hydraulic cylinder motion

[crizzo]

I'm the Mastercam guy at the shop here, and am attempting to design a complex-ish fixture using my co-workers solidworks workstation...please go easy on me.

I've got a hydraulic cylinder modeled as an assembly with two parts- a body and the rod. The limit distance mate is figured out to set my total rod travel. However I can't use physical dynamics or motion simulation because of the "This assembly contains limit mates" warning. After searching the forum for a while and examining this fellow's nice parts

http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files.htm

I still can't seem to figure it out. In the power antenna example, it looks like he has a "dummy" part/point which in a sense limits linear motion?

I'll I'm after is to simulate .250" of linear motion and the effect it has on other parts. Thanks for any and all help. oh, sw2004

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If all the mates are set correctly, you should be able to simply click on the cylinder rod & drag it to see any associated parts move. If you have sub-assys in a top level assy, they will need to be set to Flexible


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[StefanHamminga]

You need to make a new configuration in your cylinder assembly, in which you suppress the limiting mate. If your cilinder model is accurate (or contains the a proper dummy piston) the simulator will then figure out the stroke by itself.


Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer/AI student

 

[crizzo]

thx for the replies. Ok, so I guess I don't need to utilize physical dynamics or the fancy motion simulation. I have my cylinder as a sub assembly, in my higher tier assembly. rmb > properties > set as flexible in all configurations , however I can't seem to drag it in and out now, in the larger assembly that is.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

When in the cylinder assy, can you slide the cylinder back & forth?
With the cylinder sub-assy suppressed in the top level assy, can you move the parts which would be associated with the cylinder?
If you can do both, it is probably one of the mates associating the cylinder with the top level assy which is locking the movement.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[crizzo]

I got it! Actually in my top level assembly I didn't have enough mates constraining the sub-assembly cylinder/rod. It was allowing me to drag the whole sub-assembly in and out....once I constrained the body, then only the rod was left to move and it worked.

thx for the help.