOTN MODEL->Property, PROPERTY->Material, Select
STEEL and click Add button (the one with 3 right-direction arrows). Choose Assign->Part, GET
SELECT->Query Sel, select the SLOT. In the same way, assign STEEL material to LINK1,
LINK2, and SLIDER. Choose PROPERTY->Done/Return.
(2) Defining bodies
Choose MOTN MODEL->Bodies, select SLOT_. Click Delete button. Select Ground, click Part...
button, select the SLOT part, click Accept button, click Done button. Four bodies are created at
this stage. The SLOT is associated with Ground body.
(3) Creating connections
Choose MOTN MODEL->Connections, MOT CONNEC->Joints, MEC ACTION->Create,
POINTS->Select, GET SELECT->Query Sel, select PNT1 of SLOT and PNT1 of LINK1. In the
Joint Create window, define the Name as joint_1, select Type=Pin, click Accept button. Select
PNT0 of LINK1 and PNT0 of LINK2. In the Joint Create window, define the Name as joint_2,
select Type=Pin, click Accept button. Select PNT1 of LINK2 and PNT0 of SLIDER. In the Joint
Create window, define the Name as joint_3, select Type=Pin, click Accept button. Select PNT0 of
SLOT and PNT1 of SLIDER. In the Joint Create window, define the Name as joint_4, select
Type=slider, click Accept button.
(4) Defining a driver
Choose MOTN MODEL->Drivers, MEC ACTION->Create, GET SELECT->Query Sel, select
the joint_1. In the Create Joint Driver window, define the Driver Name as driver_1, select
Position radio button, select Ramp check-box, set Constant=0, Slope=0.6283 to define the angle
function θ = 2π/10. The LINK1 rotates 360o (2π) every 10 seconds. Click Accept button.
2. Running the assembly analysis
Choose MEC MOTION->Analyses, select Assembly, click Edit button. The assembly tolerance
value is displayed. Click OK button of this window. Click Close button. Choose MEC MOTION-
>Run, select Assembly (Standard/Assembly), click Start... button. If the analysis is a success, a
message window will be displayed. Click Yes button of this window.
3. Running the motion analysis
(1) Creating measures
Choose MEC MOTION->Model, MOTN MODEL->Measures, MEC ACTION->Create,
MEASURES->Point, select PNT1 of SLIDER. In the Create Point Measure window, set
MEASURE NAME=pos_x, Point Measure Types=Point Position, Evaluation Method=Each
Time Step, Components=X, click Accept button. Select PNT1 of SLIDER. In the Create Point
Measure window, set MEASURE NAME=vel_x, Point Measure Types=Point Velocity,
Evaluation Method=Each Time Step, Components=X, click Accept button. Select PNT1 of
SLIDER. In the Create Point Measure window, set MEASURE NAME=acc_x, Point Measure
Types=Point Acceleration, Evaluation Method=Each Time Step, Components=X, click Accept
button.
(2) Defining motion analysis
Choose MEC MOTION->Analyses, select Motion, click Edit... button. In the Motion Analysis
Definition window, set Start Time=0, Duration=10 (seconds), Increment=0.1. A total of 100
frames will be created within 10 seconds. Click OK button, click Close button. Choose MEC
MOTION->Run. In the Run window, select Motion (Standard/Motion), click Start... button. The
mechanism analysis solver will generate 100 frames of the different mechanism configurations.
(3) Animating the mechanism motion
Choose MEC MOTION->Results, MOT RESULTS->Animate, ANIMATE->Start. Use the video
control buttons to see the different frames of the mechanism configurations. Click Close button of
the Animate window.
(4) Plotting the graphs of the measures
Choose MEC MOTION->Results, MOT RESULTS->Graph, MOTION GRAPH->Measure. In
the window, select pos_x (Point Position X Each Time Step), click Graph button, click OK
button. Choose File->Print, Output Format=Microsoft Print Manager (Vector),
Printer=\\SAMBA\325, Zoom factor=0.75, Offset X=−2, uncheck To File check-box, click OK
button. Figure 8.4 shows the analysis result. Choose File->Close Window. In the window, select
vel_x (Point Velocity X Each Time Step), click Graph button, click OK button. Choose File-
>Print, Output Format=Microsoft Print Manager (Vector), Printer=\\SAMBA\325, Zoom
factor=0.75, Offset X=−2, uncheck To File check-box, click OK button. Figure 8.5 shows the
analysis result. Choose File->Close Window. In the window, select acc_x (Point Acceleration X
Each Time Step), click Graph button, click OK button. Choose File->Print, Output
Format=Microsoft Print Manager (Vector), Printer=\\SAMBA\325, Zoom factor=0.75, Offset
X=−2, uncheck To File check-box, click OK button. Figure 8.6 shows the analysis result. Choose
File->Close Window. Click Done button.
VI. Saving the Motion Model and Quitting Pro/MECHANICA
1. Saving the created assembly
Choose File->Save, enter a name LINKAGE2.ASM to create a file LINKAGE2.ASM to
preserve the created data, choose Window->Close Window.
2. Quitting Pro/MECHANICA
Choose File->Exit, click Yes button.

Fig. 8.4 Position Graph

Fig. 8.5 Velocity Graph

 Fig. 8.6 Acceleration Graph

Optional Laboratory: Building Motion Model & Performing Motion Analysis

Instructions:
1. Review of the introduced Pro/MECHANICA MOTION commands.
2. Following the instructions provided in this tutorial, carry out
• Motion modeling to define materials, bodies, connections, and driver.
• Analysis modeling to create measures, define motion analysis model, and create frames of
mechanism motion simulation.
• Animation to simulate mechanism motion.
3. Test different driver’s motion functions and observe the analysis results.
4. Use different output measures and observe the analysis results.
5. Build a motion model with 4 components as shown in Fig. 7. Use LINK1 as the driving
component and define the motion function of θ. Define other measures and obtain the values
of these measures for different angle θ.

LINK2

LINK1
θ LINK3

Fig 7. 8.7
Fig. An Motion
Example Four Bar
Analysis to Linkage
a Linkage
Mechanism Design Tutorials
How to get this page:
• Pro/Help -> Contents -> Using Additional Modules -> Mechanism Design Extension -
>Mechanism Design Tutorials.
• Five parts of the tutorial is located in \\designsv1\courses\mech410\demo folder.