Creating Animation with SolidWorks
Motion Drivers
Jim Boland P.E., CSWP
What Is Going To Be Covered?
Youve go to be very careful if you dont know where you are going because you might not get there. -Yogi Berra Basic principles of animations.
Choosing the right type of Motion Study.
Animation, Basic Motion, or Motion Analysis Motion Drivers
Keypoint Animation Wizard Mates
Angle Distance Path
Motors
Constant Speed
Physics
Gravity
Distance
Oscillating Interpolated (2010) / Data Points (2011) Segment Expression
Contact
Springs Friction Damping
Presentation Goals
Explore the different types of motion drivers available. Explore the different methods to create animations.
Reduce frustration when creating animations
The tools and principles used are not rocket science. The UI is similar to other video programs.
Tools and Methodology
You can learn what the tools do from the Help menu, but not methodology. Key is to know how to use the tools and what to do if it doesnt work. Methodology and multiple approaches. Right Way vs. Wrong Way.
We made too many wrong mistakes.
-Yogi Berra
Presentation Goals
Questions from the SolidWorks Forum Why arent in-context parts solved in Basic Motion?
Why do parts overlap when using Contact?
Why doesnt contact stop motion driven by a motor? Why doesnt my animation solve when I add a second or third motor? How do I animate a robot?
Learning Resources
Tutorials SolidWorks User Forum Training classes
Step-by-Step books
Audience Makeup
SolidWorks Version
2011
2010
2009 or earlier
Animation Experience
Beginner Intermediate Advanced
Important
We are creating
Animations NOT
Analysis
What is an Animation?
We are creating movies
Series of still images played back in rapid sequence Adjustable frame rates We are in control, not the viewer No CG animations
What frame rate should you use?
Frame Rate Standards:
Movies 24 fps TV 30 fps
(OK, 29.97 for the purists)
What happens if the frame rate is too slow or too fast?
Frame Rate too slow jerky motion Frame Rate too fast jerky motion
3x3
The 3 things you need to know About The 3 things you need to know
The 3 X 3 Choices
3 - Motion Study Types
Animations
Basic Motion
Motion Analysis
3 - Motion Types
Kinematic Dynamic Free
3 - Things You Animate
Components
Properties Viewpoint
Free Motion and Kinematic Motion
Dynamic Motion
The Basic Rules of Motion Studies
Mates are solved. Parts are rigid.
Frame rates are adjustable in two places.
Frame rate means something different in Basic Motion / SolidWorks Motion as compared to Animation studies.
Animations Motion Studies
No Physics Mass
Momentum
Contact Gravity
Friction
Animation Wizard
Rotation Explode/Collapse Import physics results
Basic workflow
Move timebar Position model Position viewpoint Repeat
Keypoint/Keyframe motion
The master animator vs. the assistant
Animation Motion Studies
How is the motion calculated? Frame rate drives the solution
Components move directly from one position to the next
At time zero, take a picture Move the drivers ahead one frame Rebuild
Solve the mates Solve in-context features
Take another picture Repeat
Basic Motion / SolidWorks Motion
Used when:
Physics need to be solved Drivers: Gravity Motors Springs Contact
Physical Properties Mass Gravity Forces Contact
Momentum
Friction Damping
Forces
Dampers Friction
Basic Motion / SolidWorks Motion Studies
How are Basic Motion/SolidWorks Motion studies solved?
You have to solve the physics of the model.
Numerical methods using small time steps.
Solvers. Solver optimization.
What does the frame rate do?
As far as the solution is concerned NOTHING Frame rate determines the intervals when the data is captured for display.
Important: In-context features are not solved in either the Basic Motion or SolidWorks Motion study types.
Types of Motion Drivers
Key Points Mates Motors Gravity Springs
Contact
Force
Damper
Features
Event Based X
Key Points
Damping
Contact
Friction
Gravity
Spring
Inertia
Mates
Motor
Force
Animation Basic Motion Motion Analysis
X X X X X X X X X X
X X X X X L X L X X
X = Available Function L = Limit Functionality
Plots
Keypoint Animations
Basic Workflow
Position the Timebar
Position the driving components
Position the viewpoint Adjust Properties Record the Keypoint (automatic or manual) Repeat
Remove the Nut and Bolt
01
Exploded View
Exploded Views provide a simple method to create a lot of motion.
Create exploded views in SolidWorks
Import into Motion Study using the Animation Wizard
02
Interpolation Methods
Snap Ease In Linear Ease Out Ease In/Ease Out
02
Mates
Global vs. Local Mates
Driving Mates
Distance Mate Angle Mate
Path Mate
Driven Mates
Use Standard Mates with Basic Motion Avoid Width mate Screw mate for rotation with translation
Mate Organization
Mate Order
Mate Names
Use Folders Sub-assemblies
Mates The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
The Good
Easy to use
The Bad
Some mates dont work (or work well) in animations (Width mate) Some mates dont solve all options (Path mate) Some mates better for SolidWorks Motion, others better for Basic Motion
The Ugly
Mates sometimes flip unexpectedly and inconsistently Problems with sub-assemblies
Mates
Distance Mate
Avoid changes in direction and alignment
Can be done but sometimes solve incorrectly
Replace global mate with a local mate specifically for the animation
Angle Mate
The 100/360 Rule
Path Mate
Free Distance Percent 01
Path Mates
03
The 100/360 Rule
When using degrees: 0 and 360 are 360 degrees apart
0 and 360 are not the same.
You cannot use angles >360 degrees
When using percent: 0 and 100% are 100 percent apart
0% and 100% are not the same You cannot input values greater than 100%
Difference between keypoints and mates at these values
04
When an Animation does not solve
If at first you dont succeed -
Try, a Try try different again method Give up, why be hard headed
When you come to a fork in the road, take it - Yogi Berra
Motors Motor Types
Rotary
Linear
Motion
On/Off Constant Speed Distance Interpolated/Data Point Segment
Expression
Oscillating Servo Motor
Motor Facts
Important: motor force is infinite Motors can be used as mates. (Reduces redundancies)
Motors can have problems across mates
Must define three things:
What is the motor acting on What direction is the motor acting What is the motor moving relative to
When motors dont work, the most likely cause is a conflict between motors
Robot
There are seven motion drivers required
6 rotary
1 linear
Motors
Distance Motor
Angle or Distance How far Start Duration Graph (no instantaneous change)
Motors
Constant Speed Motors
ON time
Speed Smooth transitions
Motors
Interpolated Motion (2010)
Data Points (2011)
Tabular Input Direct entry From file (tab or comma delimited)
Interpolation methods
Linear Akima
Cubic
The Zero Rule
Wherever you happen to be thats where you are!
- Yogi Berra ?
05
Interpolated Motor (2010)
Linear
Akima
Cubic
Function Builder
Used to define the motion by:
Segments
Data Points
Expressions
Different data interpolation methods Provides plots:
Distance Velocity Acceleration
Jerk
Data Points (2011) Input
Type in the box Text file
Values
Displacement Velocity Acceleration
Interpolation
Linear Akima
Cubic
Segments (2011)
Another way to define curve
Piecewise continuous
More interpolation types Interpolation defined by segment
Expression
Predefined functions
Mathematical Functions
Variables and Constants
Motion Study results
Functions can be saved and reused (*.sldfnc)
Motors
Expression Motion
Only variable in Animations & Basic Motion is Time Can use most VB functions There are three forms of time (2010)
Allowable Functions
ABS
ATAN DIM MAX SIN TAN RTOD
ACOS
ATAN2 EXP MIN SINH TANH TIME
AINT
COS LOG MOD SQRT DTOR IF
ASIN
COSH LOG10 SIGN STEP PI
Linear - TIME Radians - TIMER Degrees - TIMED
SolidWorks Motion can use other variables
Important: In 2010, distance units are Meters, in 2011 distance units are the document units. 05a
The Problem
The Problem
Desired Video
Camera Lens Equation
View Angle = 2 * atan (d/2f) For lenses longer than 50mm = d/f
07
Gravity
Used in Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion Magnitude error in Basic Motion 2009 and earlier Gravity does NOT have to be realistic in an animation, only in analysis
Contact
Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion only Contact Groups Friction Contact Resolution Contact Accuracy Differences between Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion
Spring
Used in Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion Spring only shows during calculation Spring Constant
F=kxe Linear only in Basic Motion Powers of up to 4 in SolidWorks Motion Error in Basic Motion by one order of magnitude
Spring damping
Global in Basic Motion Adjustable in SolidWorks Motion
Problem
What type of Motion Study?
Animation
Basic Motion
Motion Analysis
Basic Motion
Spring Gravity
Other Solutions
Oscillating Motor
Easy to set up
No damping
Expression Motor
Can make the motion anything you like Distance = Decay function x Amplitude x Sin (Time)
Combined Curves
Contact and Spring
Spring for animation vs. spring for visual animation Contact properties Contact Resolution Contact Accuracy Best Method ????? Animation Basic Motion SolidWorks Motion
Friction
Used in Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion In Basic Motion, friction is determined by material. In SolidWorks Motion, friction can be applied at:
Joints
Contact
Damping
Only available in SolidWorks Motion Different from spring damping
Force
Only available in SolidWorks Motion Options are similar to those used for motors
Constant
Interpolated Expression
The Laws of Animations
Remember: You are creating an animation, not doing an analysis.
The Law of Simplicity
The best solution is most often the simplest solution
KISS principle The Law of Diminishing Returns
At some point, more and more effort is required for smaller and smaller improvements
Questions
The End
