igus E-Chain

[smiley1570]

Hello I am in need of help or advice. I'm trying to draw the igus E-Chain Part#15.050.048. I'm trying to make it articulate like the E-Chain would in normal life. The only way I have found to work is with a spline, drawing a circle at each end and connecting them with a line and then Fit To Spline. Now it seems to work alright using the Spline and mating the circles of the igus to the spline and making the splines plane parallel with the igus. The only thing is when you move it back and forth it sometimes flips the igus, and even puts pieces on top of one another. My question is, is there has got to be an easier way to do this. Or maybe I am missing something. Any suggestions or advice would be awesome.

Thanks,
smiley1570

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Check out the Belts and Chain funtionality of SW07.

http://www.solidprofessorstore.com/Samples/ut_sample3.html

 

[smiley1570]

I have looked everywhere and watched all the videos but still can't seem to fit it to what I need to do. If I could replace the Belt or Chain with the igus E-Chain that would be great. That's exactly what I need to do but I don't think you can do that in 2007. If so I am not aware of it.

Thanks,
smiley1570

 

[msjames1]

You can download the exact chain you need from the IGUS website. You can select the part number, bend radius, travel & stationary lengths, and even the file format. You can import the file as an assembly. Then add the appropriate mates/configurations to fit your situation.

 

[msjames1]

I forgot to add that I was only able to get my chain assembly to articulate over a couple of components. I found it easier to use configurations.

 

[smiley1570]

Yeah that's kind of what I'm thinkg to.

 

[SolidAir]

smiley1570,

This is a limitation in SolidWorks. We have never found a good way to do this.

SA

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

See if any of the methods in these examples can be used for your needs.

Curve Driven Animation;

http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files-02.htm

Escher's Mobius;

http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files-04.htm

Slot Cars;

http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files-06.htm

 

[smiley1570]

Yeah I've seen that guys page alot. That's where I got the idea of using a spline. And it seems to work O.K. But not really how I want. That guys seems like a genius at Solidworks I thought about maybe e-mailing him. But I don't know. Any other advice would be great.

Thanks
smiley1570

 

[gatz]

Animating an igus chain would be fascinating to watch.

I've tried to figure out a way to animate roller chain (which in effect, is similar to what the igus chain would be doing) but found no easy answer.
Have had to be content with a static representation of the chain made up of roller and connector links; then use "gear mates" to move the sprockets in the correct ratio.

It doesn't appear that SW can handle the series of the straight lines that make up the chain revolving about a sprocket PD; then leaving that arc to a straight line, although I'm not sure why that's a hurdle.

Related to this is the difficulty in figuring centerline distances for a chain/sprockets assembly and as any roller chain book will tell you about the given formulae, is only an approximation.
Perhaps if a "chain function" were to be implemented in SW, it would help solve alot of these designs.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

It doesn't appear that SW can handle the series of the straight lines that make up the chain revolving about a sprocket PD

As smiley1570 pointed out in the OP, using the Fit to Spline function gets around the curve-to-line transition.