7. .

. j)S SOLIDINORKS
CREATING ANIMATIONS
Using SolidWorks
Learn the fundamentals of creating animations at your own
speed, as you progress from simple to more complex models.

7.
J}S SOLID INORKS
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Contetnts
~miu m J

Lifecycle

m~ens
Chapter 1: Introduction
About This Book . .. . . ... .. . . . . .. . ....... ... . .... . .. ....... .... .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. ................2
,6\are
Prerequisit es ............................ . . ......... .. . . . ... . ....... ... .. . . .. . . ...... . ... . . ..2
ft" are
Instructional Design Philosophy . . ...... .. .... ..... . .. . .. .. ... . .. . ........ . . . . .... . ..... .. . ....2
= Using This Book............... . .................. . .. . ....... . ... ...... . . .. . ....... .. ....... .. 2
:::-e
About the DVD ..... .... .. . ..... .. ..... . .. . . ...... . . . . . . . . ......... ...... . . . ....... ... . ...... 3
.:!J'e Images ..... ........ . . .. . . . .. . .... . .. . .. . . .. . . . ... . . . . .. . . .. . . . ..... ... . .. . ........ . . ... .... 3
Software Up dates .... ... .... . .. ................ . . .. . .. .... .. . . . .. .. . ............. . .. . ..... . 3
x:!Iion. All
Conventions Used in This Book ..... . ............. . ........ ....... .. ... . .. .. ... . ... .. .. . . .. .. 4
OL-\ ~006- The SolidWorks MotionManager ... . ......... .. ...... . ..... .. .. . .. . . ....... . . .. . .... . . . . .. .... .. . 4
-\ll rights Motion Study Purposes ..... . .. .. ...... . . .......... . ... . ... . ... . ..... ....... .. . . .. . .. .. ..... 5
:l.. History of the MotionManager ... . . . . . . ..... ... . ...................... . ... .. . .. .. . ... . .. ... . . . . . . 5
-rs. All
;_q.t)_063; Motion Study Types ........... .. .. .... .... . ... ... .... .. . .. . ... ... .... ..... ....... ... ....... .. . . . 5
-=ling.
Distiller
What Is the Output? . .......... .. ........ . . .. ... . ... ... . . .. . .......... . . .. . . . . ....... . . .. . . .. 6
\dobe Animations .. ...... ... ......... . ........................................................ . .. . . ... 6
1p ' About Basic Animation Concepts ... .... .......... .. .. . . . .. .... .... ...... .. . . .. . .. .. .. . ... ... .. . .... 6

Prod ucts
Basic Workf low .... . . . ......... . .... . ............... . .. .. ........ . . ... . . ....... .... ... . . ...... ...7
::c. Why Create an Animation? . . .. . .... .. . . ...... .... . ... . .. . . ... ....... .. . . .............. . . .. . . . . . . .. 7
xS~stem
Should We Ever Use a Video Camera? . ........ .. .. .. . ......... .. ...... . ................ . ..... 8
::t Build ing Animations .............. . ... . .... .... . . . . ....... . .. . .. .. ... . .. . ... ... .. . . . ............. 8
~

J(.'r.l.tion. All Animation Results.... .. ..... . .................... . .......... . .... .. . . .. . ...... .. . . ...... ... . .... 8
When Is the Animation Finished? . .... . ........... ... ...... . . . . ......... . . .. . . ... .. ....... ...... . . 9
Rigid Body Motion ... ... ... ... .. . ... . . . .. ..... . . ..... . ............ .. ... ...... .. . .. . .. ... .. .... .. 9
i~ and Mark TypesofMotion . . .. . ................. . .. ... ..... . ... ... .... . ....... .. . .. .............. ... ..... .10
Which Motion Study to Use . ...... ...... . .. . . . . . .. . .. .... . . ......... . . .. . ....... . .... .. . . . . . . . ... 12
\.lliance. All
Motion Drivers .... . . ..... ..... . .......................... . . . . ....... . ...... ......... . .... ... .... 13
::-orporation.
MotionManager Pane .. . ............................. . ...................................... 13
:e
Mot ionMa nager User Interface . . ... . .. ..... .. ... . ... ...... .... ... . .... . .. . .. . ......... .. .... . . . .15
ii

Model Tab .... . ......... . ........................ . ......... ........ .. .... .. . .... . ... .. .... . .15
Motion Study Tab ... ..... ........................ .. ....... ... . . . . . ........ ..................15
MotionManager Components ... .. .... .. .............. . ....................... . . .. . . . .. . .. ...16
Timeline and Time Bar .... .. ... .... ............... . ... . ......... . . .. . ...... . .. . . .. . . . . . . . ....16
Key Points ........... . .. . . . ........ .. . ........ . . . . .. .. . .. . . . . .. ....... ...... . . . ...... .. .. ... 17
Too lt ips .. ... .. ...... . ........ .. . ..... .............. ..... . ...... ..... ..... .. . . .. . ... .. . ..... 17
Key Frames an d Changebars ... . .. .. .... . .. ...... . . . .. ........... . ....... ..... . . .. . . .. . ...... 17
Completed Motion Studies . ...... . .. . .. . .... . .. . . . . .. .. . . .. ....... .... .... . .. . .. . ... .... .. . . 17
-=~
Completed Videos ........ . .. ............ ........ . . . . ...... . .. ... ....... .. .... ... . . ..... ... .18 - =- --r-,-
Right Way/Wrong Way .... . .. .. ........ ... . .... . . . ...... .... . ..... ......... ....... . . . . . . . ...18
Getting Help . . ......... .. ....... ......................... . ............ ...... .... . . . . . ...........19
Knowledge Base ......... .. ...... . ........................ . . . ........... ..... .... ......... . .19

Chapter 2: Creating Simple Animations

Animation . ......... . .......... . . ....... . . .. . . . ................ . ......... .. .... .. ... .. . .. . . . . .. 22
Topics . ....... ................ ........... . .... .. . . ...... ......... . ..... ............... . ... . 22
Point-to-point (Key Point ) Animations .... ... . . .. .. ......... . . ......... . . . .... .............. . .... 23
Exploded Views .. .. . .. . . ..... . .' .. . . . . .... ....... .... . ..... ... . . . . .... . .. . .................. 23
Case Study: Exploded Views ... . . . ........................ ... .. ...... .. . . . .. .. . . .. . . . ..... . . ... . 23
Animating Exploded Views.. . .. . ... ......... . . .. ........... . .. . .. . . .. . ... . .. .. . ......... . .. . 24
Animation Controller ......... ........................... .... . .... ........... . ............. . 24
Playback Options ... . .... .. ... . ....... . . ...... . ........... .. . .. ... . . . ....... .. ...... ....... 24
- ==
Animation Timing .... . ..... . . .. .... .... . ..... . ... ..... . . .. . ... .. .. . .. .. .... . .......... . .... 25
Review . . . .. ....... ..... ..... . . .. ............. . ............................. . . . .......... . . 26
-=
The Animation St udy Type ............ ........ . . . ... .. . ... . ............... . ...... . . .. . . . ........ 26
Animation Wizard ....... . ... . ........ ............. . .... . .............. . ......... .. ... . .... . .... 26
Stages in the Process ... . ............. ... . .. . ... .. . .. . ........ .. ... ............. . ... . . .. ....... 27 _--_---
._, =
The Storyboard ............................... . ..... ... .... . . ... ... . . . ......... . ...... . .... 27
Storyboard Development . . . . ....... .. ..... . .. .... . .. ..... . . . . ...... .. .... ..... .... . .... .... 27 5::,..,
Case Stu dy: Animat ion Wizard .... . . . . . . . ....... .... . . . .. .... .. ... .. ... . .. .. ..... .... . . . ... ... . . 28
Storyboard ......... .. ........ ............ .... . .. . ...... . ..... . . . .............. ...... ..... . 29
Rotat e Model . . ... . . . ... . .. . ....... . .. . ...... . . .. . ........... . .. . .......... .... . ... ... ... ... 31
Delete Existing Paths ........... ...... . .......... . ..... .. .... . .............. . .... . ........ .. 31
 iii

.. . .. ..... 15 Explode ..... .. .... .. ... .. . .......... . ..... . . .............. . ... . .... . . ... . ... .............. 33
. . . ..... . .15 View Orientation ... .. ...... ... ... . .... . . .............. .. ..... . ..... .. ...... . ....... ... . . .... .. . 35
. ... ......16 Creating Viewpoint Keys ... .......... . . ... . ......... . . . ... .. ........ . . . . . . . . .. . . . .... . ..... 36
. . .. .....16 Viewpoint Playback ..... ... .... . . .. .. ............ . .... ................. .. .... . ......... .. .. 36
.. . .... ... 17 Modifying Key Points ...... . ... . ... .... ....................... .... . .... .. ... . ..... . ........ . 37
.. . ...... .17 Interpolation Modes ....................................... . ...... . .... . ..... . ............... . .. 37
. .. ...... 17 Collapse ..... . .... . ... . ..................................... . ........ .................... . . 40
... . .. . ... 17 Copying Key Point s . . . . ... . .. .. .. . . . . . . ....... . ............. . .. . ... . ... . . . ........... . ..... .41
.. . .......18 Recording Animations ..... . .. .. . . ....................... . .......... . ........ .. ... .............. .41
.. . ...... .18 Video File Format .... .... ..................... .. .... . ............ . . ..................... . .. 42
.. . .. . ... .19 Image File Formats ... .... .......... . .. .......... . .. ..... . ... ... . ....... . ................... 42
. . . .... . .19 Renderer . . .. . .... . ..... ... . ... .... ........ . .... . .... ...... .......... ... .. ................. 42
CODEC . .. ..... .......... .. . . . . ... .. .......... .. . . ..... .. . . . ... . ... .. .... .. .. .. .... . .. .. . .. 42
Frame Rat e ... .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . ...... .. ...... . . . .... .. .. . . ... .. ... . ... . . . .. ... . ........ .. . ... 43
... . .. ... 22 Partial Animations .............. . ... .... . .. . ............ ......... . ......... ... . .. . ......... 43
.. . . . . ... 22 Key Frame .. . ................ . .. ..... . ............. . . . .... . ... . ............................ 44
.... . .... 23 Image Quality .. ... .. .. .. ...... .......... . ........................... ... .. . ............. . ... 44
... . . ... 23 Video File Output Size . .......... . ......................... . . .. . . . . ....................... . 44
.. . . .. .. 23 ) ragging a Component . . . . .. . .. . ............... . .. : ......... . .. . .... . .......................... 47
.. . ...... 24 General Sequence ........ . ...... . ...... .. . . .............. ... . .......... . .............. . .... 47
.... . .... 24 Timeline Colors ....... ... ..... . .. . .................... .... . . ... . .... . ..... . .... . .... . ...... 47
.. .. .. .. 24 Creating Reversed Animations .... . ...................... . . . .... . ........................... 48
. . .... . . 25 Motion Study Tabs ... . . .. . .. .... .. . ... . ... . .. .......... .... .... . . . . ........ . . . . . . . . ... . .. .. 49
... . .. . ... 26 Review .... ... . . .... .. . . . .... . ......... . . . ... . . ...... ...... . .. . ..... ...... . ............. . .. 49
.. .. ... .. 26
.. . . . ... . 26 Chapter 3: Editing the Timeline
.. . .. ... . 27 ::diting the Time line ..... .. .. ............... . ... ..... . . . .. .. ......... .. .. ..... .. .. ....... . ...... 52
.... .... .. 27 Topics ........... . ... . ..... . ... . . .. . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . ... . . ... .. . .. .. . . .. .. ..... .. . .. . . . .. .. ... 52
.. . . . . . .. 27 St oryboard ....... . .. . .. . .. . . . ....... . .. . .... . ............. ... . ...... . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . .... . .. 53
... . .. ... 28 Case Study: Editing the Timeline .... . ... . .. ............... . ..... . .... . ... . ...... . ............... 54
.. . ... ... 29 How Explode Works .... . .... ...... . ............. . ..... ..... . ..... ...... . .......... .. ....... 54
.. ....... 31 Scaling the Timeline ...... .. ......................................... ... . ... .... . .......... . 56
.. . ... . ... 31 -:-imeline Symbols ... . ....... ...... ..... . ..... .. . . ..... ... .. .. .. .... . ..... .. ... . . .. ...... . .. .. .. .57
iv

Components .... . ......................... . ........... . ............. . . . ..... . ..... . ........ 57

Key Points . .......... . .... . .. ..... . ....... . ..... . ....... . ............ . ..... . . . ...... . .... . . 57
Key Frames ........... . .... .. .... . .... .. .... . .............................................. 57
Changebars .. . ....... . .. . .. . .... . . .. ..... .. .. . . . ... . .. . ....... . ............ .. .......... .. .. 58
Editing Key Points ........ . .... .. .... . ..... . .................................... . ..... . ......... 58
Drag Key Point . . ............ . ........... .. . ..... . ...... . .. ... . .. .... . ..... . . . . ...... . .... .. 58
Control Drag Key Point .. . .......... . .... . .... . ..... . ......... .. ......... . ...... . ... . ... . ... 58
Copy/Paste Key Po int . ............ .. ..... . . . .... . ..... . . ...... . ...... . ..... . . . ..... . . .. . .. . 58 - -=
Drag Multiple Key Points ............... . ..... . .. . .. . . .............. . ............... . ....... 58
Edit Key Point Time ....... . . . ... . .. . .. . .. . ....... . ............. . . . .. . . ............... . . .. .. 59
Moving t he Time Bar . . .... . . . ................... . ................... . . . .... . ...... . . .. ..... 59
Component Appearance ......... . ....... . .... . ................................ . ............. 61

Chapter 4: View Orientations

View Orientat ions . ...... .. .... . ...... .. .... . . . ....... . .... .. .... .. . .................... . ....... 66
Topics ........ .. .. ... .... .. . . . ..... . ..... . .... . .. . .......... . ... .... . . . ............. . ...... 66 ----
- .j-

Viewpoints .. ... .. . . .... . .. . .......... .. .... .. .... .. ....... .. .. . ........ . .... . . . . ..... . . . .... .. 66
Positioning t he Viewpoint. .............................. . ..... . ......... . ........ . ...... . ....... 67
Middle Mouse Button Functions .. . . ...... .. ............ . . . .. .. . . . .... . ...... . .. . .. .. ....... 67
Arrow Keys ....................... . ..... . .......... . ....................................... 68
Adjusting the Arrow Key Movement . . ... . ...... . . . . .... . . . .. . . . .... . . . ....... . . .... . ..... .. . 68 .... --
~-

Reference Triad ...... . .................. . .. . .... . ......... .. ..... . ........ . ....... .. ....... 69
Named Views .... . ....... . . . ................ . . . .. . ..... . . . . . ............. . .. .. . . ... . . . . . ... . . .. 69
Perspective View .. . ............ . . ......................... . ................................... 70
Modify Perspective View ............ . .... . ...... . ....... . . ....... . ... . ..... .. ...... . ..... .. 70
View Orientation States .......... . ... . ..... . .. . ........ . .. . ..... .. ...... . . . .. . ........ . ........ 72
Disable View Key Creation . . ...... .. ...... . . ............ .. . . .. ... . .... . ......... . . ... ..... . . 72 -=-= --
Disable View Key Creation Cleared ....... . .... . .......... . .................................. 72
Disable Playback of View Keys ............. . ... . . . ......... . . . ...... . . .. .. . .. .. ............ . 72
Disable Playback of View Keys Cleared ... .. .......................... . .... . ............. . ... 72
Creating View Key Points .... . . .. . ...... . ... . ........... . .... . .... . .. . . . .... . ...... .. ....... 72
View Orientat ion Changes . . ... . ...... .. ..... . ......... . .... .. ...... . . ..... . .. . ..... . ... . ....... 73
Establishing Shots and Leaders ......... . ............ . ..... . .......... . ... . ................ . .. . . 73
 v

. . . ...... .. 57 Case Study: Viewpoint s .. .. ... . . . . ..... . . .. ............ . ... .. ... . . . . .. . ............ . ....... . . .. 74
.. . . .. .. .. 57 Storyboard .. ....... . .. . ... ......... . ........... .. . . .. . . .... . . . . . .. . .... . .. ................ 74
.. . .... . . . 57 Editing Viewpoint Keys . .... . .......... . ..... . .... . ....... ... . . ... .......................... 79
.. . ... ..... 58 Further Tweaking . .. .. ...... .. . ....... . .......................... .... .. . .. . .......... . ......81
. .. ..... . . 58 Perspective View Effect ..... . . . ..... .... ... ....... .............. . . ... .. .............. ... ........ 81
-- . ... ..... 58 Case Study: Visual Bloom ..... .. . .......... . .. . ....... . . . ..... . .. . ............................. .. 81
.. . . .. . .... 58 Bounding Box ... . ... . ..... . ................................................................ 83

58 Alternative Methods ... . ........................ . ....... ...................... ............. 85

... ... ..... 58
.. .. ... .... 59 Chapter 5: Animating Appearances and Properties
.. . ....... . 59 Animating Appearances ..... . . . ........ .. ... .. . ...... . ... . ....... . .. . ... .. .... . . . ... . .. ........ 88
... .... .....61 Topics ....... ... ... . .................... ........ ............. . ... . ..................... ... . 88
Changing Displays and Appearances .................. . .......................................... 89
Interpolation Modes for Visual Pro perties ........ ... . . .... . . ... . .. ................... ... .... go
.. . .... ... . 66 Case Study: Component Visibility Changes .............. .. ...... . .. . . . . . .............. . .......... 91
.. . .. .... .. 66 Storyboard ... ... . ........ .......... . .... .......... . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . .. ........................ 91
... . . .. . . . . 66 Display States ......... . .................... . ....... . .. . .. . ...... . . . . .. . .. . .... . ............... 94
.. . .. ...... 67 Stored Display States .................. . . ... . ................... .. .... .... .. . .............. 94
. ... ... .... 67 Display States vs. Conf igurat ions . .... . .............. . ..... . .... . .................... .. ... . . 95
.. . . ....... 68 Display Pane ......................... . .......... .... ........................ ... .. ... ....... 95
- . ..... .. 68 Display Pane Icons ............ ....... . ............... .. . . ...................... . ........... g6
.. . .. . . .... 69 Selecting Display Pane Options ....... .. . . ... ... ... ... . ....... .. . .. . . . .... .................. 96
.. .. . . .... . 69 Creat ing Display States .............. . ..... . .. .. . . .......... . ...... ........... . ... . .... . . .. 97
... .. . .. .... 70 Case Study: Changing Appearances . .... . . ........... ... . . ....... ........ . ..... . . ........ . ..... . 97
... . .. . .. . . 70 Storyboard . ...... ...... . ......... . .... .. ................. ... . . . ... .. . . ....... ... . . . ....... 97
... .. .... .. . 72 Graphics Display Modes ..... . . . . ... . .. ... ... . . .. .... . .... .. . . . ............. . . .............. 101
- . ...... .. 72 Rotat ion by Reference Triad .. . . ............. ......... .................................... ..... 103
- . ..... . .. 72 Case Study: Reference Triad ........... ... .. ..... . . ..... . .... . ............... ................ . . 103
.. . .. ..... .. 72 Animating Lights ......... . ......... . ... ....... .. ......... . .... .. .... . ... .. .................... 105
... . . ....... 72 Scene and Environment ............. ... ..................... ...... . ..................... . . 105
- ... ....... 72 Lock to Mode! or View ................................. . .... . .. ...... . . ............. . ..... 105
.. . ... ...... 73 Lighting .............. . . . . .. . . .... . ... . ............... .. ... . . . ......... . ................ ...... 106
.. . ..... .... 73 Types of Lights .............. ......................... ............. . . . . ................... 106
vi

Creating Lights ....... .. .................... .. . . .... .. . . ............ .. ... . . .. ........ ... . ..107
Shadows ... .. ... .. .. ... ..... . ............. . . .... ... .......... . ..... ... . . ... .. .... .. .. .. .. ... .. .107
Lighting Coordinates .................................... ..... . ........ . ..... . ....... ... . .. 109
Positioning Lights .. .... ... . .... . . . ..... .. ... .. .. . . . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . ..... . ...... ..... . . .... .. 11 0
Spot Lights ........ . .. . . . ..... ......... ... .... .. . .. .. .. ...... . . . . . .. ..... ... ... .. . . . .. . . ... .. .. 110
Light s in Animations .. . ...................... . ........ . .... . ............. . . .... ...... . . ......... 110
Keep Light . .. . .......... . ... ..... . . . . . . ... .. .. . . .............. ... . .... .. .. . ................ 110
Case Study: Lighting.. .. ....... . ............. . .... .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . ..... . ........ . .. . . . .... . .. .... 111
Storyboard ....................... . ... . . . . . ... . .. .. . ....... ... . .. .. . .. .... . .... . ...... . .... 111
ReaiView Lighting . .. .. ..... . ..... . ........... . . .. ....... . .. . .. ... . . . . .. . . . . .. ... .... . ...... 115
Light ing Properties That Can Be Animated . ........ .. ....... ... ... . ... ... . . .... . ... . ......... 116
Rendered Animations . . ..... .. . . ........................... . ................ . .. . ........... .. ... 117
Case Study: Rendering an Animation .. .. .... ....... . .. ... . ...... .. ... . . ......... .. .. .. ... . . . .... 117
Photo View 360 Check . .... ... . .. . ... . .. ... .. .. .. ................. .. .. .. . ... . .... . . . ........ 119
Choosing A CODEC ................. . .... . ... ... ...... ............... . . . .................... 121
Saving a Ser ies of Images ........... .. ......... . ................ . .. ...... ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ....122
Chc
Chapter 6: Free Component Motion
Overview . . ........ . ... ... . .. .. . .... .. . .. .. .. .. . .... . .... . ........... . ...... . ...... . ... . ... . . . 126
Topics .. .. ........ . .. ... . ... . .... . .... ... . .............. . . . .. .. . ....... . .. ........ .. ...... 126
How Are Animations Calculated? . . ......... . ..... .. ........... ... .. ... .. ... .. ... . . .. ... . .... ... 126 .-
: ....t

Master Animator/Assistant Animator . ................................. . ................... 126

How Are the "lnbetween" Points Calculated? ..... . ........ .. .. . ........ . .. ... ... . .. ......... 126
The Solution Process ... . ... . ..... .. ....... . ........ . . . ... . . .... . . .. ... . ............ . ....... 127
Free Component Motion .............. .. ................ . .. . . . ..... . .. . .... .. ... . . .. .......... . 128
Keys ....... . .......... .. . .. .. .. ... ... ....... .. ........... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .... . . .. ... . ...... 128
Autokey . ... .. .... . ..................... .. . ........... . ..... .. .... . ... .. .......... . .... . .. 128
Place Key ...... ....... . .... . ... .. .. ........ . ... . .... . . . . .. . . . ......... . .... . ...... . ....... 128
Replace Key ....... . ......... . ... .. ... . .................... . .... ... ...... .......... .. ..... 128
Motion Study Properties ...... .. ...... . ....... . ........ . .... . . . ... ... .. .. . .. .. ... . ........ . ... 129
Animation Properties . . .... . ...... . .................. .. .... .. .. ... .. .. ... . .... .. .. ..... . . .. 129 :)- -
0.

Move and Rotate Component .. . ......... . ................... . ... . .... . . . .. . ............. . .. . .. 129
Triad ..... . ... .. ............ . .... . ....... .. ....... .. .. ... ... . .. . ... . .... . . . ..... . ....... . ... .. 130 .-
~
 vii

.. .. ... .....107 Triad Move and Rotate .................. .... . . ... . ............ .. ....... . .. . ............... 130
.. .. .. ......107 Drag Rulers ........ .... .. . ... .. ......... ........ . . ..... . .... . . .. .............. . . . .. .. . . ... 130
... ....... . 109 Reorienting the Triad ......................... .. ................ . ..... . .. .... ............. .. 131
. .. .... .. ... 110 Mates .................... . . .. . .... ............. . . .. . ................ . . . ............ . .. ....... . 131
.. .. .. ...... 110 Global Mates ......... . ..... . . . . ..... ...... ..... ... .. ... .. .... ... ... . . .. ........... .. . ..... 131
.. .. .. ...... 110 Local Mat es ............. . .. . ....................... . ....... . ....................... . . ..... 131
.. .... ...... 110 Case Study: Free Component Motion ....... ............ ......... . . . . . . ...... . ........ .. . ........132
... . ... ..... 111 Storyboard .................... .. .................... .. ........ . .... ......... .. .. . . .. ... ... 132
.... . ... .... 111 Scrub the Timeline ................. . .............. ...... ............ . .. . ..... ..... . .. . . ... 136
.... .. ...... 115 Reverse Path ............... ....... ............ ....... ........ ....... ......................... 138
.. ... ....... 116 Case Study: Alternate Solution - Motor ...... .. ......... . ... ....... .... .. ..... . ......... . .. .. . 140
.. . .... .... 117 Duplicate St udy ........ ............ ......... ... ... ... .............. . . .. ... .... .. ... ... . ....... 140
... . .. .... .. 117 On/Off . ....... ... . ..... .... . .... . .. ... . ..... .. . ............... . ............... . . .. . . . .... 142
.. .. ..... ... 119 Case Study: Alternate Solution- Mate ...... ...... ... . ........ .......... . ... ........ . . . . . . .... 145
... .. ....... 121 Screw Mate ........ .... .............. . .. .. . ................. .. ............. .. ............ 146
.. . ........122
Chapter 7: Motion Drivers
Mot ion Drivers ......... ........ ......... ............ .............. . . .. ......... . ... . ... ... .... 150
.. .. .. ..... 126 Topics .............. . . ... ................ ..... . . .............. ... . . ............ . ..... . ... . 150
... ... ..... 126 Dragging Components ........... . ........... . .. . .... .. ........ . ... . ........... . ............... 150
... . .. .... 126 Mates .... . . . ... ... ... .. . . ... .... . .. ......... . .... .. ......... . .... . ......... ..... . . ..... . ..... 150
... . ...... 126 Suppressing/Unsuppressing Mates.................................. . ....... . ......... . ..... 151
... .. ... ... 126 Distance and Angle Mates ... .. .. .. ............... ... .. ..... . .. . .... . ........... . ........... 151
.... .. .. . ... 127 Pat h Mates ......... .... ................. .. .......... . ... . . ... .. . . ............. .......... . . 151
.... . .. .. . . 128 Mates in Subassemblies ..... . . ... . . . ..... . .... . . . . ............... . . . . . ... . . .... . .. . . . .... . . 151
... .. ..... 128 Mating Strategies ... ... ......... . ... . .. .......... ............ ....... ............ .. . .... . . .. 152
. ... .... ... 128 Animating Robots ........................................ .... ..................................153
.... . ...... 128 Mate Organization .. ... ................. ........ ............... . ................... . . ..... 154
... . .... ... 128 Case Study: Robot Motion ........ ................ ..... ....... . . . . . . . . ... . ....... ... . . . ........ 154
.. ...... ... 129 Storyboard ................ .. ....... . ...... . ..... . .... ... . .. . ........ .. . .. . ....... ... . . ... 154
... .. ...... 129 Part 1: Mates ............. . .. .... . .. ..... . . . . . . .... ...... . ....... . . . .. . .. . .......... . ........... 155
... . .. ..... 129 Mate Problems in Animations ... .. ... . .... . .. . ................. ... ......... .. .............. 160
.. .. .... ... 130 MotionManager Filters ...... . ....... .. ... . ........... . ............. .. ...... ... . ... ........ . .... 161
viii

Motors .. ... ........ ........... .. . .... . .......... .... ........ ... . .. ......... .. . ....... . .. . .... 163
Motor Types ................................ .... ..... . .. .. ........... . ......... . .. . .... . .. 163
Motor Principles .. .. .. . ......... ... .......................... . ............................ 166
Recalcu lating Studies . ..... . .. . ... .................... . . . .. ........... . ......... .. . . ... . .. 166 -::r-= =
Defining a Motor ....... ...... .. ... .. .. . .... . ............... .... ........ ... ... . ......... . ...167
Part 2: Distance Motor ...... ........ ........ ... ... ........................... ... ..... .. ....... .167
,_ ~

- .E:
Motor Options ....................................................................... . .. . . 168
Where is Zero? ........................ . ............. .. ........ .. .... .. . .. .. ... ... . ....... 168
Revers ing t he Motion ................... . ............. . . . ............................ ...... 171
Constant Speed Motor ................... ..... ....... . .. . .... ..... .... . .. . ................ ..... 172
Part 3: Constant Speed Motor ....... ... ......................... . .......... . .. .. ......... ... . . .172
Constant Speed Motors-Alternate Meth od ............... . . . ....... ... ................. . ...174
Function Builder....... ...... ..................... . . ............ ... .......... ........ ...........176 -~

Dat a Input .......... . ... . ...... . ............... .. ........................................ .. 177 ::::J

Data Export ...... ... .. . . . ............... . .... ..... ... . ......... ... . . ........ . . ........ ....178
Data Point Motors ... . . . ........ .... . . .......... ...... ....... ....... .......... . ................178
Importing Data Points ....................... . . ... ...... . .. .. ........... . ............. . .....178 ' -
Curve Fitting...... .. ......... ........ .... ..... . .... . . ....... . .......... . ... . ........ . .. .. ..179 .--
-
Linear .. ....... .. ... ... ....... ..... ........ . ......... . . ... ......... ..... . . .. ........ . . . . ...179 .!. ::1

Akima .... . .. . . . ............. ... . ... ... ........ . ..... . .. . . .... ..... . .. .. . . ........ . . ... ....179
Cubic ....... .. ... ... ............. .. .................................. ... .... ............. . 180
General Considerations ... . . ... . .......... ... ............. . .... ...... .. .. ... ........ . ...... 180
Part 4: Data Points Motor ......... ......... ... ......... ...... . .. .. . .. . .... . . . . . .......... . . . .. 180 5-- c.:
Part 5: Segments Motor ....... . .............. .. . . ........ . . . . . . . . ........ . .... ...... ....... ... 182
Segment Interpolation Types . .. . ... . ... . ........................... .. .......... ... . .... ... 183 Cha
Part 6: Expression Motor ... .. ..... ....... ........ .... ............ ...... ...... . ...... ... . ..... . 185 --
i""\.1..... L :C-

Function Builder- Expressions . .. . . . .... . ..... . .. . .. ..... . . .... . .. . . . .... . .. . . .... ..... . .. . . . .. 186
Subassemblies . . ... . ......... . ... . .. . .................... . . ..... ..... . .. . . .. ... ............ .. ..187 ( --- :::-
C::J::: -

Rigid Subassemblies ............... . . .... . ............ .. ...................................187 S:J

Flexible Subassemblies ... . . ........... . ..... . . ... . . ... ... ... . .. .. . .... . ... . ....... . ....... 188
Case Study: Subassemblies .............. . ............. . .......... ... ........ ... .. . .... . .... ... 188
Modifying t he Structure of an Assembly ........................................... ...... ... 190
Dissolving a Subassembly .. .. ............ .. ...... . ........ . ............. ........ .... ...... 190 ( -- ~ :::-
c::::.:: - -
 ix

. - - -- ...... . 163 Reorganize Components Using Drag and Drop .......... .. . .......... . ... ........ . . .. . ...... 190
- . - .... .. .. 163 Reorganize Components.. . .... . ..... . . . . ..... . .. ..... . ..... . . ..... .... . ........ . . .. . .. .... 190
- - .. ........ 166 Promot ing and Demoting Components . ... . .. ............. . .. . . .. ................. .. . . ..... 190
- -- .. ....... 166 Troubleshooting Motor Problems ............ . ............... . .... . ............... .. ........... 192
-- - . ...... . ..167 Case Study: Mot or Troubleshooting ................................. . ...... ......... .. . ... . .... 192
. . . . ........167 Moving around a Closed Path . . ....... ............. . ............ . ...... .... . .................. . 195
. - - ... .. . .. . 168 Direct Path .... . . ... .... ..... . .............. . ..... . ...... . .... ..... . .. .......... . ... . . . . .. 195
- - . .... ... . 168 Using Mates ............................. .. ... .. ............ . ........... . ....... . ...... . ...197
- -.... . .... 171 The 100/360 Rule ....... . .................. . . . ... . ............ . .... . .. . ................. . ... . . 198
- - - - .. .. . .... 172 How Do We Go Beyond 360 degrees/100 percent? ... . . ........ ........ ..... . . .. . . .... . ..... 199
-- - - ......... 172 Motor Method ............ . . .. ... ... ............... .... ............... . . .. ....... . ........ 199
. --- - .... . .. .174 Case Study: Path Mate ....... . .... ....... ........ . ... . .... .. ............. . .. ... ... . ........... 200
.. - . ....... .176 Pat h Mate .......... .. .... . .............. . ... . .......... . . .. .... . . . .............. . ..... . .. 200
.. - --. . ... . .. 177 Storyboard ........ . .............. . .. . .... . .... . ...... . ... . . .. .. . .... . ............ . ....... 200
... . .. .......178 Limitations of the Pat h Mate .. .. . ............... . . .. .... ....... .. ... . . . .. ... ..... .. ....... 203
- . .. .... . . ..178 Path Mate Percent Scale ......... .. ............... ... ... ... . . ............. . . . . .. . ......... 204
- . .. . .......178 What's Wrong? ........................................ .... . . .................... . ......... 204
- .. .......179 Alt ernative #1- Suppress the Reset. ...... . . . .... .... ........ . .. .. .... .. ........ . .. . . .. . ... 205
-. - . .. ..... .179 Alternative #2-Two Path Mates . ... . ... .... . . ............. . . .. . .. ... .. .... . .. .. . . .... . . .. 205
-.- - . ..... . .179 Alt ernative #3- Key Points ........... . .. .. . . . . ....... .. . ... . . . . .. . . ............. . . .... ... . 205
-- - . ... ... 180 Alternative #4- Path Mate Motor ... .. ............. .. ................. ... .. . . ....... .... .. 206
-- - . - ..... 180 Path Mate Motor ......................... . ........ .. .. .... ......... . ... ..... . . ...... . ... . 206
--- - . ...... 180 Simulation Motion Drivers ........ ......... . . ... . ... ... . ......... . ....... . ... ... .......... . .... 208
-- . - . ... . 182
.. - - . ...... 183 Chapter 8: Animating Parts
--- . . ... . .. 185 Animating Parts ............ . .... ..... . .. ...... . ...... . .. .. . . . .. .. ... . ........ . .. . ... . .. . . . .... 210
--- . ....... 186 Topics ..................................... . ...... . .. . .. .. ... . .. . .................. . ...... 210
--. - .... ....187 Case Study: Animating In-Context Parts . ....... . ........ ...... ............... ....... ...... ...... 211
... . ...... ..187 St oryboard ....... .. . . ........ .. . .... ... . ......... . ........ .. .... . ...... . . . .. . .. .. . ........ 211
. 188 Rebuilding In-Context Parts ........ ... ... .... .... .... .......... . . . . ... . ..... ........ . .... ... 212
. . . 188 Create an In-Context Part ..... . ... . .. ..... .. ...... .. . ...... . .. .... .. ... ... . . .. . ... . .. . . . ... 212
. - . ... ..... 190 Animating a Spring .. ............... ........ ....... ............. ........ ............. ......... .. 217
- . . . . ..... 190 Case Study: Create a Spring . ..... .. ... ..... ... . ... .. ... .... . .. ...... . .. ... ... .... ............ .. 217
1-

Phase Shift .......... . ............................... . ............................ .. ....... 221

Rebuild Failures ........................................................................... 222
Spring Diameter ............................................ . . . . .. ... .. .............. . .... 222
Methodology ...... ... ....... . ... ....... . ... . ............ ... .. . ........................... 223
Case Study: Wheel Assembly . ............................... . .. . .. . ........................... 225
Question........ . . . . .. . . ............ ..... ....... . ...... . .. .. .. . .. . . ... ...... . . ...... ...... 225
r ___ -
Storyboard . . . ............. ..... . .. . . ... . ..... . ....... . . . ...... .... . ................ . ..... 226
Driving the Motion ... . .... . ..... . ......... ... .... . ......... ..... .... . ..... . .... . .......... 228

Chapter 9: Physics-based Motion

Physics-based Motion .. . . ..... . . . .. . ........ . ........................ . .. . ................... .. 234
Topics .... . ..... . .... . .. . .. . .... . .... . . . ..... .. ......... ... . .... . .................... . .... 234
Terminology .............. . .. . .......... . .......... . ... .. ......................... . .... . .. 234
Motion Solutions .......... .................. ............................... ............... 235 ----
'-:

Animation of Physics-based Simu lations .............. .. ..... ................. . .... . .......... . . 236
Driving Motion .............. . . . . . . . . ..................... .. ... . .. . ... . .. . . .. . .......... ... . ... 236
r __
Motors ... .. . ..................... ......... . .... . ...... .... . .............................. 236
Mates .. . ..... . ...... ..... ........... . ... . ... . .. . .......... .. .. . ......... . .. .. ............ 237
Redundant Mates . ..... . .. . ....... .. ...... .. ....... . ... ..... . .... . . .. . . ... . . . .. . ... ....... 237 ,- --- -
'-:::,j,.._

Mot ion Study Properties ...... . . ... ..... . .............. ............... . . ..... . .. . ...... . .... .. 238 - .a
Case Study: Ball Sorter ... .. . . . .. .. . .. .. . .... . ............ ... ... . . . . ..... . ... .................. 239
Storyboard .. . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . . . ..... . .... .. . ... .. ........ . . . . . . . ........ . ................ 239 ,. . . - - .- c- -'-
'- c~c

Gravity . ..... .......... . ..................... . ....... .......... . ... ............... . ........... 240
Contact ............... .. ........... . ................... . ........ ... ......... . ................. 241
Contact Groups ............ . .... .................. ....................... . ................ 242 5:::
Change t he Animation Speed .................. ....................... .. ................... 244 -
Limitat ions ....... ......... .. ....... ... . .................... .. .... . . ........ .. . ........... . ... 245 '-
c

Mates .......... ... .... . .. . .... . ..... . ...... ..... ..... .... . .... . ........ .... . .... ... ... .. . 245
Motors ..... . ......... . ..... . ..... . ............. . ....... .... . ..................... . ....... 245
Damping .... . .. ..... .. ......... ........................ .. ......... . ...... ... .. .. ... ....... 245 Sc
Force .. . ... . . . . . . . . . ... . ................ ... ........ .. . . . ... . .. ........ . . .... . ........... .. 245 '-
Contact. .................... .. .... ............. ...... . ..... . .. . . . .... . . ........ . ...... . .. . 245
Contact Friction ........... ............... . . ............. .. ......... . ..... . ........ . . ...... 246
 xi

- . . ....... ... 221 Coefficient of Restit ut ion ... ...... .... . ............ .. . .. ... ............. . .... . . ......... . . 246
. . .. ........ 222 Case Study: Impact .. .......... . ..... . . .. .. .......... ... .. ... ..... . ...... .. ... . . .. . .. . ......... 246
.. . .... ..... 222 Case Study: Geneva Wh eel. ........... . ............................ .... . . ........ . ............ . 248
- .. .... . . ... 223 Storyboard .. . ..... ...... ... . ............... . ....... ... ... . . ....... ... ..... ....... .. . . . ... 248
.. . . .... .. .. 225 Contact Options ........ . ..... _. . _. . . . . ................... . .. . . _.......................... 250
- . . ......... 225 Restoring Force .. . .. .... .... . ............................... . ............................. 252
. .. ........ . 226 Combining Motion.... ........ ................................. . ............................... 256
-- . .. . . . . ... 228 Case Study: The Bouncing Ball ........... ........ ... .... ...... ... .. .......... . ................. 256
Storyboard . ....................... .................... .. . . .... _..... . .......... . ..... . ... 257
Springs .............................. ...... ........... .. .. . ..... ... .. ... ...................... 258
--- .. ... . . .. 234 Translational Spring ....... ... ... . ..... . .... . .... .. .... . ..... .. ....... .. .. . ....... . . .... . ...... 258
- ... .... .... 234 Magnitude of Spring Force . . ....................... . .... ... . . . . .. . ..... . ........... . . . .. . . 259
.. . ..... ... 234 Damping ....... . .......................... ..... .............. . . . . .. .. . .......... . ......... 261
- - - ....... .. 235 Creating a Spring ... . .. ....... . . .... ..... .. . ..... . .... . . . ....... .......... .. . . . .. . .. . ... .. 262
-- ... . ..... 236 Importing Simulation Results . ...... . . . .. . .................... .. .... . .... .... .... . .... . ........ 263
-- . ........ 236 Errors ..... ... .......... ...... .. .... ....... .......... . ....... .. . ........ ... .. ...... . ...... 267
- . . . ........ 236 Complete the Spring Part. . .... ............. .... .............. . ......... . . . .... . . ..... ..... 267
-- . ......... 237 Physical Dynamics ..... .............. ...................................... . ... ........ .. .. .. . 268
- - .... ...... 237 Capturing the Screen ..... .. ...... ... . ............... ... ....... .... ...... .............. ........ 268
-- .. ....... . 238 Image Capture .. .. ... .. .... . . .......... . . .. . ..... . . ......... . . . ...... . .. .. ................ 268
--- . ........ 239 Record Video .............. . ..... . . . ..... .. ................ .. .... . ............. .. . .. . ... .. 268
- - .. .... .... 239 Case Study: Physical Dynamics . ..... ............. . ....................... ... .. . . . . ..... ....... 269
- -- ...... . .. 240 An imating Gears . ... ..... ... . .. .... .. . ..... . . . .. . . ................. .................... ... 270
-- .. .. ...... 241 Case Study: Fly-Ba ll Govern or . ...... ...... .. ....... ................. . . . ... . . ... ... ... ... ...... . . 271
. .. .... .. . . 242 Storyboard ... . ............... .............................. . . . . . .. . ... . .... . . . ..... ..... .. 271
- . .. .. .. 244 Animation Approach. . .. . .. .. ...... . .. . ....... . .... . .. ... .. .. . ... . ..... .. . ........ . ......... 271
-- - .. . ..... 245 Mates .. . ... . ..... . .................... . ................ . .. ......... . .. .......... . ........ 272
-- -- -- . ..... 245 Calculating Physics-Based Motion Studies .. ... .................. . .. . ........ .. ................ . .277
--- ... ..... 245 The PhysX Solver ... . ... .. .............. . ... .. .................. . .. . ......... . ....... . .....277
- - ...... ... 245 SolidWorks Motion Solvers ............ ................. .. . .. .... . ... .. . .. . . ............... 280
. .. ..... .. .. 245 Which Solver? ............ .. ........ . .. _.. . ...... . .. ... ... .......... . ............... . . .... 280
- ......... 245
- - .. ... 246
 xii
--------------------------------------------- ------ -- --
Chapter 10: Alternate Methods
Alternate Met hods ... . ................................ . .... . .................................. 282
Topics .............. . ............ .. .............. . .. . .... . ............ . . ..... . ............ 282
Planning the Animation .. . ........... ... .................. . ....... .... ..... .. . ............. 282
Case Study: Fly Ball-Governor... .. ....................... ... ... . ..... .. .... ..... . .. . ... ........ 283
Alternate Approach ............................................ . . ... .. . ..... . ....... . ......... 284
Case Study: Bouncing Ball ........ . .............. . .. ... ..... . .. . .... ... ... .. ........ . .. . ....... 286
___ -
..._
~ ; u::.::: .._.

Oscillating Motors ... . ......... .... . ........... . .... . ...................... ..... .. ...... . ...... 286
Motors Driven by Expressions ............................... .... ... .... ... . ............ . .. .. .. 288
Operators ..... ... .. .. .... . ........... . .............. .... . .... .. ....... ..... .... .... ...... 288 --- -..-.5
-~ -

Mathematical Functions ... . .......... ....... ... .. ................. .... ...... ..... ...... .. . 289
Variables and Constants ........ .. .................... . .. . ................. ... ... .. . ....... 290 '.' ---
Driving Expression .............. ... . ................. ................ . . ... ................ 291
Syntax ........................... ................ .... . .......... . ............ .. .......... 291
What Is the Best Way to Animate? ....... ........... ................ . ........ ........ . . ........ 294
Case Study: Arbor Press .... .. ... . ............................. ... ... ... . . .......... . . ...... . . . 295
Storyboard ................................. .. .......... .. .. . .............. ... .. .... ...... 295
Method 1-Point-to-Point .. .... ... . .. . . ............ . .... ....... .. . ..... . ... . ..... . .. . ..... 296
Method 2- Mates..... . ............ . ...... . ..... . .. . .... ..... . .... . .... .. . . .. . .. .......... 298 -=
Method 3-Motors ...... .. . . . ........................ ... ... .. .. . .. .... . .... . .... . ......... 301 .=
Method 3- Motors (continued) .... .. . ....... ......... . ........... . . . ....... . ..... . ..... . .. 304
Method 4-Basic Motion . . ...... .. ............... . . ..... .. .. . ... . .............. .. ......... 304 C2se S . .
The Law of Simplicity ... . ....... ..... . ............ .. ....... . ............ ....... .. . ..... .. ..... 307
r __
=
.... ::.
Chapter 11: Introduction to Cameras
Introduction to Cameras .. ... ........ ... ................... .... . .. .. . .. ............. . .... . ..... 310 ' -
.=
Topics ................. .. ... ....... . . ..... . .. . .... ..... ... ................ ..... . . . .. ... . ..... . 310 Ccse ::: ..._
Camera Terms . .... . .. .. .. . ..... . ........ . ...... . . .. ..... .. .... . ... .. . . ..................... .. . 311
Camera Rotation ... ... ........... . ......................... . . ............. . .... . ........... 311 C.:se 5::.
Camera Translation . ... ... .. . . ..... . . . .......... . .... . ... ........ . . ... . . .. ..... .. ..........312 St c:"lc2-:
Positioning and Aiming Cameras .. ... .. .......................... . . . .. ... . ........ .. . . .... . .....312 )ep:- ::.::
Camera Aiming Methods . .... .. ....... . ........ . .... . ....... .. ... .. . . ..... . . ..... . ......... 313
Adding a Camera ............. . ........ . . ... . . .. ......... . ................. .. .. . ................313 C.:se 5:
 xiii

Camera Options ................... . .... . .................................... . ... . ..... . ....... 314

Target Point Position, and Rotation . . .... . ... . . . .......... .... .. . . . ....... .. . .. . .. . ... . . . .. 314
-- . ..... . .. 282
Aiming the Camera ................. . . .... ... . . . ........................ . .. .. . . .. . ...... . .. 314
-- -. . . . . .... 282
Locking t he Camera Position ........ . . ..... .. .. ........... .. . . .. . ... . ..... .. . . . ... .. .. . . . . .. 315
- . . .. .. ... 282
Camera Motion Controls .... . ...... . .................. .. ....... . . . ... .... ............ . ... .. 315
- . .. . ..... 283
Definable Camera Properties ...... .. ..... . ... . ......... . .......... .. ....... . . . ....... . . . .. 316
- . ....... 284
Case Study: Introduction to Cameras ............. . ....... . .. . ....... . ..................... . .. . .. 317
- . . ....... 286
Camera Position and Target . . .......... . ......... .. ............. . .... . ......... . . . ............ 318
... .. . . .. ... 286
Pe rcent Distance along Selection ... . . . . . .... ........ . .. . ... . . .. . ....... . ..... . .. .. . . . . . . .. 319
--- .. . .. . 288
Editing a Camera ......... . .... . . . .... . .......... . ........................ .. ...... . ...... . . ... . 322
- ....... 288
General Sequence ... .. . . . . . . . ...... . ................ . ... .. ......... . . . ...... .. ....... .. ... 322
- . . .. ... .. 289
Multiple Cameras .... .. ... . . . ........ . . . ....... .. . . ............. . ........ .. ...... . ...... . . ... . 322
- . .. ...... 290
Show/Hide Cameras .... . .......... . ......... . ....... . ...... ... .. . ..... . .. .. .. . .. . . . . .. ... 322
--- ... ...... 291
Cameras in an Animation ..... . .... . .. . .. . .................. . . ........ . . . ......... . ....... . .... 324
... . . ... . ... 291
Switching a Camera On ........ ... . . .. ... .. .. . . . . . ..... . ... . . ... ... . . ...... . . . . ... . ... . .... 324
-- . .... . . . . 294
Locking the Camera Posit ion ... . . . . . . ..................... . .......... . ... . . .. . . ... .. ... .. .. 324
- .. . . . .. . ... 295
Camera Properties ........ . ... .. . . . . .. . ............ . .... . . . .... . .. . . . . ... . . .. . . ... .... . ... 328
- . .. . ..... 295
Camera Lenses ......... . . ....... . . . .. . ................ . ........ . . . . .... .. . . .. . .. .... . . . . . 328
--- . . ...... 296
Field of View . . . ...... .. .. . ........ . ............... .... . . . .. . .. . .. . .. ... . . . ... . ........ . .. 329
-- - . . . ..... 298
View Rectangle ......... . ........ . . . . . . .. . . .. . .... ... . . . . .. .. ........ . .. . .... . . ........ . .. 329
- . ........ 301
Size of Field .. . ......... . .. . ...... . ......... . . .. . ..... ... . ..... ... ... .. .... . .... . ....... .. 329
- . ........ 304
Case Study: Camera Lenses .... . .... . ..... . .......... . . ........... .. ... . ... . ... . . .. . ... . . .. . ... 330
-- . .. . . . .. . 304 ,
View Rectangle .. ....... . ... ...... ......... . .. ......... .. . ........... . ........ . . . . .. .. . ... 334
-- . . ...... 307
Camera Roll ... . .......... . ......... . ....... . . ........ ............ . . ... . .. .. . . . .. . ..... . .. 335
Camera Aspect Ratio .... . . .. . . . . . ... . .......... . .......... .. ............ . ............... . . 337
View Area ... . . . .. ... .. ................ .. ............. .... .... . ..... .. ................... . 343
.. . .. ...... . 310
Case Study: Camera Movements . .. . . .......... . .... . .. . ...... . .. .. ..... . .. . ... . . .. ............ 344
.. . .. ...... . 310
Apparent Depth ...... . .......... . ......... . . ..... ... ... ........... ..... ..... .... ... . ..... . . . .. 349
-- . .. .. . ..... 311
Case Study: Apparent Depth ..... . .. . . ... ... . . . . ... .. . . . .. .. ..... .. .. . .. .. . .... .. .. . . . ......... 349
-- -. . ... . .... 311
Standard Lens .... . ......... . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . .... . .... . .... . ........... . .. . . . ........ . .. . . .. 353
-- .. .. . ..... .312
Depth of Field .......... . ... . . ...... . .. .. . . . .. . .. .. . . . . ..... . .. .. . ...... . ... . ...... . ..... ... . . 354
-- -.. .. .. .. .. 312
Use of Depth of Field . .... ... . . . ..................... . ...... . .... . ........... . ......... ... 354
"".. ...... .. .313
Case Study: Setting Depth of Field .. . .. . ....... . ... .. .. . . ..... .. . ................. . . . . .. .. . .. .. 355
-. -. ... . . .. . .313
xiv

Animation Speed .. ..... ... . ................................................. . ............. 362

Rendering Quality ......................................................... . ............... 363

Chapter 12: Walk-through Animations

Using Cameras in Animations ............................. .... ...... . ........... . .............. 366 - -c=-:
Topics . ....... . ......... ............................... .... ... ...... ..... . ................ 366
Case Study: Walk-through Animations ............................... .... .. . ...... . ............. 367 =>- =
Storyboard ............... ................ ... ....... ............. . . . .. .. . ......... . . .. . ... 367
Editing th e Target .. . . ..... .. . . ....... . . . ..... . .. . ... ... ... . .... . .. .. .................... .. 369
Smooth Camera Motion ................. . ........................... . ........... .... ....... 371
Case Study: Walk-through with a spline path .................. ... ............................... 372
Storyboard .... ... .......................................................... . .. . .......... 372
Create Intermediate Point s ............................ . .. . ................ ........... . .... 375
-= =
Walk-through Funct ion ........ . .......... . .... .. . . ...................................... . .... . 377
Walk-through Interface ............ . ................ . .. . . . . . . ............................. . 378
Walk-through PropertyManager ......... ........ ... ... .. . ... . . .. ........................... 378 Cha
Walk-through Control Panel. ............. . ............. . ... .... . ... .. .... .. . .. . . ... . ....... 379 -~-
Walk-through Controls ............... ....... .... .. . . ...... . . ..... .. ........ ... ............ 380
Walk-through Mini Panel. .. ... . .... ........... ... .. . . . . .. ... . . .. .. . .. . . ................. .. . 381
Case Study: Walk-through Function ... . .... . .... . ..... ...... .... . . .. . .. . . .... .. .... .. .. ........ 382
Storyboard ... . . ............. .................... . .. . ................ .................... . 382
Reset. ... ............... . .... ............................ . .. ...... .. . ... . . ... .. .. ... ...... 382 --.:
Saving the Walk-through ................................. ..... ............................ 384

Chapter 13: Using Camera Sleds in Animations

__ ...,_ ,-
Using Camera Sleds in Animations .... . .... . ........ .. .. ........................... ... . .. .. .... 386 . -=--
Topics .... . .... . ... ..... ............................. ... .. . .......................... .. ... 386
Camera Sleds ... . .. .... . ..... .. .......................... . ... .... ... . .. .. . .... . .. . . . .......... 386
Creating a Camera Sled.... . . ... . ............................... . .. . ....... . .... . ... .. .... ..... 387
Case Study: Camera Sled ......... .... .. ... . .. . . .. . . . ..... .......... . ..... . .. .............. . .. . 387
Storyboard ...... .... .. .... . ................... . .... . ... ... . . .. ... ........ .. . ..... . ... . . .. 388
Additiona l Practice ............. ......................... . ................................. 393
Case Study: Hitchcock Effect ... .... . .............. . ......... . .. . .. . ..... .. . ... . .. . . ........... 393
 XV

- - ... .... .. 362 Lens Focal Length..... .. . .............. . .......... . ............. .. .................. . .. . .. 397
- .. ........ 363 Focal Length vs. View Area . . .......................... . ... . .... ..... .............. ... . .. .. 398

Chapter 14: SolidWorks Motion

- ........ 366 Chapter Scope ..... ... . . .... . . ..... .. .. ... .. . . .. . . .. . ................ . . ...... . .. . . . .. ...... . .. 402
-- .. - . . ... 366 Topics ....... . . . .. ...... .. . ......... . ... . .. . . .... ..... . .. ... .. .. . . .. . ... .. .. .. . . .......... 402
, .. .. ...... .. 367 SolidWorks Motion ........ .... ..... ...... ... ... . .. . .... . ....... . .. . ... .. .. . . . . .. . . ............ 402
-- ........ 367 Motion Analysis Study Type ........ . . . .. ....... .... . .. ....... . ... . ................... . .... 402
-- .... ..... 369 Why Motion Analysis for an Animation? .......... . .. ... . .. . .......... . .. .. . . ... . . .......... 403
. - - . .. ... .. . .. 371 When to Use SolldWorks Motion .... . ............. . .......... . ..... . .... . .......... . ........... 407
- -- .. . .. .... 372 Case Study: Fly-Ball Governor.. . ... . . . . .... ........ .. .................... . ... .. ................ 407
-- .. . ..... .. 372 Alternate Choices ...... .. ........ . . ..... .. .... . ......... . .. .. . . .... ... . . . . .... .. .... . ..... 409
- - . ......... 375 Review ... .. ....... . .................. . .............. .. .. . . ................... . . . . .... . .... . .. 410
-- ........ . 377 Summary of Motion Drivers . ......... .. .... . ..... . .. . . . .. . .. . ....... .. ................ .. ....... 411
-- - - ..... .. . 378
- .. ...... 378 Chapter 15: Output and Post-Processing
--- .... ..... 379 Output and Post-Processing . ...... . . .. . ...... . . .. . ... .... . .. . ....... . .. . .......... . . .. . . ... ... 414
--- - ......... 380 Why Post-Processing? ... ......... .. .... .. . . . .. ......... .. ..... . ........ ... . . .. . ...... . .... 414
- -- .. ....... 381 Video Editing ........ . .... . ......... . .......... . ........ ... ......... . .. . .. . . .............. 414
-- - . ....... . 382 Topics ...... ... ....... . ............. . ... ... ............ ... ... ... ... ........ . . . ........ .... 414
-- .. ... .... 382 Animation Output ....... . .... . . .. . .. . ... .... . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . .. ..... .. . . .. . . . .... .. ....... 415
, ___ .. ....... 382 Post-Processing Functions.. ....... . . . .. . .. . .. . . . ..... . .. . . . . ... . . . . . . ... . ...... . ........ .. 415
-- . . .. .. . 384 Video Editing Programs .. . . . .. ... . ............................................................ .417
External References ......... . ...... . ...... . ... .. .... . ....... ... .... ...... . . ......... . ......... .417
Timellnes ...... . ........... ... ....... .... ................. .............. .. .... . ..... . ......... 418
-- - . ........ 386 Video Compression ........ ...... . ...... .. .......... ... ............ . ................ . .. ....... 418
- . ....... . 386 Transitions ......... .. . . . . . . ................... .... .... ............ . ......... . ...... . ..... . ... 419
-- - .. ... . ... 386 Titles and Annotations . . .................................... . .. . .......... . ........... . ... . ... 419
- -- .... . .... 387 Looping.. . ............ . ..... . .. . . . . . . . ... . .. .................... . ............................. 420
- - .. ....... 387 Parallel Processing . ........ . ..................... .. . .............................. . .. ........ . 420
-- - .... .... 388 Frame Rate ... . ..... .. ......... . .......... . ..... .. ... . ............. . .. . ....... . ............... 421
.. .. .. ... .. .. 393 Rendering Efficiency ........ . ... . . . ..... ..... . .... ....... . . .. . . .... . . . ... . .. . . . ... ... ......... 421
-- - .. ....... 393 Render to AVI or Images? .... . ....... . .. .. ... . ............... .... .. . ..... .. .................. . 422
xvi

Case Study: Animations f rom Rendered Images . ............... . . ................... . ... . . . ..... 423
Other Choices . . . . ... . . ............ .. . .. . .. ............. .... . . ....... . . . ..... .. .. .. . ....... 427
Case Study: Post-Processing ............ . .. . . . ............... . ..... . . . .. . ......... .. . .. .. . ..... 428 c: --
Storyboard .. . ..................... . .............................. . .... . .......... . .. . .... 428 C=s= :
Create The First Clip ................ . . .... .......... . ................ . ........ .... ........ 430
Create the Second Clip ..... . ....... . .. . ................... . . . ........ . . . .................. 431
Create the Third Clip . .................. .. ........... . ....... . .. . .. . .............. . .. . ..... 433
Post-Pr ocessing . . . . ... . . ....... .. . . . . . . .... .. . ..... .. ... . . . . .. .... . . . ... .. . . . .... . .. . . .. . 433
Windows Live Movie Maker ............... .. .... . ............. . . . .. . .......... . .. . .. . . ... . ..... 434 -..
Windows Movie Maker .. . ....... . ..... . . . .......... . ..... . . . .................... . ......... 435 -.J

Aspect Ratio ............. . ............... . ..... . .................................. . .. . .. . . 436

Use of Transitions . ............ . ... . .................... . ... . . . ........ . . .. . .. .. .. . . . . . ... 439
Consistency .. .. . .. . .... ... ......... . . . . . ... . . ..... . .. . . . . . .... .. ... . ....... .... .... . ..... 441
Finish t he Movie . .. ... . . .. .... . ........ . . .. . ........ . ... . . . . . .... . . . ...... . . . ... . .. . . . . ... 441

Chapter 16: Advanced Topics and Problems

Advanced Topics ....... . ....... . ... . . ........ .. ............. .. .. . ......... . ........ . ..... . ... .444
Topics ... .. ... . ... .. .......... .. .... . . ... . . .... . ... .... .. . . .. ........ ... .. . ........ . ...... 444
Configurations fo r Animations . . . . .. . . ... .. . . . . . . . ....... . . .. .... . ... . . .. . . . .. .. .. .. .... .. . . ... 445
Case Study: Hand Punch ........ . . . ... . . . . .. . . ..... . .... . ... . . . . .. ... . .......... . . .. . . ......... 445
Storyboard ................ . ............ . ........................... . ..................... 446
Clip 1: Assemble t he Punch ..................................... . ......... ... ............. . ..... 447
Limit Mates... . ............ . ....... . ..... . ....... . ........ . . . ..... . .... . ...... .. .. . . . ..... 447
==-
Establishing Shot ... . . .. . ....... . ... . . . . . ........... . ...... . .. . . . ...... . ... . ............. . 451
Clip 2: Show Assembly Action . .. . .. . .... . . .. .. . . .. ....... ... . .. . ... . .. . ....... . . . . . . . .. . . .... . . 453 :: Q
Dynamic Section Cuts ... ......... . .... . ... . . . .............. . .................. . . ... ... ........ 453 S..-..a
Clip 3: Change Punch Tip and Die ......... .. ................ . ... . ... . ....... . .. . ... . . . . . ... . .... 459
Changing Configurations ........................................ .. .................... .. .. .. .. .459
Lock Mates ... . . . .. . ..... . ....... . .. . . .. . . .... . ....... . .... . ... . .......... . ... . ...... . ... .460
M ates ... .. ... . . ..... ......... .. . . . .. . .. . .......... .... .. . .... . ....... . ... . ...... . .... . ... 461 Chap1
Clip 4: Cut Sheet Metal . .... . . . . . ..... . . . . . . ..... .. . . ... .. . . .. . . . . ..... .... . .. . .. . . . . .. .. . ..... 465 In-Cor
Positioning Strategy .............. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . . . . ...... . ... . .......... .. .... . ........ .. .466 :..
Motion Paths ............. .. ....................................... . . . .................... 467 ::c.se 5:
 xvii

-. - .... ... . .. 423 The Animation Series ....................... . .... . ... .. . . . .. . . .... . . .. ... .... . . ... . .... . ... 469
.. - . ..... .... 427 =>est-Processing...... . ...... ... .. . . .. .. . .... . ....... . .. . ............. . . ...... . ....... . . .. . . ... 469
--- - .. ....... 428 St r oboscopic Effect ....... . ......... . ........ . . . ........ . ....... . .......... . .... . . ... .. ... . ... 473
- .. ....... 428 C:ase Study: Stroboscopic Effect . . .... . ................... . . . .. .. ... ..... ................. .. ... 474
-- . . .. . .. ... 430 Stroboscopic Rate . . ..... ... ....... . .................. ... . ........ ......... .. .. . .... . .... . 475
... .......... 431 Calculating Frame Rate ...... .......... .. .. . ..... . ..... . .... . .. ... ............ . ......... . .. 477
--- .. . ....... 433 : hains . ..... .. .... . .... . .................. . .................. . .................. . . . . . ......... 478
. . . ... .. .. ... 433 Chain Animation Setup ..... . ..... . ....... . .. . ... .. ..... . .... . .... . .... . . .... . ..... .. . . . ... 478
-- .. . ...... . -434 Chain Animation Considerations .. . ....................... ....... ............. . ............ 479
--- . ..... . ... 435 Troubleshooting the Chain ..... . ........................................................... 483
--- - .. - .. ... -436 Driving the Motion ..... ....... ......................... . .................. . .............. . 487
-- .. . .. ... . .. 439 M aking the Animation Longer ...... . . . .. .. . . .. . . .. ........ . ..... . .............. . . . . . . .. ... . 487
--- .... . ..... 441 Physics-Based Solution ................ . .......... . ....... ................ ........ . .... ... . 488
-.. .. ...... .. 441 3elts ..... . . . . .......... .. .... .. ....... .. .. . . ..... .. .... . ........ .......... ... . ..... .......... 490
The First Law of Animations ........... . .......... . ...... .... ..... ...... ..... ...... . .. .. . .. 490
Animating t he Belt .... ... .. ..... .. .... . .............. . . ..... . ............... . ...... . . . . . .. 493
-- - -- --------444 Moving the Marker . .. ......... .. .... ... .. . .. . . ... ...... . ......... ...... .................. .494

-- - ---- ..... -444 Motor Speed .......................... . .. .. ..... . .... . ... .. . ...... ...... .... ............. 495
-- - .. -.... .. . 445 =>lanetary Gear System . . ............................. . .. . .... . .. . . .. ... .. ..... . .... . . ... . ..... 497
--- -- -445 Storyboard .... ........... ............................. .. . . . . ........................ . .... 497
... . .. ....... 446 Preparatory Work .... . ......... . ..... . . . . . . . . .... . .. . .... .. . . .... . ..... . .... . ..... . ... . ... 498
--- --... .. ... 447 Mating Gears . . . . . . . . . ... . .... . .... .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . ...... . .... . .... . ..... . ................ 500
--- - . .. ...... 447 Capture Appearance Settings ... . . .. ... .... . ..... . .... . .... .. .... . .... . ........ ........ . ... 505
-- -- -........ 451 Case Study: Shadow Study ....... .. ... . . .............. ......... . . .. .. .. .... ... ... ........ . .... 506
-- - . ... ...... 453 Display Considerations . .. . . . . . ............. . . ... . . .. . ........ .. . . ....... . ..... ...... . ..... 507
-- - .- .-.- ... . 453 Shadows in ReaiView . ...... . . .. ...... ............... . ....................... . .... . .. . ..... 509
-- -- ----- . .. -459 Moving the Lights ........ .. . ... .... ..... .... ............ .......... .......... . . . . . .. . . ..... 509
-- - -... ... . .. 459 Recording the Results . ..... . . ... .. .. ...................... ................. .............. . .512
-- -- .. . ..... .460
-- -..... . -... 461 Chapter 17: Advanced Topics with
... . . . ..... .. 465 In-Context Modeling
- -- ---- .. - .. .466 Animations Using In-Context Features .... . .............. . ...... .. ... . ..... . ..... . .......... .. .. 516
- . . ..... .... 467 Case Study: Pencil Sharpener .. ..... .... ... . ..... .. .... .. ... ... .. ....... . .... . ..... . ........ . .. 516
xviii

Storyboard ...... .. . . ....... ... .... . .. . ................ . ... . . . .... . .. . ......... .. ... . .... .. 517
Plan the animation .. . . .... ....... .. . .. .. ... . ... .... . . . . .. ... . . . ... .... . . .. ... .... . . . .. .. ... 518
Preparation Work ............... . .... . .... . .......... . . . .... . ... .. . .... . .... . ... ... ....... 519
Assembly Cut .... .... .......... . ..... . . .. . . . . ... .. ......... .. .... . ... . . .. .. . . . .. .. ........ 520
Animate Appearances . ..... .... .... . . ..... .... ...... ... . . .. . . .. .... . . . .. ... .. . . . . ... ..... . 526
Pencil Appearances ... ..... . . . .. . . . ... . . .. ....... . .. . ..... .. ... . . . .............. . ... ... ... 527
Viewpoints ...... .. .. . ... . . . .. . . . ..... . . . . . . ..... . .... . .... . . . ..... .... . . . . .. . . .. ... . .... . 527
Lengthening Your Animation ... . .. ... . . ... . .. .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . . . .. . .... .. ....... . . .. . . ...... 530 = '==-
Case St udy: Jigsaw ........................ . ...... .. .. . ...... .. ............. . . .. ............... 532
Storyboard . . . . . . . . . .. .. . .. ...... .. . ... .. ....... . . .. ... . ... . ....... . . .. . .. .. . .. . . ... .... . . 532
Procedural Appearances .. . . .... .... .. . ..... .. ....... .... .... . .... . .... . . . .. . .. . ... . .. .. .. . .. .. 533
Assembly Cut ... .. ......... .. ......... .. ......... . ............. . .. . .. ... .. . . . ...... . . . . ... 535
Assembly Changes . ........ .. ... . ..... . .. . ..... . .. .. ..... . . . .... .. . .... . .. ... .... ........ . 536
Animation of the Jigsaw Blade ... . ..... . .. . . ... . . .. .. . ....... .. . . . . . . .... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. 537
Bending Parts ......... .. ....... . ... . .... . . . . . .. .. .... . . ........ . . ......... .. ..... . .. . ....... . . 542 I
-::::r
-

Case Study: The Pipe Bender ... .... ...... .... . . ..... ... . . .... ..... . . . . . . .... . ... . . . . .. .. .... . . 542
Sto ryboard . . ... ... ........ .... ..... ..... ... . .. .. . . .... . . .. .. . .... . ... .. . . . . . . ... .. . . ..... 543
The Pipe Part ..... . ......... . .......... . .......... . ... . .. . ... . ...... . .. . ........ . . . ....... 544
Case St udy: The American Flag .. . . ... ..... ... ...... . . .. ..... ... .. .. . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . .... . . .. . . . 550
The American Flag ........... . .. . ...... . ............ . ............ .. .... . ..... . .. .... ...... 550
Sheet Metal Features . . .... . . . . .. . ... .. . . ...... .. . . ....... . . ........ . . .. ... .. .... .. ....... 552
Case Study: SolidWorks Flag... ..... . ......... ...... ... . . . .. ....... . . ... ... . ... . . .. . ... . . . ... . . 553
Rect angular Flag . . . .... . ..... . ... .. . .. ....... . .......... . . .......... . ....... . . ........ . ... 556
Case St udy: Cable Winding Off a Reel ....... . . . .................. .. .... ... . . ....... .. . . . . ..... . 558
Storyboard . . . . . . ..... .... . . ............... .. .. . .... . . .. . . . .. .. .. . .. . . . . .... . ..... . ...... . 558
Cable Solution Method ...... .. . ... . .. . .. . ...... ... .... ..... . ... ...... ..... ... . . ... . .. . .... 558
Creating t he Cable .. .. . ..... .... .. .. . ...... ..... ... ........ ... .... .. ...... ..... .... ...... . 559
Mate Function . . . . .. .... .. . .... .... . .. .. . .. ... .. . . . . . . . ... . ... . ...... . ... . .... ... ....... . . 561

Chapter 18: Tips and Tricks for Better Animations

Putting It All Together ..... ....... ... .. .. . . .... .... . .. ... ....... . .. .. ... . ... . .. . ..... . . . . .. .... 566
Planning .. . . . ...... .. . . ...... . ... . . ...... .. .. . .. ... ...... ... . ..................... .... ...... . . 566
Storyboards .. ...... .... ....... .. . . ..... . . .. . . ... ...... . . . . . ...... ... . . .. . . .. .. . ...... . . .... . .566
 xix

- .. ..... .... .517 Animation Length ..... .......... . . ............................. ..... ...... . ............. . ..... 567
.. .. ... . .. .. 518 Lengthening Your Animation ... . .. ..... . ............. .. . ... .... ... . .... . . . .. .. .. ..... . ..... 567
- . .. ... ..... 519 Organization ... .. .......................... .......... .............. . .... . ... ...... . . . . ........ 567
.. .. ... ... .. 520 Separate Assembly for Animation ........... . ... ............ . ... ............ . ........ . .... . 568
... ... ..... . 526 Mates .......................................... . ............... . .. . . . . ................... 568
.. .. . . ...... 527 Frame Rates ... . .. .. ............ . . .... . .. .. . . . .... .................... ...... ........ . ..... 568
.. ....... .. . 527 Post-Processing...... .. ............. . . .. . ... ........ ................................. ... ...... 569
- .. ......... 530 Viewpoints/Cameras .... . . .... . .. . . . ..... . .................................. . ................. 570
.... .. ..... .. 532 Camera Tips ............. ... .................... . .... . .... .. ................... ......... . . 570
. -- . ......... 532 Establishing Shot . . .. ........ . ............. . ........... ... ................................. 571
--- ... .. . .. 533 Tit le Shot......... ... . .......... .............. .. . . .. ........... .. . .... ... . .............. . .. 571
- - ... .. . .. 535 Credits ........ ...... ... .... . .......... . ................ . ... . . . ... ... .................. . . . .571
- .. . .. ... . 536 Rendering Efficiency ... . .......... . ... ... .................. . ....... . ..... . ..................... 571
-- . . .. ..... . . 537 Do It t he Easy Way ........ . ..... . ......................... . . . . .. . . . . ..... ........ .. . .. . ....... 572
. .. ..... . . .. 542 When Is t he Animation Finished? ......................... ..... . ............................ 573
-- . .. ....... . 542 Consistency.... ................... ... . .. . . ... . .. . . . . ........ . .. .. ..... . ....................... 573
-- . ...... . .. 543 Large Assembly Animations .................................... .. ............ .. ............... 574
.. ... ....... 544 Animation Tips and Tricks ... . ..... . ... .. ..... . .................................. . ............. 574
.. . ..... . ... 550 The First Law of Animations . ................................... . .... . .... .. ............... 575
... . ......... 550
-- . ....... .. 552
-- .. - ..... . .. 553
-- .. .... ..... 556
-- .. . ... .. ... 558
... . .... .... 558
--.. . . . .. ... . 558
.. .. ...... ... 559
-- . ..... ..... 561

... 566
.. .. .... .. ... 566
-- - . .. ... 566
Introduction

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:

Describe t he uses of the MotionManager interface.

Understand the t hree types of motion studies.
Understand the different types of motion used in
animations.
Understand the three things that can be animated in a
motion study.
Set options within the MotionManager.
2 Chapter 1

About This Book

The goal of this book is to teach you how to create animations of SolidWorks assemblies and save
them as video files or still images.
The animation capabilities of SolidWorks are robust and feature-rich so it is impractica l to cover every -- _,..., -~-
-.::-~:: 5.:
minute detail and aspect of the software and still have the book be a reasonable length. Therefore, the
focus of this book is on the fundamental skills and concepts used to create animations in SolidWorks.
You should view this material as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the system documentation and
online help. Once you have developed a good foundation in basic skills, you can refer to the online help
fo r information on less frequently used command options.

Prerequisites
To get the most out of this book, you should have the following:
Basic experience wit h the SolidWorks software
Experience with the Windows operating system

Instructional Design Philosophy

The chapters in this book are designed around a process- or task-based approach to learning. Rather
...,...
~---
= -:r- -
than focus on individual features and functions, a process-based approach emphasizes the process and _.._::J

procedures you follow to complete a particular task. By utilizing case studies t o illustrate these
processes, you learn t he necessary commands, options, and menus in the context of completing an
animation.
There has been considerable effort made in this book to go beyond the "do it this way" app roach and to
also cover how the software works, different methods to achieve the animation goa ls and t o compare
and contrast those different methods. The idea is to be able to create the desired animation as quickly
-----
-::::.:::..
':
as possible.

Using This Book

This book is intended to be used as a self-paced, self-study course.
Obtaining a suitable animation is very subjective. You should continue to experiment with the various
settings available within SolidWorks even after the case study objectives have been achieved.
 Introduction 3

About the DVD -' 8 SolidWorks Step-by-Step Guides

-:Jiies and save 3ound inside the rear cover is a DVD containing copies of the parts, -" ..!. Creating Animations with SolidWorks
assemblies, and other files that are used throughout this book. Chapterl
qunning the installation wizard on the DVD will create a directory _ Chapter2
:c:l to cover every _ Chapter3
ilamed SolidWorks Step-By-Step Guides that will have a folder
:~- Therefore, the _ Chapter4
for each chapter in the book. Each chapter folder will have two sub-
-:s in SolidWorks. _. ChapterS
folders: Case Study and Videos.
::cumentation and ..- Chapter6
~:: the online help _ Chapter7
The Case Study folder contains the files used during the various
" _ ChapterS
chapters.
" .,. Case Study
- he Videos folder contains completed videos referred t o in the Built Parts
_ Coil Spring
chapters.
_ Incontext
Several of the above folders have a subfolder called Built Parts. Wheel Assembly

Whenever possible, complet ed animations are provided as ,., Videos

_. Chapter9
additional motion studies in the assemblies included to do the case
_!, Chapter 10
study. In some cases, t his cannot be done because the case study
earning. Rather Chapterll

s o:he process and or exercise requires additional parts to be created. To avoid

confusion and missing references, a complete new assembly and set of parts are provided in the Built
c:ate these
Parts folder representing the files as they would be at the completion of the case study. These files are
c::mpleting an
always denoted by the suffix "_& :'

atJproach and t o Images

The images and screenshots in this manual were made using SolidWorks 2012 running on Windows 7. If
s cild to compare
you are running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you may notice differences in the appearance of the
-ation as quickly
;nenus and windows. These differences do not affect the performance of the software.
Software Updates
SolidWorks software is continually being updated and refined through each version and service pack.
These changes become more noticeable in areas where numerical solution methods are used such as
,.,;th the various the solvers for both Basic Mot ion and SolidWorks Motion. Wh ile every effort was made t o insure that
c::::hieved. the results you get when doing the case studies are the same as those presented in the book, there may
be differences due to changes in the software.
4 Chapter 1

Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses the following typographic conventions: --=
Convention Meaning

Bold Sans Serif SolidWorks and MotionManager commands and

options appear in this style. For example, Insert,
New Motion Study means select the New Motion
Study option from the Insert menu.

Typewriter Feature names and file names appear in this style.
For example, Tool Vise.sldasm. lit

17 Do this step The numbered steps of the case studies are

indicated by sans serif bold type with the numbers
themselves accented in color. This helps to
distinguish the step-by-step procedures from the
explanatory text that is interspersed through the -'= ::..
chapters.

The SolidWorks MotionManager

SolidWorks MotionManager is an interface to the t hree motion study types found in SolidWorks. It is
fu lly integrat ed into the SolidWorks software t o create animations and/or motion analyses from
SolidWorks assemblies. The MotionManager can also work with Photo View 360 to produce
photorealistic animations to add visual impact to presentations and documents.

Some of the key features of MotionManager are:

Timeline
The MotionManager uses a key fra me-based interface built into a timeline. The time line allows easy
access to the key frames, simplifying the editing process.

Animation Wizard
The Animation Wizard provides a simple interface for converting exploded views and phys ics-based
simu lations to key frame-based animations.

MotionManager design tree

::-
The Motion Manager design tree duplicates the assembly components and sequence of the assembly.

Output
The MotionManager can output to an AVI file or a series of image files.
 Introduction 5

Motion Study Purposes

The MotionManager is used to create and solve motion studies. These motion studies can be created
for any of three purposes:
Animations
Animations are the focus of this book. They are videos or a series of still images used to show how
components move.
Interference Detection
Component motion can be used to determine int erference as parts move along their motion path.
Motion Analysis
Motion analysis is the focus of the SolidWorks Motion training course. The purpose of a motion
analysis study is to determine the values of motion variables such as velocity. power. and acceleration.

History of the MotionManager

The current MotionManager interface was developed to have a standard interface to control all three
motion study types that are used to create animations and motion ana lysis. This came from the merging
of two different product s. SolidWorks Animator and COSMOSMotion (now called SolidWorks Motion).
into SolidWorks.
So!idWorks. It is Motion Study Types
2Jyses from There are three motion study types that can be used in the MotionManager to create animations:
~::~duce
Animation
This is the primary motion study type used to create animations. Components move either by
setting their position at specified t imes. or by the interaction of ot her components through
SolidWorks mates and motion drivers. With animations. there is no physics involved in the solution.
-e:ine allows easy so components have no mass. momentum. friction. or contact.

Basic Motion
Basic Motion is an outgrowth of physical simulation and uses features from both Animation and
2~0 physics-based SolidWorks Motion study types. It can use many of the same inputs and contacts between
components as SolidWorks Motion. but does not provide the ana lysis. Basic Motion is used instead
of Animation for dynamic systems where the physics of the problem must be solved for a realistic
ce of the assembly. animation.
6 Chapter 1

Motion Analysis
Motion Analysis is the motion analysis module and uses SolidWorks Motion. We use this motion
study type when we are trying to determine such things as t he power required to move a system,
or the accelerat ion of a component. Although it is not the primary intent of t he software.
SolidWorks Motion can also provide animation output and can be used t o create animations when
additional realism is needed for dynamic systems of mot ion.
The Animation and Basic Motion study types are part of core SolidWorks. SolidWorks Motion is pa rt of -.e
SolidWorks Premium.

What Is the Output?

In general, we use Animation and Basic Motion study types to create animations. In other words, our
desired output is a video or a series of still pictures, to show how something works. When we use
SolidWorks Motion, our primary goal is a motion analysis to determine forces, power, loads, and the like.

Animations
An animation is like a small movie. It is composed of a series of frames, or
photographic images, shown in sequence to display motion. It is import ant to
understand that t he focus of this book is t he creation of animations of mechanical
systems using t he Animation and Basic Motion study types. We will also look at some
elements of SolidWorks Motion however. we will only look at a small portion of its
capabilities as they relate to creating an imations.
If your focus is the analysis of mechanical motion, where you need to know such t hings as the power
required to drive a mechanism or the acceleration of a component, see the training course SolidWorks
Motion offered by your local SolidWorks reseller.
Important! The motion products in SolidWorks are not intended to animate nonmechanical systems
such as human movement or to create computer graphics (CG) movie effects.

Basic Animation Concepts

What is it that we animate? If we relate our animation to a movie or video, there are only three things
that change during an animation or movie:
Component position
Each component in the animation can be moved t o different positions using the various too ls
available. In a movie, this would be the movement of the actors. vehicles, set pieces, etc. ;::r- .
..... ~:

e:::
 Introduction 7

Component properties
_se this motion Most properties can be changed during an animation. Properties such as appearance can change the
:: 1ove a system, way components look on the screen, or they can be changed to make them disappear, become
~~vare, transparent, or become wireframe. Other common properties changed during an animation could be
.::"imations when the intensity or color of a light. the focus of a camera, and many more. In a movie, this would be like
actors changing costumes or makeup.

; '/,otion is part of Viewpoint

Viewpoint is the position of the camera. In our animations, this can be controlled either by using
SolidWorks camera s or t he standard view commands such as Pan. Zoom, Rotate, and Roll.

:::-.er words, our Throughout this book, we will be focusing on just those three topics and the various ways to achieve
',~en we use ::hem.
:::.:ds, and the like.
Basic Workflow
::ach person that creates an animation may have a different opinion as to the order in which the three
:>asic items (component position, properties, viewpoint) need to be an imated. Thro ughout this book, our
"irst goal in each animation will be to define the component motion as this is usually the heart of the
animation and generally takes the most work. Once the components move as desired, t he appearances
:till be animated. Finally the viewpoint or camera will be animated. By leaving the viewpoints until last,
.ve will be able to change our viewpoint as needed during the first two stages in order to make sure the
animation is working the way we want.

gs as the power Why Create an Animation?

c~-se SolidWorks An animation is just a movie made with 2D or 3D computer products. If it is a video, why use the
computer instead of a real camera? There are two basic reasons we use a computer to do t he animation:
-<:..,ical syst ems The subject does not exist in the physical world.
The product we are designing has not yet been built but we need to show how it will work fo r a
marketing campaign, progress review, trade show or any number of other reasons. Using SolidWorks
to provide t he model and one of the animation tools, we can create videos of the model t hat look like
o:-rty three things the actual product.
To add special effects that are not available or achievable in the physical world.
The effects that can be created on the comput er are not limited by the laws of physics. We are only
.a-ious tools moving mathematical volumes, not actual solids, so there are things we can do on the computer that
ces, et c. are either not possible in t he real world or require post-processing of t he video. For example, we can
make a part move through space without having to hold it or attach it to a fixture. Component s can
accelerate with infinite acceleration or disappear. Objects that appear to be solid can move through
each other. We can also make solid objects transparent to see what is inside or behind them.
8 Chapter 1

Should We Ever Use a Video Camera?

With the relatively cheap price of both video cameras and video editing software, there are cases where
shooting a video may be a better choice than creating an animation. In cases where we have a physical
model. making a video can be faster than creating a photorealistic animation.
There may also be times when we need the mix of a product that does not yet exist physically plus
interaction by people. In these cases we may want to do an animation of the product and merge it with
other video. We see this in many commercial movies where actors are filmed in front of a green screen
and then merged with computer-generated animation for t he final product. We also see meteorologists
on news reports stand in front of a moving animation, again using a green screen.

Building Animations
In many ways, animations are created just like the parts and assemblies we create in SolidWorks, that
is, as a collection of small features. When we learn SolidWorks, we learn the individual commands such
as Extrude, Revolve, Combine, and t hen it is up to us to apply t hese commands in the proper order and
combination to create ou r parts and assemblies. Creat ing animations is similar in t hat we will learn the
different tools to move components, change their properties, change our viewpoint, and edit the
timeline. Once we understand these tools, it is up to us to apply them in the right order and combination
to create the desired animation.
Good animations are the sum total of many elements that come together to create the final result. To
be able to put all the different elements together, you must first understand what each control does and
its cause and effect on the outcome. Because this book is more about the animation process than the
final video, many of the case studies and examples will show individua l effects in isolat ion, rather than
as part of complete animation. In many places, we will discuss different approaches to achieve a given
result. As in part modeling, you can get the same result with different methods and commands, so you -~=

should not look at met hods shown in this book as the "right way" to do something. Rather, the methods
shown here are just "one way:' So, what is the "right way" and what is t he "wrong way"? The right way is
whatever gives you the end result that you were trying to achieve. Among t he different right ways, the
differences in methods may result in longer process ing time or harder edits, but once you have a suitable
video, it is time to forget about those issues and move on.

Animation Results
Obtaining a suitable video animation is very subjective. When we design parts and assemblies with
SolidWorks, our goal is to achieve the design intent. Knowing if we have achieved the design intent is
very objective and should be able to be answered with a yes or no. if 10 different people review a design,
based solely on the design intent. all 10 should agree on whether or not the design intent was achieved.
 Introduction 9

...;i11ike design intent. knowing if we have achieved our goals wit h a video is very subjective. Subtile
e are cases where ::Jferences in the paths of the components, position of the objects against the background, smoothness
rc i ave a physical ::" mot ion, camera angle, and more. can cause different people to see the output differently. If we had
-J different people review our video, we might never get a consensus as to whether it meets the
-;<:ended goal.
::'-ysically plus
::1d merge it with .;:::Jditionally, it can t ake many more animation passes to refine the output t han it does to make a change
::"a green screen i the part and rebuild it. Th is, coupled with the fact that recalculation t imes are genera lly longer than

:.e "TTeteorologists -ebuild time, can add up to a lot of time spent tweaking the animation to get acceptable results.
.rou should cont inue to experiment with the various features and settings available within the motion
s~u di es
even after the chapter objectives have been achieved.
SolidWorks, that
When Is the Animation Finished?
:, ::ommands such
:Jeople who work in computer graphics say that their work is never done, only abandoned. There are
:::&oper order and
always refinements that can be made to component positions, camera settings, color, light. What causes
: ;:e will learn the
11ost animations to be finished are deadlines. At some point, you must realize that all the extra time
a:-d edit the
spent on the animation is not creating a proportional improvement. so you need to abandon the project
.- 21d combination
and move on. This can be summed up by the following:
The Law of Diminishing Returns
:-:e final result. To -\t some point, more and more effort is required for smaller and smaller improvement.
- :ontrol does and
::::-ocess than the Rigid Body Motion
c<::on, rather than Juring animations and motion simulations, all components are rigid. That is to say they do not deform.
::J achieve a given _ater in this book, we will explore methods to create animations where components change size or
:::;nmands, so you shape, but we will do this through animation techniques, not by actually changing t he shape of a body.
cer, the methods
? - he right way is
:.rt right ways, the
rcu have a suit able

:;semblies with
? design intent is
.e review a design,
:eilt was achieved.
10 Chapter 1

Types of Motion
There are three different types of motion when creating animations. Depending on the components t hat
make up our assembly and the way they are intended to move, we could have one. two, or all three of
these motion types in our animation.

Free
Free motion only exists in the computer world where component s are only mathematical volumes ts=
that have no mass or physical boundaries. In free motion, components are directed to go from one
position to another without regard for anything that might get in thei r way. Properties such as gravity,
momentum, and force do not exist in free motion.
Example: Play the file Free Motion .mp4 found in the Chapter l \ Videos folder. The block and ball are -.ass:
given both starting and ending positions where they must move diagonally across the plate. Each
component moves independently of the other and they actually move t hrough each other when t hey
cross.
::-_g

Kinemat ic
Kinematic motion is based on the mates and connections between each component. Components
move based on enforced or constrained motion and can only take one path even if we change the
amount of force.
Example: Play t he file Sarrus Mechanism. mp4 found in the Chapter l \ Videos folder. In this
example, the position of each component is controlled by the mates. Changing the mass of any part, the
angle of the part relative to gravity, or external loads will not change the motion.
 Introduction 11

Dynamic
~compone nts that In dynamic motion, components interact with each other and can take different pat hs depending on
'"'or all three of input conditions, such as forces or gravity. The individual components do not have fixed positional
relationships with each other. The motion of components depends upon the mass of the individual
components and the applied forces. lf the mass or app lied forces change, then the motion behavior
:atical volumes is different
:: :o go from one ::xample: In the sorting machine shown below, the balls move by gravity, contact with the machine and
es such as gravity, :::ntact with the other balls. The ba lls can interact with each other by co llision. The balls have different
s:arting positions in t he two animations, so the path of each ball is different in each animation. If the
=:tack and ball are < ass of any ball changes. or t he angle of the machine changes with respect to gravity, then the
::-imation changes.
e :Jlate. Each
;;::~er when they ::lay the two AVl files Sorter-l.mp4 and Sorter-2.mp4 found in the Chapter I \ Videos folder. You
:an see that the colored balls have different starting positions and can move independently of each
::::her.

-::. Components
! ,;e change the

:;.der. ln this
:ss of any part, the
12 Chapter 1

Which Motion Study to Use

With three types of motion (Free, Kinematic, Dynamic) and three motion study types (Animation, Basic
Motion, Motion Analysis). how do you choose which to use? There are two primary questions that you
must ask yourself:
Does the physics of the problem need to be solved?
Are there any in-context relationships that have to be solved?

lf you must solve the physics of the problem. then you must use either Basic Motion or Motion Analysis -~
~ .

(SolidWorks Motion). lf t here are in-context relationships that need to be so lved in the animation, t hen
you must use t he Animation study type. If you need to solve both the physics of the problem and in-
context relationships. then you will need to first solve the animation with either Basic Motion or Motion
Analysis and then import the results into an Animation motion study. This technique will be covered in
Chapter 9.
The following table shows the choices that generally work best. These are not hard and fast rules.
however, but only recommendat ions. 5 ~

Type of Motion Animation Basic Motion SolidWorks Motion

Free Motion X
Kinematic X
Dynamic X X

There may be cases where two or three motion types are be present in the same animation. Later in t he
book, we will discuss the method used to combine motion from the three study types.
 Introduction 13

Motion Drivers
~imatio n.Basic ::ach of the t hree motion study types has specific tools that can be used to create motion. We will see
.estions that you .ater t hat many of t hese tools have capabilities in the different motion study types. For instance. a
-notor can be used in all three motion study types; however. t he servo motor type can only be used in
SolidWorks Motion.

Basic Motion SolidWorks Motion

X X
X X
X X
X X
X X
X
X

MotionManager Pane
- he MotionManager pane must be enabled in the toolbar listing.
X
:. here to Find It
-.::: ion. Later in the Menu: Tools. Customize, select MotionManager
!'S. Menu: View, Toolbars, MotionManager
14 Chapter 1

Procedure
1 Enable MotionManager.
In the Customize dialog box. click the Toolbars tab and select t he MotionManager.

Click OK.

,,...... ,_,....,,.....,,..........,_,
Customize

Toolbors Options
1'Y~

0 Enable CommandManager O lll<!leicons

0 Use iaJge buttons "ith text 0 Show too lips
0 Use large !ool!ips
~ ff 2DID30
A

D I~ A5gn
D ~ Anrwtation Context toolbar sd!hgs
D ~ Assent>!y 0 Show on selection
D Gf] Blocl<s
~ Show in shortcu meru
0 ?J Q.<ves
D <b. Dimensions!Relations
D -$- IJim)(pert
D Display States I
-
0 [ild Drawing I
0 d f>l>lode Skelth i
D &I'll FasttninQ Feature '
D G Features
D BJ Formatting
D Loyer I_
D 1ft! LayoutTools
0 - Line Format
D ~S Macro
l ri r~ MnlnT~k
0 Motiof1Mana9er )
Iu I~ Quick Snaps
D \S>~ Reii:rence Geometry
oe Render Tools
D il'J Screen Capture
rJ ~'i" Selection F~ter ~

I Reset To Defaults I -
I OK II Cancel II ~ I
':X::
- - - ..,.r
-::: -""'

=~-
 Introduction 15

MotionManager User Interface

The MotionManager software uses a key point-based interface with a time line to define, edit, and save
animations. The Mot ionManager interface appears when a Mot ion Study tab is selected.

~ To~ l'is (Defu~<O.f<IU1t_O~ploy "

~ Senws
~ LJ Amototions
~ bl~. c-as and SCene
~ front
~ Top
~ Rt#
:.. Orir;in
~ ~ (f) Sadde<l > (Oefoo.JlO.f ...
-" ~ () ccmpound center member<!
.._ ~ ()upper compourd membor <2:
.._ ~()upper p~te<l >(OefoutC
~ ~()upper o~te<2> (Oefout C
( >
-.t:'>. -. ..._ _...
J l!L_~ -+ W~ If' + 0 ~ ~ &1
jOsef jSsef 10 !ltC
I lls r 120 sec
I I

+--+--i

t tot t
ttt
tt
ttt
tt t
t
t tt
tt tt
tt
t
t
t
t ttt
tt .. t
ttt t

t Ht ttt t
t ttt ttt t ~~~

Model Tab ' - - - - Motion Study Tabs

Model Tab
The Model tab is used when actua lly changing the model. and any changes affect all studies globally.

Motion Study Tab

The Mot ionManager allows you to create addit ional t abs 1 Modo! 1 COfi]l!eted Motionsb.Jdy 1 MotionS!!Jdy.L 1 Exploded
below the graphics window. In addition to the Model and Motion Studies tabs, there could be
additional tabs for Simulat ion and Design Studies. The default Motion Study tab is named
Motion Study l but it can be renamed. Clicking the appropriate tab allows you to swit ch between
Model and MotionManager modes. You can create multiple animations.
16 Chapter 1

Tip Click Collapse Motion Study to collapse the MotionManager pane to just the too lbar.
MotionManager Components
:sa
The components of the assembly are listed in t he MotionManager design t ree. Simu lation elements are
also listed. The time line sits to the right of the Motion Manager design tree with t he toolbar above both
of them.

/ Motion Study type / Mot ion Manager tool bar

~..-
~-"""'"'~on~....
-) lfB__!? "" J [!!I _~ ... WI ~ I~I + ~ ._ ~
1Y if ~ ~ i, ~I I I I I 1 I 14 IS~C I I I I I I I 16 ISe iC I I I I t I I 18 IS~C I I I I I I 1 l ~ ~e~ 1 J l 1 I 1 ! ~ ~e~
1
1 I 1 1

..... -=- ~ Ut't;tiMNttttt!tTI:ttit.

~ (K~1CC1<:Jndr MVf.] \/fl!t'm 1--+--~~-+---t
..to tal Ud'ts~ Cameros ~:~nd Scene
"' ~ (f)s.d<ie<I>(Oeloui:<<Ocf

..
... ~ ()~certetmembe'<
... ~ ()-~-<2
'*' ~ ( )<q>e<plate<I > (Defoult<


.., ~ ()uppe<pl <Z>(Def....~< <l
... ~ () lowet <l >(Def.ut<

.
"' ~ ()lowe<

.
\
.., ~ ()e<c
a. ~-$ai
. ..::;.m. m:l
_
> <
Motions m
u
>

Timeline --.e :::.

MotionManager design tree
--~

Timeline and Time Bar s

The timeline is a temporal interface used to display and / Oseconds / 2 seconds
control the sequence of events in an animation. Symbols are
10 sec 11 sec 2 sec '13 sec
used to represent events at specific t ime intervals. The yellow I I I I l1 I I I I I I I It I I 1 I I I I I I I I I I I I

-

-
highlight on the timeline indicates the portion that has been ~=-

calculated.
The time bar is a vertical line in the timeline that can be
dragged to display the an im ation at any point in time. It can
also be used to place an event at a specific t ime.
The slider ;----------- -__ls.J60secl__--1 also moves the t ime bar -=-
~--...-.

L_ J - .
but it does not show changes in the animation until it is released.
Note In some video editing software, the time bar is also called the current t ime indicator or CTI, which
aptly describes its funct ion.
 Introduction 17

:~olbar. Key Points

.ey points t control a characteristic of a component or view Key point
at a specific time. 13 sec
a::ion elements are 2 sec
1I I I I I I I I I I I I

;:;;olbar above both - 1e colors of the key points vary and have specific meanings
see Key Points on page 57)-

rge.- toolbar

12 sec
I I I I
\!!)

If

Tooltips



-
-ooltips are available by floating the cursor over any key point. The

...,. .....
::ooltip will graphically display the current settings of the key point. ..} =-
lower plate< l > 0 sec
~=0~. LJ
Key Frames and Changebars
f+ ' ey frames appear as connected strings of key points. The line Key frame
~.-. ~.~ : onnecting the key points is called the changebar. 12 se
> 11 s ec / 1
I I I I I I I I I I

-
u - 1e color of the changebar varies and has specific meanings (see
:::hangebors on page 58).

,ote Some key points may appear alone, without any connecting

Changebar
/ 2seconds : hangebars.
2 s ec 13 sec
I I II 111 1 I I
Completed Motion Studies
::ach of the following chapters and exercises has specific assembly files that you will use to complete

.
::he case study. In turn, most assembly files contain one or more motion studies named Completed
Motion Study and another named Motion Study 1. This motion study named Completed Motion

..
if
t Study contains the comp leted procedure and can be viewed for reference.
3ecause some assemblies need add itional components to be added t o create t he animation, some
assemblies do not cont ain these motion studies. Instead, t he completed animations are found in t he
separate assemblies provided in the Built Part s fo lders.

:ator or CTI, which

18 Chapter 1

Completed Videos Gett~

Describing in words what should happen in a video can be difficult. Most case studies and key topics will '.'otio-'
have videos of the completed project. In one of the early steps, you will be told to play the video. The Solid'.".::
purpose will be to help you visualize what it is you are trying to achieve by doing the steps in the case :::spla'. ~
study.
The videos provided on the DVD will require different CODECs:
Microsoft Videol
.. ::-~
"",..-
.,,== -
~/.e:--
.

lnteliYUV codec Knowle4

Cinepak CODEC by Radius --e Sc
TechSmith Screen Capture CODEC
::-;ta--s
The first two CODECs should have been installed on your computer as part of the Windows operating
system installation. If you are using a 32-bit operating system, the Cinepak CODEC by Radius will
also be installed however. this CODEC is not available for 64-bit syst ems. The TechSmith CODEC can be
obtained free at www.techsmith.com. If you are using the 64-bit version of SolidWorks, you must
download BOTH the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of t he TechSmith Screen Capture CODEC (TSCC) from
TechSmith. The reason for this will be explained later.

Right Way /Wrong Way

Just as in modeling products in SolidWorks, there are many ways t o achieve a satisfactory animation.
Throughout the book, we will explore a variety of methods to accomplish various tasks. Our goal is to
learn multiple techniques, so there may be times when you question a method in a case study and ask
"Why are we doing it this way? I think I could do it better by... : Questioning is a good thing as it means
that you are thinking about applying the techniques and are not focused on just the "picks and clicks:'
So, as far as we are concerned, the "right way" to do something is a way that results in the animation
you were trying to achieve. The "wrong way" is a method that does not achieve the desired result. This
will be discussed again in later chapters.
 Introduction 19

Getting Help
'"'d key topics will MotionManager help files are part of the larger SolidWorks Help. The help files shipped with
"I the video. The SolidWorks are in HTML Help format and are also available online. This offe rs improved search and
ii:eps in the case display functions, as well as a consistent look and feel with Microsoft's online help.

Where to Find It
Menu: Help, SolidWorks Help
Menu Bar: click Help (!EJ

Knowledge Base
The SolidWorks Knowledge Base is available to all customers with subscription support. It is accessed
through the SolidWorks website, and can be searched by topic or keyword. The Knowledge Base
";xiows operating contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions and Technical Tips that describe procedures for both
by Radius will
beginn ing and advanced operations.
th CODEC can be
:<s, you must
J::c (TSCC) from

~ctory animation .
i:<s. Our goal is to
5e study and ask
Zling as it means
;)icks and clicks:'
-, the animation
=sired result. This
Creating Simple
Animations

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand point-to-point animations.
:::1 Use the Animation Wizard to create simple animations.
Create Rotations.
::1 Create Explodes.
Create Collapses.
Create an AVI video file of an animation.
22 Chapter 2

Animation
In the Introduction we learned that there are three motion study types that can be used to create
animations and that they are all controlled through the MotionManager interface. The simplest and
most used of these is Animation and it will be our focus in this and the next few chapters. We use the
Animation motion study type for both free motion and kinematic motion.
When using the Animation motion study type, the physics of the problem are not solved and all
components are just mathematical volumes that have neither mass nor solid boundaries. The resu lts of
these conditions allow components to change velocity or direction instantaneously and also allow
components to pass through each other without interference.

Topics
The topics covered in th is chapter include: --_c--

Exploded views
Components can be exploded manually in an animation by moving and rotating them.
a Storyboard
The storyboard is our design intent for the animation. It is like a road map to help us plan and then
guide us through the process. .s:..
Animation Wizard
The Animation Wizard automates t he creation of three types of animation motion: rotation, explode,
and collapse.
: Rotation
The rotation option rotates the model (part or assembly) about an axis a set amount of turns. -~

: Explode
The explode option takes the exploded view in an assembly and converts it to an animation.

: Collapse
The collapse option reverses the explode settings to animate a return from the exploded state.

Save Animation
Use Save Animation to generate a movie file from t he completed animation.
 Creating Simple Animations 23

Point-to-point (Key Point) Animations

sed to create .','ithin the Animation motion study type, animations are done point-to-point. As the name implies, point-
s implest and ::::-point animations have components move from one point in space to another. Each of these locations
:::ers. We use the .s captured by a key point on the timeline in the MotionManager interface. These are also called Key
::oint animations because the key points control the location of each component

o<ed and all ::::nmponents are scheduled such that they are to be at point A at o seconds and at point Bat 1 second,
2s. The results of :~c. When the animation is run, they move in a direct path from one point to the next
nd also allow
Exploded Views
,',"nen we create exploded views of assemblies, we are creating a schedule of point-to-point moves for
::-:e various components. Exploded views are a useful way to create the basic moves for some
=.-.imations .
.=xploded views may at first appear to be a little off-subject when talking about creating animations
2l"'il. -::mever, exploded views can be a source for movement in other animations and some of the tools
=-:ailable in exploded views are not found in the MotionManager.
_s plan and then
Case Study: Exploded Views
-this case study, we will create and edit a simple exploded view of an assembly and explore the basic
_::-inciples of point-to-point animations.
-otation, explode,
Procedure
Open an assembly file.
:::Jen Dart Gun Explode.sldasm from the Lesson
'::Junt of turns. 2 ,Case Study\ Dart Gun Explode folder.

Create an exploded view.

- c:nimat ion. '.'ake the configuration Case Study active.
:::::ick Insert, Exploded View from the menu.
exploded state.
24 Chapter 2

3 Move the Arrow.

Select the Arrow part. The move t riad will appear.
Drag the green arrow. Using the ru ler, move the Arrow to about SOmm.

Click in the graphics area to end the step.

4 Complete second step.

Select the Arrow part.
Drag the red arrow. Using the ruler, move the Arrow to about 200mm.

Click OK to stop adding exploded views.

Animating Exploded Views

The movement of components between their collapsed and exploded
views can be animated through the Animation Controller.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click ExplView in the ConfigurationManager. Animate collapse or Animate
explode

Animation Controller
The Animation Controller becomes active whenever an Animation Controller ~
Animate explode or Animate collapse is selected. jKJ <Jn e> ll> 1>1 .. Iii I rill IB q 4-t I ~; ~"' I
J , 4.00 / 4.00 sec.

Playback Options
There are several options for replaying the animation. The basic controls are essentially the same as
those on the most common audio or video recorders/players:

1<1 Start <ll Rewind l> Play

II> Fast Forward 1>1 End II Pause
Iii Stop riJI Save as AVI
... Normal q Loop
* Reciprocate ---
- --
._

l>x; Slow Play !>XZ Fast Play

1.76 }4.00 sec. Progress Bar

Important! When the Animation Controller is active (visib le). most other commands are disabled. The
Animation Controller must be closed to regain access to the commands.
26 Chapter 2

Review
Creating an exploded view in the assembly file allowed us to quickly create point-to-point paths for both
parts and assemblies. If we need mult iple paths for components t hat explode along t he same direction.
we have the auto-space tool, which is not available elsewhere. We will see that starting wit h an exploded
view can be very helpful when a lot of individual paths are needed in the animat ion.
When creating the exploded views. all the mates were ignored and not solved.
There were things that cou ld not be done when creating an exploded view, such as rotating components
or changing the timing of the events or total length of the animation. To create a more customized
animation, we must use the MotionManager.

The Animation Study Type

As noted in the Introduction, there are three motion study types t hat can be used to create animations.
The first of these three that we will discuss is Animation. The primary method of creating animation
motion in the Animation motion study is by using key points to define the location of components at
specific times. In addition to this key point animation. components can be driven either by motors or by
other components through mates.
Key point animation of components is on ly ava ilable in the Animat ion motion study type and not in either
Basic Motion or Motion Analysis.

Animation Wizard
The Animat ion Wizard can be used to automate the animation process and Rotate, Explode, or Collapse
an assembly. Any combination of t hese types can be used in the creation of the animation. It can also be
used to import motion from physics-based studies created in Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion.
Rotate
The rotate option rotates the model (part or assembly) a set amount of turns about one of t he three
screen axes.

Explode
The explode option takes the exploded view in an assembly and converts it to an animat ion. -.:
Collapse
The collapse option reverses the explode settings to animate a return from the exploded state.

Where to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: click Animation Wizard ~
Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the timeline, Animation Wizard
 Creating Simple Animations 27

Stages in the Process

::~:Ti
paths for bot h -;he key st ages in the creation of an animation include:
-:e same direction, The storyboard
g with an exploded This is the design intent of the animation.

s; Basic paths
These define part movement and viewpoint.
:cting components Edited paths
:-e customized Once the basic paths are defined, they can be refined for a smooth flow.
Recording the animation
This makes it viewable on other computers and available for import into ot her documents.
::reate animations. The Storyboard
Eating animation .; storyboard is the design intent of an animation and lays out the overall plan for the animation.
;~ components at Storyboards can be in various forms, ranging from a simple !ist of events to a series of sketches with a
e i !::Jy motors or by descript ion of the action. The more events planned for the animation, however, the more important it is
::o have a good, detailed storyboard. Throughout this book, each case st udy will have some sort of
::2 and not in either storyboa rd, but they wil! be in different fo rmats to show some of t he options. Some may be as little as
a sentence describing what is t o happen. Others wi!! be in table format and some wi!! have screen-shots
:o show key events. There are no hard and fast rules as to what the storyboard should !oak !ike or exactly
Nhat it should contain. Even if you do not write down the storyboard information, you should always
xplode, or Collapse ~hink through the process and what you are trying to create and how it will be used .
.ction. It can also be
::~;'o'orks Motion. Storyboard Development
.\ good animation tel!s a story. To he!p deve lop you r story, there are several questions to ask yourse lf:

:...:: one of the three What is the purpose of the animation?

: Sales
: Marketing
= Design review
cllimation. : Assembly instructions
: Service and maintenance
=xploded state. : Training
28 Chapter 2

What type of output do I need?

: Standalone video
: Object for importing into another program (e.g.. PowerPoint. Word)
: Video loop
: Web
: E-mail attachment
: Sequence of pict ures
What size will the output be?
: This is driven by the output type
: Standa lone videos are generally full screen
: Web videos are much smaller to allow faster transmission

Case Study: Animation Wizard

This project will use an exist ing assembly to generate an animation that includes the basic animation
funct ions to rot ate the assembly, explode and a collapse of the explode. The Animat ion Wizard will be
used to leverage the mot ion created in an exploded view.
 Creating Simple Animations 29

Storyboard
:...:r purpose in this first animation is to demonstrate the Animation Wizard. To do t his, we will create a
:=.::quence which involves three animat ion types combined into one cont inuo us animation. The types are
rtotate Model. Explode, and Collapse.

~
Rotate
Model Explode Collapse

Dl ~ ID I ID I

~
I D II D I ... ID

~1 ~ 1 ~ 1 I ~ I ~,
I D it O l .a ~..........., ID
=basic animation
: ':::i1 Wizard will be l I D II D I ~

.... ,
,....._~~

-
ID
~

I~'
~ ~

D l !D D ! ID
' o l
ol to D D D

~
~

01 ~.,_~ 10 1 ID I D D
<~
~ ID

-
~~':,- <~.(t':,-
D l to I ID I D D ID
. 4IIIIIIIF

I~
O l D D D
'o l
ol
0 1 J,
~-
-~
l o
101 ID I
<~

~
D
0
D
D ~
D
ID

<~.(t':,- ~~':.-
O l ~:~ ID I ID I D D to
~~
O l ID D D D ID
ol .........
~ I~
l o D D
0 1 ._.., r to ~ ~ D D
<'~
M'...
~
~
O l IO I ID I D D ID
Dl ~ 10 1 ID I ~~ ~':,- D D ID
30 Chapter 2

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Tool Vise f rom the Chapter 2 \ Case Study\
Tool Vise folder.

2 Set time bar.

Click t he Motion Study 1 tab.

Select Animation from the drop-down list.

Drag the time bar to o seconds as the start point.

lili)SolidWorks File Edt ~ Insert Tools Dcontrol Soatap

~~J
-
C~ts
~
Show

~
~ Tool Vise (Default<Defd_Disploy! "-
~ Sensors
_.. tAl Annotations
->~ ~ Ughts, Cameras ond Scene
<& Frorl:
<& Top
Ay
<& Right Z .!
1. o.nn v
>

0 sec 10 sec 15 sec 20 sec

I 1 I I 1 I I 1 I I
"- .=J ~Tool V"ISC (Defd<Oefa.I:J lisplayl
@ Orientation and Camera Views
fJ I&! Lights, Cameras and Scene
IL ~ (f) Sadcle<l > (Defauit<<Defi
.._ ~ () comp<><.nd center member <1
i ~ (-) . _ comp<><.nd member<2
-tJ ~ (-)upper plote < l > (Defaull:l
~ ~ (-)upper plate<2> (Default!
.tJ ~ (-)lower plate < ! > (Defaull:r
1

:n ~(-l ri.,

lklder Defned Eciting Assembly

 Creating Simple Animations 31

Rotate Model
- he Animat ion Wizard gives us three choices fo r t he rotational
axis. The X, Y. and Z axis for rotation is always relat ive to our
:1ew screen, not the axes of the model.
/ ,

~ /: :::.ockwise and counterclockwise directions are based on viewing

I ../ -..r: 4 : -:e origin from the positive X, Y. or Z axis.
Z Axis
- ne blue arrows in t he graphic show the direction for clockwise

~
-:Jtation.

J elete Existing Paths

,','hen we use the Animation Wizard, t he results can be added to
:xisting paths on the timeline, or we can select Delete all
existing paths, and the Animation Wizard will remove all paths from the t ime line so t hat we are starting
~om scratch.

Add a rotation. Seit an Animotion Type ~

:::iick the Animation Wizard ~
? -EIA This wizard "i help )'1lU to aeate sinple
"'*"-ns aliomalicaly.
:., the first page of the wizard, select

~
To be9n. seled the type d anirMtjon
.} ~ 'fO<J want to create and cick Nect.
~otate model.
--
~~
.......,
- ::nsta-1\30
/ .o ::~
~.so, select Delete all existing pat hs.
- B X Colapoe

: iick Next. Import mot.on fmm B.-: ro~ot.cn

:.t] Delete al exisUlg ~ lmpo.1 mot.on fmm f,lotJon klarl"$

Explode and Colapse are available any afte< an explode view has been aeated
Basic Motion Is available any after a sinulation has been calculated in motion study.
Motion Malysis is availoble any J the SoidWorks Motion add-in Is loaded and ...,._.,
have been calculaled in a motion study.

<E..."'Ck I Next > II Ca1ce! II Help l

Ci:a
20 s ec
I I I I

~ ~~
>

:f) 0
32 Chapter 2

4 Select axis of rotation. Selt a:~ Ax& of Rotation

On the second page of t he wizard, select
Select "" 8lds d -
Y-axis and Clockwise. Xi!Xis

oY...os
Keep the Number of rotations at 1.

Click Next. NunOer d rd2llions 1

5 Set animation control options. Ammation Control Options

On the third page of the wizard, set t he
To cortrol the speed d the rinalion. se1 the
Duration to 5 seconds and the Start Time dtmion d the ..m lriMilon below
lllr.mon {<econds)' ~
to o seconds. To delay the movemert d objects et the
beginrjng d the rinalion. set the oll!rt tine.
Click Finish. Start Tme (seconds) 0
 Creating Simple Animations 33

5 View key frame.

- he timeline shows that the Orientation and Camera Views changes at each key point (one-second
,__
1tervals) across the key frame.

t~J~ ~~ il" 0 sec

111111 I II
J2 sec
liiJliJII
J4 sec
111111111
J
."' ~ ~ Tool 111se (oefaut<Oetouit_Display
@ Oroentotion <Yld Camera Views
b ~ Uo#cs, Cameras and Scene
IIWi>dc>W>e _.. ~ (f) sadde<l > (Defoui:<<Oef"'l
;t ~ ()compound center merrber <l
.-, ~ ()upper compound member<2
_., ~ ()upper plate<! > (Defauiti'
;t ~ ()upper plate<2> (Defoultll
b ~ ()lower plate<!> (Defaut<d
-" ~ ()lower plote<2> (Defaut<<il <

Play from start.

~ Help
::::ick Play from start ~ to see the rotation in real time. You can
::.so drag the time bar to see the animation.
' :r::e This is a complete animation and cou ld be saved as a movie

-=-
"""""""""""'the
5
_,.a !he
=.e {AVl) now. However, we will add more informat ion to the
::1imation before recording it
theD~time
=:::r more information, see Recording Animations on page 41.

S<plode
-:,e Explode option uses t he exploded view of the assembly to generate an animation.

- ~An~
_j ~
- , e details of how the Animation Wizard converts SolidWorks exploded views to an animation will be
=:scussed in How Explode Works on page 54.
Jte Before you create an exploded animation, the assembly must already contain an exploded view.
::~u cannot create an exploded view in MotionManager.
34 Chapter 2

8 Explode. Select an Animation Type

Click Animation Wizard ~-

Ths 1\izard 1\ill help you t o create srnpie
animations automaticaly.
On the fi rst page of the wizard, select To begi1, se!ect the type of animation
you want to create and dick Next.
Explode. l Rotate model

(() , Explode
Clear Delete all existing paths and click
' l Colapse
Next. hnport motion from Bas1c Motion

n Delete al existing paths Import mofion from U.otJon Ma~ps

Exp!ode and Co!apse ore available only after an explode view has been created.

Basic Motion is avaiable onl-1 after a simulation has been calculated in a motion study.

MctDl Analysis is avaiable only if the SolidWorks Motion addin is loaded and =ults
have been C<llculated in a motion stud-J.

< Eack Next > J I Cancel I\ Help

9 Set the time. Animatio n Control Options

On t he second page of the wizard, set the

To control the speed of the aninalion, selthe
Duration t o 5 seconds and the Start Time to duation of the entire ani:nation below.
Dt.ration {seconds): !l
5 seconds.
To delay the movemert of objects at the
beginning of the animation. sel the start line.
This makes t he explosion end at 10 seconds. Start Tme (secoods): 5

Click Finish.

< Back Finish II Cancel II Help

 Creating Simple Animations 35

:o View timeline.
The model rotates once and explodes.
~~

f~
x"iol.
I'i? I~ 'ib: ~ 'i1 10 sec
I I I I I t I I I
12 sec
, , , ,, ,,II
14 sec
I I I I
I II ' {
16 sec
IJ I I ' l i l t
IBJ sec
lttlt J II
jl 0 secI
Ll .l t I

"" d ~ Tool Vise (Default<Defaul_Display

Orientation and Camera Views
..,e !;;} Ughts, Cameras and Scene
~ ~ (f) Saddle<!> (DefaulDefa!

~ (-) compound center member< !

.. -
~Mabon
Efl ~ (-) upper compound member<2j
"'*"' &; ~ (-)upper plate<!> (Defauit

-
Pnalys;s

=e!n treaed

::n eCIOiionstudy.
.tJ ~ (-)upper plate<2> (Default~
i:il ~(-)lower plate<!> (Default(!
ltJ ~ (-)lower plate<2> (Default[tl
1

<
6
(;
l::aiEd ..,.; results

Explode key points.

::.Xpand the lower plate component. There are three subfeatures: Move, Explode, and Appearance.
~ ~ ~
.Ve can see that t he explode steps are listed both under the part it self and the explode feature.

- - lVI~ 'ib: ~ 'ill 10 sec 12 sec 14sec

-
16 sec 18 sec 11 sec

: : I '
I I I f It t I I ll tlltt l I I l l I lilt llltlttl l II ttlll I I II'
.il ~(-) upper plate<!> (Defaultll

"-"
lllllliD:n_ oe!the ce ~(-)upper plate<2> (Default <<h
- ~
:
a ~ () lower plate<!> (Default<<!
Move

-"*
!"C"ct the d Explode
o:fle:mttine. fl'
Appearance
Efl ~ Motes n Tool Vise
il '% (-)lower plate<2> (Default<<!>
., ~ (-) eccentric<J>(Default<<Del
Oll ~ (-)eccentric<4>(DefaultDell <
t ct=t
View Orientation
::ne of the three things that we can create in an animation is the specific viewpoints or camera motion.
Jepending on your workflow choice, you may or may not want to create the viewpoint movement at the
=ame time as the component motion. As animations increase in complexit y, however, it is generally
:asier to create the component mot ion without creating the viewpoint motion. Once all the components
~ ~
1ove as desired, then the view orientations can be created separately.

n ere are two sets of choices with view orientation key points. During the phase of our animation where
;e a re creating the component movement, we can either create view key points or disable the creation
::f t hese key points.

Juring the playback portion, we can either have the viewpoint or camera move, or we can disab le the
1ovement in order to see what is happening from a different view.
36 Chapter 2

Creating Viewpoint Keys

All viewpoint motion is recorded in the time line associated with t he Orientation and Camer a Views
component. The Orientation and Camera Views timeline can be thought of as inst ructions to the
cameraman to move the camera {our viewpoint) or to zoom the camera in and out. If Disable View Key
Creation is not selected, viewpoints are recorded every time you pan, zoom, rotate, roll, or change
camera position. If Disable View Key Creation is selected, keys are not created for t he viewpo ints.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree,
Disable View Key Creation

Viewpoint Playback --
~

When checking t he animat ion, it is sometimes easier to check the component motion with viewpoints
ot her than those that have been recorded with the animation. The playback of view keys can be disabled
separately from components.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree,
Disable Playback of View Keys
12 Unlock view orientation. ' ~ ' Qisable Playback of View Keys
Clear Disable View Key Creation to unlock it and allow view orientation @ D!<able View Key Creation
changes to be recorded. The Orientation and Camera Views icon image View Orientation
t!idefShow Tree Items ...
changes, removing the red circle and diagonal line.
Customize !::J.eru

13 Adjust time bar.

Drag the t ime bar to the end of t he animat ion (10 seconds). Click in the graphics
window and use Zoom In/Out (gJ or other view manipulation methods t o size the
assembly to fit within the window.

10 sec
I t 111 1 1 t l
12 sec
11111 111 1
I" sec
1111111 1 1
j6 sec
t l tl l l ll l
j8 sec
II f t l l i t I
10 sec
I 1 I 111
:er 5
"'" .:=- ~Tool \lise (Defd: <Defd:_Q;splay
~ Orientotion and c........ Views
l>. ~ Lirjlts, Cameras and Scene +

. ... ..
"' ~(f) Sadde<I >(Defau~<<Def~ +
_.. ~
()compound center member <!
.. ~
() ~rcOfTli)Olnl member<2
+
+
.....
.. ~
()o..werplate<I >(Defid<
.._ ~
(-)o..werplate <2>(Defd<
0 ~ (-)lower plate<!> (Defd<<!

+
+

~Move I<
Note When t he assembly is zoomed, the Orientation and Camera Views key frame is extended to
the position of the t ime bar.
 Creating Simple Animations 37

..! Lock view orientation.

:amera Views ~ight-click t he Orientation and Camera Views component and select Disable View Key Creation t o
.ctions to the :;-event further view changes f rom being recorded .
;able View Key
Modifying Key Points
or change
1 e timeline contains both single key points and key frames. Key points can be deleted, suppressed,
tiewpoints.
=tided to the timeline, or moved by dragging.

:::: her changes are based on key point type. Interpolation Mode and Appearance changes can be applied
2~ design tree,
: ::; ma ny. but not all. types.

3 Drag key point.

::::1ag the rightmost key point of the Orientation and Camera Views key frame back to 6 seconds .
~h viewpoints
- ,is will force the view scale change to be complete 1 second after t he rot ation ends.
::an be disabled
6 seconds

~~~~~ ~ 0sec
1I 1 I I J I I I !
j2sec
I I I I I ll I I
J4sec
I I I I I I I I
J6sec
I I I I I I I I I
jBsec J
I I I I I I I I
110secI
I I I I I
e;- design tree. ~ Tool \lise (Default <Default_Display

+
,. ;J

@ Orientation and Camera Vie'NS + + + ~

.
ffi ~ Lights1 Cameras and Scene
(b ~ (f) Saddle<!> (DefaultDefa

~of \liew Keys (ti ~ ()compound center member<!
mLoy Creation __ ~ ()upper compound member<2
it! ~ () upper plate<!> (Default!
rtDln
-eenems...
oJ ~ ()upper plate<2> (Default!
S ~ ()lower plate<!> (Default(
Move I<
- .". :
"~

Interpolation Modes
.Vhen we play an animation, SolidWorks interpolates the position of each compo nent between each key
::oint based on the setting of Frames per Second and the time between key point s. As an example, if a
_, :::art must move 100mm between two key points that are 2 seconds apart and the Frames per Second is
set at 10 frames per second, SolidWo rks will divide the move into 20 segments (2 seconds X 10 frames
:::Jer second}. SolidWorks will capture the image of where t he part is at 0 seconds. then it will move it
2head 1/10 of a second (Smm} and capture another image. This will repeat until t he last image is captured
at 2 seconds. All togethe r there will be 21 images, as it captured an image at 0 seconds plus 20 mo re
thro ugh the movement.

~s extended to
38 Chapter 2

The default interpolation mode for all moves is linear, so that if we command a part to change position ~- lSi:
between time 0 and time 1 second, it will move at a constant velocity between 0 and 1 second. That
means that it will have a step function for velocity and an infinite acceleration at o seconds and infinite
deceleration at 1 second. Nothing in the physical world can move with these characteristics; however, in
some animations it is acceptable. When sudden speed changes are not acceptable, the Interpolation
Mode can be changed t o make the transition more realistic.
The Interpolation Mode can be changed to set the transitional effect of key point(s) as they change with
time. In addition to t he default interpolation of Linear, there are four other interpo lation modes t o
modify the movement.

Mode Description
Linear Constant rate of change
IL
Snap
u No interpolation, immediate change

Ease in Accelerating rate of change

Ll
Ease out Decelerating rate of change
t= ::cp:
Ease in/Ease out Accelerating to decelerating rate of change
ll:
To see this visually, play the animation Interpolation Assembly.mp4. The five blocks all start at the
left edge and move to the right edge at the same time. Each block has only two key points. one at the
start position and one at the end position. Each uses a different interpolation mode.
All change color at the same time. So they are all grey at o seconds, cyan at 4 seconds. and red at
10 seconds.
 Creating Simple Animations 39

i::l change position 3elow is a composite image showing what happens when the animat ion is played.
1 - second. That
::conds and infinite
''"";sties; however, in
Snap
:--e Interpolation w
tS ~hey change with
Ease In I II I
:::on modes to
Lioeoc ~
Ease Out
I II
::ase In/Ease Out I I
I I
!
I
l
D I
Distance
T ~o T ~ 2 T=4 T=6 T ~8 Tal Q
Color change II
I I I I I
~ I components start at the left edge at o seconds and are at the right edge at 10 seconds.
Snap: The component stays at the position of the first key point {left edge) untillO seconds. when it
~stantaneously jumps to the second key point.

all start at the

- ;<S ::ase In: St arts slowly and builds up speed to reach the second key point at 10 seconds.
:mints, one at the
~in ear: Moves exactly the same amount during each time interva l.
::ase Out: The component must move quickly in the beginning so that it can slow down smoothly at the
~cs, and red at
end and still be at the second key point at 10 seconds.
::ase In/Ease Out: St arts slowly like Ease In and ends slowly like Ease Out and must move very fast in
:1e middle. At the midpoint of the animation, Linear and Ease In/Ease Out are at the same place,
30 percent of the full travel.
:1ere to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-dick a key point in the time line, Interpolation mode. select the type.
:J te The rate of acceleration and deceleration cannot be edited.
40 Chapter 2

16 Change interpolation mode.

Right-click the end key point of t he Orientation and Camera Views and se lect Interpolation mode,
Ease out. Float the cursor over the key point to see the setting.

[Animation vJ ~ te> f> - J [ll!l ~ ~ ~ G) WJ+ ~ & ~

'ii' l~'ib ~ ~ I I
2 sec
1I I I f I I I I
14Is eI c I I I I I I I
16Isec
I I I J I
18Isec
I I I f I t 1 1
1
a ~ Tool \'ise (Defd)
Onent~bon and Camera VIews-
ct. lfiJ Lights, Comeros ond Scene + Orient ation and Camera \l'iews 6 sec
~=*Isometric t:
~ ~ (f)Sadde < l>
!B ~ (-) CCfTllOUOd center member<!>
&> ~ (-)upper ccmgound member<Z>
+
+ *'.

(<, ~(-)'-"P""plate<l>
ttl~ (-)'-"P""plote<Z>
~(-)lowerplate<l>

17 Play.
Play the animation to see the modified effect. The zooming occurs more quickly but not instantaneously.

Collapse
Collapse is the mirror image of the Explode animation. The sequence of the key points in the explode is
reversed.
Manually reversing the direction of a path will be discussed in Reverse Path on page 138.
18 Collapse. Select ~n Ani~tion T)pe
Add a Collapse using the Animation Wizard.
This '"'Izard >Ail help )'OU to creii!lte simple
Set a Duration of 5 seconds with a Start or1malions altomatically.
To be!;n. oe!ec! the type of ar-ima!ion
time of 10 seconds. you wart to create ond dick Next.
r P.otae model
The collapse directly follows the explode. ' Explode
@Colapse
1rt'I)Ort mO!Ion from 8a"c J.!ot.an

n Delete al exisl61g paths

Explode and Colapse are avar..ble orit after"" ""!'lode view has been created
:-x:=
Basic MOOon is available oriJ after a oioolalion has been cabJaled in o mcmn otudy.
Motion J\nai;'Sis is available only if the ScidWOiko Motion add1n is lc<!ded and results
have been calculated in motion stua,.

Ne>t > II c..,ceJ II Help

 Creating Simple Animations 41

~opying Key Points

rpolation mode, Ef points can be copied t o re-use the properties within the key. The copy is placed along the same line
~= applies its properties at t hat position.
::e Using right-click Copy and right-click Paste copies the key point with properties in the same
a sec. I I t I I I
,-.=nner. However, using right-click Copy and right-click Place Key copies the key point without
::: -:::perties.

~ Copy key point.

=-ess Ctrl and drag the initial key point of t he Orientation and Camera Views key frame to the end

.. ~
: =~::-te current line (15 seconds) and drop it. This action copies the key point and its properties t o a new
: :ation. The copied key point returns the Orientation and Camera Views to the in itial state.

~ ~ ~ II> > &J J [!! vj -+ fJii ~ l..fl i- @ ~ ~ ~

i;,stantaneously.
l.tl~ ~ ~ .g " 0 s ec
1 I I
5 sec
1 I I
10 s ec
1 I I
\15~ec
- ~ Tool Vise (Defoull:)

:~... ~t
@ Orientation and Camera Views
:. ~ Lights, Cameras and Scene

= ~(f) Saddle< ! >
, the explode is :.:;:
:.
~(-)compound center member < l >
~(-) upper compound member<2 >


)8_
= ~(-) upper plate <! >

:: Copy key point.
- -e view returns to t he initial state too soon because it starts as soon as the zoom out completes. To
.oe""''lie
=" this, we need t o copy the key point from 6 seconds (the point where t he zoom out is complet e) t o
-= seconds. Because these two key points are the same. the view will rema in constant from 6 to 12
~
"""- ~=:onds.

=-ess Ctrl and drag the key point at 6 seconds of t he Orientation and Camera Views t o 12 seconds

- aea.d
-
....~
~-j dro p it.

Recording Animations
: "lee the animation has been completed and plays properly in t he
~ :clicn Sudy. : -;1e line, it can be saved as a movie or series of images. When we ~~
Tool~'i!:e. i5Vi

eC ;nl res<Jb -e:::ord the animation, MotionManager will record a series of still

~ ~
---,ages that will be played back in rapid sequence. These images
::-e t he digital equ iva lent of the frames of movie film. To make the ~
TOCli \U-OOCXJ.fx%'9
'U
1'"ooiV~ 1.bmp
~
Too1 Vce~br:'41
u
TooiV~.bmp

::--:imation usable outside of SolidWorks, it must be recorded in a

=::::rmat compatible with media player software. Two
~ ~ ~ ~
::msiderations when recording the animation will be t he size and Tocl \'ise-<XXl4.~ Tooi'Jisle-0005.bnlJ Tool 't1se-ooo6.~ Too1VIsi!-Cl007.bmp

:ompression.
42 Chapter 2

Video File Format

There are a variety of file fo rmats in which to save video files. MotionManager only uses one of t hese:
AudioVisual Interleaving, or AVI (*.avi). AVI is Microsoft's Video for Windows file format. native to the
Windows Media Player.

Image File Formats

Image files can be created at set time intervals, generating a series of numbered files. In Chapt er 15, we
will discuss the use of images to create video files. MotionManager supports the creation of the
following image file types for output:
Series of Windows Bitmaps (* .bmp)
Series of Truvision Targa files(*.tga)
Renderer
The image can be set to the default SolidWorks screen or PhotoView if Photo View 360 is installed and
added in. If PhotoView is selected, it builds each frame using the scene, appearances, and lighting
applied to the model.
Image Size and Aspect Ratio
The Image Size and Aspect Ratio option allows for the setting of standard or custom aspect ratios,
image size, or a specified camera aspect ratio.
CODEC
CODEC is short for COmpressor/DECompressor or COder/DECoder depending on which reference you
use. CODEC is any technology used to compress and decompress data. Different technologies perform
this in different ways with either hardware, software, or a combination of the two.
The CODECs available on each computer may be different and will depend on the video products t hat
have been loaded. SolidWorks uses whatever CODECs are installed on your system. It is important to
keep this in mind when choosing the CODEC to compress your video files as the destination computers
must also have the same CODEC installed.
The CODEC you use with SolidWorks is also specific to 32- or 64-bit versions. As more than half of
SolidWorks commercial seats are 64-bit, this book was written using a 64-bit version of SolidWorks and
the CODECs available for 64-bit systems. As essentially all media playback systems are 32-bit. both 32-
and 64-bit versions of the CODECs have to be loaded. The primary CO DEC used in t his book is from
TechSmith as it is readily available and free. If you do not have the CODEC from TechSmith, visit their
website at www.techsmith.com and download and insta ll the TSCC CODEC. If you are using 32-bit
SolidWorks, you only need the default 32-bit CODEC; if you are using 64-bit SolidWorks, you must
download both versions and inst all them. The 64-bit version will t hen be used to compress the video
files and the 32-bit version will be used to decompress the video file for the media player.
 Creating Simple Animations 43

- rame Rate
~ses one of these: _,imation is based on a principle of human sight called persistence of vision. lf you view a series of
-.at, native to the -::!ated still images in quick succession, you perceive them as continuous motion. Each individua l image
s referred to as a frame, and the illusion of motion comes from the fact t hat your visual system retains
=ach frame for a short time after you see it.
s .n Chapter 15, we =-arne Rate is measured in frames per second (fps) and will determine how many frames are produced
eation of the =:;-the screen or video. Frame rate is controlled separately for the screen and video and does not have
::be the same value. ln Chapter 16, we will discuss when they should be the same and why.
=:~ complex animations. keep t he frame rate low (3-5 fps) for testing purposes. Once you are sure t hat
=.eryt hing moves as planned, increase the frame rate for t he final output. As a fra me of reference,
.-~tio n pictures are recorded at 24 fps . Television standards are 30 fps in t he United St ates (NTSC) and

)50 is installed and =~ fps (PAL) in Europe. At rates higher than this, the human eye cannot really t ell the difference. Frame

5 , and lighting :::es between 15 and 20 fps will tend to give good results in your animations. lf the frame rat e is too
s :w, the motion will appear jerky. You can also record at too high a frame rate and again get jerky
-:tion. This comes from exceeding the capabilities of your computer graphics.

~ aspect ratios, ~ere to Find It

'.1otionManagerToolbar: Click Motion Study Properties ~. type Frames per second in the
4-opertyManager [sets the frames per second for the computer screen]
'.1otionManagerToolbar: Click Save Animation .5IJ, type Frames per second in the dialog box [sets the
1ich reference you =;-ames per second for the AVl file]
:;mologies perform
>-artial Animations
==-.:ial animations can be recorded by specifying the specific t ime range to render.
::eo products t hat
<: is important to
l~,ati o n computers

:;;ethan half of
of SolidWorks and
a-e 32-bit, both 32-
;:::".is book is from
:-Smith, visit their
~are using 32-bit
:rks, you must
~;Jre ss t he video
::layer.
44 Chapter 2

Key Frame
Key frames are frames wit h all the information for the entire frame. Other frames may only record
information that has changed from the previous frame.
When recording videos with a stationary background, you can reduce the number of key frames that are ::1

recorded to reduce the size of the video file. There is no specific number of key frames to record. The
default value is to record a key frame every eight frames. To see the effect of not recording enough key
frames, set it to a higher value and observe the results. In the images below you can see t hat t he image
gets noisier as the number of frames between key frames increases. You can see that the color is no
longer uniform, particularly in the areas indicated by t he arrows.

-
~- -
-'

Image Quality
The quality of the image recorded is set within SolidWorks. To change the image quality, from the Tools
menu, select Options, Document Properties, Image Quality. The time required to record the animation
will be affected by the image quality. The higher the quality. the longer the time t o render.

Video File Output Size

The size of the video file will be determined by a combinat ion of the following settings:
Total t ime
This is a linear relationship. With all other settings remaining constant. doubling the length of the
video doubles the file size.

Frame size
The frame size determines the number of pixels that make up each frame. Doubling the frame size
quadruples the number of pixels and therefore quadruples the fi le size.
 Creating Simple Animations 45

Frame rate
r.ray only record The total number of frames that are recorded will be equal to the frame rate t imes the length of the
video plus one additional frame at 0 seconds. Doubling t he frame rat e dou bles t he file size.

ey frames that are Key frame

:-:es to record. The The effect of the key frame is hard to quantify because it de pends on t he individual animation and
=!::Jiding enough key the amount of change from frame to frame.
~ see that the image
CODEC
-at the color is no CODECs are also hard to quantify because different CODECs use different methods to achieve
compression.
"'ere to Find It
~ \ilotionManager Toolbar: Save Animation ~
IP-:)(edure
Save. ~ S.ve Animation to File ~
: ::k Save Animation ill and set the following
Sve in: ,.. Tool Vise T @ " lml
:::ions:
No items: m atch your search.

:=eneral Settings
=ne name: Tool Vise
Save as type: Microsoft AVI file
~very 40 frames
~enderer: SolidWorks screen

Re """"'' Tool Vise.avi S.ve

~ge Size and Aspect Ratio
..c..ty, from the Tools :ustom aspect ratio: 4:3 I
S.ve as type: Microsoft AVI fie (".aVI) ::J l SchedUe

ecord the animation Renderer: ISolidWorics screen l I Cancel

~m e Information Help
-ender. =-ames per second: 10
=:ntire animation: selected
lm"'le Size and Aspect Ratio

El 1680
2] Fbced aspect ratio
UJ 1260

rn
Fr""'" Information
Fromes per second~
~Entire animation
l
c -gs: :. ::k Save to complete the dialog. Use camera aspect ratio rme ranQe
10\ Cuotom aspect ratio (~idth : height) ] 15 to 15
[ 4 :3
; :'le length of the

g the frame size

46 Chapter 2

2 Set video compression. Video Compression

Set the video compression as f ollows:
Corr4><essot: OK

Compressor (CODEC): TechSmith Screen Capture Codec

ITechS!Mh Scteen Captue Co I Caned I
, -
Compression Quality: 85 , I Comgt.re... I
Key Frame Every 8 frames [iJ Key Frame Eve<y 8 rnom..
1 ~ .. 1
Click OK.

We chose the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec because it is available in both 32- and 64-bit versions
and is also free and readily available. If you on ly intend to play t he animation on your own computer,
experiment with the other CODECs you may have installed.

The animation begins to play and record the movie. During the recording process, an image is captured,
then the time line is advanced based on t he frame rate (1/10 second). Another image is captured and so =-=-=-
on until the end of the time line. We have a 15 second animation at 10 f ps which is 150 frames plus one
additional frame at time zero for a total of 151 f rames.

3 Play movie.
Play the movie in an appropriate media -= :-::--
player. The default Windows Media Player
can be used.

4 Save and close all files.

--.:.-:

- =-~
.: =-=-- -
 Creating Simple Animations 47

Dragging a Component
OK
:-he process of dragging a component to display motion can be captured as an animation.
o=Co l ~
General Sequence
I Cor/9Jre... I Nhen you are moving components to create animations, the general sequence is as follows:
lanes
I PlJ.... I
Drag the time bar to the starting time.
2. Move the parts to their initial position or orientation.
3- Drag the time bar to the ending time.
c 64-bit versions
~- Move the parts to their final position or orientation.
- own computer,
Procedure
Open the assembly.
..mage is captured,
Open the assembly Motion from t he Chapter 2\Case St udy\ Mot ion fo lder.
5 captured and so
~ ;rames plus one :-he defau lt view orient ation and position will be used as the initial position fo r the
2nimation.

::; Select motion study.

Select the Motion Study l tab.

Timeline Colors
- he timeline changes color depending on the situation. After a 0 sec 15 sec j10 sec

1 I I I I I I I I I I
step is completed, an imations require calculation t o complete
:hem.

- he small yellow strip in the t ime line (top right} indicates that the
2nimation requires calculation by using Calculate Simulation ~
::Jr Play from Start ~ -

After the animation has been ca lculated (center right), the

:imeline changes to yellow for t he duration of the animat ion.
.f changes are made to t he animation (lower right). reca lculation
.
-~0 sec

-------

I

-----
I
'-
1-..!l l
j5sec
I I
I
1- 1
110 sec
I I

:s required and the yellow includes a hatch.

.
1
0 sec

.- - - - - -
I

~------

=======~
I
10 sec
I I

48 Chapter 2

3 Drag the time bar.

Drag the time bar to 10 seconds. This marks the end of the animation.

4 Drag component.
Drag a vertex, face, or edge of the arm component, turning the crank clockwise and
less than halfway around as shown.

Play the animation. The driving motion (crank.sldadm) is shown in a green key
frame while the driven motion of the yokes, spider, and pins is in yellow.

1171 ~ ~ -~ 'i3 10 sec I I

15 sec
I I I I
1 0 sec
I I
.0. I I
B ~Motion (Default<Default_Displ y state
Orientation and Camera Views
[ ~ Lights, Cameras and Scene

11 ~ (f) bracket<! > (DefaultDefaul::>
[rl ~ (-) Voke_M< l > (Default Default
(;; ~ (-) spider<! > (Default Defd>.

~ (-) Voke_F <l > (Default< <Default:
I) ~(-) pin<l> (LONGLONG>_Photcj
Ill ~ (-) pin<2> (SHORT < <SHORT>_D;,
fB ~ (-) pin<3> (SHORT SHORT>_Dis
1

Ill ~ (-) crank<! > (Default<Default_Dis

IB lijllijl Mates
...
Tip The movement is based upon the starting and ending positions. If you turn the crank more than halfway
around, the motion will move in the opposite direction using the shorter path.

Creating Reversed Animations

There are many cases where we need a mirror image of an animation, such as the explode-collapse
sequence we creat ed earlier. In other cases, it may be easier to create the animation backward, working
from the ending position to the starting position. Within the MotionManager, entire animations or
specific key frames can be easily reversed. This will be covered in more depth under Reverse Path on
page 138.
Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Select the keys to be reversed, right-click one of the keys, Reverse Path

5 Reverse the animation.

Select bot h the key points of the crank key frame using either window selection or Ctrl+select.
Right-click on one of the key points of the path and select Reverse Path.

Play the animation to rebuild it.

 Creating Simple Animations 49

1otion Study Tabs

.'::>tion study tabs can be added, renamed, duplicated or deleted. Multiple tabs can be added and used
-::create multiple motion studies of the same assembly. New tabs are empty and hold blank motion
=::!dies.

~ ere to Find It
1:. .'lienu: Insert, New Motion Study
~ Shortcut Menu: Right-click any motion study tab, click Create New Motion Study
- =rename, duplicate, or delete a mot ion study, right-click the motion study Duplicate
t=:J and click the appropriate choice from the menu. Rename
Delete
: Rename the animation tab. Create New Motion Study
:; ght-click t he tab Mot ion Study l and click Rename. Create New Design Study

- 'Je the name Drag ~ or.ag [.

Save and close all files.

.J evtew
.

- ;nore than halfway 'olile this was a very simple demonstration of dragging components, we can see that all the mates were
~:::ved , making this an easy way to have many components move based on the motion of just one
:::mponent. Within the Animation study, mates are solved unless we suppress them. When we used the
,->imation Wizard to create the explode and collapse, we did not have to sup press the mates as it was
::X;Jiode-collapse :::ne automatically by the Animation Wizard.
- :Jackward, working
e animations or ',e could also see that using the drag method, creating rotary motion could be tedious as we have to
=- Reverse Path on :-eate at least three key points per revolution. Later we will learn how to do this with other methods
.1ich will make the process much easier.

rse Path

::- Ctrl+select.
Editing the Time line

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand how exploded views are imported into a
motion study.

Zoom t he t imeline display.

Scale t he length of th e t ime line by dragging.

Understand the color codes used f or key points and key

frames.

Select and move key points in the timeline.

52 Chapter 3

Editing the Timeline

This project will use an existing assembly to generate an Explode animation. The timeline of the
animation will be edited to explain options with key points and components.

e soJidWorks F;l, Edt! VIew Insert Tools JOcontrol S~p W"tndow H$ 1} LJ t~ ~ ~

) t'
Insert ~ ~
lilear
.@
,....ove
ti m
Assembly Reference
~: ~ ~ 'l? Jr} ~
Mate Smart Component Show
FeabXI!S Geometry
New Bil of Exploded Explode lnstant30
~Is Compon...
Fasteners Heiden Motion Materia!s \rl!'W li1e
Components Study Sketch

Da1: Goo Explode (DefaUt <DefaUt "'

~Sensors
.:!l }J Annotations
1iJ .6) Lights, Cameras and Scene
<:S>- Front Plane
<:S>- Top Plane
z
A ,(
y

<:S>- Right Plane

< > * Isometric

lArWnation v EE) It> I> ill
l l ? l iiiilo~'iil\1 iJ 10 sec
I I I I f I I I l
12 sec
I I I I J I I I I
14 sec
1 I I I I I I I I
16 sec
I I I I I I t I I
18 sec
t I I 1 J 1 1 t 1
i3 ~ Dart Goo Explode (Default<Def..uli:_Di
~ ( rtmi:'.YI'Al a1d Carret~ Y~W$
&; ~ Lights, came.-as and Scene
:.J ~(f)Ma<lBody-I <I>(Best<<Best>
11 ~ (-)Nozzle-!< ! > (Default<<Def
IJ ~ (-)EndCap-I<I >(DefaultDefa
;3 ~ (-)PI\Jnger-I < I >(Default Defa<.l
-"' ~ (-) FirQerGrij>-1<1>(Defa<AtDe
lti ~ (-) Atrow-1<1 >(DefaUt<<DefaUtl
"' ~ (-) Nozzle-1<2> (Default<<Defd
a, ~ (-) PIA Rr9-1<1> (DefaUI:<<Defa
----
::.. ~iJl Mates I<
I Motion v1 Com feted Motion Stu
under Defred Editing Assembly

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter include:
How explode works
The details of how an exploded view becomes an an imation are discussed.
Zooming and scaling the time line
Manipulation of the timeline for visibility and control is discussed.
Timeline symbols
The color coding of the key points and changebars can be interpreted and modified.
 Editing the Timeline 53

Moving key points

? of t he <ey points can be selected, deleted, moved, and copied to manipulate the animat ion.
Changing displays and appearances
::::omponent displays (hide/show, t ransparency, display, and appearance) can be manipu lated across
? - d~
:1e timeline.
~
l'll:lntD ))
5:oryboard
- - s sequence involves creating an Explode
.~1 ~

~- -:1ation and edit ing the key point s and D D

..
- 0"'

::-ponents in the timeline. The final

D D
a- 1ation includes simultaneous explode
Timeline D D
-:; :es for multiple components, a shortened
Editing
-?line. and transparency changes to a D D
::-;:>onent

~
~ 10,, I~
- ~ 10
tc 11 0 se
I I I I I
D l
D l ID
Dl ID
~

i J~ 01
D l
Dl
-

~
~
10
'- I D
ID
>
I
:!1 0 D ~ D
(})

Dl ' ID
D l -~ ~ID
Dl I D
54 Chapter 3

Case Study: Editing the Timeline

In this example, an Explode animation is created and manipulated by editing the key point settings and
positions.
Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Dart Gun Explode from the
Chapter 3\Case Study\Dart Gun Explode folder.
Several components of t he assembly are in a suppressed state.

2 Animate explode.
Right-click the top level icon and click Animate explode. Watch the
animation to see which components are moving.
When done, collapse the assembly.

How Explode Works

The explode steps in the assembly are mapped into the MotionManager design tree as key frames in
order (Explode Step l . Explode Step 2. etc.} using the same default time span for each one.
The key frames are placed end to end. If multiple components are used in the same step, the key frames
share the same start and end times. The time assigned t o each changebar is equal, derived from t he
overall time set in the Animation Wizard divided by the number of explode steps.

Explode Step 1 Explode Step 5

Explode Step 3

10 s
I
c
I I I 1 I ! I
12 se
I I I I I t t I I
14 se
I I I I I I I I I
16 sec
I I I I

8 .J ExpiViewl

:

~ Explode SteplH
~ Explode Step2
~ Explode Step3
+
+
+ I
0

~ Explode Step<!

j

~ Explode stepS
~

l
Explode Step6 :
~ Explode step7
1- + t -
l
Explode Step 2
Explode Step 4

Explode Step 6
Explode Step 7
 Editing the Timeline 55

3 Explode.
~ point settings and ~sing theAnimation Wizard ~ . create an Explode that
-as a Duration of 7 seconds and a Start Time of
3 seconds.
~
@'
_ ,
,;
>~~---
./~
'I
..... -----.

v.
Play the animation.
=: ::e that each st ep takes 1 second because there were 7 steps and the animation was created for
- ~

.4 ,('~ .
-:- ~:onds.
~. ~ v~ fe> ,.. - j rm ..,'..,. lA a It> + ~ ~ ~ .'!;;1
~~ ~'ibl:~ i.l 1 0 s ec 12sec 14s ec - 16 sec 8 s ec

._,.
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I It I ,I I I I 1 I I I I I I I
~ :Jert Gu'l Explode (OefaUt<DefaUt_Oi

Onort.ation and Camera Views

e as key fra mes in

:- each one.
: ep. the key frames
-
- -- - -

--
cerived from the

..
"'t H ~Rri<J- I <I >(DefaUt<<Defa
-=om in.
=.:xun In ~ in the lower right corner of the Motion Manager to expand the time line display and
-=-e ::etail.
-- ~ ~ -- Ill> J [Irl - v' -+liJ i& l 4'1+ ~ /it> Ejf ,;,J
~ ii ~ ~ {J 10 s ec
I I I I l1 I II
j1s ec1ft
II I II I
12sec l1 1 13 s ec It
I I II
j4 s ec I I IiI I I I I II I li t I I I
15 s ec
I II I It I I I
16 se
II I

t

=
~
~
- .::.:~ -::: ::.-z-:ge ;:.-y cf :l-,e ::~:-g..:: >st enaxs t'le vie\'/ of the timeline.
56 Chapter 3

Scaling the Timeline

The time line can be scaled, up or down, by pressing and holding the Alt key while dragging t he right key
point of t he t op level assembly component. All the changebars are sca led by the same factor. For
example, scaling the change bar from an end time of 5 seconds to 10 seconds doub les the length of the
animation and each changebar.

6 Scale the timeline.

Scale the whole timeline by selecting the right key point of the Dart Gun Explode component and
Alt+drag it to 14 seconds.

ljAnrnation v ~ It> fP - - - - - J j!EI " 1 -+ ~ ~ 1~1 + @ ~ t; gj

1 17 1~ ~ ~ iJ 10sec
1 111 1 1 I I I
12 sec
111111111
14sec
111111111
16sec
111111111
18sec
1111111 I I
110 secl 1
I Ill I I I
112sec
I 1111 1 111
1
s ~Dart G<.n Explode (Default<Defd_Di
<I) Orientation and Camera VIews
~ ~ Lll#s, Cameras and Scene ~

... ~ (f)ManBody1<1>(8estllest>l
lil ~ ()Nozzle-! <I> (Default<<Oefaull


-
1%1 ~()End Cap-1<1> (DefaultDefa l

r:tJ ~()Plunger I <I> (DefauitDefac
~; ~ () F'noer Grip-! <I> (DefaultD<
do ~ () Atrow-1<1> (Default<<Oefaultl
1

... ~ () Nozzle-! <:2> (DefaultDefd
"" ~ ()PuiRing-l<l>(Default<<Defa
w 8181 Mates

All of the key frames are stretched equally. We can see that each step now takes 2 seconds
( 14 + 7 = 2 }. If we had just dragged the key, only t he end time would have changed but all the st eps
would have still been 1 second.

7 Disable view orientation changes.

Drag the time bar to the beginning of the timeline (o seconds) and click in the graphics window.
Zoom the assembly to fit.

Right-click the Orientation and Camera Views component and se lect ~Orientation and Camera Views
Disable Playback of View Keys. The view orientation will not change along the
timeline.
 Editing the Timeline 57

Timeline Symbols
:he right key - ne time line uses color coding to graphically display information about components, key points. and key
:::or. For -ames.
ength of the
Components
::::;mponents are mapped from the SolidWorks assembly (* .sldasm) file 8 ~ (f) fYlain Body-! < I > (Best<<Best
-~o the MotionManager design t ree automatically. They include the top- Move
,dlExplode
:::onent and :::el assembly, parts, subassemblies, mates. lights, cameras, and
Appearance
:: 1ulations. A single Orientation and Camera Views component is also tB ~ Mates in Dart Gl.l1 Explode-!
::::::led. Each part and subassembly component can be expanded to show
==:Jr sub-components: Move, Explode, Appearance, and Mates in <component name>.
12 sec
I I 1 1 111 I

~ey Points

~ --e Key Points are used to control charact eristics of the associated component or view.

Symbol Description

+ General (Unsuppressed)

0 General (Suppressed)

nds
Not yet solved

c: the steps Position cannot be

reached

:e Right-clicking a red key point and selecting Replace Key updates the status for that key point. It
-.~dow. ::: ..:seful when a change, such as unsuppressing a mate. allows motion where it was previously prevented.
=y Frames
- -e area between key points is called a key frame.
an and Camera Views
-
58 Chapter 3

Change bars
The changebars are used to connect key points and transition between them.

Description Symbol
Overall animation duration

Orientation and Camera Views

Disable Playback of View Keys selected

Driving Motion

Driven Motion (no key points)
Explode t-------
Appearance

Mate dimension

Note Interim key po ints and key frames (bordered) may appear for
components that are driven indirectly. They may become driving at
a later time.

Editing Key Points

Key point s can be moved, copied, and set to precise times very easily.

Drag Key Point

Key points can be dragged from one point on the t imeline to another.

Control Drag Key Point

Press Ctrl and drag a key point to copy it to another location on the timeline.

Copy/Paste Key Point

Select a key point and press Ctrl-C to copy a key point and then select a new location on the timeline
and press Ctri-V t o paste it.

Drag Multiple Key Points

To move multiple key points, window-select or Ctrl select them on the timeline, then drag the group
together to the new location.
 Editing the Timeline 59

Edit Key Point Time

:oce a key point has been entered on the timeline, it s position (time) can be
:::lit ed simply by moving it Getting a key point to a specific time can be done by
=~oming in close on the time line or by a more precise method of editing the key
-::lint time.
- -:e time can eit her be entered as the exact time by selecting Exact Time ~ or
::s an offset from the current location by selecting Offset t .
1ere to Find It -.1' X ~ () ~?
Shortcut Menu: Right-click a key point on the timeline, click Edit Key Point
Time fP .

.1oving the Time Bar

- -:e time bar can be moved simply by dragging it to the desired time. If precise positioning is needed,
l.ove Time Bar can be used to input a precise time.
~ere to Find It <fll Move Time Bar

Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the timeline, Move Time Bar, ~~~

~- 70s .-
enter the desired time. Select~
-.1' X ~~+ t?
iG
+ =.dit the Sequence
Animation Wiz..-d.. .

-::he next steps, we will change the start and end t ime of different components so they all move at the
::c-ne t ime.

;:he t imeline

; the group
6o Chapter 3

8 Drag key points.

Drag the key points for t he Nozz1e-1<1> to align with t he
start and end points of the End Cap-1 < 1 > component.

Repeat for the Nozz1e-1 <2> and Arrow-1<1> components.

1 '\71~ ~ ~ iJ 0111111111
sec 12 sec I
I Ill !Ill
I" sec
Ill! I I I I'
16 sec
,,, , ,,,,,
18 sec
,,,,,,,,,
j1 0 sec
, , , , ,,, ,,
112 sec 1
I I I , , , , , , ..._

~Dart Gun Explode (Delatit<Defa<J~_Di

~ Onentat1on and Came1a V~ews
&, (6] Lio;!hts, Comeros ond Scene
.tJ ~ (f)MainBodyl< l > (Best< <Best>
1.: ~ ()illoz2iel < l >(DeldDelaul
-- I +
:E ~ () End(ap-1<1> (Del.ut<<Delo
ct. ~ ( )Pkrogerl<l>(Delault<<Def...
~-
: + + +
+
"' '% ()FtnQer Gr""l < l >(Defaut<<D< + + :
tl
a:J
a:J
~
~ () Arrow I <! > (Default Defaut,
~() Nozzle I <2> (Default Defouli
~ () Pul Rng-1< 1> (Delatit<<Defo
i01 Mates -
-
~t I

+
Tip Moving a key point changes the t iming of t he action. It does not affect the distance or direct ion of the
act ion.

9 Adjust Finger Grip key points.

Drag the first key point of the Finger Grip-1 < l > component to line up with the end of the
En d Cap-1 < l > component.

Move the second key point (highlighted) about 2 seconds after the start.

~~~~ ~ 'lit! iJ 0 sec

, , , , , , .. ,
12 sec
,,, , ,,,,,
14 sec
,,,.~,,,,
16 sec
,,,,,,,, ,
18 sec
"'''''''
110 sec
1 111 11111
112 sec
lll t l ltll
11
.::. ~ Dart Gun Explode (Delid<Defoui:_Di
~ Or ~ntJtm ,-,nd .amera V~ews
IB ~ Lights, Cameras a nd Scene
c!l ~ (f) Main Body I < I> (BestBest >l
. ~ ()Nozzle l < l >(Default<<Deloul
+
[ ~ () EndCop-1 <1> (Delault<<Delo
+
+
() Pl.rooer l < I> (Deld< <Del.._
( ) FinQer Grip I <!> (Delaui:De
- +
------ - I

I)
IE
~
;}
( ) Arrow! <I > (Default <<Delauii:
'%
( ) Nozzle I <2 > (Default<<Defoull
'%
()Puii RinQ l < l > (Defaui:<<Defo
(iljjl Mates
1

--- +

 Editing the Timeline 61

: Box-select.
Select multiple key points (not t he top level key point) by dragging a selection box around them. Drag
:-:em to the left to 10 seconds. The top level key point will automatically move with the others.

I.YJ~~~Ie 0sec
111111111
j2 sec
1 1 111111 1
14 sec
1111 1111 1
j6sec
11 1 111111
jBsec
111111 111
jl 0 sec
lillil!ll
j12 sec
I I I L}IJII
1.
- ~ o..rt Gun Explode I (Defoult<Defoult_Display Stat

-
~ rl'.er.tatJOf'land \.an'lfl'faVti'WS

~
- aJ Lights, G>meras and Scene
.:. ~ (f) MoO> Bodyl<l>(Best<<llest>_PhotoW

-
r-
.,. ~ ()Noz>lel<l>
,. ~ ()ErdCap-1<1>

-
~
- ~ Pil.ngerl<l>

-
-" ~ Fnger Grip I <I>
- ~ ()Arrow-1< 1>
.:. ~()Nozzle I <2>
12 s ec

1l 1 I l l
11 ~ ~ PuiRr.Ql < l>
=II Motes
: .e Because we have moved the end key points for all the components, the key point for the top leve l
J2rt Gun Explode moves to 10 seconds as well because there is no motion aft er this point.

..~- Save the assembly.

Sc :e the assembly and the animation .

-: Set the time bar.

:-::g the time bar to the starting position (o seconds) of the animation.
:tion of the
:::~m ponent Appearance
: points can be created to control the appearance of components. The procedure is the same as for
::~;Jonent position: move the time bar. change the appearance. This will be covered in more depth in
~ : -::;Jter 5: Animating Appearances and Properties.

~ Set to transparent. ~ ' Invert Selection

:: _51t-click the Finger Grip component in the Motion Manager Component (Finge r Grip I )

12 sec !1
I
: "=:;;gn tree and select Change Transparency. The component ~
Hide
Isolate
I l l IIIII
=.-sparency changes immediately. 6<[ Chonge Transparenc~ _ _
Component Display '
Set the time bar. ).. I Move wlh Triad

: :g the time bar to the ending position of the animation . Move ..

Matenal

---
. . Appearance
- Set to opaque. (j' Component Properties .
=5 ::-click the Finger Grip component in the MotionManager
::.:2:: gn tree and clear Change Transparency. The component
~-sparency is removed.
~ Zoom to 5elecWn

Hide/Show Tree Items .

Custorrize Menu
..,.-;:-- - ~ -----~-----------------------------------------""'!!!------

62 Chapter 3

16 Play the animation.

Play the animation using Play from start ~-The
component start s in a transparent state and
t ransitions back to an opaque state. Expand the
Finger Grip component in the MotionManager
design t ree to see the key frame added for t he
Appearance.

I.YJ~ 'ib ~ ~ 10 sec

..f. ! I I !IIlli
12 sec
I l l d 1 1 11
14 sec
11 111 1111
16 sec
11 1 111111
j8 sec
11111111 1
10 sec
1 lll llltl
112 sec
1 1 1 11 1 1 ( 1
j
B ~Dart Gun Explode-! (Oefault<OefatOt_Disp!ay stab

~ Orlffit&Jon and Comera lf.ews
~ Li!#s, Comeras and Scene
(fJ ~(f) Main Body-1<1> (Be>t<<Best>_PhotoWor~
ffl ~(-)Nozzle-! <I>
~(-)EndCap-1<1 >
!l3 ~ PILnger-1<1 >
S ~ Fnger Grip-! <1 >

Move
,dJ Explode
-
-
(l Appearance
9 ~ Mates in Dart Gun Explode-!
Ill ~ (-)Arr.,..,..l<l>
!ll ~ (-) Nozzle-1<2> : -
IE ~ PuiRing l<l >
tfJ lj11j1Mates -"

Tip Expanding t he component distinguishes the individual key frames of the component so that t hey are
easier to see and edit. If the component is not expanded, the key frames appear overla pped.
 Editing the Timeline 63

- Set interpolation.
:::rag t he left Appearance key point, lining it up wit h t he start of it s movement as shown. Set the
nterpolation Mode for t he right key point to Ease Out 1'::::.

110 sec
~ ~Dart~ (Defa~~;;:~~s~ ::.~ 1
0sec
l l tllll!l
12 sec
ll t d t tll
14 sec
1 11111111
j6sec
, ,,,,,,, ,
j8sec
llltl t lll ' ' ''' ' "'
112 sec
,,,,,,,,,
1
Explode-!

~ Or~entotoon and Camero V>OW>
..: ~ Lights, Cameras and Scene

-
~ (f)MainBody-l<l>(Best<<Best>_PhotoWorl<!

-
,_ ~ (-)Nozzle-! < !>
.:. ~ (-)End Cap-1<1 >
z ~ Plunger- ! <I>
= ~ FingerGrp-1<1>
!:C 12 s ec
I I I I t1 t I I t
j ~Move
d Explode __. -
e- Appearance
.r.. .] Mates in Dart Gun Explode-!
.:; ~ (-) Arrow-1<1>
:. ~ (-)Nozzle-1<2> t
.:; ~Pu'IRing-1<1>
: f j Mates -
~ Play the animation.
--e transit ion from t ransparent to opaque begins just
=:; ~he component starts to move along the explode

=c-::1.

: Save and close all files.

~at they are

~
View Orientations

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand how the view orientation can be manipulated
during the animation.
Lock and unlock the view orientation.
Suppress the view orient ation.
Use Zoom to Selection.
66 Chapter 4

View Orientations
Establishing and moving the viewpoint are important considerations in creating a good animation. In
movies, this is the view we see in the camera.

In this chapter, we will explore one method of creating our point of view in the video, and that is through
t he use of t he standard SolidWorks view tools.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapt er include:

View orientation
The Orientation and Camera Views component is used to record the zoom, pan, rotation, and roll
of t he model.
Locking and unlocking the view orientation
Using Disable View Key Creation locks and unlocks
the view orientation and determines whether or
not Orientation and Camera Views key point s are added to the timeline.

Suppressing the Orientation and Camera Views

Suppress prevents the model view from changing during playback, or while you are editing the
animation.

Zoom to Selection
The Zoom to selection option zooms a selected component.

Perspective
When we create models in SolidWorks, we generally do it with pers pective off to make the modeling
process easier. With perspective off, para llel edges are parallel. In the physical world, perspect ive
makes parallel edges appear to converge at some distant point.

Viewpoints
There are two ways to establish our viewpoint in SolidWorks. The first is to use the Pan, Zoom, Rotate,
and Roll tools to est ablish the view. The second way is to use a camera, just as if we were creating a
video with a video camera. Both methods can achieve the same results as fa r as the view of t he model
on the screen; however, the camera option will give us some additional tools to create more realistic
images, such as depth of field. We will discuss the camera in Chapter 11 thro ugh Chapter 12.

When we use the Pan, Zoom, Rotate, and Roll tools in SolidWorks, our general percept ion is that we are
moving the model. This is usually the result of looking at the model through a computer monitor that is
stationary on our desk. However, the reality is that the model is fixed in model space and we are moving
our point of view through these tools.
 View Orientations 67

Positioning the Viewpoint

ltion. In 1 e primary too ls for changing the viewpoint are Zoom, Pan, Rotate, and Roll. These tools can be
s elected in several diffe rent ways.
s through 7oolbar Buttons
--.e following toolbar buttons are available:

I"" Zoom to Fit: Zooms in or out so the entire model is visible.

~ Zoom to Area: Zooms in on a portion of the view that you se lect by dragging a bounding box. The
:;:;-~ter of the box is marked with a plus (+) sign.
n, and roll
~ Zoom In/Out: Zooms in as you press and hold the left mouse button and drag the mouse up. Zooms
:...:t as you drag the mouse down.

rhether or ~ Zoom to Selection: Zooms to the size of the selected entities.

tZ Rotate View: Rotates the view as you press and hold the left mouse button and drag t he mouse
=::-::.md the screen.
~ th e
.2 Ro ll View: Rotates the view about an axis normal to the screen as you press and hold t he left mouse
:-_::on and drag the mouse .

.:. Pan View: Scrolls the view parallel to face of your monitor.

ddle Mouse Button Functions

modeling --= 'llidd le or wheel mouse button on a three-button mouse can be used to dynamically manipulate the
pective ::s: :ay. Using the middle or wheel mouse button you can do the fo llowing:

Function Button Wheel

32Jtate Press and hold the middle mouse Press and hold the wheel mouse
n, Rotate,
button. As you move the mouse, the button. As you move the mouse, the
::>ating a
view rotates freely. view rotates freely.
the model
3..3tate about Click the middle mouse button on the Click the wheel mouse button on the
ealistic
.;s:ometry geometry. As you move the mouse, the geometry. As you move the mouse, the
view rotates about that selected view rotates about that geometry.
1at we are geometry.
tor that is The geometry can be a vertex, edge,
removing axis, or temporary axis.

~il or Scroll Press and hold the Ctrl key together Press and hold the Ctrl key together
with the middle mouse button. The with the wheel mouse button. The
view will scroll as you drag the mouse. view will scroll as you drag the mouse.
68 Chapter 4
r -.:;
Function Button Wheel

Zoom Press and hold the Shift key together
with the middle mouse button. The
view will zoom larger as you drag the
mouse upward, smaller as you drag
the mouse downward.
Zoom to Fit Double-click the middle mouse
button.
Spin the wheel mouse button. The
view will zoom larger as you spin the
wheel downward, smaller as you spin
the wheel upward.
Double-click the wheel button.

Arrow Keys Left/Right arrow keys Up/Down arrow keys

Arrow keys can be used to rotate the viewpoint about the
three axes of the computer monitor. The up and down
arrow keys rotate the viewpoint about a horizontal X axis
through t he center of the monitor.
The right and left arrow keys rotate t he viewpoint about
a vertical Y axis through the center of the monitor.
Pressing and holding the Alt key while using the right or
left arrow keys will rotate the viewpoint about the Z axis
normal to the monitor screen. /
Alt + Left/Right
Holding the Shift key with the arrow keys changes the arrow keys
rotation to 90. -sa
Adjusting the Arrow Key Movement
The amount of move ment caused by t he arrow keys is controlled in the SolidWorks Options. The default
value is 15, which is generally good when modeling, but may be too much when trying to position the
model for an animation. To use t he arrow keys for small movements, change the arrow key movement to
l degree. This is essentially small enough to nudge the viewpoint slightly.

Where to Find It
Menu Bar: click Options ~. System Options, View
Menu: Tools, Options, System Options, View
 View Orientations 69

Reference Triad

on. The
tJ spin the
- ;-.e viewpoint can be moved by selecting different aspects of the reference triad. This can
::every helpful when creating key points to rotate the model. As noted above, the standard
.:ew tools rotate the view about t he screen axes, while the reference triad allows you to
~~.
f "
s you spin -3tat e about the model axes.

Action Result
ton. Select an axis See the view normal to the screen.
Select an axis that is Change the view direction 180 degrees.
normal to the screen
crrow keys
Shift+ select Rotate go degrees about the axis.
Ctrl +Shift+ select Rotate go degrees in the opposite direction.
Alt +select Rotate about the axis by the arrow keys increment specified in
Tools> Options> System Options> View.
:i:s
Ctrl + Alt + select Rotate in the opposite direction.

'amed Views Orientation ~

=: - ce we estab lish a viewpoint, we can save it so that we can easily return t o the same I I~ ~ ~ 4'
::::sition. We can save the existing viewpoint, section view, or camera view for later use.

-: save the current view as a named view, press the Spacebar to open the Orientation
:: .:::og. Click New View ~ and type the name of t he view.
,_ The default -=:::hange the viewpo int to a named view, double-click the named view.
osition the
1ovement to .::.'Tied views are particularly useful when creating animations as we can establish our
?Npoints for the animation before we start animating the components.

-ere to Find It
.:enu: View, Modify, Orientation
.eyboard Shortcut: Spacebar
70 Chapter 4

Perspective View
We normally do not create solid models in perspective views because it is generally easier to view
parallel edges as parallel. When rendering we are trying t o make t he final output appear as it would to
our eyes. For this, a perspective view is very helpful. If we are not using a camera, we must add
perspective manually. If we are using a camera, the perspective will be determined by the lens we use.

Where to Find It
Menu: View, Display, Perspective
Heads-up View Toolbar: View Settings, click Perspective ~

Modify Perspective View

Perspective in t he real world, as well as in SolidWorks, is related t o the size of [CYI' . '. VJJ
the object being observed and the distance of that object from the observer. You ' )(

can modify the perspective by specifying the observer position as Object Sizes Observer Position 1t
,___ ---,:::---"'1
Away in the Perspective View dialog box. e/ 3
 View Orientations 71

- he smaller the value, the closer the observer position is t o the object and therefore the greater the
;ier to view amount of perspective distortion. For finer adjustments, use decimal values, e.g. 3.5.
- as it would to
.ust add
-e lens we use.

Rr Position *
:I

Perspective - 0.1 Perspective - 1

Perspective - 3 Perspective - Off

-e-e to Find It
.'enu: View, Modify, Perspective
; You must be in a perspective view to change the perspective setting.
72 Chapter 4

View Orientation States

The Orientation and Camera Views feature is standard on all MotionManager t imelines. It resides
below the top level feature in the MotionManager design tree. It is used to control manipulation of the
view during the animation. View manipulation can be changed using the Zoom, Pan Rotate, and Roll
tools.

Disable View Key Creation

Disable View Key Creation is the default condition applied to new timelines. With Disable View Key
Creation selected, new view key points are not added as you change your viewpoint of the model. This
allows you to concentrate on creating t he component motion wit hout adding unintentional view changes.

Disable View Key Creation Cleared

When the Disable View Key Creation is cleared, changes you make to the Orientation and Camera
Views are recorded as key points at the time bar in the timeline.

Disable Playback of View Keys

With Disable Playback of View Keys selected, all key points in the timeline for the Orientation and
Camera Views are grayed out and ignored. Disable Playback of View Keys prevents the model view
from changing during playback, or while you are editing the animation. It is helpful for editing the
t imeline after it has been recorded.

Disable Playback of View Keys Cleared

With Disable Playback of View Keys cleared, all viewpoint changes recorded in the Orientation and
Camera Views feature will be shown during playback.

Orientation and Camera Views State Symbol Description

Disable View Key Creation (Disable
Playback of View Keys cleared)
Disable View Key Creation Cleared
(Disable Playback of View Keys cleared)
Disable Playback of View Keys
View changes ignored by the timeline
~ View changes captured by the timeline
~ Disables all Orientation and Camera
Views key frames

Creating View Key Points

Viewpoints are only controlled by key points. The general method to create view key points is the same
as creating key points for component position. You place the time bar at the time at which you want to
create a key point. then change the viewpoint to the desired position. Key point s can either be created
automatically or manually.
 View Orientations 73

-::1 you are manipulating the view for the animation, the general sequence is as follows:
:resides
Right-click the Orientation and Camera Views component and clear the Disab le View Key
on of the
Creation option.
1d Roll
Jrag the time bar to the ending time.
Change the view orientation to the final orientation.
Select Disable View Key Creation to prevent further unwanted changes.
ew Key
odel. This
,'iew Orientation Changes
=.:' orientation changes can be captured in the animation to enhance t he visual display. The view
Nchanges.
-.::-::pulation tools are those found in core SolidWorks.

Camera
Establishing Shots and Leaders
- ;)U play a video file one time through by just double-clicking on it in Windows Explorer, Windows must

:-::=.1 t he default video player and then start showing the video. At the end of the video. the video player
::lose automatically right at that point. If your motion starts right at t ime zero and ends at the end
:.ion and ;:-= :1e video file, it is difficult for the people watching the video to get oriented and it looks
.odel view .:~-ofessiona!.
g the
~.:::1er than start motion at time zero, it is much easier on the people watching if you wait one or two
~,e: :mds. This allows the player to open and have enough time for people to look at the player and
=.:;)gnize what they are looking at. In the video industry, this is called an establishing shot as it
3.tion and :s:c:blishes the time and location of the scene. At the end of the video, you also want to allow the motion
::stop and leave the still image on the screen for a second or two before t he video player closes. This
: :.vs people viewing the video to recognize the video is over because motion stopped rather than
:::c:use the player suddenly disappeared.
time line .: :1e video is intended to be a seamless loop, establishing shots and leaders are not used as you are
:::<ing for a seamless transition between the playbacks. The motion at the end of the video must match
1e timeline --=motion at the beginning of the video.
- s also good practice to allow view changes to come to a complete stop and pause before changing
d Camera : -ection. Except for special effects. you do not see cameras suddenly changing direction in movies and
-= evision as it is very hard for the viewer to follow the action. Adding a pause between directional view
:-;:.,ges should be accompanied with an interpolation mode that slows the viewpoint motion before it
~::ps and starts the motion slowly in the new direction.
sis the same
1 you want to - c:ddition to the reason above, having beginning and ending leaders and establishing shots allows more
er be created - ~:nes in post-processing to account for video transitions between clips.
74 Chapter 4

Case Study: Viewpoints

This project will use an existing assembly to show how to change and record viewpoints.

Storyboard
Our animation will show the light exploding and
collapsing as we change our view to better see
the process. To organize our work, we create a
simple storyboard by just listing the things we
want to do in the animation. The basic storyboard
might look like t his:
0 0
0 0
0 0
.
View
Orientations 0 0
0 0

P escripfio"'
0
0
"{(';'
II'~ t?
C)~'f)
0
0
0 0
C,....e~fe ~ sf~r+i"'J vieVV'.
0 0
S.+~r+ vvifL, I seco,.,d o~ vid e o c. ..
~
2
vvifL, ,.,ofL,i"'J """ovi"'J.
0
.....
.,q-p'
()
0
0 0
3 cL,~"'de + L..e vieVV' fo s L..o vv 0 ~~ 0
f L..e cofl ~psed s+~+e.
Cl 0
Zoo""" ov+ ~s f L..e ~sse""" b /'1 0 0
explodes so +L..~+ ~II f l...e
0 0
co"""po.-.e ,.,fs re""""'"i"' vis ible.
0 0
5 Rof~fe fL, e e>(p/oded
~sse"""h/'1 fo f[,e opposife
oie,.,f~fi o.-..

G Coll~pse ~.-.d z.oo""" i.-..

7 Add I s eco.-.d o~ v ideo vvif L,

.-.ofL,;"'J """ovi"'J.

Play the file Views.mp4 from the Videos folder t o see the desired results.
 View Orientations 75

ocedure
Open the assembly.
::::len the assembly Views from the
:-.::mpter 4\Case Study\ Views folder.

~~
Examine the assembly.
- -is assembly has one configuration and an exploded view.

= Create named views.

o :;: turn the assembly to the same pos ition as when it was opened.

:J 0

0
0
:>ess the spacebar. The View Orientation dialog will appear.

:: ick New View ~ . Type Start for the name of the view.

:J~
~
D Create another view.
:: \plode the assembly. Zoom, Pan, and Rotate as necessary to get
-e view shown. We want the assembly aligned roughly on the
::~een diagonal with all the components visible on the screen. 1\
,
~
-~
~~
::~eate a named view called Explodedl.

Create another view.

:::Jllapse the assembly. Press F on the keyboard to Zoom to Fit.
()'~
::~eate a named view called Collapsedl.

-sing this method, t he only view effect between Explodedl and

::::;llapsedl is the zoom. The model should not otherwise move on the screen.

Create another view.

.:.(plode the assembly. Zoom, Pan, and Rotate as necessary t o get
-e view shown. We want the assembly aligned rough ly on the t::)~\l
3~reen diagonal. but reversed f rom the named view Explode l , with
1\~
~ <t?Q)....
::. , the components visible on the screen.
'
::-eate a named view called Exploded2.

Create another view.

::Jllapse the assembly. Press F on the keyboard to Zoom to Fit.
~~
::-eate a named view called Collapsed2.
76 Chapter 4

8 Check the views.

We should now have the fo llowing views:

Explodedl Exploded2

Start
,~ ~ "g;,'
C{'(!j

Collapsedl Collapsed2

Views Explod ed! and Collapsed! shou ld be the same model orient ation, only different zoom levels t o
insure all the pa rts are visible on the screen. The same applies to views Exploded2 and Collapsed2.

9 Create a motion study.

Creat e a new motion study. Name it Views.

Select Animation for the Type of Study.

 View Orientations n

a Disable view creation. 8 W 'IIC 'I'i:::. \ V Ii:ICUI L , Ur.::I C U II.. V l=:tt fa y o.H C U::

3y default Disable View Key Creation should be selected; ' '

---rake sure that it has been selected.

,'.'ith this option selected. we can change our viewpoint as we

~
"'~ :-eate the component motion without creating any view key points. We do this just to make it easier to
~et the component motion the way we want it without accidently creating view key points.

,
' Add component motion.
', e need to add motion that explodes the assembly an d t hen collapses it. The easiest way to do this is
~~:h the Animation Wizard.

_se the Animation Wizard to add an explode motion starting at 2 seconds with a duration of 5 seconds.
-::d collapse motion at 8 seconds wit h a du ration of 5 seconds.

: Play the animation.

~
--e parts should explode and collapse at the appropriate times and t he view should not change.

:: Change viewpoint.
: ve the time bar t o 7 seconds. Press the spacebar and do uble-click the named view Exploded!.

- Play the animation.

--..s animation should be exactly the same as in step 12.
- -E-e are several things we can learn from this:

3ecause we have Disable View Key Creation selected, no view key point was added at 7 seconds.
=1en though we have Disable View Key Creation selected. there was an initial view key created at
:seconds. When we play the animation from the beginning, the viewpoint will change to t his initial
:oom levels to
:::y point.
Collapsed2.
',e can change our viewpoint while the animation is playing.
='.'le move the time bar to any place other than 0 seconds. we can change our viewpoint and the
::..1imation will play at that viewpoint.
~ . we wilt add some viewpoint changes.

Unlock view orientation.

=- =the time bar to 0 seconds.
-=L- .-click Orientation and Camera Views and clear
_ante View Key Creation.

- :ilis option cleared. each time we change the model view. it will be recorde d as a key point. For
= :; this is the same as Autokey tfl is for components and appearances.
78 Chapter 4

16 Add a viewpoint.
Move the time bar to 7 seconds. This is where our assembly is fully exploded.
Press the spacebar. The View Orientation dialog will appear. Double-dick the named view Explodedl.
A key point is aut omatica lly added to Orientation and Camera Views at 7 seconds.

17 Play the animation.

The viewpoint starts changing at 0 seconds. We would rather have the viewpoint hold fo r 1 second
before it starts t o move. To make it hold position, we need to copy t he view key point from 0 to 1 second.
Select the Orientation and Camera Views key point at 0 seconds, press and hold Ctrl and drag the
key point to 1 second.
Note The most common method to copy a key point is to press Ctrl and drag the key point, which makes
a copy of it. The exception is when copying a key point from time zero. All components must have a key
point at 0 seconds, so if you try to drag a key point from o seconds, you will copy it even without the use
of the Ctrl key.

18 Add additional viewpoint.

Move the time bar to 8 seconds. Press t he spacebar and double-dick the named view Exploded2.

19 Play the animation.

The viewpoint now holds posit ion from 0 to 1 second and then changes to Explodedl. At 7 seconds it
quickly changes to Exploded2. This change is too fast and we would like to slow it down. To do this, we
need to give it more t ime.
Drag the Orientation and Camera View key point at 7 seconds to 6 seconds, then drag the key point
from 8 seconds to 9 seconds.

20 Play the animation.

While this is better, having a viewpoint go from one change to the next without a pause may be t oo jerky
for some. To fix this, we can copy t he key points from 6 and 9 seconds and let them hold the viewpoint
positions for a second.

21 Adjust the timing.

Ctrl+drag the key point at 6 seconds to 5 seconds.
Ctrl+drag the key point at 9 seconds to 10 seconds.
 View Orientations 79

::2 Disable view creation.

~ight-click Or ientation and Camera Views and select Disable View Key Creation.

:plodedl. Jnce we have t he basic key points t o control the views. we want to avoid accidently adding key points
there none were intended.

:3 Add key point manually.

'.~ove the t ime bar to 13 seconds, the end of the animation.
:cond
o 1 second. ::1ange to the named view Collapsed2. Notice that no key point is created because we have Disable
liew Key Creation selected.
d drag the
Select Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree. then click Add/Update
?Cey t+] on the MotionManager toolbar. A key point has now been added for this final position.
1ich makes
have a key _.. Play the animation.
out t he use :=.xamine the res ults.

:=diting Viewpoint Keys

>ce we see the component motion and viewpoint changes together. we may want to adjust the views
~oded2. :=::ause parts are off the screen during an explode step, the model isn't in t he correct position for
-::ximum visual impact. or any number of other reasons.

seconds it - : update a viewpoint key:

J do this, we
Move t he time bar to the time of the key point to be updat ed.
Adjust the view using Pan, Zoom, Rotate, or Roll as necessary.
! key point - In the MotionManager design tree, select Orientation and Camera Views.
Click Add/Update Key i:J on the MotionManager toolbar.
- Adjust a viewpoint.
rbe too jerky ::would like the first and last viewpoints to be zoomed in so that the model completely fi lls t he screen.
he viewpoint
:1e t he time bar to 13 seconds.
Z-:xlm in until the model fills the screen.
3-:: :=ct Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree.
:[ : -< Add/Update Key [t_+, on the MotionManager t oolbar.

_: Play the animation.

--=animation now ends with the model filling the screen.
So Chapter 4

27 Adjust a viewpoint.
Now we can do the same thing to the init ial view.
Move the t ime bar to 0 seconds.
Zoom in until the model fi lls the screen.
Select Or ientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design t ree.
Click Add/Update Key ~ on the MotionManager toolbar.
28 Play the animation.
The animation starts at the correct view point, but it zooms out before starting the transition to t he
Exploded l viewpoint. The pro blem is with t he key point at 1 second because it is still t he original
starting view.

29 Fix the key points.

To fix t his problem. we can just delete the viewpoint key at 1 second and t hen copy t he key point from
0 seconds to 1 second.
Select the Orientat ion and Camera Views key point at 1 second and press Delete.
Ctrl+drag (or just drag} the key point at 0 seconds t o 1 second.

30 Add leader.
We have a one second leader/establishing shot at t he beginning of the animation. but not at the end.
Drag the topmost key point for the assembly from 13 seconds to 14 seconds. The animation is now one
second longer. but there is no motion during this last second.

31 Change interpolation mode.

All viewpoint changes are current ly linear because that is the default interpolation mode. To smooth out
the view changes, we will change t he interpolation mode to Ease in/Ease out.
Window-select the six Orientat ion and Camera Views key points between one and 13 seconds. Right-
click any of the selected key points and click Interpolation mode, Ease in/Ease out.

32 Play the animation.

The viewpoints now move as we want.
 View Orientations 81

Further Tweaking
Could we do anything else to this animation? It would not be difficult to continue to make fu rther
adjustments to the animation to correct the viewpoints or timing to make sure the t ransition speeds are
just the way we want them. In this case. we could make adjustments to make sure all the parts remain
visible on the screen at all times. For a smoother animation. an Ease In/Ease Out interpolation mode can
be added to all the key points for the components to make the motion smoother.
Ne will not make any further adjustments to this animation as the method and steps have already been
: overed. For practice. you can make further adjustments until you are satisfied with the results.
33 Save and close the file.
:ion to the
original
Perspective View Effect
.':/hen we animate views. wit h perspective on. there are cases where the model appears t o zoom in and
::!.lt on its own, resulting in a very unnatural animation. This is a result of the way perspective is
:y point from :::lculated based on the bounding box of the model.
=:specially with a perspective view. cameras define the viewpoint more reliably than noncamera views.
',"ith a camera, the field of view is fixed and doesn't change with t he size of the model. Cameras will be
:.scussed later starting with Chapter 11.
~e following case study will demonstrate this effect.
Jt at the end.
Case Study: Visual Bloom
::ion is now one _s~ng the Sarrus Mechanism we will explore the effects of perspective
~-:::l how the viewpoint changes based on the bounding box.
C..ocedure
:. To smooth out Open an assembly.
:::en Machine.sldasm from the Case Study\ Sarrus Mechanism
=-: ::1er. This is a simple kinematic mechanism.
3 seconds. Right-
Open a motion study.
:::<:il the motion study named Perspective.

Set views .
. :1 the time bar at o seconds. change to the Front view.
:'.::::r Disable View Key Creation and Disable Playback of View Keys.
-::rr- on Perspective by clicking View, Display. Perspective from the menu.
82 Chapter 4

4 Modify perspective.
To make sure we see t he total effect of visual blooming, we want a large perspective.
Click View, Modify, Perspective and set the Observer Position to 1. This is equivalent to standing very
close to the assembly.
Zoom in so that the assembly will fill most of the screen. This will make it easier to see the results.

5 Motion driver.
A rotary motor has already been added to the Wheel and set it to rotate at 15 rpm. We will discuss the
use of motors in a later chapter, but for now this will drive the wheel several revolutions.

6 Calculate the animation.

As the Wheel rotates, the viewpoint zooms in and out as shown in the composite image below. This has
been recorded as Video Bloom.mp4 in the Videos folder.

::.e
 View Orientations 83

Bounding Box
When perspective is selected, the viewpoint is calculated at each frame. The viewpoint is determined by
ding very ::he bounding box of the model which, is based on the extents of the model. The extents change as the
:Jox structure expands and contracts.

esults. ~ Bounding Box

iscuss the 0
''- This has

, some animations, t his may not be noticeable as the components that form the extents of the model
::-e not in motion, so the bounding box does not change. In this case, t he width of the assembly does not
: l ange, but the height does, as shown above.

Change configuration.
-:J demonstrate the effect of the bounding box, change the configuration of the assembly to t he
: Jnfiguration Wit h Frame. In this configuration the part Ba se has some additional geometry that is
::rger than the moving components.
: :Jam as necessary so t hat t he assembly fills the height of the screen.

Ill.
~
84 Chapter 4

8 Play the animation.

We can see that the bounding box does not change size as the components move. This has been
recorded as With Frame.avi in the Videos folder.

Bounding Box

While this extra geometry on the Base helps to describe what is happening, we do not want it in our
animation. Instead of adding geometry to an existing part, another approach is to add an additional part
that keeps the bounding box from changing size and then make the part invisible.

9 Change configuration.
Change back to the Default configuration.

10 Hide added part.

Move the time bar to o seconds.
Unsuppress the part Spacer. Like the previous example, this geometry will keep the bounding box from
changing size, but it is a separate part, so we can hide it.

11 Hide the Spacer.

Right-click the part Spacer and click Hide Components on the menu.

12 Play the animation.

Notice that the animation still shows the zoom in and out from the perspective. This is because the
bounding box is based on the visible components and the Spacer is not visible. You can tell the part is
hidden from the hollow icon in the Featu reManager design tree.

13 Show the Spacer.

With the t ime bar at a seconds, right-click the part Spacer and click Show Components on the menu.
 View Orientations 85

14 Change transparency.
s been Right-click the part Spacer and click Appearances. Edit the appearance.
Change the Transparency amount t o 1.00 by moving the Transparency slider to 1.00

the far right under Advanced, Illumination. SpeaJiar amount:

Click OK. 1.00 ;:

J
5peaJiar color:
15 Examine the part.
Notice t hat the part icon is still solid because the part is not hidden. The part is
5peaJiar spread:
showing, but is 100 percent transparent. So, while hiding a component and making 0 .689999998

it transparent give us the same visual results. we do not get the same view
results.
i6 Change display style.
While the shaded face of the Spacer is transparent, the edges are not. In order
to conceal t he edges, change the display mode to Shaded. LOO

7 Play the animation. l lnlnous intensity:

7he view should now be steady as the bounding box shou ld not change. This has
1ant it in our :Jeen recorded as With Spacer.avi in the Videos folder.
=dditiona\ part 8 Save and close all files.

-portant! While the method of adding a spacer part to the assembly works. it is generally not a
-:1eferred method to solve this problem unless you are so far along on the animation that changing all
:1e views may not be an effective way to use your time.
Alt ernative Methods
-addition to the methods shown there are alternatives for fixing this condition:
nding box from Turn off perspective
If we turn off perspective. the viewpoint will not change. Whether or not this is a good solution
depends on t he animation you are making and how important the perspective view is. If perspective
is important for the realism of the animation, then this is not a suitable choice.
Add a part
'J we add a very small part or parts to the assembly at t he limits of where we need the bounding box
because the
:o be, they could hold the bounding box size. These parts could be so small that it is not visible. but
1tell the part is .-;ill keep the size of the bounding box fixed.
Use a camera
:::ameras are much more stable for viewpoints and have many other options that generally make t hem
ts on the menu. :1e option of choice in serious animations. In Chapter 11, we will explore how to set up and use
:ameras in our animations.
Animating Appearances
and Properties

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Change the appearance of components along the timeline.
Use display states to change animation appearances.
Change the component display.
Add lights to the animation.
Render animations using Photo View 360.
88 Chapter 5

Animating Appearances
The visual properties of a component can change across the time line. Any appearance attribute can bE
animated. This includes color, transparency, the hide/show state, and the applied appearance.

Topics
Controlling appearances
Component appearance can be controlled through the standard SolidWorks tools.
Display states
Display states are used t o control and recall appearances in the same way named views are used tc
control and recall viewpoints.
Display Pane
The Disp lay Pane provides a listing of visual properties assigned to components as we ll as a way tc
change the properties.
Animating lights
Lights can be animated to change their position and aim point as well as properties such as intensit
and color.
Rendering animations with PhotoView 360
For added realism, photorealistic rendering of animations can be done using Photo View 360.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 89

:hanging Displays and Appearances

ibute can be -: ::aimate an appearance, set the time and edit the appearance using the PropertyManager. Visibility,
1Ce. ~-sparency, display, and appearance can be set differently at different times using key points. For
:. =-nple, a component can begin the animation hidden and be shown at the end. The key point changed
:s ::ased on the position of the time bar.
--=chart below lists the display and appearance options available for components.

3ption Suboptions Description

; are used to
;-!ide and Show ~ None Toggles the visibility of the
component
las a way to Change Transparency ~ None Toggles the transparency of the
component to 75 percent

as intensity ~so late Dialog Hides all other components

except those selected
Component Display Wireframe ~ Changes the display of the
' 360. component from the Default
Hidden Lines Visible fQ1) Display set by the assembly

Hidden Lines Removed ~

Shaded With Edges ~

Shaded ~
Default Display

Appearance ~ Appearance ~ Changes the appearance of the

component.
90 Chapter 5

Interpolation Modes for Visual Properties

Transitions across the timeline for visual properties can be set using Interpolation Modes. The default
mode is linear interpolation. just as it is for component s. The interpolation mode can be changed in
exactly the same way as it is done for component movements. For more information, see Interpolation
Modes on page 37.
To see this visually, play the animation Appearance Interpolation Modes.mp4. In t he composite
image below, each flashlight has most of its components change from opaque to transparent in 10
seconds. The interpolation mode is diffe rent for each flashlight for comparison.

Snap

~~
;>

Ease in

~
5

Linear

~!!f.> =
Ease Out

~ !!!f:.

Ease In/Ease Out

- ...c
T=O T =2 T=4 T=6 T=8 T = 10 -.s -
 Animating Appearances and Properties 91

Case Study: Component Visibility Changes

"he default ---..sis a simple case study to demonstrate how to hide
nged in ::::oj)onents and change their transparency. Play the file
erpolotion 7.:.e-:vs.mp4 from the Videos folde r for this lesson to see
-=intended result.
nposite 5~oryboard
1t in 10 -: ..mdersta nd the sequence of events, we write a s imple
::::oyboard that looks like this:

~
S+ep Tir"Vte Pesc.r-ipfio"'
0- l Esf... blisl-.i"8 sl-.of
I - 2 Hide fl-.e Re-C'Iec.for- c:."''d Le"'s c.Over-
~
3 2-3 Hide fl-.e Swivel c:."'~d Locki"B Pi"'s
-= 3-5 Hide fl-.e Mi"'' ic..fvr-e Bvlb

~
-::> 3-<S Hide fl-.e Hec:.d c:."''d Swivel Clip
6 5-7 Hide fl-.e Rov"'d Swivel Cc:.p
7 7-8 Hide fl-.e svbc:.s5er"Vtbl'1 c.or"Vtpo"'e"'fs Clip c:."'~d Swifc.l-.
p~ g 7- 10 Cl-.c.."Be fl-.e fr-c:."''spc:.r-e"''c.'1 o-C' fl-.e svbc:.sSer"V\bl'1
c.or"Vtpo"'e"'f Holder-
tO - II E"'d lec:.der- 1 "''O c.l-.c:."Bes
p~
-ocedure
Open an assembly.
:::en Views.sldasm f rom the Chapter 5\Case Study folder.
=10
--.sis the same assembly we were working with in the previous chapter.

Create a motion study.

=.-eate a new motion study. Name it Appearances.

::::.ect Animation fo r the Type of Study.

3 Hide component.
Hide these components using the schedu,e .s.:ec ~r -:::
but the table below is just for clarity.
The basic procedure is to move the time bar to the end ;::~E ::; g-: _ ~ :-~ :=-::::-e-: c:nd die~ Hid:
Copy the key from 0 seconds to the start time of the hide.

Hide Components St art Hide End Hide

(seconds} (seconds}
Reflector and Lens Cover 2

Swivel and both Locking Pin components 2 3

Miniature Bulb 3 5
Head and Swivel Clip 3 6

Round Swivel Cap 5 7

Subassembly components Clip and Switch 7 8

4 Change transparency.
Change transparency for the su bassembly component Holder using the schedule listed be low.

Change Transparency Start Change End Change

(seconds} (seconds}
Subassembly component Holder 7 10

Note When a change of visibility is applied to a component, it is applied at the position of t he time bar.
If t here were no existing visibility changes, as is the case in this example, the key frame starts at the
o seconds and extends to the current time bar position. The change occurs using linear interpolat ion
between t hose times. The key points on either end of the key frame can be moved.

5 Add an establishing shot/end leader.

We have the establishing shot because our first change started at 1 second, but the animation ends at
the end of the last change so we need to extend the animation one second.
Drag the end key point fo r the top level icon to the right to 11 seconds.
6 Change interpolation mode.
Window-select all t he key points after o seconds. Right-dick one of the selected key points and cha nge
t he interpolation mode to Ease in/Ease out.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 93

View timeline.
(!1e storyboard, - -=completed timeline looks like t his.

~W3~~ ~ 0s ec I
I I I I I I I I
12s ec
I I I I ( I I I I
14 sec
I I I I l I I I I
16s ec
I t I I ( I I I f
IBs ec
I I I I I I I I I
110 s ecII
I I I I I I
~ Views_& (Default)
and click Hide.
{I) Orientation and Camera Views
- :aJ l ights, Cameras and Scene
~ (f) Base_&<l>
~Move
Hide d Explode
:onds) flo Appear.mce
+ ~ Mates in Views_&
~ (f) Holder_&<l>
~ ~r@i~l'
>" ~ () Switch_&<l>
..__.
..__.
-
-
-
~
~
~
() Round Swivel Cap_&<l>
() Swivel_&<l>
() Battory AA_&<l >
..__.
-

~
~
() Head_&<l>
() Miniature Bulb_&<l>

-

~ ( )Battery AA_&<2>
~ ()locking Pin_&<l >
~()Locking Pin_&<2>
..__.
.___.
..__.
..__.
- ~ ()Swivel Cfip_&<l>
~ ( ) Reflector_&<l>
- ~ ()Lens Cover_&<l>
~ () BatteryCover_&<l> >
. fi Mates

below.

Change
... View key point properties.
: use over a key point. The callout will show the visual
[ Switch....S.l > 8sec
=o @J=Ioo% lL: rJ ~ lL:
?
onds) =-::;Jerties of the component at that t ime.

Play.
==y t he animation. It should look like the Views.mp4 animation provided with the course files.
lf the time bar.
starts at the
interpolat ion

nation ends at

Its and change

94 Chapter 5

Display States
Display st ates are the visual settings counterpart to configurations.
Display states are used to set the visibility, appearance, display mode
and transparency of components at the assembly level. In a part, display
states can be used primarily to change the appearance or t ransparency
of features, but can also be use to change the display state or hide/show
bodies. A display state is often associated with a specific configuration
but may also be common to all configurations.

Display states can make it easier to set the ap pearances in an

animation. In the previous chapter, named views were used to provide
predefined views that could be used in the animation. With appearances,
display states can be used the same way but are much more useful. Named views really only affected
single keys on the timeline and could easily be used again by editing a single key and then copying it to
another location. With appearances. it is not as easy to just copy and paste as the changes may affect
many components. By using display states, we can set the appearance of every component at once. If
we then choose to edit one or two of the appearances and then determine that t he edits are not what
we want it is easier to go back to the display state than to try to undo all the individual edits.

Stored Display States

The display states are stored separately from the configurations
B ~ Support_Frame_& Configuration(s) (RH_Burners)
under the ConfigurationManager tab. They may be linked together !) {jf Tables
so that each configuration has a specific disp lay state assigned, or LH_Burners I Supp ort_Frame_& I
Planks_i>last!C I Support_Frame_&]
the configurations and display states may be independent from Planks_Wood [ Support_Frame_&]
each other. Each configuration has at least one display state. RH_Burners I Support_Frame_&]
Smgle_Tray! Support_Frame_& I

J Link Display States to Configurations

 Animating Appearances and Properties 95

Display States vs. Configurations

Jisplay states are used to capt ure changes in the appearance of components. Configurations are used
:o create alternate versions of assemblies by suppression, positioning, and differences in mate values.

Configurations Display States

Suppress/Resolve components Hide/Show components
Component positioning No equivalent
Select part material properties Assembly-based Appearances
Select part configurations No equivalent
Select part appearances Assembly-based Appearances
lffected
t ing it to No equivalent Display Mode (HLR, Shaded)
lY affect No equivalent Assembly-based Transparency
once. If
1ot what Set numeric values (mates) No equivalent

Display Pane
- he display settings can be controlled and visualized through the
~~ fSib GJ ft&f
Jisplay Pane of the FeatureManager. Clicking on the icon in t he row
(RH_Burners) ~--==-
t'lith the component name brings up a menu to change it. It can be used ~Mfi:IOOWJ
~ sensors
:o change a component at any level of the assembly. [t, ~ Amotaticns

~II Ef, ~ lights, Cameras ..-.d Scene

~ Front Plane ~
,)
~ Top ~'~Me ~
~ Right Plane ~
t. Origin t.
~ (f) Base<! > ~~
1 ~ Rcx.nd Swivel Cop< I > ~~0
~ (} SMvel < l > ~ ~Ll
S ~ ()Ba~ryAA< l> ~ ~ Ll
B ~(-)Heod<l> ~ ~ LI
l3l ~ () Minib..re Bulb< l > ~~0
00 ~ () Ba~AA<2> ~ lr.J L1
1!J ~ ()Locking Pin< I > ~ ~ Ll
1B ~() Locking Pin<2> ~ ~ Ll
&, ~ ( ) SwiveHlp<l> ~ ~ .t:l
~(-) Reflector <!> ~~0
1!J ~(-}Lens Cover<! > ~ lr.J 0
IE ~ Battery Cover< I>> ~ ~ Ll
_l'tl ~@ Matl!s
96 Chapter 5

The column options include:

Option Icon Description

Hide and Show A toggle that can be set to Hide or Show a component

Display Modes The display mode sets the display of individual

components:
Wireframe
Hidden Lines Visible
Hidden Lines Removed
Shaded With Edges
Shaded
Default Display (of the assembly)
Appearances Sets the appearance

Transparency A toggle that turns component Transparency on or off

=-
Setting these visibilit y options can be done through the Display Pane, the Assembly toolbar, or by right-
clicking a component. Regardless of how the setting is creat ed, it is shown in the Display Pane.
Display Pane Icons
The icons used in the Display Pane are used as both a visual display of the current r (omponent
state and as a method of changing the setting. The appearance options use one ~ Appearance s-
or two triangles to represent, for example, the part appearance (lower) and the
component appearance (upper) or override.
If there is only a single {lower) t riangle, the part appearance is used as t he
\_Part Appearance
assembly component appearance.
3
Selecting Display Pane Options
One way t o select options for a component in the Display Pane is to dick the icon you want t o change
in the row of the component you want to change.

=
 Animating Appearances and Properties 97

--other way is to right-click on the component row in the Display Pane. '<:omponent (Swivell}

- -;s method shows all the options availab le for that compone nt in one fb .!:!ide
-:nu. @ ~irefi-ame
l Htdden Lines Visible
ponent ['JJ
J eating Display States (j
Hidden lines Removed
~ded l',lth Edges
-=create a new Display Stat e, right-click in the ConfigurationManager rJ Sh~tded
=:-d then click Add Display State. A new display state will be added. fill ~faUt Display

e- A!!~Jearance
-:he FeatureManager design tree, expand the Display Pane. 6,! g,ange Tr.,...porency
Co~Tl>onent Display Stole
:= -ange the display properties as necessary. Display sta~ ( DefauJt_oiSPI<iv state-1>
@ Add[)isp!ay State ---

~ Bename Dispkly St>lte

E!:jl Oear AI Iop level OVerrides
Customize Menu

Case Study: Changing Appearances

- ;:his case st udy. we want to show the product in the different appearances in which we intend to sell
: 0 1ay the Display States.mp4 file from the Videos fo lder for t his lesson to see the intended result

n or off Storyboard - - - --- - - - - - -

D D
--e storyboard is quite simple; we want t he

~
=:ssembly to spin continually. At each rotation, we D D
!r, or by right- .::nt the appearances to change to reflect the D D
?ane. : .=.;erent color schemes in which t he assembly will Display
D '-- D
States
': e manufactured. D D

- Component
Appearance

- Part
Sfep

2
Tio'Vle

0 - I

I - 17
Pescripfio"'
Esfc:..h/isL,;"'J sl.,of
Rofc:..fe c:..SSeo'Vlhl'1
D
D

D
D
!to
'
D

D
D

~
Appearance cov"'ferc.f ockvvise D D

3 0 - I Pe.(:'c:..vlf color scL,eo'Vle D D

D "-._ D
L{ 2 - b Reed c olor scL,eo'Vle
nt to change D D

~
5 b - 10 6ree"' color s cl.,eo'Vle
D D
b 10 - IL/ Bl ve col or scL,e o'Vle D D

7 H- 18 Yellovv color scl.,e o'Vle D

...._ D

8 17 - 18 E "'ed 1ec:..eder
98 Chapter 5

Procedure
1 Utilize the assembly.
--
Continue with the assembly Views. ~ --c

- -= --
2 Change to Model view.
Move the time bar to o seconds so that all the appearances are at the starting values.

Select the Model tab.

Important! Because the assembly has on ly one display state, that state is whatever the appearances
are currently set to in the assembly. If we left the t ime bar at the end of t he animation, t he default
display state would look like the model at the end of the animation, rather t han t he beginning.

3 Create display states.

In the ConfigurationManager, clear Link Display States to Configurations. Because we cannot change
configurations in an animation, we want to be able to use each display state in whichever configurat ion
we use.
Right-click in the ConfigurationManager and click Add Display State. Create four disp lays and name
them Red. Green. Blue, and Yellow. At this point, all the new display states will be t he same as the
Default.

4 Change appearances.
We are going to apply appearances to only four components. - ==:. =,
Double-click the display state Red to make it active.
In the FeatureManager design t ree, expand the Display Pane by clicking >> -..::.:: I

Select the components Holder and Head.

_ .....
-,::.
Select the Appearances tab in the Task Pane.
Expand the Plastics folder and select High Gloss. :::_ .
In the bottom pane, double-click red high gloss plastic.
The Display Pane will now show that the red appearance
' Component ~
is attached in the assembly at the component level and
the green appearance is attached at the part level. ~}~ (f) Holder_:& <l> ~~~
. Part _ , /
 Animating Appearances and Properties 99

:; Add additional appearances.

_se t he same procedure to apply t he various appearances at the component level. All appearances are
- gh gloss plastic.

Component Display State

Red Green Blue Yellow

Holder red green blue yellow

e ap pearances
Head red green blue yellow
, the default
~ ning. Switch white black white black

Locking Pins white black white black

cannot change
~rconfiguration :Jte As color schemes and appearance choices are very subject ive, you should not feel bound to use
:-:e exact choices shown in t he table. The important thing is that you have fo ur extra display states in
::::ldit ion to the default display state.
3ys and name
:? same as the : Return to default display state.
::::eturn the assembly to the Default Display State.

Create a motion study.

:reate a new motion study. Name it Display States.

Select Animation for the Type of Study.

Add rotation.
~asition the model in the named view Start.
.....se the Animation Wizard to rotat e the model about t he Y axis four times for a duration of 8 seconds,
;;~arting at 1 second.

~ Play the animation.

- his rotation does not look very good as the model is rotating about theY axis of the screen rather t han
:'leY axis of the model. This rotation makes the model appear to wobble in space rather than rotate.

~ - ::l fix this, we will redo the rotation using a technique of modifying key points.
~~~
~ - ote Later in the book, we will explore the use of cameras to control our viewpoints. A camera would
::e preferred for this animation, but we will make do with the view controls for now.
100 Chapter 5

10 Delete the view keys.

In the timeline. window-select all the view keys except the key at 0 seconds. Press Delete.

IAnination v
1
~ II>- ~ J [l!l ~ .... Ill ;,:a l_fl + @ 3 ~ ~ E)
I 'ii' l~ 'ik ~ 'L 0 sec
1 ft
12 sec It
14 s ec f1
16 s ec It
IB sec I

!
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

8 ~ ~O<Ma!S (Defa_jt)

I
A
@ Orientlltion and Camera V~e.ws
I6J Lights, Cameras <nl Seen~

(tl
.to ~ (f) Base<! >

11 Create rotation.
Move the time bar t o 1 second.

Change to the Right view.

Click in the graphics area to change the focus, then press the down arrow on the keyboard twice. With
the standard settings in SolidWorks. t his will rotate the model 30 degrees about the horizontal axis of
the screen.

Select Orientation and Camera Views in the Motion Manager design tree. then click Add/Update Key
[~+] on t he MotionManager toolbar.

Move the time bar t o 2 seconds.

Press the up arrow on the keyboard twice; this rotates t he model to the back to t he right view. Hold Shift
and press the right arrow key; this rotates the model to the back view. Press the down arrow on the
keyboard twice. This positions the model t o look like it has rot ated about it's Y axis.
Select Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree. then click Add/Update Key
[t-+J on the MotionManager toolbar.
Move the t ime bar to 3 seconds and repeat t he arrow combination. then create a key point. Do the same
at 4 seconds. You should now have key points to rotate the 270 degrees.
Note This process appears tedious but once you create a couple of key points. it actually goes very
quickly.
Tip To make it easier to position t he time bar over the key points, zoom in on the timeline by using ~~~
the zoom tools in t he lower right of the timeline.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 101

.:. Play the animation.

~. --:s rotation looks better because the model appears to rotat e around its vertical axis rather than t he
~:-e en axis.

A i<:rJ , :J
::serve the reference triad as the animation plays. You will see that Y

--:model is in fact rotating about the Y axis of the assembly.

z J{

3 Copy key points.

: .v that the rotation looks correct, we will copy it three times to get a total of fo ur rotations. We did
-:.: create a key point that woul d return the viewpoint to the starting view as we can just copy the
=::aiting view key point to finish the rotation. Because we need several rotations, we will not create this
2Si: key point yet.

d twice. With 1dow-select the key points from 1 second to 4 seconds.

zontal axis of : :rl+drag the key point from 1 second to 5 seconds. Because all the key points were selected, all are
:::lied.
i/UpdateKey =:;:>eat the copy process twice more to 9 seconds and 13 seconds.
:u should now have key points to 16 seconds. We need one final key point to return the model to the
=-st position of the rotation, so copy the key point from 1 second to 17 seconds.
?W.Hold Shift - Play the animation.
row on the --is rotation looks bett er.
e can now add the appearance changes.
:!/Update Key
3raphics Display Modes
:;en creating or recording an animation, we can use either OpenGL or Rea iView graphics display
. Do the same -::~des.If installed, Photo View 360 can also be used to create photorealistic animations. Photo View 360
::n only be used during the recording portion as it must render each frame individually and is not
f goes very : mamic like OpenGL and Real View.

3 Change graphics dis play mode.

- _rn on ReaiView graphics display by clicking View, Display, ReaiView Graphics from the menu.
sing ~ ~E).
102 Chapter 5

16 Add appearance key points.

Make sure that AutoKey [f] is selected.
Move t he time bar to 2 second. In the ConfigurationManager, double-click the Red display state.

Move the time bar to 6 seconds. In the ConfigurationManager, double-dick the Green display state.

Move the time bar to 10 seconds. In the ConfigurationManager, double-click the Blue display state.
Move the t ime bar to 14 seconds. In the Configuration Manager, double-click t he Yellow display state.

17 Examine the callouts.

Mouse over the key points fo r the Holder part and notice how the callout shows the appearance
assigned at t hat key point.

. 1!; % (f) Hold er_&<! >

dJ Explode
1 t
~ Hokier_5.1> 2_sr:c-
~ % c>Clip_&<l> ~o% e=
It, ~ ( ) Swit<h_&<l . _ " _
~ Holder~l> 6 sec
J=< _,.=I!QI @>=o%
~~ Holder
r <l> !Osee
e>=i:J~=o%
__.!__ ___ _ ___._ .__...,__ _ _ _...,
k_
~~H~lder <1>14se<
~ e>=D- @.=o%
_ _~----._ - r
~

18 Play the animation.

At each complete revolution of the assembly, the appearance changes.

19 Modify the animation.

The appearances are in constant change as the assembly rotates, which is not very appealing. We want
t o add additional key points so that the appearances change between the time the model is viewed in
the right view and when it is viewed in the back view. This will make the appearances change during 90
degrees of rotation and then hold the appearance for 270 degrees of rotation.

We could copy and paste the key points, but because we are dealing with appearances, we have to make
sure we copy all the appearance key points for each view. That might get tedious and it is easy to make
an error. Because we have display states, it is just a matter of moving the time bar to specific times anc
changing to the display state.
Move the time bar to 1 second. Change to the Default display state.

Move the time bar to 5 seconds. Change to the Red display state.

Move the time bar to 9 seconds. Change to the Green display state.
Move the time bar to 13 seconds. Change to the Blue display state.

20 Play the animation.

This looks a little better as the appearances change fast er and hold for most of the revolutions so we
can study the co lors before the appearance changes again.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 103

2' Save the assembly.

1y state. Rotation by Reference Triad

1 e method of creating a view rotation about an axis of the assembly worked reasonably well, but there
splay state.
" as a significant number of keystrokes involved as well as a lack of flexi bility getting the assembly
play state. :-iented the way we would like. An alternate method is to use the Reference Triad to change the
.ewpoint. The specific keyst rokes involved were covered in Reference Triad on page 6g.
display state.
Case Study: Reference Triad
- this case st udy, we will use a copy of the previous motion study and create a new view rotation based
Jearance
:., the model starting in the t rimetric view and rotating about the Y axis of the assembly. Play the
:ews_Reference Triad.mp4 file from the Videos folder fo r this lesson to see the intended resu lt.

P..ocedure
Duplicate the motion study.
:: ght -click the Display States motion study tab, created in the previous case study, and click Duplicate.
=ena me this study Reference Triad.

Delete keys.
::.ete all the Orientation and Camera View keys except the one at 0 seconds.

aling. We want First key point.

el is viewed in ':.ve the t ime bar to o seconds.
mge during go
: :ar Disable View Key Creation so t hat we do not have to manually record the key points.

:-.ent the model in the Trimetric view.

e have to make
s easy to make ' -:.ve t he time bar to 2 seconds. Press and hold both Shift and Ctrl.
Shift+ Ctrl + Click~ '
!Cific times and --:n click theY axis arrow of the reference triad. The viewpoint will
-::ate go degrees counterclockwise about the Y axis.

e If t he refe rence triad is not visible, it can be turned on in t he zA,,

:;: .idWorks Options under System Options, Display/Selection,
- :Splay reference triad.

olutions so we
104 Chapter 5

4 Add views.
Move the time bar to 3 seconds and then press and hold both Shift and Ctrt then click the Y axis arrow
of the reference t riad.
Repeat this procedure again at 4 seconds.
Click Disable View Key Creation to avoid adding additional view key points.
Copy the key point from 0 seconds to 1 second. We now have a 1 second in leader and then keys at 1. 2,
3. and 4 seconds rep resenting the four points of the rotation.

5 Copy keys.
Select the keys from 1 to 4 seconds and copy them to 5. 9. and 13 seconds.
Copy the key from 2 seconds to 17 seconds to complete the fi na l rotation.

6 Play.
This animation should look almost the same as the previous case study.
Using the reference triad to rotate t he model, we could have used any initial orientation of the assembly
and quickly created the first rotation about any axis of the assembly. Copying and pasting t he initial four
key points provided a quick method to get a consistent rot ation of the assembly with little work.
5i
7 Save.
Save and close t he assembly.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 105

Animating Lights
e Y axis arrow _:ghts can also be controlled in an animation. The position and properties can be controlled with key
.::lints just as appearances, viewpoints, and component position can.
--ere are two things t o keep in mind wit h lights:
The maximum number of lights in a model is nine.
This is a limit in SolidWorks and is not specific to animations.
en keys at 1, 2,
Lights cannot be attached to geometry.
Light position can only be controlled by specifying its position in space either through Cartesian or
spherical coordinates. They cannot be attached to other objects.
Scene and Environment
=::::enes create t he setting around our model. Without a scene. the model would always be displayed with
-"Jthing around it. It could not cast shadows as t here would be nothing for t he shadow to fall upon .
.=ovironments provide a 30 world around our model to provide something to be seen in the reflections
:1 t he mode l and t o provide more realistic lighting.
"' t he assembly
the initial four ',ilen we create animations, t he scene is not controlled by the MotionManager as it is neither listed in
:~e MotionManager design t ree nor are there key points on the timeline. You can create several AVI files
-cle work.
: "' the same animation with different scenery by simply changing the scenery selection and recording
:~e animation again.

:..ock to Model or View

',1 en we use scenery elements or light s. the relationship between t he model and scenery or lighting can
.:e either of two types. Lock to Model or Lock to Scene.
:ur common perception is that when we use the view tools Rotate, Zoom, Pan, or Roll, t he model moves.
- reality, however. the model stays fixed and we move our viewpoint relat ive to it.
_ock to Model kee ps the scenery or lights attached to the model. Imagine a studio with the lights on
::-ipods resting on the floor. The camera (our viewpoint) is held in our hands. To rotate, pan. zoom. or ro ll.
;e move our viewpoint. That is, we move the camera to a new locat ion. When scenes or lights are locked
::J the model, t hey maintain their posit ion with respect to t he model regardless of viewpoint position.
.~len you change your viewpoint. only the camera changes position.

~ck to View keeps the scenery or lights attached to the camera. As you move the camera. the light
eeps its position relative t o the camera and moves with the camera. For scenery this would be
=quivalent to the camera and scenery being attached t o the floor, an d then moving the model.
106 Chapter 5

Lighting
Proper lighting can greatly enhance the quality of the animation. The same principles used by
photographers and videographers work well in SolidWorks and Photo View 360.

Lights are created and positioned in SolidWorks. If Photo View 360 is going to be used to render the
animation, it has a few additional controls to refine the qua lity of the light and shadows. For more
information on Photo View 360, see the book Photorealistic Rendering Using SolidWorks and
Photo View 360 Step-by-Step available through the So lidWorks webstore: http://store.solidworks.com,
or Amazon.com.

Types of Lights
SolidWorks and Photo View 360 use several different types of lights:

Ambient
In the physical world, ambient light illuminates the model evenly from all directions. In a room with
white walls, the level of ambient light is high, because t he light reflects off the walls and other objects.
In SolidWorks, ambient light is a brightness control fo r the entire scene that simulates the effect of
real world ambient light. The ambient light has no effect in Photo View 360 as light from the scene is
actually calculated.
Directional
Directional light comes from a source t hat is infinitely far away from the model. It is a collimated light
source consisting of parallel rays arriving from a single direction. like t he sun. The central ray of a
directional light points directly at the center of the mode l.

Spot
A spot light is a restricted, focused light with a cone-shaped beam that is brightest at its center. A
spot light can be aimed at a specific area of the model. You can adjust the position and distance of
the light source relative to the model. and the cone angle through which the beam spreads.

Point
A point light comes from a very small light source locat ed at a specific coordinate in the model space.
This type of light source emits light in all directions. The effect is like a t iny light bulb floating in space
Lighting appearances
Lighting appearances are used t o make a surface act as a light source. These can simulate LEOs, neon
tubes, backlit LCDs, and area lights.
Environmental lighting
Environmental lighting. also called image-based lighting, is the closest type of lighting to the real
world. It uses high dynamic range images and indirect lighting to light the model and scene. Image-
based lighting is only used in Phot oView 360, and not in OpenG L or ReaiView.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 107

Creating Lights
J epending on the scene used, SolidWorks creates two or more lights when you select a scene. Each part
::::1d assembly t emplate has a scene and its associated lights set as a defau lt. These are normally
..;mbient and Directional! and possibly Directional2.
'.'here to Find It
Menu: View, Lights and Camera, Add [Directional/Spot/Point] Light.
Shortcut Menu: Right-click either the Lights and Cameras fo lder or any light in the Lights folder,
Add (Directional/Spot/Point] Light
ote There is only one ambient light. You cannot delete it nor add any more.

Shadows
::1adows are important to t he process of creating realistic animations. They can be used t o do the
=:11lowing:
:s.
Define spatial relationships
Without shadows. the relative position between objects may be difficult t o understand. The soap
bottle in the left image looks like it is sitting on the wood surface. Adding shadows shows that it is
actually floating above the surface.

--
CE

:-
108 Chapter 5

Reveal alternate angles

Shadows can be used to show a side profile to help define the overall shape of an object. The shadows
in this example show both the front and side profile of the bott le.

Add contrast
When the subject and background are of similar tone, a shadow can help to separate the two.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 109

Add to the composition of the image

ldows Shadows can be used to break up a background pattern or to help lead the viewer's eye to the subject.

Indicate off-screen space

The shadow in the above picture can also be used t o indicate that there are other objects just out of
).
view. This helps to show that the world is larger than just the image.
:lhotoView 360 supports shadows and has controls for individual shadows.

Lighting Coordinates
Spot and point lights can be positioned using Cartesian or spherical coordinates. Directional lights can
:::nly be positioned using spherical coordinates because they always point at the origin of t he part or
assembly. The origin of the coordinate system is always the model origin. The direction of the axis
depends on whether the scenery is locked to model or locked to view.
Nhen the scenery is locked to the model, the principal directions are relative to the Front reference
:>lane.
'Nhen the scenery is locked to the view. the principal directions are relative to the face of our monitor.
no Chapter 5

Positioning Lights
The position of directional, spot, and point lights can be adjusted either of two ways:

Numerical input
a Dragging the light by its manipulator

Spot Lights
Spot lights are probably the most useful lights available to add realism to the rendering. They most
closely represent the properties of the lights used by professional photographers in a studio.
Spot lights are restricted, focused lights with a cone-shape beam that is brightest at the center. Spot
lights can be aimed at a specific area of the model. The position of the spot light can also be adjusted
relative to the model. Cone angle and edge properties can be adjusted to add more realism.

Where to Find It
Menu: View, Lights and Camera, Add Spot Light
Shortcut Menu: Right-click either the Lights and Cameras folder or any light in the Lights folder,
Add Spot Light

Adjusting the Light Positions

The spot light position, target, and cone angle can all be adjusted by dragging the manipulators. When
the manipulators are used, the position information is updated in the PropertyManager.
For consistency, the lighting values will be given as their numerical values. You should practice adjusting
the lights by numeric input and dragging the lights to gain practice at both.

Lights in Animations
Most properties of lights can be animated in the same way as anything else in a point-to-point
an imation. That is, set the time, then edit the light to set the properties as the light should appear at
that time. There is also a shortcut menu to turn the light on or off at any point in time. Turning a light or
or off will change its brightness from or to 0, respectively.

Photo View 360 uses a separate set of controls for lights as the primary method of lighting is image
based instead of discrete lights.

Keep Light
Scenes in SolidWorks have lights associated with them. You have to be careful and recognize that whe-
changing scenes, SolidWorks may try to delete some of the lights you have added to your an imation. T:
prevent this, for any light you wish to animate, go to the light properties and select Keep light when
scene changes.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 111

Case Study: Lighting

-this case study we will add lights and scenery to our animation.
"
r"
~~
tey most
io. ~~ .-- ~
..
~ "I
'dft ~-
. )\

!nter. Spot
e adjusted
Storyboard
',e want to start with the model centered on a black -- --
::~e en.

- -:e lights will fade up, then change position and fade to
Lights
-- --
;hts fo lder, :.ack. A spot light will then turn on and pan along the
-odel. Play the video Lights.mp4 fo und in the Videos
- -
:ors. When
=:tder.

S+ep Ti~e P esc...-i p+i o"'

-- -
r-' -.
~ .~
r, f.f."
-
-
--
e adjusting
2
0- I

1 -3
s+...h/isL..i"'J sL..o+, "'o li:jL..+
Pirec.+io"'a./ /i:jL..+ ~...de i"'
-- ~~ -...
-..::::::....... ' --
" ' '"- . J.

int
3 3-5 Pi rec.+io"'"'/ /i:jL..+ c.L....."'de
posi+io"' -
- t~\Jt'"'
--
3ppear at
g a light on
4
5
5-7
8
Pi..-ec.+io"'.._/ /i:jL..+ ~...de ov+
Tv..-"' o"' spo+ li:jL..+ --
is image
G 8- 12 P "'"' spo+ /i:jL..+ .,./o"'d ~od e / ..
7 12 Spo+ li:jL..+ o~~

8 12 - 13 "'d le...de..-, 1'\0 c.L.. ..."'des

that when
Procedure
mation. To
Begin setup.
;h t when
Jpen the assembly Lights from the Lights folder. This is the same assembly that we have been working
Nith earlier in this chapt er.

::: Turn on ReaiView.

112 Chapter 5

3 Examine lights.
Examine the Lights folder in the DisplayManager. There are just three lights. Ambient, Dir ectionall,
and Directional2.
Note If you have Photo View 360 turned on. each directional light will have two icons. one for its status
in SolidWorks and the other for its status in Photo View 360. If PhotoView 360 is not turned on. there
will be on ly one status icon next to each light as shown at right

4 Create a motion study.

Create a new mot ion study. Name it Lights.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.

5 Change scenery.
Select the Appearance, Scenes and Decals tab on t he Task Pane.
Expand the Scenes folde r and select Studio Scenes.
In the bottom pane. double-click the scene Reflective Floor Black.

6 Check the lights.

Examine the DisplayManager and the MotionManager design tree. When we
changed the scene, the number of lights changed. There should now be t he ~ Scene (Reflective Floor Blade)

Ambient light plus three directional lights. With PhotoView 360 added in, "Oo tal
Lights
: Seen~ Dlumination
there is also an icon for Scene Illumination. <:( Ambient
9' ~ DirectionaB
9' (j::J Oirectionat2
9' r$J Oirectional4
~Camera
J..
Walk-through

7 Turn Lights off. 8 ~ Lig hts (DI!fau~)

.@ Orientati on and Camera Views
Move the time bar to 0 seconds. E' {;a) Lights, Cameras and Scene
)01; Scene lllumination

Expand the Lights, Cameras and Scene folder in the MotionManager <:(Ambient
0 ~ Dtrectlonall
design tree. 0 r$' Dtrtct1on~12
Right-click each of the lights and click Off in SolidWorks from the menu.

8 Turn lights on.

Move the time bar to 4 seconds.
Select the two directional lights. then right-dick and click On in SolidWorks from the menu.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 113

Play the animation.

lctional l , - -:e default interpolation mode is linear, so both lights should smooth ly increase in intensity between
::nd 4 seconds.
r its status - te If we wanted the lights to snap on at 3 seconds, we cou ld just change the interpolat ion mode t o
l on, t here Snap.

: Hold the lights constant.

~=fore we change the light positions, we want to hold them in position for a second. Copy the key points
=:::.- the two lights from 4 seconds to 5 seconds.

Move the lights.

'::~ve
the time bar to 9 seconds.
::: ght-click the first directional light and ~
: .ick Properties. This will open t he [j Keep lght when scene
dlanges
:>opertyManager for the light and also
: -::Jw the manipulator that can be used
-:::drag the light to a new position. 0
(jig j . -
_ock to model should already be !lrigltness:

:tJve Floor Black) :elected. If not, select it. 0.7

j
lnlnation
:: ~ange the light position:
0.4
ona13 )-
onat2 Longitude: -lSOdeg
onal4
Latitude: 6Sdeg Ughl..!!2!ition ~~
; ( 7Locktomodel )
Brightness: 0.7.
) L009tude:

::.:ck OK. - l SOdeg .:

j - - r
mer-a VieNS
Q Latitude:
: Edit the second light.
d Scene
>on
'.'ith the time bar still at 8 seconds, edit L 65deg
.)
:-e properties of the other directional
sht.
:::nange the properties:
Longitude: -lOOdeg
Latitude: -2Sdeg
Brightness: 1.0 .
3 Play the animation .
.'{e can see the movement of the light t hrough the reflections from t he different surfaces.
114 Chapter 5

14 Turn off the lights.

Move t he time bar to 11 seconds. Right-click each light and click Off.

15 Copy key points.

Copy the two lighting key points from 9 seconds to 10 seconds to hold the lights in position for one
second before beginning to dim.
16 Examine the callouts.
The call outs for lights will show the major properties. if the
light is on or off, and the color of the light. '-4--~~~-~------"

Specularity
17 Add a spot light. Brightness
Right-click the Lights, Cameras and Scene folder in the ' - - - - - Ambient
MotionManager design tree and click Add Spot Light.
Click OK to accept the default position and values.

18 Turn the spot light off.

With the time bar at 0 seconds. right-click Spotl in t he MotionManager design tree and click Off.

19 Move to first position.

Move the time bar to 13 seconds.
' Car~sian
Turn the spot light On. [l) Lod<tD model

Right-click Spotl in the MotionManager design

tree and click Properties.
Select Spherical fo r Co-ordinate System and
select Lock to model. ' )-.

Position the light as shown. This places light

200mm from the model, perpendicular to the
axis of the model (Longitude godeg) and on t he /v Omm :
1111 I I 4 I I I I i j ; JIJ 't11f'

Top plane (Latitude odeg). /zrotm :

uuq f)jji]Jii! l iJ Hn w

The target point is roughly on the surface of the

model X = 20mm, at the vertical midpoint
Y = Omm. and near the rear of the model
Z = 60mm. Use the triad in the lower left corner of the screen to visualize the different directions.

Set the Cone Angle to Sdeg.

Click OK.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 115

:J Turn the spot light off.

: npy the key point that we just created to 13 seconds. Move the time bar t o 12 seconds, right-click
Spotl in the Motion Manager design tree and click Off. The resu lt is t hat at 12 seconds the spot light is
or one ::.med properly and has all the same properties as at 13 seconds, except that it is turned off.

: Move to second position. ~~osition ~

: ave the time bar to 16 seconds. Co-<>rdinate System:

~
" Spherical

J . :=::lit the properties of the spot light to those

Cartesian

~.J] Lod tn model

s1own. The only difference will be that the
)pecularit y
k ightness :::rget point has moved to Z = -somm, which
\mbient :: 'TlS the spot light near the front of the model. ~

:: Play the animation. Odeg

r j
o:

.:e do not get what we expected from 11 to 16 ~0 200mm >

Ill I It II II j I I 11 1! lt'tl., ...
seconds. Instead of a beam of light traveling
:;,ong the model, it just looks like constant /x 20mm >:
X '" " I II II I I I ll_lj lj1#P"'
. Off. .umination. / _p
y Omm.
" " 1 I ii I I I I I i\ I j) '10'11~

/ , -somm

~
:3 Turn off RealView. 111 111 I I I I I 11 I II IJr"ll'

1::1~

~
-:.~rn off RealView and play the animation. 1 0

I
"!:Jw we get what we expected.

rlealView Lighting
l = --=:ealView only uses t he first three lights applied to the model and treats them all as directional lights
-<=gardless of their actual type. Because of t his, the second section of the animation looks different in
-1-' T =-I
,=-,
:::;eaiView as compared to OpenGL.
~
!IIJl1J:a1ij - ,e three images be low were captured from the same frame of the animation. In OpenGL and
:::;hotoView 360, we see just the light from t he spot light. In RealView, the spot light looks like a
IW
'~="' :::rectionallight.
~ ...
F:-
:-rrrffj;ji'J
1:

t ions.
116 Chapter 5

24 Save and close the assembly.

Lighting Properties That Can Be Animated

Not all properties are available for all light types. If t he property is available, then it can be controlled
in an animation.
On/Off
Each light can be turned on or off at different times in the animation. There are separate controls for
OpenG L/Rea lView and PhotoView 360.
Light position
Light positions can be changed by specifying locations at specific times.

Light target
The aim point of a spot light can be changed with time.
Light color
Light color can be edited at any point along the timeline.

Brightness
The bright ness controls can be changed individually for Phot oView 360 and OpenGL/ReaiView to
allow lights to get brighter or dimmer with time.
Specularity
Specularity only affects lights used in SolidWorks for OpenGL and RealView. In Photo View 360,
specularity is a property of appearances and not lights.
Cone angle
The cone angle of a spot light can be changed with time in OpenGL and PhotoView 360. It cannot be
changed in ReaiView as all lights are considered directional in Rea lView regardless of their actual
type.
f
Shadows
Shadow controls used for Photo View 360 can be adjusted during the animation and the shadow car.
be t urned on or off. Note however that there is no interpolation between on and off, so you either
have shadows or you do not.
a Fog
The fog distance can be changed with time to allow the fog to ext end further from the light or recede
into it. Fog itself can be turned on or off during the animation, but like shadows, there is no
interpolation between on and off.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 117

Rendered Animations
:::lhotoView 360 provides photorealistic renderings of animations. Just like with SolidWorks OpenGL or
~ealView rendering, Photo View 360 can render an animation either as an AVI file or a series of image
=ties. To render a photorealistic animation, PhotoView 360 must be available and turned on.
tntrolled
_ust like with OpenGL and RealView, the AVI is recorded frame by frame, based on the frame rate
:'los en. However, each frame must be individually rendered before it can be saved. Therefore. if you had
:: 20-second animation that was going to be recorded 20 frames per second, that would be 401 frames.
trois for
=you did a test render of a single frame and it took three minutes to render, it would take about 1,203
inutes or a little more than 20 hours to render the entire animation. Knowing this, it is very important
::J have everything set correctly before the final recording.

-:Jiearn more about PhotoView 360, see the book Photorealistic Rendering Using SolidWorks and
:::>,i oto View 360 Step-by-Step ava ilable from the SolidWorks webstore: http://store.solidworks.com, or
~azon.com.

Case Study: Rendering an Animation

-. this case study, we will take an assembly that
::.1eady has an animat ion set up and create a
-endered animation using Photo View 360.
?w to
-:;iay the file PV Render TS.avi to see the final
-esult.

60,

Procedure
1not be Start PhotoView 360.
ctual Start Photo View 360 using Tools, Add-ins, PhotoView 360.

Open the assembly.

: ;3en the assembly PV Render found in the Chapter 5\Case Study\ PV Render folder.
ow can
ither

recede
118 Chapter 5

3 Open DisplayManager.
Click the DisplayManager Tab
design tree.
Click View Appearances ~ and then select Hierarchy for the sort order.
We can see that appearances have been attached to the model.
~ at the top of the FeatureManager
'e.
9 ~ Com ponents
3
blue high gloss plastic
. ~ Pu ll Ring 12@PW Render
~ Pull Ringl-l @PW Render
~ Ma in Body l -l@PW Render
r? ~ yellow high gloss plastic
~ Nozzlel-2@PW Render
~ Nozzle l -l@PW Render
8 yellow high gloss plastic<2>
~End Ca() l 2il!l PW Render
~ End Cap 1-l C PW Ren der
S . . shiny resin green
~ Finger Gnp l-lPW Render
'?ti2 Features
R ~ red high gloss plastic
ti2
Boss Extrudel
~~ CirPatternl
8 ~Part
r- 1it m atte rubber
~ Band2' PW Render
p 4f m atte rubber<2>
~ Band'PW Ren der
~ V yellow high gloss plastic<3>
~ Arrowl

Click View Scene, Lights, and Cameras fjl; and you can see the ~ @ ~
scene and lights that are applied to the model. !===:~~~~~-~ ~-m-~
- ~~~
~ esScene (Backdrop - Grey with Overhead Light)
~ Background (Environment)
@ Environment (Backd rop Wrth Overhead Spotlight;.
~ G;] l ights
~ ~ Scene lltumination
' , <v Am bient
q- o$J Directiona ll
q- o$J Directionall
~ Cam era
J... Walk-through

4 Examine the animation.

Select the Completed Motion Study tab.
Play the animation. The lower pull ring is pulled back slowly and then released where it moves fo rwarc
rapidly. Just before t he pull ring ends its travel, the arrow starts to move and then t ravels to the right
side of the screen. Notice also that the elastic band lengthens as t he pull ring moves. The method to
create this action will be covered in Chapter 8.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 119

~
?hotoView 360 Check
=:e.core creating a rendered animation, it is a good idea to make sure the PhotoView 360 settings are
:::-rect. You should create several test renderings to see how the rendered frames will look at different
: : ints along the time line. The number of test renderings is very subjective, but you want to make sure
:lor ~ting is correct as parts move and that there is not a dark frame as the viewpo int and lights are not
~
:::posite each other at some point creating dark shadows.
s>der

--e test renderings also provide an estimate of how long it will take to render the entire animation since
:.-e test renders give you the time to render a single frame and you know how many frames will be in
b-
~ ::-e animation based on total length and frame rate.
0..

onder
Run test renders.
'ove the time bar to 3 s econds and render the image. This is the point where the pull ring is fully
:xtended. Also do a test render of the final frame of the animation. Each of these frames should look
:::s shown below.

<3>

~
.:;
bt)

!Spotlight)

forward
1e right
1od to
120 Chapter 5

6 Save the animation to file. lt!l Save Animation to File

Click Save Animation !!I] and save the
Save il. PW Render
animation using the PhotoView as the Renderer
Name Date modified T)
and 3 Frames per second. Use a Custom aspect --" Rendered Images 6/22/20114:58 PM Fi
ratio of 16:9.

We are using t hree f rames per second only to

speed up the process. You can certainly use a
"'
higher rate, but it will take longer to create the Ale name: PW Render.avi Save j
rendered animation. Save as type: ~soft AVI filer.avi) y I I
Schedule

Click Save.
Renderer: u~~;:,:t~
oVIe:.::.w===--- y.!J;J] I ~ I
~::::J
Image Sizo and Aspect Ratio Frame Information

0 12B(J ID no Frames per second ~

PJ Axed aspect ratiO I~ Entire animation

Us.. camera a<;>e<t ratio r.-nerange

@ OJstDm aspect ratio ("'idth : heqlt) 7.05 to 7
16 :9

Select t he Microsoft Video 1 CODEC. Video Compression

Click OK. Compressor: I OK

lt.:::Mcro=ofl
:::..::'.ld=eo=-,:..._--~
yI 1 Cancel
Compression Quality: 85
LJ >
I ConfigUre... I
frames
l _Ab_o~t_._
L.
.. ..JI

7 Check PhotoView progress. PhotoView Pf09ress

The progr ess window will keep you info rmed about wher e
PhotoView rendering in progress;
you are in the process by telling you which frame is being 0 Show preview and final render wr.dows
(this option takes effect on the next frame)
rendered, plus the elapsed and estimated time remaining.
Render Status

You have th e option to show the preview and fi nal render Rendering: Completed Motion Sb.Jdy

Frame: 23 of 106
windows during th e rendering process. This is an ind ividual
Tme elapso.d : 10:16
choice. If you are cont inuing to work on other things while
Estimated lime n:rnaoq: 38:17
the animation is being rendered, you probably do not want
t he windows taking over your screen. If you are rendering on
a machine that is only doing t he render task, having the
windows v isible can be usef ul t o see if problems occur.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 121

ote If you choose a different setup, you may receive the following message:
;]~ ~.2e Microsoft Video l compressor has been known to produce corrupt AVIs at the image
T) ze and keyframe rate you have chosen, especially for motion studies that contain periods
PM Fi _: inactivity.
-:::save t ime, the completed animation is provided as PV Render MS.avi in the Videos fo lder.

Play the animation.

-~e animation is now much better as we have
iave J
~:-:ad ows to give us better spacial relationships
...oole I
~Wx:e~ l
:::1d more realistic appearances for the individual
::=ils.
~
- -;e background, however, does not look correct.
~ecause we did test renders of individual
- cmes and we know that the Photo View 360
~ettings are correct, these problems must be a
-;;suit of the CODEC that we used. In this case. the Microsoft Video 1 CO DEC does not support a
;:c..fficient color range to get a smooth gradient background.

31oosing A CODEC
__st as we did a test render of selected points on the time!ine to make sure PhotoView 360 was set
::::irectly, we also need to record a test animation to determine if a CODEC will work correctly with our
::..,imation. We do not want to spend many hours waiting for a rendered animation to finish, only to find
: -at there was a problem with the CODE C. The easiest way to test the CODEC is to create a rendered
~-:imation of just a few frames. There are two ways to create just a few frames:

Use a low frame rate Frame Information

Frames per second 25

Frame rates can be set to values less than one. So if you set a fra me rate to 0.25,
o~ Entre animation
one frame will be captured every 4 seconds. With this option, you will get sample
r. ' Tlrne rlM'lge
frames throughout the animation. 0 tx> 7

- Record a very small time slice

Frame Information
By only recording a fraction of a second. you will get just a few frames (based on
Frames per second 20
the frame rate). With this option. you will get successive frames which will tell you O Enli<eriN!tion
if you have enough key frames. (!" Tme r.Mlge

tx> 6.2
122 Chapter 5

Another approach is not to use a CODEC and record the animation uncompressed. The advantage to this
is that you should get a very clean animation. However, the file will be very large. For this animation, t he
uncompressed file at 20 frames per second was 371 MB as compared to about 25 MB for Microsoft
Video 1. The large file size can also cause a playback problem depending on the capabilities of the
computer used to play the finished animation. Uncompressed video files sometimes play back unevenly
if the computer cannot process the information fast enough. We will talk about uncompressed video
again in Chapter 15.

9 Save the animation to file.

Click Save Animation iiJ and save the animation using PhotoView as the Renderer and 3 Frames per
second. Use a Custom aspect ratio of 16:9.
lf you are using the 32-bit version of SolidWorks, select t he Cinepak Codec by Radius for the
Compressor.
This animation has been recorded as PV Render CP.avi at 20 frames per second and saved in the
Videos fo lder, just to save time.

10 Play the animation.

The animation is now much better as the background
is now rendered correctly.
11 Repeat.
Record the animation one more time using the
TechSmith Screen Capture CODEC and compare the
three videos.
This animation has also been recorded as
PV Render TS.avi at 20 frames per second and saved in the Videos folder, just to save time. Of t he
three. the TechSmith Screen Capture CODEC gives the best results, but it also has a slightly larger file
size.

Saving a Series of Images

Rather than saving an animation as a video (AVI) file. you can break it down to individual images using
the Series of Windows bitmaps (*.BMP) or Truevision Targas (*.TGA) options. There are several reasons
why a series of images may be desira ble:
You may need a series of still images for a static disp lay. Having the images created from the
animation insures the images are evenly spaced in time and can be done with very little add itional
work.
 Animating Appearances and Properties 123

~to this The most common use of image output is to use the images to create a video file. While this may
:ion. the appear counterintuitive at first because we still want a video file, saving the individual frames as
>soft separate image files provides flexibility and better quality control. It also requires less computer
the memory as each image comes out of memory once saved. We will discuss the use of rendered image
nevenly output in more detail in Chapter 15.
video
: Save images. ~ Save Animafion to File ~
::: :ck Save Animation ~ and use Series of
Save in' +' PW Render @ ~' 8
.'lindows Bitmaps (*.bmp) as the type.
~ Rendered Images
1es per _se the default name PV Render.bmp for t he
- 2 name.

_se the same Frame Information as used in AVI

:;eation, 3 Frames per second and
=ntire animation.
Rle name. PW Render bmp ~
1 the
ISeries of Windows Bitmaps('bmp) :] ~
Renderer: [~hotoV"M!W J J I Dlneel
~
lrMge Size ond Aspect Ratio Frome InfOrmation

a =
[J] Fixed aSPeCt ratio
ID no Frames per second

@' Enti'e aMI<!lion

3

Use camera aspect rabo r rrner~

"<Custom OSl)eCI ratio {VIidth : heq;lt) 6 to 6.2

l!!m

~ Select image names.

C ck Save.
. Of the
- l e message "The images will be saved with the names PV Render-OOOO.bmp, PV Render-
rger file
JOOl.bmp, and so on:' appears.

::: ick OK.

~susing
reasons

1e
itional
124 Chapter 5

14 View resulting images.

The images are snapped based on t he frame information that was set. With three f rames per second
and a seven-second animation, there should be 22 images (3 X 7 +l)

PV PV PV PV PV PV
Rend er-OOOO.bm Render-OOOl.bm Render-0002.bm Render-D003.bm Render-0004.bm Render-OOOS.bm
p p p p p p

PV PV PV PV PV PV
Render-0006. bm Render-0007 .bm Render-0008 .bm Render-0009.bm Render-OOlO.bm Render-OOll.bm
p p p p p p

PV PV PV PV PV PV
Render-0012.bm Render-0013.bm Render-0014.bm Render-0015.bm Render-0016.bm Render-0017.bm
p p p p p p

PV PV PV PV
Render-0018.bm Render-0019.bm Render-0020.bm Render-0021.bm
p p p p

Note The resulting images can be combined into an "animation" using image animation softwar e.

15 Save and close all files.

 Free Component Motion

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

:m you will be able to:
Animate the movement and rotation of components.
Use Move Component and Move with Triad to position
;:n
components.
Understand loca l and globa l mates.
Reverse the direction of a path.

:rn
126 Chapter 6

Overview
So far, we have learned that there are three things that change in an animation: component position,
properties, and viewpoint. In the previous chapters, we learned the basics of each of these three items
In this and t he following chapters, we will expand the methods to move components, views, and
appearances, starting with free component motion.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter include:
Motion study properties
The three types of motion studies have different propert ies that can be adjusted.
Move with Triad
The triad option can be used to move or rotate free components.
Reverse Path
A series of key points in a path can be reversed manually.

Editing a key point

Key points can be manually adjusted.

How Are Animations Calculated?

As our animations become more complex, it is important to understand how SolidWorks ca lcu lates
animations. It is also important to understand that Animation motion studies are calculated different!'
from the two physics-based animations, Basic Motion and Motion Analysis. The methods used to
calculate physics-based motion studies will be discussed in Chapter 9.

Master Animator/Assistant Animator

In the days of hand-drawn animations, there were two types of animators, the Master (or Key) Animate-
and the Assistant Animators. The master animator drew all the key frames or key points. These were
the specific points and timing of the animation action that conveyed the story. Drawing all the "tweer
or "inbetween" frames was left to the assist ant animators. This is essentially the same workflow we usE
to create our animations. We, as the master animators, tell SolidWorks where components are to be a:
:
specific times. So lidWorks then does the work of the assist ant animators to determine all the
inbetween points based on the frame rate and motion drivers.

How Are the "lnbetween" Points Calculated?

In Animation motion studies, all driving parts have known start points, end points, and a specific amour~
of time to get between the two. As parts do not interact by contact and the physical properties do no:
matter, the solver just has to divide up the distance based on the number of frames between start an:
end.
 Free Component Motion 127

n Animation motion studies, the frame rate is the controlling parameter, so given the dist ance, time and
tion, -cumber of frames. it is a simple matter of determining the position of each driving component at each
items. !:rame.

::lne of the major diferentiators between

cnimations in SolidWorks and exporting the
1odel to another type of animation program
.s that in SolidWorks. mates are solved at
each frame. The significance of this is that
01ith a complicated kinematic system, we
:auld add a single driving motion to one
: omponent and have hundreds of other
: omponents move as a result. lf you export
~he model to an animation program. the
action of the mates must be recreated in
::hat program manually, which could take a
significant amount of work.
=>lay the file Radial Engine.mp4 from the Videos folder. Only a single motion driver, a constant speed
-otary motor. was used to create this animation. There are 331 components and 136 mates that are
3t es
evaluated at each frame.
:erently
to The Solution Process
-he process of calculating and recording an animation is very simp le.
r. Record the image at 0 seconds.
nimator 2. Move the driving components ahead one frame.
=were 3. Rebuild the model (mates and then in-context features are solved}.
"tween" 4. Record the image.
1we use 5. lf at t he end of the animation, stop; if not, go back to step 2.
to be at
There are two important things to recognize about this process. First is that components take the
shortest route between their key point positions. Second is the importance of step 3. This step is
significant because it allows in-context features to be solved at every frame. We will explore this in
Chapter 8. We will also see later t hat in physics-based animations, the model is not rebuilt at each frame.
amount so in-context features do not rebuild and update.
s do not
tart and
128 Chapter 6

Free Component Motion

Free component motion is the motion of components that do not have mates {or the mates are
suppressed). Generally it is applied where dragging and explode mot ion are insufficient to describe the
path. There are two basic tools available: Move/Rotate Component and Move With Triad.
When key points are not created by some other means. such as t he Animation Wizard, the basic process
in creating an animation is this:
1. Move the t imeline to a specific time.
2. Move t he specific component or components to the desired location for that time.
3. Add a key point.
Note This is exactly the same procedure as changing viewpoints or appearances.

Keys
Creating and editing key points are the primary controls over component animation. Keys can be createc
automatically or manually. They can have bot h their position and time edited.
Auto key
When you select Autokey ~. the MotionManager places key points aut omat ically based on your actions
wit h the model. With Autokey selected, any action, such as changing the posit ion of a model or its
appearance, will create a new key at the position of the timeline.

Where to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: Select Autokey ~

Place Key
Place Key is used t o manually add a key for t he selected component at the current location of t he
time bar.

Where to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: Click Place Key ~

Replace Key
Replace Key is used to change the properties of an existing key.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click an existing key, Replace Key
MotionManager Toolbar: Select a component in the MotionManager design tree, Replace Key ~

Note The same toolbar icon ~ is used to add, replace, and updat e keys.
 Free Component Motion 129

Motion Study Properties

; are All three of the motion study types used in the MotionManager have their own set of properties or
lescribe the 8ptions. The more complex the motion study type, the more properties available. Because we have only
:,een working in the Animation motion study, we will look only at those properties now.
rsic process Animation Properties ~J5l~ F~ l
-;-here is only one opt ion or property when using the Animation motion study ,.,~m.lli ~~~

~pe, Frames per second. This valu e, multiplied by the length of the animation, 1 )(
specifies the total number of frames that are captured. This value does not Animation ~

f rames per second:

affect the playback speed.
r20 ~
::we set the Frames per second to 10, then when we calcu late an animation, t he II ""illlwtl!!' l'llltiP"~
1

:Josition of each component will be calculated every 0.1 seconds. This setting is
1dependent of the frames per second when recording the animation to an AVI file.
1 be created
':here to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: Click Motion Study Properties .lj

M ove and Rotate Component

our actions
- he Move Component and Rotate Component
l or it s
:~:JO ls can be used to freely move or rotate
: omponent s in space as long as t hey are not
: onstrained by a mate.
Move Component
Use Move Component [@) with the options
of the Free Drag, Along Assembly XYZ, Along
Entity, By Delta XYZ, and To XYZ Position
to refine the movement

Rotate Component
Use Rotate Component (@] with the options
Free Drag, About Entity, and By Delta XYZ to refine the rotation.
=::~r more information on Move Component and Rotate Component, refer to the SolidWorks Essentials
::-aining manuaL
Key ~
130 Chapter 6

Triad
The Triad is a tool that allows components to be moved along or
rotated about visible X, Y. and Z axes or within the three ort hogonal
planes XY. YZ, ZX. The symbol contains three arms (arrows), t hree
wings {plane between arms). three rings. and a single center sphere.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component in either the
Feature Manager design tree, t he MotionManager design tree, or
the graphics area. Move with Triad.

Triad Move and Rotate

For axial movement, drag the arm indicating the direction you want to move {X, Y, or Z). You can also
drag the wing to move in that plane (XY, YZ, or XZ).
For axial rotation, either left- or right-drag the ring indicating t he axis you want to rot ate about {X, Y. o;-
Z).

Drag Rulers
When you drag an axis or ring. drag rulers appear
and can be used to accurately position the
component.
For more precise movements, right-dick on the
center sphere and select one of the translation or
rotation boxes.

Translate XYZ
Use the Show Translate XYZ Box to move a component to a specific position in space,
using the assembly Origin as the zero position. Click in the box, set t he value, and
press OK.
Translate Delta XYZ
Use the Show Translate Delta XYZ Box t o move a component incrementally from its
current location in the X, Y. or Z directions of t he triad. Click in the box, set t he value, and
press OK.
Triad Rotate
Use t he Show Rotate Delta XYZ Box to rotate a component incrementally about t he X. Y,
or Z axes of the triad. Click in the box. set the va lue. and press OK.
 Free Component Motion 131

: :e The rotation angle is based on right-hand rule to determine the

....
:ouu-
~. :.-ection of positive rotation. Using your right hand, point your th umb in t he
:Jsitive direction of the axis. Curl your fingers to indicate a positive direction
: = rotation.
::e -
a~e

.a;.e J

~eorienting the Triad

- -;e triad axes are copied from the assembly coordinate
5 stem but they can be changed to localized axes. Right-click
.so -~e center sphere, select Move to Selection, and drop it on
-odel edge or face to orient it to that geometry. You can also
_5e Align t o, Align with Component Origin, or Align with
{. c-
~sem bly Origin to change the position and orientation of the
- :ad.

-I
II

) Mates
:ehave seen in previous examples that mates are solved in motion studies. To create free motion, the
- Jtion must adhere to any mate on the component. To make a component move in a direction that the
-ates will not allow, the constraining mates must be suppressed.

~
--- Global Mates
:;sn- ', 1en the Model tab is selected, any mate that is added to the assembly is listed in the FeatureManager
:esign tree and is considered to be a global mate. Global mat es will appear in all studies.
,'.'hen we creat e a motion study, the assembly mates are repeated in the Motion Manager design t ree as
:cal mates .
5T'"
eDT
~ ~o cal
Mates
=a motion study tab is selected. any mate added is a local mate and only applies to that study.

=a motion study tab is selected when a mate is suppressed, that mate is only suppressed in that motion
~ 5tudy. In effect, each motion study can have its own set of mates. just like configurations.
~;:I;:;:
iC.i<l
132 Chapter 6

Case Study: Free Component Motion

This project will use an existing assembly to animate a bolt and nut being moved. rotated and "screwed"
into place. Animating the motion of a threaded component. such as a bolt or nut, occurs in many videos
so we will cover several different methods to achieve this motion.

Storyboard
This sequence involves creating an animation D D
by moving and rotating a component to
D 0
si mulate a nut being turned and removed
followed by the bolt. Play the video Free Free CJ D
Motion
Motion.avi found in the Videos folder to see D D
the intended motion.
D D
Sfep Ti~e Pesc,-ip fi o..-.
D D
0- I Es+~hlisf...i"'d sf...o+
D D
2 1- 2 Ro+~+e vieiN" fo see ff...e ..-.vf. D D
.3 2-5 Re~ove ..-.vf. Nvf ,-o+~+es
D D
IN"f...e ..-. ff...,-e~ds e'23"'ded ~"'d
s+ops ,-o+~+ i"'d w/..,e"' 0~~ hoi+. D D
i-f 4-5 Ro+~+e vieiN" fo see ff...e hoff. D D
5 4- 6 Re~ove +f...e hoff. D D
6 6 - 7 Ro+~+e +f...e hoff fo vertic~/. D D
7 7 - 8 M ove hoff vertic~/. D CJ
8 8 - 9 P~vse D D
9 9- 15 Reverse sfeps 2 ff...,-v 7. D D
10 15- 16 "'d fe~de,-

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Free Motion from the Case Study\Free Motion folder.
There are two predefined views, Bolt and Nut, that will be used during the animation.
 Free Component Motion 133

Create a motion study.

;crewed" ~ight-click the Motion Study l tab and select Create New Motion Study.
'Yvideos ~ight-click the new tab and click Rename. Type Bolt and Nut for the new name.

3 Disable view creation.

~ight-clickOrientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree. Make sure that
CJ
Disable View Key Creation is selected and also select Disable Playback of View Keys .
, CJ
;.,s we have seen in previous chapters, with these two options selected, we can change our viewpoint as
CJ 1eeded to help us select components without either creating or playing back the views. Once we have
CJ .:he component motion set correctly, then we can create the views we desire.

CJ 4 Check the mates.

_ , CJ ::xamine both the FeatureManager design tree and MotionManager design tree. There are two fo lders
Jnder Mates, one for the mates associated with the Bolt and Nut, and one for all the other mates.
CJ ::xpand the Bolt and Nut folder so you can see the individual mates.

CJ ,f you try to move either the Bolt or the Nut, t hey can only rot ate, but all other degrees of freedom are
-emoved.
CJ
,n the FeatureManager design tree, suppress one of the four mates in the Bolt and Nut folder. Notice
that it also suppresses in the MotionManager design tree.
' CJ
CJ
Click the tab for Motion Study l. The mate is also suppressed in this motion study.
CJ
Jnsuppress the mat e.
CJ
5 Suppress local mates.
CJ Change back to the mot ion study Bolt and Nut. In the MotionManager design t ree. suppress the fou r
CJ mates in the Bolt and Nut folder. Notice that t hey are suppressed in both the MotionManager design
~ree and also in the FeatureManager design tree.
CJ
Click the tab for Motion Study l. The four mates are not suppressed in t his motion study, nor the
i=eatureManager design tree.
Nhen mates are suppressed, with a motion study selected, the mates are only suppressed in that
-notion study.
134 Chapter 6

6 Add a distance mate.

Select the Model tab.
Add a Distance mate between the two surfaces shown. Use
the default distance.
Select each motion study t ab and notice t hat this mate has
been added to both studies because it is a global mate.

7 Delete the distance mate.

With the Bolt and Nut motion study active, delete the
Distance mate.

The mate has been removed from both the FeatureManager

design tree and the MotionManager design tree.
Select the Motion Study 1 tab. The distance mate is still
listed in both t he Feat ureManager design tree and t he MotionManager design tree. When we deleted
t he mate with a motion study active, the mate is only deleted from that study and no others because it
is a local mate.
Select the Model tab. Delete the distance mate.
Examine t he motion studies and note that the distance mat e has been removed from all st udies because
it was a global mat e.
8 Change view.
Change to the Bolt view by pressing the Spacebar and then double-clicking the view Bolt.

9 Add a key point.

Make sure that Autokey (] is selected in the Motion Manager toolbar.
We are going to set up the motion of the bolt first. We need it to keep its position during the t ime t he
nut will be unscrewed and removed. This will require a key point that is a duplicate of the key point at
o seconds.
Set the t ime bar to 7 seconds.
In the Motion Manager design tree, select the short bolt. Click Add/Update Key ~ on the
MotionManager toolbar.
Because the short bolt is in the same position as at 0 seconds, t his key effective ly holds t he bo lt in
position.
 Free Component Motion 135

- Move.
Set the time bar to 9 seconds.
:::::ght-click the short bolt component and select Move with
-;;tad.

: ~ag the blue axis and use the drag ruler to move the Bolt
=-:lOUt SOmm.

. .,..0

' 47. - ...

..,.,. - 4'10 ~.I' . ...#

Rotate.
ow t hat t he bolt is retracted from the hole. we can rotate it.
Set t he time bar to 10 seconds.
we deleted
:light-click the short bolt component and select Move with
s because it
-;riad.
:::;ag the red ring and use the drag ruler to rotate the Bolt
_,,s :~ :. ---
godeg. " 1 ~""
/
jies because ,~' /
: Play the animation. tJ~
I
!.~era 7-second delay, the bolt should extract itself from the
-ole and then rotate.
3 Edit key points.
- ~er seeing the animation, we would like t he bolt to move a greater distance from the part before it
otates.
the time the '. 'ove the time bar t o 8 seconds.
key point at
~ight-click the short bolt component and select Move with Triad.
::ight-click on the center sphere and select the Show Translate Delta XYZ Box.
,','e want to move t he bolt 2Smm more in the +Z direction. Type 25 in the Delta Z box and click OK.
e
' .ow that t he component is moved, we must update the key point to reflect this new posit ion. Right-click
:1e key point at 8 seconds for the short bolt and click Replace Key l~ ,_
he bolt in
136 Chapter 6

Scrub the Timeline

Instea d of actually playing the animation, we can just drag the t ime bar and watch the motion at specif:
times. In most video editing programs this is called scru bbing the timeline.

14 Scrub the timeline.

Drag the time bar from 7 t o 10 seconds. The bolt now comes out 2Smm further at 8 seconds but it movES
back toward the base from 8 to 10 seconds because we haven't yet changed the key point at 10 seconcs

Move the time bar to 10 seconds.

Right-click the short b olt component and select Move with Triad.

Right-click on the center s phere and select the Show Translate Delta XYZ Box.

Type 25 in the Delta Z box and click OK.

Right-click the key point at 10 seconds for the short bolt and click Replace Key ~

Note We could have dragged the bolt in steps 10 and 11; however, we used the numerical input just tc
achieve more accuracy.

15 Move the bolt.

At 11 seconds, move the bolt somm in the -Y direction by either dragging or numerical input.

Motion of the Nut

Now let us turn our attention to the nut. The motion of the nut needs to combine both rotation and
translation during the time when it is being unscrewed fro m t he bolt. Once it is disengaged, it can movr
straight back like the bolt did.

16 Copy a key point.

We don't want the nut to move for the first second of the animation; therefore, we need to ad d a key
point at 1 second that is the same as at 0 seconds.

Right-click the nut key point at 0 seconds and click Copy.

Right-click in the timeline at about the 2 second point and click Paste.

17 Adjust the key point time. Edit lime

Depending on how far we were zoomed in, the key may or may not have been .oos
placed exactly at 2 seconds, but it is easy to correct if we were off slightly.
Right-click the newly pasted key point and click Edit Key Point Time.

Select Exact Time (2:) and type 2.0.

Click OK.
 Free Component Motion 137

Move and rotate the Nut.

:-z-:ge to the named view Nut.

:.e the time bar to 2.5 seconds.

=--:= t-click the nut<l> component and select Move with Triad.
-~eres

;;:-::.:t3 ~~-t-click on the center sphere and select the Show Translate Delta XYZ Box.

- : e -3 for Delta Z. It is minus 3 because we are going to move in the -Z direction.

: :< OK.

_;::ue the time bar at the same position.

=51t-click on t he center sphere and select the Show Rotate Delta XYZ Box. Set the value fo r Delta Z
: -go and click OK. Click in the graphics area to end the process.

: Repeat the process.

!S"r : :
=: J eat the process three more times using the same small increments t o creat e a smooth motio n. Our
=-c. is to have the nut move 3mm as it rotates go deg in each half-second.

Time (seconds) Translate Z (mm) Rotate Delta Z (degrees)

2.5 -3 -go
tr.c:
m::>t-e I 3
3.S
-3
-3
-go

-go

4 -3 -go
I
<e.
:Jte The key point we created in step 18 is included in the table.

::J Move.
'love the time bar to 5 seconds.

to:: _ _ _ ,
~gain, using the t riad, move the nut in the -z direction somm more.
:' Calculate.
;;:::::a.. : lick Calculate, t hen play the animation.

:2 Examine the timeline.

- he bolt does not start until2 seconds after t he nut fin ishes its movement. We would like to change t he
:iming so that the bolt starts moving at 4 seconds, right aft er t he nut has unscrewed.
138 Chapter 6

23 Move a key frame.

We could move the individual key points for the bolt. but that would be tedious. Instead we can move
them all together.
Window-select the four key points for the bolt. This selects the entire key frame.
Drag the key frame to the left until the first key point is at 4 seconds.

'1 0 sec
1 I I I I I I 1 I
12 sec
1 1 1 1 I I I II
14 sec I
I I I I I I I I
16 sec
I I I I j I l I I
18 sec
I l I I I 1 I I I
110 secI
I I I I I I I I

B ~ Free Motion_& (Default< Delau

~ Ontntabon and Camtra V!t\
{+1 ~ Lights, Cameras. and Scene
+ ~ (f) base_&< l> (DefaultDe
~ ()short bolt_&<l> (Default
i
- ~ () nut_&<l > (Default Defl
! ~ ()long bolt_&<l> (Default

[5B~~~ ~
i
10 sec
ll tt!t lll
12 sec
t l ttl tt ll
14 sec
I l l j l11 I I
'16 s ec
l l lt lt tll
18 sec
l l l tf l l l l
110 sec
I I I 1 !1 J I I

8 ~ Free Molton_& (Oefault<Defau

~ ~ntntabcn and Came: a
+ ~
:1e;.
Lights1 Cameras and Scene

'< ~ (f) base_&<l> (Default De
' ~
1 ~
()short bolt_&<l > (Default
nut_&<l> (OefaultDef .-t f

(-)

!i ~ (-) long bolt_&<l> (Default<

Reverse Path
The Reverse Path option is used to reverse the direction of a path of key points. In this example. t he
path will be reversed to place the bolt into the hole.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click t he key points of a key frame. Reverse Path

24 Copy key frame.

Window-select the key frame for the short bolt (four key points). Right -dick the last key point and clic'
Copy.
Right-click in the timeline at about 9 seconds and click Paste.

25 Reverse.
Select the copied key points. then right-click on any of the selected key points and click Reverse Path.

10 sec
l l l l l t tl l
12 sec
ll tl l t l l '
14 sec l t
Il l I I ll
16 sec
1111 11 111
18 sec
, , ,,,,,,,
110 s ecItt
Ill I I I
112 sec
,,,,, ,, ,

"- ~ Free Molton_& (Oefoult<Defau

..
~ Onentahon and Camera V1ev
~ {&) Lights, Cameras and Scene
~ (f) base_&<l> (Default De
+ ~()short bolt_&<l> (Defa ult I ~~~~~
Bolt Extraction Bolt Insertion
+ ~ ( ) nut_&<l> (DefaultDd
.$ ~ (-)long bolt_&<l> (Default
 Free Component Motion 139

: Repeat.
: =:;.y. Paste, and Reverse the key frame for the nut so that the new key frame starts at 12 seconds.
~- Calculate and play the animation.
--== animation should now do the following:
~nscrew and remove the nut
~emove and rotate the bolt
~ause for 1 second
""'s ert the bolt
.;dd and screw on the nut
:t'.!'estion
-:- did we do the rotations in go-degree increments instead of 360 or 180 degrees?
.:..-.swer
=::don't use 360 degrees because the component would be in the same position at successive key
:.::~1ts so there would be no rotation. If we use 180 degrees, we don't know which way the software will
-:::ate the component as both directions are equal distance. Also, after rotating 180 degrees. it could
=erse and rotat e in the opposite direction to get back to 360.
= ;e are going to rotate something full circle, we need to insure that the shortest route between key
'E :c ..1t is in the desired direction.

::)rtant! Components will take the shortest path from one key point to the next.
:3 Change viewpoint.
:ve the time bar to 2 seconds.
::C-::nge to the named view Nut.

-- ::,eMot ion Manager design tree, select Orientation and Camera Views. Click Add/Update Key tfJ.
=:e:::ause Disable View Key Creation is selected. we had to add this key point manually.

-= Create the establishing shot.

e- :-cg the Orientation and Camera Views key point from o seconds to 1 second. This will hold the init ial
::wpoint for one second before t he change to t he Nut viewpoint begins.
:. : Add view changes.
_se the named views to change the viewpoint from Nut to Bolt between 4 seconds and 5 seconds. Have
: :hange back to the view Nut from 10 seconds to 12 seconds.
140 Chapter 6

31 Create the end leader.

Drag the end key point for the animation to 16 seconds to hold the animation at its final position for one
second.

32 Change interpolation mode.

Change t he interpolation mode for all Orientation and Camera Views key points to Ease in/Ease out

33 Calculate and play.

Check your work t o make sure everything moves as it should, t hen leave the assembly open for the nex:
case study.

Case Study: Alternate Solution - Motor

The process of creating a motion path for unscrewing the nut was very tedious because we could not
create rotations of 180 degrees or more. An alternate approach is to use a rotary motor. Motors will be
covered in greater det ail in the next chapter so we will only use a basic function of a motor as an
introduction.
In this animation, we want t he same motion as before. We will use the key points for t he short bolt jus:
as they are, but will replace the key points for the nut.

Duplicate Study
When creating different but similar animations, existing motion studies can be duplicated. Th is duplicate
study can then be edited as necessary to create a new animation.
Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click an existing motion study tab, click Duplicate

Procedure
1 Duplicate the Bolt and Nut study.
Right-click the Bolt and Nut motion study tab and click Duplicate.
Rename the new study Bolt and Nut-Motor.

2 Delete key frames.

Delete the two key frames for the Nut. Window-select all the key frames for t he nut and press Delete
 Free Component Motion 141

Calculate.
iE : _ need to recalculate the motion study at this point as you can see that even though the key points
-.: -e been deleted, the MotionManager still has the motion path in memory for the nut. If you play the
:::;- r ation without recalculating. the nut will still move. Once you recalculate, the yellow change bars will
-~ emoved.

(ID~ ~ ~ tJII 0 sec

I 1 ~'1 ::!1 j5se1c I -<-!'""'"-
- 1: : - 1
jlO sec
I I
"~
- 1 I
j1 5s1ec
~ Free Motion_& (Default<Defaut.
.--.
%-, .-. ./
{i) Orientation and C.metll Viev
- .i:iJ
lights, Cameras and Scene
- ~ (f) base_&<l> (Default De
- ~ (-)short bolt_&<l> (Default
- ~ (-) nut_&<l> (Default Del
- ~ (-)long bolt_&<l> (Default11

b= Add linear motion.

C::Ai+drag the key point for the Nut from o to 2 seconds.
c:e the t ime bar to 5 seconds.
15:
_sE the triad to move the nut about somm in the -z direction.
Reverse path.
~y. Paste, and Reverse the key frame for the nut so that the new key frame starts at 12 seconds.
::=
Calculate.
: ::.< Calculate and then play the animation. It should be exactly like the previous animation except that
~-2 nut does not rotate.

=-=
142 Chapter 6

7 Add a motor. '' I I

Click Motor ~ on the MotionManager toolbar.

Select Rotary Motor. then select the edge shown on the nut.
f11otor Type
I ~Rotary Motor
Make sure that the rotation is counterclockwise so that it looks like the nut is I E!) Linear Motor (Actuator)

unscrewing. Compon.e nt/Direction

0 ~1-1
~ @~~!-i t!i$
l~ 1.~.-C_ ______,

~o t
Click ~1e gr llPh to enlorge

8 Set the motion.

There are many ways to set up the motor to unscrew the nut and later screw it back on. For this case
study we will use the Constant Speed option. This allows us to specify t he rotational speed of the mote-
Select Constant Speed for the Motor Type. Type 60 RPM for the Speed.
Click OK.

9 Select options.
Click Motion Study Properties in the MotionManager toolbar. Set the Frames per second t o 24.
Note The rotation speed of a component and the frame rate have to be set to values that make the r.:
appear to rotate correctly. We will discuss this problem, which is called the stroboscopic effect, in mo~
detail in Chapter 16.

10 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation. The nut turns for the entire animation. We do not want t he nut to stc.-
rotating until2 seconds, when it starts to move along the bolt.

On/Off
Motors can be turned on or off at key points. If a motor is on, but not rotat ing, it locks the posit ion.
Shortcut Menu: Right-click a motor, click On or Off
 Free Component Motion 143

Adjust the motor.

r: the time bar to o seconds. Right-d ick the motor in the MotionManager design tree and select Off.
::.r: the time bar to 2 seconds and right-dick the motor and select On.

_ Calculate.
- = :!.!late and play the animation.

--=-;,otor now drives the nut when it starts to move along the bolt. To sto p the rotatio n, scrub t he
-:line to find the point where t he nut is clear of the bolt, about 2.75 seconds. Right-dick the motor
:.: set its speed to 0 RPM.

: Change interpolation mode.

-.5 :1e motor is now defined, it will rotate at 60 RPM at 2 seconds and 0 RPM at 2.75 seconds. Between
-Ese two points it will linearly interpolate the speed so that it uniformly slows down between the two
:o= <ts. This is not what we want as we just want the motor to spin at constant speed of 60 RPM and
-= suddenly stop at 2.75 seconds. To fix this, right-dick the key point at 2.75 seconds and change the
.-::-potation mode to Snap.

- Calculate.
:=.:ulate and play the animation. The nut should now rotate in the correct direction only when it is being
-=-:oved from the bolt.

= Edit motor.
--=motor needs to rotate in the other direction during the t ime the nut is being screwed onto t he bolt.
':.1e the time bar to 14.25 seconds. Edit the motor and set the speed to 60 RPM, then click
=:verse Direction 3).

:.ve the time bar to 15 seconds. Edit the motor and set the speed to o RPM, t hen click
=:verse Direction 3).
e
:cange the interpolation mode for each of these key points to Snap.
144 Chapter 6

16 Calculate.
Calcu late and play the animation.
This time the motion is correct. but we have an error on the timeline shown in red.

mJ~W'ili 'lb 110 sec

I 1 - 1- 1
115 s1
S ~ Free Motion_& (Default< Defau ~
@ Orientation and Camera Vi
f:tl ~ Lights, Cameras and Scene
..} RctaryMotor4

Ill ~ (f) ba.e_&<l> (OefaultD
, ~ (-)short bolt_&<l> (Dofault1
~ (-) nut_&<l> (DefaultDef
(+J
. -.--.-. .--.--.1/f'"-fr -----
----~
....
If ~ (-)long bolt_&<l> (Default<1

What's Wrong?
When the key points were first created t hat moved the nut along the Z axis. the key points not only he:
the posit ion of the nut along the Z direction, but also the rotational position of the nut. Because the n:..-
has been rotated by the motor, it is not rotated to the same orientation.
To solve t his problem, we just have to update the keys that are red.

17 Replace the key.

Move the time bar to 5 seconds.
Right-click the key t hat is red and click Replace Key. This updates the key so that the key captures tr=
angular position correctly.
Once this key is updated, you must recalculate and then replace t he next key in line. The reason forth-
is that each key position, in this particular case. depends on the key point before it.

10 s ecI : 115

+++ .....
I
I? ~ Free Motion_& (Defau lt<Defaut

...

@ Orientation and Camera Vi
-.' ] Lights. Cameras and Scene

!t
~ RotaryMotor4
~ (f) base_&<l> (DefaultDe
<> ~ (-) short bolt_&<l> (Default

.,. ~ (-) nut_&<l> (DefaultDef
$ ~ (-)long bolt_&<l> (Default
 Free Component Motion 145

::e What happens if a key continues to stay red? If the animation is playing correct ly, you can consider
--::, leaving it as is. Leaving a red key point in an animation is similar to leaving a sketch underdefined
- en creating features. While we generally do not want underdefined sketches, there are some cases
-ere an underdefined sketch may be acceptable. One example would be a centerline being used for
- 1 oring that does not have its length defined. ln that case, changes to the length of the centerline will
-c:: affect the way the model rebuilds. ln an animation, the question is one of how the animation looks.
:: ::-~e recording is acceptable, you may consider le aving the key red and moving on to the next task.

B Calculate and play the animation.

-- 5 time the animation should not have any red key points and works just like the previous case study.

Sase Study: Alternate Solution - Mate

- - 5 case study will explore an alternative to creating the motion of the rotat ing nut and that is to use
=:::::rew mate.
ocedure
Duplicate the Bolt and Nut-Motor study.
=5;,t-click the Bolt and Nut-Motor motion study tab and click Duplicate.
=-=l ame the new study Screw Mate.

Delete motors.
~ ==:ete the rotary motor from the Motion Manager design tree. This motor is only deleted from this
-:::tion study and will still be present in the Bolt and Nut-Motor motion study.
_ Play.
==.y the animation. The bolt and nut should move as before except t hat the nut does not rotate.
146 Chapter 6

Screw Mate
The screw mate constrains two components to be concentric, and also adds a pitch relationship betwee-
the translation of one component to the rotation of the other.

4 Add a screw mate.

Move the time bar to 0 seconds.
Add a screw mate between the nut and the surface
of the base as shown.
Select Distance/revolution and enter 2mm.
Note We are adding the mate to the base part ~rdHates

rather than the bolt part because the base is a fixed [-~Ha~
component and does not move. In the physical world, rMechanical Mates
the bolt and nut interact; however, our only concern (Q) cam
is t o make an animat ion so we just need the motion ~lfnge
to be correct. ~Gear
~ Rack. Pinion
The distance per revolution is subjective. You could
f)Scre'N
calculate t he actual value based on the threads on r Revolu tlons,lnm
10' Disl:llnce/revolution
the parts; however. this does not always lead to a
2.000nrn
good animation as the nut could rotate too fast and
~
, l./JReverse
not show very well at certain frame rates. Univer.,O Joint

Examine the results.

I r~ate aligvnent:

5 L_ftil ~
Because a motion study was active when we added -
this mate, it only appears in this motion study as a local mate. It does not appear in the Feature Manage-
design tree.

6 Calculate and play.

The nut rotates both on and off as it moves.
We do not want t o have the nut rot ate after it is clear of the bolt. To stop the rotation, we can suppress
the mate at the appropriate time.

7 Suppress the screw mate.

Scrub the t imeline and visually locate the point where the nut clears the end of the bolt. This should:::.,;:
about 2.75 seconds. With the time bar still at this position, suppress the screw mate.
 Free Component Motion 147

Calculate and play.

j)betwe;:- --e nut now only rot ates as it is being removed from the bolt and then stops rotating. To have it rotate
-:en it is moving back onto the bolt, repeat step 7 to locate the app ropriate time to unsuppress t he
-~te. This will be about 14.25 seconds.

Calculate and play.

- -e animation should now look just like the previous t wo case studies.

: Save and close all files.

reManager

n suppress

5 should be
Motion Drivers

Upon successful completlon of thls chapter,

you wlll be able to:
Use filters in the MotionManager to reduce clutter.
Drag components to drive motion.
Use mates to drive motion.
Use motors to drive motion.
Understand the different methods to define motor output.
Understand the implications of the 100/360 Rule.
150 Chapter 7
---------------------------------------- -- ------------ -
\

Motion Drivers
Motion can be driven in several different ways. To this point, we have created most motion by dragging
components to positions either through exploded views or by direct movement using the Move
Component command or triad. We have also seen that many other components move through the
solution of their mates to other moving components. In t his chapter we will learn about creating motio:-
through the other motion drivers used in animation motion studies, mates and motors.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter include:
Dragging a component
Manual dragging of components can be used to create motion.

Using mates
Angle. distance, and path mates can be used as motion drivers. Mates also transmit motion to othe-
components.
Using motors
There are two motor types, linear and rotary, each of which can have its mot ion described in differen~
ways.
Using simulation motion drivers
Simulation motion drivers, which include motors, springs, gravity, and contact. can be use t o drive
physics-based animations.

Dragging Components
Setting the t ime and dragging a part into its new position is the classic animation workflow. However, i:
has several disadvantages. First, it can be hard to drag the right part into just the right position. Secane
this type of motion doesn't work in physics-based (Basic Motion and Motion Analysis) study types wher
we are animating dynamic motion systems.
When posit ioning components, key points will be created by default at t he current time bar position an'
time you drag a part. When you do not want key points to be created automatically, dear AutoKey W
on the MotionManager toolbar. Then you can position parts free ly and use Place Key or Add/Update
Keys [~+j to create the keys.

Mates
Mates can drive motion in three ways, either by unsuppressing a mate, by solving a mate with a moving
compone nt, or through dimensional changes with the distance, angle, and path mates.
 Motion Drivers 151

Suppressing/Unsuppressing Mates
on by dragging - f-Je suppression state of a mat e can be controlled by key points on the timeline. You can suppress or
=Move _nsuppress a mate at any t ime in a motion study. Thus, you can suppress mates that are used only for
rough the -:ositioning components while modelling the assembly. And. you can unsuppress mates that are only
eating motion ~sed to guide the animation. You can also use different mates at different times in the animation for
::ifferent types of motion.
Jnsuppressing a mate will not smoothly move components into a position t hat satisfies the mate.
~ather, t he components will jump into position. If you want a smooth motion. you must define key point s
7or the components at the time t he mate is unsuppressed. so the component is in the correct position
Nhen the mate is unsuppressed. You can do this using Place Key from the context menu on a key point
:Jr Add/Update Keys on t he MotionManager toolbar.

otion to other Distance and Angle Mates

) istance and angle mates are a reliable way to drive mot ion in a motion study. You can specify the
dimensions ~xactly. there is never any ambiguity about the interpolated positions in between the keys.
and you won't accidentally move a component and change the va lue of the key.
=din different
Nhen mates are edited, suppressed, or unsuppressed with a motion study active. the edit s are
::onsidered local mates and only apply to the active motion study.
1se to drive .\s with all motion, using interpolation modes lets you fine-tune t he motion. For example. using Ease In
creates an accelerat ing motion. while Ease Out creates a decelerating motion.
Path Mates
w. However, it The path mat e is useful in animations where a component needs t o move along a 20 or 3D path. It is
.ition. Second. superior to using contact as it solves faster and will give consistent results. To use a path mate. a vertex
iy types when or point on the component is mated to a path curve. The position of the vertex along the curve can then
be specified at different key points along the timeline.
r position any Mates in Subassemblies
AutoKey [F Solving mates can be a difficult process. so you need to have a good idea of how mates work. It is
\dd/Update important to realize that subassemblies are rigid by default. which means that the individual mates of
the subassembly will not solve during the animation, unless the subassembly is made flexible.
You have to be careful when dragging part s inside f lexible subassemblies. If t he part is fixed. then you
11ith a moving will be moving the subassembly itself, and that can res ult in undesired results. It is better to fix the
subassembly in the top leve l assembly. and float the part inside the subassembly.
Generally. the more mates you have. the more problems you are likely to have.
152 Chapter 1

To speed the solution of an animation. turn off all of the mates that you can on the components you're
moving. Components with no mates will move correctly.
Tip Use mates to define the endpoints and then suppress them while t he parts are moving.
When you are using mates to drive motion, the driving mates need to be in the top level assembly anc
not subassemblies. For assemblies where motion is driven by a subassembly component. the animatioi
can solve much quicker if you dissolve t he subassembly so that t he components and mat es move into
the top level assembly. If you are going to do this. you should create a copy of the original files and make
a copy for the intended purpose of creating the animation as t he structu re change may not be what is
needed for manufacturing or PDM.

Mating Strategies
There are different strategies for mating components when you need to create animations.
Mate the assembly for animation.
This isn't always possible as there may be mates needed for the assembly that will not work well i:-
motion studies. such as limit mates and width mates.
Create a copy of the assembly.
This works well if we have to make several different animations from the assembly because we ca-
change the mates at the global level. which will then apply t o each animation.
The only problem will be that the copied assembly will be nonassociative to the original assemb ly ar.:
not show assembly changes. This may not be a problem, however, if all t he changes are to t he
individual components of the assembly.

Create local mates.

This has the advantage of keeping everything in one assembly. If you have to make multiple
animations, you can add all the local mates to the first motion study before adding key points, anc
then duplicate t he study as many t imes as required.
 Motion Drivers 153

ts you're Animating Robots

~obots have many degrees of freedom and several motions that need to
::!e cont rolled simultaneously. While there are many motions to consider,
-::Jbot animations generally only requ ire us to control linear and rotary
nbly anc 1otion.
nimatior
\'hen animating a robot. consider:
ove into
ild make Most motion drivers are linear or rot ary. These can be animated wit h
what is either mates {distance or angle) or motors (linear or rotary).
Mates are easier to control if they do not have to change alignment
(negative values).
Mates need to be applied to mimic the drivers in the real assembly in
that they should be created between connected parts.
If t he assembly already contains distance or angle mat es. these
t< well in mat es can be used to drive the motion of the assembly. Mates can
also be added as local mates in the MotionManager design tree to
avoid changing the primary mates in the assembly.
? we can The value of the mate is set at different time positions to produce the
an imation.

nbly anc Mate or Motor?

he 3oth mates and motors might be used to drive different aspects of the motion. One thing to consider
Nhen deciding which to use will be the range of motion. Rotary motion that goes more than 360 degrees
s generally easier to do with a rotary motor. Linear motion is frequently easier with a distance mate.
Where is zero?
1ts. and 3oth angle mates and distance mates are easier to animat e if the mat es always have t he same sign.
.Vhile we can edit t he time line to cha nge the mate orientation, this may take more time to set up and
:le more confusing to edit. Rather than change the existing mates in the assemb ly, it may be easier to
) st suppress the assembly mate in the MotionManager design tree and add a loca l mate so t hat
distance and angle values are always positive.
Nhen using motors, there really is no zero reference as there is with mates. When a motor is turned on,
the component will start from wherever it happens to be.
154 Chapter 7

Mate Organization
With larger and more complex assemblies, the number of mates can make it difficult to find the specif.:
mates we are using in the MateGroup fo lder of t he FeatureManager design tree and MotionManage-
design tree. Two ways to make the process easier are to rename the mates so that their names are
descript ive of what they control, and to use folders to group the mates we will animate into one fo lde-
and all the mates that we will not use into another folder.

Case Study: Robot Motion

This case study will be used to examine motion
driven by both mates and motors. We will create the
same animation using different combinations of
mates and motors just to compare the differences.

Storyboard
D 0
Play the video Robotl.mp4 to see the intended
results. The robot actions are as follows: D 0
D 0
S +ep Ti"'Vte Pescrip+io..., Robot
D 0
I 0- I Es+ .... hl isl.,i"'J sl.,o+

r
D 0

2 I- 2 Ro+....+e hc..se 90. D 0

D 0
3 2-3 Ro+....+e +L.,e +oo/
l.,oriz.o...,+.... l/'1. D 0
D D
'-( 3-'-f R o+....+e .(:ore.... r"'Vt.
D D
5 '-f-5 Ex+e...,d .(:orec..r"'Vt.

"
D D
D 0

5-G Ro+c..+e vvris+ '-f5. D 0

D D
D 0

D 0
 Motion Drivers 155

- this first animation, all the motion is less than 360 degrees. So, we will use just mates to control
::Jmponent positions.

Part 1: Mates
4-ocedure
Open the assembly.
:pen the assembly Robot from the Chapter 7 \ Case Study\ Robotl folder.

Examine the assembly.

:e can see that t here are six different rotational elements
0 cJid one with linear motion.
c::
1 the assembly as it is now constructed, all the positions
;::;
::~ th ese components are controlled by angle or distance
1 ates. The mates of interest to us for an animation have
c:: ::;een renamed to make it easier to find the correct mate.
0 =xamine each mate to determine what it cont rols and
:here the zero angle is located.

0 ~lso note that all the mates are in the top level assembly
0 es there are no subassemblies. In the second part of this
0 :::ase study, we will see the effect s of having subassemblies
... 0 ::hen we try to create an animation .
0

0
D

D
156 Chapter 7

3 Organize mates. ~ i~ Mates

In the FeatureManager design tree, select all the
angle and distance mates. Right-click any of the
select ed mates and click Add to New Folder from
the menu. Name the folder Control Mates.
Se lect the remaining mates and add t hem to a new
+LJ Other Matts
8t::JControl Mat~
- rl fcr~arm Nen~1cn , rcbct.uj..ptr a:. :._&.~ 1 > rcbct_fcreann_&< 1"'
D Lower-Base (robot_ba~&<l >,robot_lower_axis_&<l>)
D Arm -Low..- (robot_arm_right_&<l> ,robot_lower_axis_&<l>)
D Upper-Arm (robot_upper_axiS_&<l>,robot_arm_nght_&<l>)
D Forearm-Upper (robot_upper_axis_&<l> ,robot_torearm_&<l>)
D Wrist-Forearm (robot_forearm_&<l>,robot_wrist_&<l>}
D Flang e-Wrist (robot_wrist_&<l>,robot_f lange_&<l>)

fold er. Call the folder Other Mates.

Tip The mates can be in any order; however, t he order of the angle mates in the Control Mates folder is
the sequence order in which the mates will move the assembly components. You do not have to have them in
this order, but you will see in the next few steps that it is easier to control t he animation when the mates are
in this particular order. The distance mate is not in the correct location, but we will see why t his does not
matter in the following steps.
4 Create a motion study.
Right-click the Motion Study 1 tab and select Create New Motion Study.
Right-click the new tab and click Rename. Type Robot-1 fo r the new name.

5 Disable view creation.

Right-click Orient ation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree and select Disable
View Key Creation and Disable Playback of View Keys.

6 Examine the mates.

Notice that it is easier to see t he mat es of interest in t he MotionManager design tree because all the
other mates are collapsed under t heir own fo lder.
Important! Each mate in the Control Mates folder is between adjacent parts, just as t he motion
controllers in the physica l assembly would be.
 Motion Drivers 157

Set values. s D Arm-tower (robot_ann_right<l>,roboUow..-_axis<l >l

ile first task is to change the values of the angle mates. For each tl ~wJe
r-~_&,1> ""1ate, expand the mate in the MotionManager design tree to show the Angle. Right-click Angle and
>)
&<1>) : lick Edit Dimension .
_&<1>)
m_&<l>) Set the mates for the angle mates using the times and values in the chart below.
1.>)

Mate Name Time Change to Value

(seconds)

I
Jlder is
Lower-Base 2 goo
them in
3tes are Arm-Lower 3 45
s not
Upper-Arm 3 135

Forearm-Upper 4 goo

Wrist-Forearm 6 45

Flange-Wrist 7 270

~ Change a mate.
sable
.'{e want the tool to extend lOOmm at 4 seconds. The distance mate Extension is from the back of the
:x>mponent robot_upper_a:xis to the end of the cylinder on the component robot_forearm. The
:ay in which this mate is defined causes us a problem in that we would have to do this move in two
all the s~eps. We would first have to reduce the mate dimension to zero. Then reverse alignment to move it t he
-emaining 73 mm. If this is the only move we are going to make with this mate, it might be okay. However,
::we are going to make several moves, then we would create a lot of extra work.
ion
'1ove the time bar to 0 seconds.
~ight-click the mate forearm extension in the MotionManager design tree and click Suppress.
158 Chapter 7

9 Create a new mate.

We are going to create a local mate in the motion study that will be used :::E - -
in several motion studies we will set up. Rather than suppress the mate
we are not going to use in the Motion Manager design tree, which would
make that suppression state part of the motion study, we can instead
suppress the mate globa lly.

Select the Model tab. Suppress the mate forearm extension.

Select the Robot-1 tab. Add a new distance mate between the two faces
shown on the component robot_upper_axis and t he component
robot_forearm. Set the dist ance to O.Omm.

Note The t wo components have been moved apart in the graphic just to
s how the faces more clearly.

Notice that this mate only appears in t he MotionManager design tree and not in the FeatureManager
design t ree because this is a local mate and is associat ed only with this motion study. We cannot add
this mate to the Control Mates folder because it does not exist in the Feature Manager design tree.

10 Rename the mate.

Rename the mate to Extension-2. --,
11 Extend the robot_forearm. -'E'WC=-
Move the time bar to 5 seconds. Edit the Distance for the Extens ion2 mate to lOOmm.

12 Calculate.
Calculate the motion study.

All the components should move correctly except that they all start moving at o seconds instead of in
sequence.

0 sec
1 I I I I f1 I I I
jl I
sec
I I I f 11 I I
j2 sec
I I I I / 1 I I I
j3sec
I I I I 11 I I I
14sec I /
1 1I I I I I I
jSsec
I I I I J I I I I
j6se.c If
I I I I I I

8 \jl~ Mates
clJ D Other Mates
$- D Centro! Mates
@. rl forearm exter.s1on (ro

Lower-Base(ro~ot_~,l !ii~~ii~~iiiii!!!!!!!!i!!!!l!!!!
l! l (} Arm pLower (robot_an 1

$. D
D Forarm-Upper (ro~otjI
! D
. D Wrist-Forarm (robot_!
i fh D Flange-Wrist (robot_v
tE H Local Extension_2 (robot_,1
 Motion Drl-vers l59

: Edit the timeline.

=::.:the timeline by using the Ctrl+drag method to copy the starting key points for the mates as shown,
~ :nat each motion takes one second. The two mates Arm-Lower and Upper-Arm should move
-=-sether.

= ~i1 ~ ~ 't"J ~ jOsec

1 1 111 1 .11 1
j1 sec
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
j2 sec
t l t LI I I II
j3 sec
1 1 1 1 1 1 .-11 1
J4sec ..
1 1 111111 1
j5 sec
I III I
,
H I II
j61 s11111
ec _
- 1 11 ~

_] Ottte< Motes
_] Control Motes
rl forearm ~tten~on {ro t
+ D Lower Base (robot_b,, + t t
+ D Arm-Lower (robot_a . f t t
D Upper-Arm (robot_up, f t __ t
' D Fororm-Upper (robot_ t
+ D Wrist-Forarm (robot_~ f
D Flange-Wrist (robot_v
- r-J Local Extension_2 (robot_ f t

- e You can see the advantage of arranging the angle mates in sequence order as it is easy to follow
; -e motion across the timeline.

- Calculate.
:clculate the motion study. This animation looks a little better.

:: Copy and reverse.

: -:::Jy all the key points to 8 seconds, then reverse their direction. You should now have the complete
sequence.
; Save.
=:.ave the assembly but leave the file open as we will continue with it in the next sect ion.
160 Chapter 7

Mate Problems in Animations

During t he calculation of an animation, the mates must be solved at each frame. Occasionally, mat es can
flip and solve incorrectly. This is most typical when there is a series of mates as we have in this model.
In the robot, this can result in two different problems.
If the Forearm-Upper mate flips, the robot_wrist will appea r to turn in the opposite direction.

If the Upper-Arm mate changes direction, the robot_forearm will not move to the horizontal positior

If these flips occur while you are making changes to other motion drivers, you can ignore them until
everything else is set up and the model has been rebuilt. If the problems still exist after a rebuild, you
have two choices; either edit the mate that is not solving correctly, or use a different type of motion
driver such as a motor.
 Motion Drivers 161

ionManager Filters
-z:es~ -=nworki ng with larger assemblies, the Motion Manager design tree can get very cluttered and long
-.s T:::-::.C :e:oause by default it shows every entity that can be animated. This can be problematic when trying to
=::-dinate keys for multiple entities. The long tree can result in a lot of scrolling. which can be
~-;b erso me.
"':Jn.

-=::void t his, t here are several tree filters which can be used in a motion study. These are No Filter, Filter
--irnated, Filter Driving, and Filter Selected.

=ilter Type Description

o Filter V' m:JiiW
~ 'il!:s 'i] 10.s~c. 4 sec
l . l I 1 I I I I I
EJ ~ Robot!_& (Default<D.t'ault_Di<pla)ll~---------------------
: .ick No Filter to remove all ~ Onentat10n and Camera V1ev.s

=,ters. This is the default 1. @sJ Lights, Cameras and Scene t

~ ~ (f) robot_base_&<l> (Defoult< < t
: ::tting and all items are shown. [ ~ robot_lower_axls_&<l> (Default'.
c+, ~ robot_arm_right_&<l> (Default
~ ~ robot_arm_left_&<l> -> (Defau t
:Jos:::.:- [+} ~ robot_upper_i5xis_&<l> (Defaut
(~ ~ robot_forearm_&<l> (Default<
til ~ robot_wrist_&<l> (DefaultDrf
$ ~ robot_fla nge_&<l> (Defaultr,lf
s fil!Jl Mate<
3 CJ Othor Mates
. .~!:, Coincident21 (robot_low~f
@ Concentric31 (robot_lowll~f
.~!:, Coincident31 (robot_! owl f
@ Concentric4 (robot_arm ~
@ Concentric321 (robot_a1
;(_ Coincident321 {robot_arrf
@ Concentric331 (robot_up
@ Conc entric341 (robot_fo!
.~!:, Coincident341 (robot_fo/
1
@ Concentric361 (robot_wr :
.~!:, Coincident361 (robot_wr J
.~!:, Coincident362 (robot_ba J
@ Concentridl (robot_bas f
1
I Uilti! @ Concentric21 (robot_!owi J
S [J Control Mates
Jtld.yc_ e 1-4 forearm <XlenO>on (robot
!? D Lower-Base (robot_base_ f t .-
-:otior ~ D Arm-Lower (robot_arm_r1f
ffi D Upper-Arm (robot_uppei
1 j
[+} D Forarm-Upper (robot_uplf t ' J
l+J D Wrist-Forarm (robot_for< f t
1: D Flange-Wrist (robot_wri<lf
It> H Local Extension_2 (robot_for~
162 Chapter 7

Filter Type Description

Filter Animated ~
8 ~ Robotl_& (Default<Default_Displa)111> - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - -- - -
Click Filter Animated to show
only items that change or
move. When select ed, this will
show every entity that moves
or changes as a result of the
?!iil~ ~ ~~ ~o~s~C 1
b ~ robotJower_axis_&<l> (Defau~ f
1
1 ~ robot_arm_right_&<l> (Defaultlf
. ~ robot_arm_left_&<l> -> (Defau f
1: ~ robot_upper_axis_&<l> (Defautl
ltl ~ robot_forearm_&<l> (Default<l .
[+] ~ robot_wrist_&<l > (DefaultD1
1
~. (Defau~l~f

!!l'!!!'iiilllili
1;, robot_flange_&<l>
8 @~ Mates
animation. Components which SLJ Control Mates
move only as a res ult of being +} D Arm-Lower (robot_arm_rl f,

mated to another moving CiJ D Upper-Arm (robot_uppel f

D
liJ D
lower-Base (robot_base_
t
BForarm -Upper (robot_uf>l f
component will show when this I+J D
Wrist-Forarm (robot_for<l f
filt er is selected. (:fJ D
Flange-Wri.st (robot_wri<lf
G H l ocal Extension_2 (robot_for f t ==--1

Filter Driving ~ 'ii' ~(!il~ ~~ ~0 1s~c 1 2sec j4sec

I 1 I
~ RoboU_& (Default<Default_Disr>l)>l~' l~-----------------
I f I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

8
Click Filter Driving t o show 8 ~il Mates
8 CJ Control Mates
only items that cause changes.
This shows every entity which $ D Arm-lower (robot_arm_r ' t
-ffiJC 1
Upper-Arm (robot_uppe f! ! l
D lower-Base(mbot_base_l I llll
' i i'ti i i
has a motion driver or key 'tl D Forarm-Upper (robot_up! f I t
directly attached to it. It does ffi D Wrist-Forarm (robot_for< f
dl D FlangeWrist (robot_wri~ f
not show components t hat only (+"- H local Extension_2 (robot_for ~ J.
move as a result of mates.

Filter Selected ~ 'ii' ~ ~~ ~~~0 I sec

I I

8 ~. RoboU_& (Default<Default_DisplaJ,'~~~-----------------
Se lect items, t hen click Filter 11 ~ .
l+ ~
Selected .
B Wi~ Mates
g.LJ ijtffll$1"1
00 H forearm extens1on (robot
tt.

r+J
D
D
(robot_
Upper-Anm (robot_uppej base_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arm-l ower (robot_arm_r
~ D lower-Base
i:P
Forarm-Upper (robot_uf>l

'
f

t
00- D_ Wrist-Forarm (robot_fon;.
ltl D Flange-Wrist (robot_wrisl
 Motion Drivers 163

- .e If you have Filter Animated or Filter Driving selected, any part which you select in the
= r:tureManager design t ree or the graphics area will then become temporarily visible in the
.Csec
~~_,.:::tionM a n ager design tree. Also, if you select any folder or subassembly, all of the items in that folder
-::subassembly will then be shown.

otors
:::::ors are very useful because they can be used in all three mot ion study types: Animation, Basic
::::ion, and Motion Analysis. Once a motor is defined it wil l be listed in all three study types.
::::ors support rotational and linear motion. They can be defined as constant speed, distance,
:s::llating segment, data point. expression, or servo. A constant speed motor can also be key framed,
:.==:ning different speeds at different times. The speed will interpolate smoothly (depending on the
r-:::::rpolat ion mode you choose). including directional changes. The motor will slow down, stop, and
=::::: elerate when it s direct ion reverses. unless t he interpolation mode is set to Snap.

~tor Types
~.::h linear and rot ary motor driving motion can be defined in up to seven different ways. Each type has
Csec
--=.~y options in defining the motion.

,_.or Type Description Inputs Inputs c

0
(Rotary Motor) (Linear Motor) :p
0
c~
0 V1
c:P...ll::
0 0 .....
~~~
.5c ~ro ;go
<(COlfl

==nstant The motor drives Constant speed in Constant speed X X X

:Leed at a constant RPM in mm/second or
sec
speed. inches/second
~a nce The motor will Displacement in Displacement in mm or X X X

-.-........ I
move for a fixed degrees inches
distance or
Start time in seconds Start time in seconds
number of
degrees. End time in seconds End time in seconds

- :scillating Oscillating motion

is sinusoidal
motion at a
specific distance
at a specified
frequency.
Displacement in
degrees
Frequency in Hz
Phase shift
Displacement in mm or
inches
Frequency in Hz
Phase shift
X X X
164 Chapter 7

Motor Type Description Inputs Inputs c:::

0
(Rotary Motor} (Linear Motor) ~
0
c;::::;E:
0 lll
c::: .;::: ~
0 0 ....
-~:::;E:~
.5 -~ ;g
c::: ro o
<(COli)

Segments Motion is driven Displacement in Displacement in mm or L L X

by a set of degrees at intervals inches at intervals
piecewise
or or
continuous data
segments. Velocity in degrees/ Velocity in mm or
second at intervals inches/second at
intervals
or
or
Acceleration in
degreesfsecond./\2 at Acceleration in mm or
intervals inches/second./\2 at
intervals
Start and end values
for X Start and end values
for X
Segment interpolation _J
Segment interpolation
Data Points Motion is driven Displacement in Displacement in mm or X X X
by a tabular set of degrees at intervals inches at intervals
values. A curve is
or or
fit to the data
points using one Velocity in degrees/ Velocity in mm or
of three possible second at intervals inches/second at
curve fits. intervals
or
or
Acceleration in
degreesfsecond./\2 at Acceleration in mm or
intervals inches/second./\2 at
intervals
Value vs. Time
Value vs. Time
---
-
- --
 Motion Drivers 165

c: , ::rt:or Type Description Inputs Inputs c:

0 0
:;:; (Rotary Motor) (Linear Motor) :;:;
0 0
c::E c::E
0 Ill 0 Ill
c::;:;~
c: .;::; ~
0 0 L..
0 0 L..

- :E 0 -~~~
~ u~
.5c: "Virt1 ;:g0 .5 -~ ;g
c: rt1 0
<(a:ll/') <(COli')

L L X ~~ession The motor can be Displacement in Displacement in mm or L L X

driven by an degrees at intervals inches at intervals
expression
or or
created from
existing variables Velocity in degrees/ Velocity in mm or
and constants. second at intervals inches/second at
intervals
or
or
Acceleration in
degrees/second"2 at Acceleration in mm or
intervals inches/second"2 at
intervals

.5t:r-r::l Motor The motor used to Displacement in Displacement in mm or X

implement control degrees at intervals inches at intervals

X X X
actions for event-
based, triggered
motion.
or
Velocity in degrees/
or
Velocity in mm or
second at intervals inches/second at
intervals
or
or
Acceleration in
degrees/second"2 at Acceleration in mm or
intervals inches/second"2 at
intervals

~ -- :tion available
_ ~-..ted functionality
166 Chapter 7

Note When using an Expression to define the motor for Animation and Basic Motion. Time is the onl)
variable available. If additional variables are needed, the motion study type must be Motion Analysis s:
that plots can be generated, which in turn create variables that can be used in the expression. For mar:
information, see the training course So/idWorks Motion available from your SolidWorks reseller.

Motor Principles
Motors move components in a selected direction, but they are not fo rces. Motor strength does not var
based on component size or mass. For example. a small cube moves at the same speed as a large cubE
if you set the velocity of the motor to the same value in both cases.
If something causes the reference point of t he motor direction t o change, the motor continues to movE
the component in the new direction. This can occur, for example, if t here is a collision between the
component that is moved by the motor and another component
Do not add more than one motor of the same type to the same component
Mot ion due to motors supersedes motion due t o any other driving element If you have a motor movir5
a component t o t he left, and a spring pulling a component to the right, the component moves to the le~

Recalculating Studies
Motion studies do not automatically recalculate t he animation every time you change something. This
saves a lot of time not having to wait for the animation to recalculate. If you make a change and do no-
recalculate. then click Play. you will see the previously calculated results. You must press Calculat e whe-
you want to see t he results of t he edits you have made.
Tip Before recalculating a motion study aft er a change, move the time bar t o o seconds and do a forced
rebuild {Ctrl+Q) to make sure that all nonanimation changes are also rebuilt
 Motion Drivers 167

the only Defining a Motor

alysis so 'Nhen you define a motor, there are three inputs
or more :hat control what is actually moved:
:!f.
c Motor Location
The Motor Location is the component to be
not vary moved by the motor. In the fan example at right,
ge cube this would be the fan blade component.
Motor Direction
t o move Motor Direction is defined by an edge or axis. In
1the the fan example, the axis of the motor shaft or
the circular edge of the fan hub could be used to
define the direction.
Component to Move Relative to
moving
This is the component that the moving
1the le~
component moves relative to. In the fan example,
the fan blade moves relative to the motor
ng. This housing.
d do no:
-::ortant! If you do not define the "relative to" component, SolidWorks assumes t he motor is attached
3te whe-
-::ground. If the motor position is not going to move, this is acceptable. If, however, t he mot or position
-25 to move, the animation will fail to so lve. We will explore this problem later in t his chapter.
forced
Part 2: Distance Motor
=1 that we have one animation of this robot. let's replace some of the mates with motors just to
="'lpare the process. We will start by using a rotary mot or to rotate t he lower -base, and a linear motor
-:: 1ove the robot_for earm. For both of these motors. we will use the distance option to describe t he
-:;:ion of the motor.
... -~edure
Create a copy of the motion study.
~5 .t-click the Robot-1 motion study tab and click Duplicate.
:-:e the new study Robot-2.

Delete keys.
=~ :::te all the keys after 6 seconds. These are all the keys for the mirror part of the animation.
168 Chapter 7

Motor Options
When using a rotary or linear motor, we have the option t o have t he motor move a f ixed distance,
specifying a st art time and duration. Notice that this is sim ilar to the way the Animation Wizard was
used. One difference is that we need t o specify an additional component that will tell the motor what i:
is to move in relation t o.

3 Suppress mate.
We are going t o use a rotary motor t o rotate the component robot_lower_axis relative to the
robot_base.

To avoid conflict. we must suppress t he angle mate Lower-Base.

Move the time bar t o 1 second. Right-dick the mate Lower-Base and click Suppress.

We should also re move t he existing keys. Select the key points for the Lower-Base at 2 and 13 seconds
and delete t hem.

Note We could have left t he key on the timeline and it would not have been calculated; however, it is
cleaner to re move it to avoid confusion if we need to troubleshoot a problem.

Where is Zero?
We did not suppress t he mate at t ime zero because we want to make sure the animation starts from th::
same point as the previous animation. Mot ors do not have an absolute set of coordinates; instead, th::
coordinat es a re based on where the components a re when the motor is turned on.
--
170 Chapter 7

Add a linear moto r t o the robot_forearm. The component has an axis feature which shou ld be selecte:
for the direct ion. This will keep the motor aligned with the part.

Have the motor drive the component lOOmm, starting at 4 seconds with a duration of 1 second.

i'ill
11otor Type

~ Rotary Motor

125.00 ,.--- - - -- - - - - - , Notion

Distance
100.00

I / l OOmm

--
75.00

i
'E

"
4.00s
50.00

g. 25 00 ~ l.OOS
0
0.00 +-~--'

-2 5.00 +-+--i-+-+-+-+--+-i--t-+-+4
0.0 1.1 2.2 3.3 4 .4 55 6 .6 7.7 3.8 9 9 11.0
Tme (s ) t,
did< the graph to enlarge

6 Calculate.
Calculate the animation.

The first part of t he animation should look just the same as with all. mates.

Important! Because we are creating multiple motion studies in the same assembly file, it is im portar:
t o ret urn the time bar to 0 seconds before changing studies. When moving between motion studies, yc_
may get the following message:

Due to model changes, the following components or features cannot be set t o their
previously-specified locations or valu es at t he start of the animation.
This will be followed by a list. Generally you can select No and recalculat e t he study; however, you mu::
evaluate the actions yo u took in the other motion studies before deciding whether to update the sta-:
positions or not.
 Motion Drivers 171

ld be selected ~eversing the Motion

=2'/ersing the animation when we use motors requires some additional work.

:econd. =o;e examine the timeline we can see that there is only one key point for each motor. but the changebar
=:G:ends throughout the entire animation. The reason for this is t hat in the case of the rotary motor. we
-=:d the motor to move between 1 and 2 seconds. but from 2 seconds unt il the end of the animation, the
::ltor is still on and holding its distance at go degrees.

I.YI~~'il!\1 ~ 0s ec
11 1 1111111
12 s ec
II I I 11 1 I I
j4s ec
llllltt l l
16s ec
I I l lli tll
18s ec
I l l 1 11 1 11
110
11 (1

- ~ Robot (Default)
Orient.tion and Camera \f~ews
:. .:aJ Lights, Cameras and Scene
fi RotaryMotor 1

8 UnearMotor 1 :~~~~~~~~
- ~ (I} robot_base<1> (Default)

:::ecause we used the distance option for the motors, to reverse the motion we will have to do two things.
=-st. we will need to add a second mot or to do the reverse rot ation. and then we will have to add key
=::ints to turn the motors on and off so that two motors are not fighting each ot her.

Add a rotary motor.

-:id a rotary motor. just like we did in step 4. except that we want t he direction revers ed and t he start
- 1 e to be 12 seconds.

Add a linear motor.

==peat the above procedure to add a second linear motor to retract the robot_forearm from 10 to
-: seconds.

Calculate.
:~tice that the components that should be moved by the motors
:::not move. The problem is that the two rotary motors and the
- r:o linear motors are in conflict with each other. as one motor is
t is important :.-ying to move a component while the other is trying to hold it
1n studies. you :::ationary.

their

:ver. you must

date the start
172 Chapter 7

10 Set motor on/off points.

Move the time bar to 0 seconds.
Right-click RotaryMotor2 in t he MotionManager design tree and click Off.
Repeat for LinearMotor2.
Move the time bar to 13 seconds.
Right-click RotaryMotorl in the MotionManager design tree and click Off.
Right-click RotaryMotor2 in the MotionManager design tree and click On.
Move the time bar to 10 seconds.
Right-click LinearMotor 1 in the MotionManager design tree and click Off.
Right-click LinearMotor2 in the MotionManager design tree and click On.
Move the time bar t o 0 seconds and press Ctri+Q to rebuild the model.

11 Calculate.
Calculate the animation. The animation should look just the same as it did with only mates driving tr:
motion.

Constant Speed Motor

The constant speed motor is also very easy to set up and run in a key frame animation. With a consta-
speed motor, the speed can be set at different key points. The motor direction can be changed at ea::-
key point and interpolation modes can be used to control the rate of change between key points.
To make a component move a given distance, we control the speed and amount of t ime that it is on.

Part 3: Constant Speed Motor

. i
In this part of the case study, we will use two constant speed motors to drive the robot instead of th:
displacement motors used in the last section. Rather than delete the existing motors and replace the-
we will only delete two of the motors and edit the defin ition of the other two.

Procedure
1 Create a copy of the motion study.
Right-click t he Robot-2 motion study tab and click Duplicate.
Name the new study Robot-3.
 Motion Drivers 173

Examine the MotionManager design tree .

..::.::e that the motors are now RotaryMotor3 and RotaryMotor4. In the previous motion study. they
'=-: RotaryMotor l and RotaryMotor2. The new names indicate that they are different motors from
-E ::revious mot ion study and can be defined differently.

Delete motors.
:- 2 the time bar to o seconds.
:~:~:e the second rotary and linear motors (RotaryMotor4 and LinearMortor4).
:'i:ant! This only deletes them from this motion study and does not affect the motors in the other
- ; :Ji1 studies.

edit the rotary motor.

:~ =.e the two keys at 10 and 13 seconds that were used to turn the motors off.
- - :he rotary motor by right-clicking it in the MotionManager design tree and clicking Edit Feature.
c:-~e the Motor Type to Constant speed and the speed to 15 RPM. We selected 15 RPM because we
. ~he motor to turn go degrees in 1 second.
= ::: OK.

? lay the animation.

Calculate and when done, play the animation. The robot begins to spin at 1 second (when the angle
...-~ :.Ower-Base is suppressed) and spins for the entire animation.

::::::-;trol the rotation, we just have to turn the motor off after the robot has rotated go degrees.
,._ :-urn the motor on and off.
=~he time bar to o seconds. Right-click the motor RotaryMotor3 in the MotionManager design
~ :::-:d click Off.

~~... .a:: =:he t ime bar to 1 second. Right-click the rotary motor and click On.
= :he t ime bar to 2 seconds. Right-click the rotary motor and click Off. Now when the animat ion
:: : he motor will rotate for go degrees and stop.
174 Chapter 7

7 Reverse the motor.

There are two separate actions necessary to have this motor ret urn the robot to the initial position. Fir5""
it must be turned on. and secondly it must turn in the opposite direct ion.
Move the time bar to 13 seconds.
-I
Right-click the rotary motor in the Motion Manager design tree and click On. Sl

Again. right-click the rotary motor in the MotionManager design tree and click Edit Feature.
In the PropertyManager. click Reverse Direction ~ .

Click OK.
8 Stop the motor.
Move the time bar to 14 seconds. Right-click Rota:ryMotor3 and click Off.
Right-click the motor again and click Edit Feature. Reverse the motor direction.
Note If you do not reverse the direction of this key. the motor will try to spin in the direction opposi::
of that at time 13 seconds. resulting in the component going 45 degrees in one direction and 45 degreE
in the other direction.

9 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation. While the robot_base moves as intended. the
robot_forearm does not return to the correct starting position because we removed the
linear motor that was supposed to do that. We will now edit the one existing linear motor to
retract the robot_forearm.

Constant Speed Motors-Alternate Method

With the rotary motor, we had the motor run at the same speed throughout the animation.
but turned it on and off at the appropriate times to get the desired motion. We could use
the same method with the linear motor; however. we will explore a different approach which is to chang:
its speed t o zero when we do not want it to move rather than turning it off. When a motor is on with zer:
speed. it is essentially a distance mate to hold the parts fixed.
 Motion Drivers 175

-=:dit the linear motor.

~ :1e time bar to o seconds.
- : -e linear motor.
...
~ )(
------
MotorType --
~

~ Rotary MolD<
e:: Constant Speed for the Motion Function and Omm/s for the speed. l E!J L.in~or I-1<>1D< (ActuaiD<)

~ sure the direction is set to extend the forearm.

[component/Direction -
CQ IIJ.!.4b.ftxw,. 1 w B~
*i
ace keys.
- :>tor will be on for the entire animation. However, it will change speed ~ I l>#robot_~r_aXis:II
Axis <

: -ection at several points. We could sequentially move t he time bar and I ~ ~~l_lwer_~
-= :he motor at that point and then go to the next point. An alternat ive is ~MoHon *1
-~:2 all the keys first and then edit them. I Constant Speed

0 Omm/ s
=:ne time bar to 4 seconds. Select the linear motor and then click Place
on the MotionManager t oolbar.
- - e same procedure to place additional keys at S. 10, and 11 seconds.
l
I 0 Click the gr oph to niarge
-=:dit keys.
s :e time bar to 4 seconds. Right-click the linear motor and click Edit Feature.
s=the motor speed to lOOmm/s.
s :e time bar to 5 seconds and edit the linear motor. Confirm t hat the motor speed is Omm/s.
"' se we copied this key from o seconds, it should already be at zero.
- --e key at 10 seconds and set the motor speed t o 100mm/s and reverse the direct ion.
-- e key at 11 seconds and set the motor speed to omm/s.
~s you make the changes, you will get t he Update Initial Animation State message indicating
::sit ions cannot be set. Click No each time because the problem will be solved when all t he
~ents are made.

:::hange interpolation mode.

:-e-'=ault interpolat ion mode of linear will have the motor speed increase from 0 t o 100 between keys,
.- s not what we want. We want the motor to suddenly turn on and off.
-:::::.;-select the four keys for the linear motor between 4 and 11 seconds. Right-click any of the
-::::::1 keys and change the Interpolation Mode to Snap.
~e bui ld.
'= :1e time bar to 0 seconds. Press Ctri+Q to rebuild the model.
176 Chapter 7

15 Calculate and play.

We should have the exact same animation as we did using the other methods.

16 Save.
Leave t he assembly open for the next case study.

Function Builder
The Function Builder is a dialog box interface to define three types of motors or forces:

Data Point
A set of data points are used to create interpolated data sets as a functio n of time, cycle angle, a.-
motion study results.
Segment
Segments are used to define a piecewise continuous function of time or cycle angle. Each segmer.L
can use an interpolation method different from other segments.

Expression
Expressions are used to define a profile as a mathematical expression of time, cycle angle, or motic-
study results.
 Motion Drivers 177

~er

p .._,.. I [k_;: _~~~J l expresskln J) IIIII Function Type

-
~@}
I V.U (y): ~c..,..,t (dog) I
Show~aphs: ~.......n ./Velocity ./Acceler-atiOn ~Jerlc IFit AI Graphs I
1..- Data Type
~tvoriable(x): Eme(s) ] ILQ.~
- - -
@ubic Splile
r
I :m.rpoiolion type: ] 15.0
10.0

~
I ~toato ...

,.
I';&
TrneCS
0 OOdeg
o50deg
J
Velue
~
t~ 5.0
~
~
g
10.0

5.0

fl // I

~ ::s 2 OOdeg
"ii u
~~
..
'.:..::S 700deg
- I
>
-5.0
dr ' 2-0
Tme(s)
4.0

::_1
':!I& 5 OOdeg
1.0 2.0 3.0
10 OOdeg
Tme(s) - 10.0
L
:Jtt:-.: addrow

Data Input -- -- -~

- - - - -.
I
I
40.0
I 200.0
i
f
-a.
20.0
1.0 _ _ ;~s) /o M 100.0 Trne(s)
l
I
-8 - -... 0
'i.
- -a 1,0 2t0 3.0 4.0

\1
~ ~
'jj -20.0
~ ~
-10.0 .... -100.0 I
<
I
I -60.0 -200.0
' '
L ~ -

- -
Hoke fu-oc1Jon ovalable fix- use elsewhere h d-is dorument Nan\0: lJ<er finbOn I

()( ll c.nceJ I! ~

- , e Function Build dialog will look different if Segments or Expression is selected as each has
~=-t data input requirements.
-~ :nput
- : ::1 be entered either by typing it direct ly into the data input table or by clicking Import Data and
=-:- -g a text ('''.txt ) or comma-separated variables ("'.csv) file containing the data.
178 Chapter 7

Data Export
Values for Data Point. Segment, and Expression types can be saved as external files for reuse in othe-
motion studies in different documents or internally in the current file for use in other mot ion studies ;-
the current file.
To save the current data set for use in other motion studies in t he current document. select Make
function available for use elsewhere in this document and then type a name for the function.

,./j Make fi.nction avaiable for use elsewhere in this doanlent Name: User function 1

To save the current data set for use in motion studies in other documents, click Save As ~ in the
Function Builder and save the file to a common location. The file will have the extension sldfnc
(SolidWorks Function).

Data Point Motors

As their name implies. Data Point motors use a set of data points to control displacement, velocity, c-
acceleration of the motor. Data points can either be typed in manually or read from an existing table.

Importing Data Points

Using imported data points. you can use your own motion data to control the displacement. velocity. c-
acceleration of t he motor. The data points can either be entered directly into the data input table or
from an existing text file. The file would be very similar to those used in other parts of SolidWorks wher~
the input data would be comma-delimited. The imported data file must be either a t ext file (*.txt) or
comma-separated variables file ("''.csv) format. An unlimited number of data points may be used, but tt-~E
minimum number of data points to be defined is four points.

The first column in the data point template is always time, while the ot her column is the displacemen~
velocity, or acceleration. These values can be manually defined or imported.
Selecting Load From File displays the standard Windows File, Open dialog t Sample data.b:t... [. = I @) ~
which allows the selection of a file that contains data point values. The file File Edit Format View Help

shou ld contain one data point per line. The data point consists of two p,o
l,. 5
2,2
values; the time and the value at that time. Commas are used as separators 2.5,7
3,5
between the values. The file is essentially free-format aside from t hese 4,10
-':E
restrictions.
 Motion Drivers 179

: ..:rve Fitting
Data Time Value
:~:eyou have the data points entered, there are three ways
Point
=:a curve to the data points. To demonstrate the different
-~ e fit methods, we will use the data in the table at right. 0.00 0.0

2 1.00 0.5

3 2.00 2 .0

4 2.50 ].0

5 3 .00 5 .0

6 4.00 10.0

_ -;Ear
- .inear interpolation, straight lines are drawn between
=::oints wit hout any fitting. a; 10.0 !1
~
.,c
! 5.01

i:5

2.0 3.0 4.0

lime (s)

--=-.a
e - 'lla cubic spline interpolation method performs a local 1
- - s method requires information about points in the 10.0

:- of the interpo lation interval in order to define the "'...

~

-.-= : .ent s of the cubic polynomial. Consequently, each data ~

~ 5.0
..., an Akima spline affects only the nearby portion of the "'
~
'= 3ecause it uses local methods, an Akima interpolation i:5
~~--~+-~~-+--
::z :-_.ated very quickly. 1.0 20 3.0 4.0
Tirne (s)
- - . -na method produces good results for the value of the
-= '71ated function. This method also returns good
~.=:es for the first derivative of the approximated
:1 when the data points are evenly spaced. In instances
= :1e data points are unevenly spaced, the estimate of
"'5: derivative may be in error. The second derivative of
.;:;:;: -oximated function is unreliable with this method.
180 Chapter 7

Cubic
The cubic spline interpolation method performs a global fit.
Global methods use all the given points to calcu late the
coefficients for all interpolation intervals simultaneously.
]' 10.01 ~J
Therefore, each dat a point affects the entire cubic spline. If
you move one point. t he whole curve changes accordingly, l~ S.OI1 Lll

making a cubic spline rougher and harder to force into a 0 lj ~ .. I I

desired shape. This is especially noticeable for functions with 1 1.0 2.0 3-.o 4.o
linear portions. or that have sharp changes in the curve. In lime (s}

these cases, a cubic spline is almost always rougher t han an

Akima spline.

General Considerations
Both global {cubic) and local (Akima) methods work well on smoothly curving functions. -
The cubic spline interpolation method. though not as fast as Akima spline interpolation. produces gooc
, :::ka-.11
results for the value of the approximated function, as well as its first and second derivatives. The date:
points do not have to be evenly spaced. The solution process often requires estimates of derivatives o-=
the functions being defined. The smoother a derivative is. the easier it is for the solution process to
converge.

Part 4: Data Points Motor

While the above procedures worked, making edits can be difficult because we would have to modify
mult iple motors each t ime we want to make a change. If there were additional moves where t he
robot_lower_axis moved to several ot her positions. we might have a long list of motors to synchronize
An alt ernate approach would be t o use the Data Point fun ction for the motors where we can put all thE - :n:.. --
moves in a single list for each motor.

Procedure
l Create a copy of the motion study.
Right-click the Robot-3 motion st udy tab and click Duplicate.

Name the new study Robot-4.

2 Delete motor key points.

Move the time bar to 0 seconds.
Delete the key points for the two motors.

Turn on the rotary motor at o seconds.

 Motion Drivers 181

Edit the rotary motor.

:-e~ge the Motor type to Data Points and click Edit, this will open the Function Builder and
~lacement. Enter the values shown for Time and Value.

:~ :::::t Linear for the Interpolation type. The displacement graph will display the curve shown below.

n Se9nert II~ oaa P<JO;. II Expression J

100.0
Value (y): ~t(dog) .:J ~
"' so.ot .r \
~tvarlabfe(x): (nme(s) I :3. 60.0
Qj

lnt.rpolalion type: ll.Olear I ~ 40.0

"'
1}
I- ~o..~...--I i5
20.0.1. '

rme s) Voluo
s O.OOdeg 5.0 10.0 15.0
.:s 90.00deg
Time {s)
Js
~

:Jet to add row

90 OOdeg
0 OOdeg l
- e this interpolation is satisfact ory for an animation where we are not concerned about velocity
_-c.-:ges and acceleration, we would like a smoother transition, something like Ease in/Ease out. Select
-=~kim a and then Cubic interpolation types just to see the differences. Ne ither of t hese interpolations
Nork for the robot so return to the Linear interpolation type. In the next section, we will use a
-=erent interpolation method that will give us a smoother result.
~--- .r
Akima I'i Cubic
250.0

!
00
300.0

'E 200.0
'
' II
I
~
"'
OJ

~
200.0

150.0
!:!
I
OJ

6 fjj 100.0
v u
~ 100.0 I
"' 50.0
0
i5
'
'
I
I
1}
i5
- ------- .... ..... .. I
I
5.0
Tune (s)
10.0 15.0
l
I

!
l: I I

5.0
I

Tune (s)
10.0
I I )

15.0
I
182 Chapter 7

4 Edit the linear motor.

Change the Motor type to Data Points and click Edit. Enter the values shown for Time and Value.
Select Linear for the Interpolation type, this will give us the curve shown below.

I[Q Segmerts [ !~!::{ Dae Pms IIh Expresskln ~

vaue (y): ~cement {11111} T I
Independontvanable (x): lrme {s) T I

Interpolation type: ILhear T I

[ ln1><>rtData... I
Trne(&) v.we
Os O.OOOnvn 4.0 6.0 s.o 10.0 12.0
4s 0.0001001
Time (s)
5$ 1oa.ooorrrn
10s 100.00011111
11s 0.00011111
Cick to add row

5 Calculate.
Calculate the animation.
We now have the same animation as before but with only two motors. If we need to add additional
motion to these motors, it is a simple matter of editing the table in Function Builder or creating a texc
file and importing it, whichever is easier.

6 Close all open files.

Part 5: Segments Motor

When using data points, there is only one interpolation method used for the entire data set. While thi~
may be acceptable for many situations, there are times, such as in this robot. where we need differen:
interpolation types for different parts of the data set. When the robot components are moving. we war..
a smooth start and stop. When a robot component is supposed to be stopped, we want it to remain
stationary. With t he data points method, we could not achieve both conditions because we needed linec:-
interpolation to keep the model stationary, but this did not allow for smooth movement between
stat ionary points. If we used Akima or cubic interpolation, we could never get the model stationary.
In this part of the case study, we will use the Segments motor to tailor the data set to achieve both
conditions.
 Motion Drivers 183

edure
Edit the rotary motor.
:-c:-ge the Motor type to Segments and click Edit. This will lib Segmenls ~ ~~ Doto Points JIJ.. Expression I
:::F :he Function Builder. The data ent ry area will look similar Value {y}: IDisplacement {deg) 3
-:en we added data points but there are some slight Independent variable {x): ITrne (s) I
-=ences. Start X End X Vll:!ue Seqment Type
0 OOdeg
-.=::: Displacement for the Value (y}. Enter the values shown in Os 1s O.OIIdeg Cubic (Oefa
1$ Zs 90 Olldeg Cubic (De fa
E :<:~le. Note that the End X will also be t he Start X for t he 2s 13s 90.00deg Cu bic (Dehl
13s 14s OOOdeg Cubic (De fa
-:: --:Jw as we are defining a piecewise curve. By default, the 14s 15s OOOdeg Cubic (De fa
Click to add row
~ .1ent Type will be Cubic for each segment.

Seynent Interpolation Types

--:he segment type, t here are 10 different interpolation modes available.The table summarizes the
: -_s types of interpolation available using a change in value of one in one second.

~ic 3-4-S 1.0

1.0
Polynomial

0 .5 0.5

0 .2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

.:.ater 1.0 4-S-6-7 P 1.0

::E Polynomial

0.5 0.5

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.2 0.4 0 .6 0 .8 1.0

_.:.crter 1.0 s-6-7-8-g 1.0

~e Polynomial

0.5 0.5

0.2 0.4 0 .6 0 .8 1.0 0 .2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

184 Chapter 7

Half 1.0 Cycloidal 1.0

Cosine

0.5 0.5

0.2 0.4 0.6 0 .8 1.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 !.C

Quadratic 1.0 Linear 1.0

0.5 0.5

0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.2 0 .4 0.6 O.B !.C

2 Set interpolation modes.

Select the Segment Type cell for each of the segment s in turn and select Linear fo r the three segmer.::::
of the curve we want to be flat and 3-4-5 Polynomial for the segments where the curve changes vaiL=
The displacement graph will display the curve shown below.

lib Segmerns ~~~ ~ataPons [j _t; Expreso~n I

v.ue (y): !Displacement (deg) ~I

Independent variable (x): !Tome {s) ~I

Star! X End X Vaile Segmen!Type
O~OOdeg
(),5 1s 0 OOdeg li1ear (Oef
1s 2s 90.00de; :>4-5-Pot,m
2s 13s 9Q OO~ cg Linear (Oef
13s 14s O~OOt!e~ :>4-5-Pot,m
5.0 10.0 15.0
14s 1Ss 0 OOdeg Linear(Oef
Cick to ~dd row Tome (s)
 Motion Drivers 185

Edit the linear motor.

.=::: the linear motor and use the table below to set up the segments. The displacement curve is shown
:-:: :w.

Segmerts II~ Data Pons j jJ; ExpressKlO ~

100.0
Value (y}: IDisplctment (mm} I 'E

1
..
::nd!:pendent variable (x}: lT""" (s} I c.,
- X End X Value
0 OOOmm
Segment Type
g
:;: so.of,'
:a 4s OOOOmm Linear (Def ~
0
:
Ss 1DO.OOOmm 3-4-S-Polyn I

---+~L+---+--
~
... 10s
11s
10o.ooomm
0 OOOmm
Linear (Del
3-4-S-Polyn
-
5.0 10.0 15.0
s 1Ss O.OOOmm Lilear (Oef
, ::icl1D add row Time (s)

Calculate.
--= ;novement of the two motors will now start up and slow down smoothly.
~ =. =:=.-iment with the other interpolation types to see the effects of the different options on the
=-~:E .,. . . ~at ion .

~ 6: Expression Motor
--::_: -emaining method that can be used with the Function Bui lder is to use an expression to drive a
-:::: r. Because the motor movements are direct steps between two values, a STEP function can be
..s-=-

:cedure
Edit the rotary motor.
:-,c-:ge the Motor type to Expression and click Edit. The data ent ry area will look different from when
_ ~:::ded data points and segments.
186 Chapter 7

Function Builder-Expressions
Expressions can be entered directly into the Expression Definit ion box or funct ions, variables,
constant s. and results f ro m mot ion studies can be added by double-clicking them in t he Expr ession
Elements area.

Function Builder

I[Q Sogmonts JJ ~ DNa P<*is IIh E'l)tessoo j

Volue (Y)' (Displacement (dog) ::::J Expression Elements
------
ABS(a) Absolute va!ue of expression
Expression Definition ACOS(a) Arc cosne of expres::ion an the range [OT-
Alltr(o) ~'1:-:l!f~t inb!Qer ~..tlcY..e nw~Of"li~ is not ge:
ANINT(a} ~~ti'l~toa.
ASIN(a) !Vc,..,. of express;on i'1 the range [.PI{2;
ATAN(o) /Vc tono;ent of expression i'1 the ranoe [-i'
ATAN2(al,.,2) Q,Jadrcnt correct arc tang~t of expr~
BISTOP(x,xdot,xl,x2,k,e,anax,d) Miode!s a ~p ~ement.
01EBY(x,x0re'O,al, ... ,a30) Evaluates a Ch~yshev polynorrtat at a I!Se!r

"' j_ __

J Velodty J] Accelerotion r-'rinun x value: 0 Ma)Qmum x "~: 14

t 2.637 v-o t 2.637 a 0

5.or : 5.0 5.0

~:::L
; ~:::LT :
N

~ 4.0 'M' 4.0

iE
3.0 :
'
:! 3.0
6
-a< 3.0
.lj
~ 2.0 : 'B 2.0 : ~ 2.0 ";;; 2.0
~
i5 1.0
.
: ~ 1.0 : ] 1.0 ~ 1.0

0.0 o.o ... _.:...._.., .. _,~-( 0.0 -+-<-+-+-<--~ 0.0 --+- -t- ~-+-_,_.._..._....

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 s.o
Tme(s) Tme(s) Tme (s) Tme(s)

I~ a< II c~ J['
2 Enter an expression.
In t he Expression Elements pane, scroll down until you locat e t he STEP function. Double-click STEP. Th~
will place the f unct ion into the Expression Definition pane with the cursor between t he two brackets
waiting for input of the variables. In t he Expression Element s pa ne select Variables and Constants f ror
t he list. The only variable ava ilable f or Animation and Basic Motion stu dy types is Time. Double-click
Time and it will be enter ed into t he expression at t he cursor.
 Motion Drivers 187

'=-ow have a step function where the variable is Time. The next
- es are the time and value of the start of the step {xo. ho) and the 100.0 '
'
..::: .......
--= and va lue of the end of the step (xl, hl). Complete the expression c;;
., 80.0 '
- at it reads: STEP(Time,l,0,2,90). This says to move the moto r ::::. 60.0 '
'
;:;
-:; o t o go degrees between 1 and 2 seconds. E
8 40.0 :
"'
~
- ::mplete the rota ry motion, we must add a second step fu nction to 2D.O '

~--n the component back to its origina l position.

0
I
5.0 10.0
Time (s)

... ~--=:- type or use the Expression Elements to complete the function
": J
:=-.~

~ -~ ..,...
::=:at it reads: STEP(Time,l,0,2,90)+STEP(Time,l3,0,14,-90). 100.0 -I
-
~ :_..;r

r:t~
'= : :d not have to use go and 0 as the values for the second step as
-~::;;s start from wherever they happen to be located.
c;;
OJ
::::.
;:;
E
80.0

60.0
l

8 40.0

- Save t he function.
- .:. Save As ~ in t he Funct ion Builder and save t he same directory
_ -e assembly with the name Rotary Step for robot.sldfnc. I
"'
~
i5
20.0

--+--+--<
5 ..0 10.0 15.0

- c
Calcu late.
::ssembly should now move correctly.
l Time {s)

Save.
- ~ c:nd close t he assembly.
~

tssemblies
:-=assemblies can cause problems in t he solution of an animation if not set up corre ctly. If motio n is
= :1ed between different components of a s ubassembly, then the subassembly must either be flexible
:e dissolved.
,, .
-=~ :n drivers cannot be added to subassembly components. even if the subassembly is f lexible,
cr:=fore the subassembly must be dissolved for motion to be driven by those components.

=-:-t..d Subassemblies
:.E:S ~~~ass emblies are added to other assemblies as subassemblies, by default they are solved as rigid.
s -::-- --c:. :s, t he mates of the subassembly are not solved in the upper assembly and the subassembly acts
c .:::- .:5 =:t were a single rigid part.
188 Chapter 7

Flexible Subassemblies
Making a subassembly flexible allows t he individual components to move relative to each other with -
t he parent assembly. This means that subassembly mates must be solved during motion. This can slo
down the solution significantly.
In cases where we need the subassembly mates to be solved, the subassembly must Sotve as
be made flexible. When flexible, the assembly icon will change from rigid ~ to ({I I Flexible
flexible ~.Making a subassembly flexible is useful if the subassembly is being driven
by other moving components. such as a hydraulic cylinder that is attached at both ends.
Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Component Properties ~ . select Solve as, select Flexible

Case St udy: Subassemblies

In all of our case studies, all the components and mates have been in the top level assembly. When 2 -
assembly cont ains subassemblies, we can still create animations; however, we cannot drive motion
through subassembly mates.
In this case study, we will use the same robot that we used in t he previous case study except t hat sorE
of the components are now in a subassembly. We will explore the problems that this creates.
Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Robot2.sldasm from the Robot2 fo lder.

2 Examine the assembly.

In this assembly, the parts shown in blue are now a separate subassembly.

3 Open the subassembly.

Open the subassembly robot-action.sldasm in its own window.
 Motion Drivers 189

Examine the mates. 8 !jl!Jl MateGroupl

- the subassembly we have three angle mates and one D Flaf19"Wrist (roboUwist2< 1 >,roboUian~2 < 1 >)
D ForarmUpper (robot_upper_axis2<1>, roboUorearm 2<1>)
:. stance mate. D Wrtst-Forarm (robot_fore.,m-2<1>, robot_,...Jst2<1>)
H Distance! (robot_upper_axis-2<1>,robotJcrearm-2<1>)
@ Concentric341 (robot_forearm-2<1>, robot_wrist 2<1>)
' ake the window with the Robot-2 assembly active. @ Concentric331 (robot_upper_axis2<1>,robot_forearm2<1>)
@ Concentrlc361 (robot_wrist2<1>, robot_llange2<1>)
Create a motion study. _,(_ Coilcident3'1 I (robot_forearm-2<1>,robot_wrist2< I>)
_,(_ Cohcident361 (robot_wrist-2<1 >, robot_flange2<1>)
arne t he new study Robot lA.

r.: Examine the mates. 8 ~ ()robot-action< ! >

Move
-the MotionManager design tree, the subassembly , } Explode
-ates are not listed, so we cannot control them in an e AppellrM Ce
S ~ Mates n Robot2
=..-;mation of the Robot-2 asse mbly. @,.:1;. Concentric321 (robot_arm_ricj>l:-2<1>)
..( J:. Colncldent321 (robot_ann_ricj>l:-2<1>)
Drag a component. .i) DJ:.LWerArm(robot_arm_right-2<1>)
2r ~ (f) robot_upper_axis-2<1>
- - , to drag the robot-forearm component. You cannot s ~ robot_forearm-2<1>
ffi ~ robot_wrlst2<1>
:.<rend the robot-forearm.
tJ ~ roboU IMge-2<1>
8 !Jl!Jl Motes
Suppress a mate. il :J other Motes
ce =:it the subassembly robot-action and suppress the one 9 :::J Contol Motes
D U>PerArm (robot-action<! >,robot_arm_ricj>l:-2<1>)
:stance mate. Iii D Lower-Base (robot_base-2<1>,robot_lower_axis2<1>)
.., D Arm-lower (robot_arm_ri>;lht-2<1>,robotjower_axis-2<1>)
=::turn to editing the assembly Robot-2.

Drag a component.
- -v to drag the robot-forearm component. Even t hough this mate is s uppressed, the component will
-:t move because the subassembly is rigid.

: Make the subassembly flexible. Solve as

::: ght-click t he assembly robot-action and click Component Properties ~- For Solve ' Rigid
i FleXible
5 , se lect Flexible.

Examine the mates.

::~tice t hat making the s ubassembly flexible does not give us access to t he mates of t he subassembly
-the MotionManager design t ree.

: Drag a component.
- -y to drag the robot-forearm component. The robot-forearm will now ext end be cause the mates of
- e subassembly are being solved and the mate cont rolling this motion is sup pressed.

So. while allowing the mates of the subassembly t o be solved, making t he subassembly flexible does not
-:lp us gain access to the mates needed to drive the components. To gain access to t hese mat es, we
- Jst move t he m int o t he main assembly.
190 Chapter 7

Modifying the Structure of an Assembly

There are a number of tools that allow you to manage and modify t he organizational structure of an
assembly. When creating animations we are concerned primarily with getting the components and mate~
of interest into the t op level assembly.
The process of promoting components is accomplished in several ways:
Dissolve a subassemb ly.
1!1 Drag and drop component s into or out of subassemblies.

Use drag and drop to reorder compone nts within an assembly or subassembly.

Dissolving a Subassembly
You can dissolve a subassembly into individual components. This will move the components and mates 5
up one level in the assembly hierarchy.

Where to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click the subassembly icon, Dissolve Subassembly
Menu: Select the subassembly, Edit, Dissolve Assembly

Reorganize Components Using Drag and Drop --

Components can be moved from one assembly t o another by dragging and dropping them in the
FeatureManager design tree. You can select one or more components using the Ctrl or Shift keys, ar:
=
move them in a single operation. The cursor will change to ' \ as the components are dragged and
drop ped onto a subassembly or the top level assembly. The components then become part of t hat
assemb ly.
- :C:l
Reorganize Components
Reorganize Components does essentially the same thing as dragging and dropping components
between assemblies except that it is done through a dialog box.

Where to Find It
II! Menu: Tools, Reorganize Components

Promoting and Demoting Components

Components can be moved from a subassembly t o the t op level assembly by dragging and dropping
them. They can also be moved between subassemblies, or from the top level assembly to a subassemt
When you reorganize the components at any level, the mates and any features that reference the
selected components are affected. Therefore, if you are reorganizing an assembly in order t o make c:-
animation. it is best to do it with a copy of t he assembly t o avoid any unintended consequences to yo...-
manufacturing data.
-=-
 Motion Drivers 191

-- -:gs to keep in mind when reorganizing components:

.:ates of the component move to the mate group of the lowest common parent assembly.
'.'oving a fixed component from a subassembly to the top level assembly may overdefine the top level
:=ssembly.
=eatures that have external references will be deleted if the referenced component moves. A
- essage will appear t o inform you of this.
:::::~mponent pattern instances cannot be moved. Moving the component that is the seed for a
:::nponent pattern will delete the component pattern. A message will appear to inform you of t his.
=::;- ::dditional information on reorganizing assemblies, see the training manual Assembly Modeling.

.: Select Model tab.

:t ==t the Model tab. This is necessary to make sure the mat es are moved to the top level assembly as
-.c.::::l mates. If we have a motion study active, the moved mates will become local mates in that motion
::.u only.

; Dissolve the subassembly.

-=-~-click the robot-action subassemb ly and click Dissolve Subassembly.

--e-e will be an error message that shows that there are many warnings in the assembly from mates
c. ::re either overdefining the assembly or cannot be solved.
":a:'s Wrong
"" ::this looks like a major problem, it is caused by one. easy-to-correct problem. In t he subassembly,
::::mponent needed to be fixed to keep the assembly from moving. This was the component
-.-c:._upper_axis-2. Now that the components of the subassembly are in the main assembly, this part
::-ger needs the fixed relationship.

rloat the part.

=sc ~:he What's Wrong message.
--.: =eatureManager design tree. right-click the part robot_upper_axis-2 and click Float.

- =errors and warnings should have now cleared.

=xamine the mates.
-e mates from the subassemb ly are now in the main assembly and can be placed in the appropriate
c~-s.
<::

- cJld now proceed as we did in t he beginning of this chapter and drive the model through the mates
~=:o r s.
192 Chapter 7

17 Close all open files.

Troubleshooting Motor Problems

Motors are very versatile and easy to use; however. it is not uncommon that when new users start usir5
multiple motors they suddenly have animations that freeze and fail to solve. There is no numericallirr-
to the number of motors that can be added to an assembly. What limits the amount of motors in an
assembly is the ability of the computer hardware to process the motion fast enough.
There are two main reasons why motors do not solve:
Failure to specify the rotation relative to
If the component the motor is supposed to rotate relative to is not set. the motor is considered to 1:=
attached to ground.

Conflicts between motors

A motor that is set not to rotate is not the same thing as a motor that is off. If a motor's speed is se-
to zero. it essentia lly becomes a distance mate.
Troubleshooting a set of motors that will not solve is similar to solving a problem with mates that w;
not solve. You need to start by isolating the motors and determining if each motor will funct ion by itse =
If they all function correctly in isolat ion. the next step is to start turning them on. one by one. and findif5
the point at which the motion fails to solve. Using just those motors that are turned on, you must the-
check for conflicts.

Case Study: Motor Troubleshooting

In this case study we will examine a simple model of a desk fan.
It uses two motors to run. one t o rotate the fan blades and the
second to oscillate the fan. We will see the effects of not defining
the relative to component field.
Play the video Fan from the Videos folder. This shows the
motion we are trying to achieve with the two motors.

Procedure
1 Open the Fan.
Open the assembly Fan.sldasm from the lesson fo lder.

2 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Troubleshooting.
=
 Motion Drivers 193

.!,.dd a motor. -
Component/Dire<:tion: ~

:: :: ;-otary motor to t he part Fan rotary base. Name the motor Base lLJ j Face<l>~Fan rotary base-l J

-..c.:::on. t~ pac;< t>#Fanrotarybase-1 ']

-c:: s elect a Component to Move Relative to. l~ r H-. Jt

[r-1~ __2J
27
- ?the motor as fo llows: I Osclating

./ 135deg
~":'Lt:Jn: Oscillating
~ 0,1Hz A

~= :;[ement: 135deg
~ ~d~ ; \

=-=-ency: 0.10 Hz

as:: Shift: godeg

Set options. l :[] CJid< the grph 1D enlar~

-::Motion St udy Properties, set the frame rat e t o 10 fps.

:s
Calculate.
t: =en now oscillates from side to side as we expect. As we did not specify a component to rotate
2:
-=: <te to, t he motor rotates relative to ground (the assembly coordinate system).

Suppress the motor.

==the time bar t o 0 seconds.
::::::-ess t he motor.

Add a second motor. Component /Direction __ ~

--
:.: 2 rotary motor t o part Fan blades. Name the motor Blade Rotation. = fFace<l>@Fan blades I J

E<l>~an blades-1~
o:-:::t select a Component to Move Relative to.
- _j
- - e the motor as follows:
~lotion ~

Constl!nt Speed
- -=:ion: Constant Speed
0 35RPM

- .:.:.::d: 3SRPM

--E
Calculate.
=an blades now rotate as we expect. As we did not specify a component
~o t
CJid< the graph 1D enlar90
-:Jve relative to, this motor also rotates relative to ground.

Unsuppress motor.
=. e the t ime bar to 0 seconds.

_::sJppress the other motor.

194 Chapter 7

10 Calculate.
Even t hough both motors worked correct ly when ru n individually, toget her t he blades rotate but the
base does not.

Note In older versions of SolidWorks, you might get a different result where the base rotat es and t~
blades do not and t he t imeline may not solve and show red; however, the main point here is that t he
motors do not solve correct ly.

To see the effect of selecting the Component to Move Relative to, we will select the component in ea-
motor and observe the results.

11 Edit Base Rotation motor. ~Component/Direction

Move the time bar to 0 seconds. ILl ~"" rotaryba2 .

Edit the motor Bose Rotation. Select t he part Fan s tationary base for the
f?J IFace<l >#fan rotary ba2-.
Component to Move Relative to.
~~ ~tationary base- lCF '
12 Calculate.
The base still does not rotate. It is still rotating relative to ground because t he Fan stationary bas::
is a fixed component.

13 Edit Base Rotation motor.

Edit the motor and clear t he selection for Component to Move Relative to.

14 Edit Blade Rotation motor. ~mponent/Directlon

Edit the motor and select the component Fan motor fo r Component to Move I'Cl j Face < l>~Fan bladesl

Relative to. r.?JFW~esl

15 Calculate.
~ I IFan molxlrl~an
This time both motors work correct ly.

16 Close.
Save and close the assembly.

The init ial cause of t his problem was t he conflict between the t wo motors. Not specifying a Compone-
to Move Relative to fo r t he Blade Rotation mot or causes the motor position to stay fixed in space~
work correct ly. At t he same ti me, the Base Rotation motor was trying to move the Fan motor bt:
could not because it was fixed by the Blade Rotation moto r. SolidWorks could not solve both of thes
conditions simultaneous ly, which resulted in only one of the mot ors working correctly.

Important! When you have multiple motors in an animation and they do not solve correctly, t he mas-
likely cause is a conflict between what you have defined.
 Motion Drivers 195

ling around a Closed Path

==.: ng motion around a closed path can sometimes lead to confusion as to why the moving component
'E5 in a given direction. We have used three different methods to move components, so we will

:-e the differences in how components move around a closed path using each of these methods. To
--:;w this works. we will look at three different methods to make a component move:

: -ect path
:::es/Paths
"::ors

: _=rt Path
--=--parts are set to move between two key points, the in-between points will be created using the
:::---:est distance between t he two key points. lt does not matter how you moved the component to
:-::.:,ish the two key points, only the position of the component at the actual key points .
.tedure
Open the assembly.
..E- the assembly Clock.sldasm. This is just a simple
s::-rbly with a clock fa ce and a minute and hour hand.

Create a motion study.

-=:::e an Animation motion study.
- 5 the Motion Study Properties. set the frame rate
-J fps.

Set first position.

_ 2 the time bar to o seconds, set the blue hand t o the
- : : .ock position.

Set second position

:: 2 the time bar to 4 seconds. Drag the blue hand all
-:e :ay around until it is back to the 12 o'clock position.

Play.
z ~he animation and the hand will not move. Even though we dragged the hand 360 from 12 to 12,

- - ~ey point s are at the same location so there is no movement.

196 Chapter 7

6 Set intermediate position.

Delete the key point at 4 seconds.
Drag the time bar to 2 seconds. Drag the blue hand to the 6 o'clock position.
Copy t he key point from o seconds to 4 seconds. We are doing this to make sure t he starting and end-:
positions are exactly the same. We have three key points now to make the red hand go from 12 to 6 c-o:
back to 12.

7 Play.
This time. the blue hand will move from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock and then reverse direction back to
12 o'clock. The direction the hand moves will depend on exactly where you established the key points. :o
without mates to accurately position the hand, you might have been a little off on both positions. Tr::
hand moved in whichever direction was the shortest to get from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock. As it had to retL-
to the same starting point. the shortest distance back to start was the reverse of the forward
movement.

8 Add key points.

Delete the key point at 2 seconds and move the key point from 4 seconds to 6 seconds.
Move the t ime bar to 2 seconds and position t he red hand at 4 o'clock.
Move the t ime bar to 4 seconds and position t he red hand at 8 o'clock.

9 Play.
The blue ha nd will now make one complete turn from 12 o'clock clockwise back to 12 o'clock.
Note We did not accurately place the keys fo r the three positions, but t he playback should still loa~
smooth as the differences in rotation rates will be so small that t hey will not be noticeable. lf you wc..-
more accuracy, you could use Position Only mates to set the position of the red hand at each key pc-

10 Continue rotation.
Now that the hand rotates one full t urn, how do we get it to rotate further? The easiest way is to jl.!s-
copy the keys.
Window-select the keys at 2, 4. and 6 seconds. Press and hold the Ctrl key and drag the three keys s:
that the copy of the key from 2 seconds is now at 8 seconds.

11 Play.
The red hand will now make t wo complete turns from 12 o'clock clockwise. In each case. t he closest
distance from the position at one key point to the next is always a clockwise rotation. If we needed
additional turns, we could just continue to copy keys.
 Motion Drivers 197

-St1g Mates
--~ ~im e, we will use an angle mate to rotate the red hand. With mates, we can accurately specify a
.: :.:::on.

xedure
E,.:;lo Create a motion study.
::::::e another Animation motion study.

Add a mate.
c. 2 sure the time bar is at o seconds.
13. :~=::::e a new angle mate between the Right plane of the Base part and t he Right plane of the Slotted
-=..-~"'part. Set the mate angle to o deg.
F-"
~ ::-:s mate has been added while in a motion study, it is a local mate that only applies to this motion
_:/.

Add a second point. Modify

: 2 the time bar to 4 seconds. Dl@Angiel

~ .-
--e MotionManager design tree, double-click the Angle mat e to open the
::dify dialog box. ~ x e :? ~
- -c:e 360 and click OK.

Play.
--:E olue hand will rotate one turn because 0 degrees and 360 degrees are not the same point.

---

fS

5
.:....-
198 Chapter 7

The 100/360 Rule

When using mates or percentage/distance along path to move a component. the input values can be
from 0 degrees to 360 degrees or 0 percent to 100 percent. When we view these dimensions on a close:
path such as a circle or a closed spline, our perception is that 0 degrees and 360 degrees or 0 perce-
and 100 percent are the same point. While they may have the same X, Y, and Z coordinates, they are nc-
the same and SolidWorks sees them either 360 degrees apart or 100 percent apart.

0% 25% 50% 75%

0
100%

To see this difference, after the first rotation, we will make the red hand move around to the 4 o'cloc
position.

5 Add key point.

Move the time bar to 5.7 seconds.

Double-click the angle mate in the MotionManager design tree and change the angle to 120 deg.

6 Play.
The blue hand will make one rotation clockwise and then instead of continuing clockwise from 12 o'clc:'
to 4 o'clock, it will reverse and move counterclockwise.

Even though we see the motion as around a circle. the mate values are linear. When the mate got to
360 degrees. t he only way to get to 120 degrees was to go back through 359. 358. 357. etc.
 Motion Drivers 199

-iow Do We Go Beyond 360 degrees/100 percent?

--=method to make it appear that the blue hand continues clockwise from 12 o'clock to 4 o'clock is
S?:: ~ 1ple, we just have to remember the basic principles of animation. The first principle is that the
-:?"" ~ .;nation is composed of still images played back in succession, and the second principle is that the

--- -ages are captured based on the frame rate. To make it appear that t he blue hand on ly turns clockwise,
ce just need to get it t o move from 360 degrees back to o degrees in less t ime t han successive frames.

Move to new position.

": te the time bar to about 5 seconds, The exact position is not import ant, only that it is between the
~E points at 4 and 5.7 seconds.

=.::: the angle mate and set it to o deg.

Play.
--: blue hand will make one clockwise rotat ion from o to 4 seconds, t hen move counterclockwise from
.: : 'clock back to 12 o'clock between 4 and 5 seconds and then move clockwise to 4 o'clock between 5
- : 5.7 seconds.
Adjust the key point. Edit lime
- :1e beginning of the case study, we set the frame rat e to 10 fps, so each ~.Ols
~-e is 0.1 seconds apart. What we need is for the counterclockwise rotation
..: : ::cur between the frame at 4.0 seconds and the next frame at 4.1 seconds. ~ X [~W !?

=_::5 ::-click the key point at 5 seconds and click Edit Key Point time. Type 4.01 seconds and then click
- - - his places this key very close to the key at 4 .0 seconds.

Play.
--~ ::::lue hand now completes one and one-third revolutions smoothly. There is a quick rewind at 4
.=t:: 1ds, but it is between frames so that it is not visible.
There is a very small timing error when we do this method because at 4.01 seco nds, the hand
:l:_ld not be at 0 degrees but really at 0.9 degrees. As you can see from the playback, this is so small
~-: .:: is not noticed and not worth the effort to make the timing exact. The alternative is to figure out
:..=:: Nhen the frame is captured at 4.1 seconds, the blue hand should be at 9.0 degrees and set that key

::tor Method
-::-:er way to get rotation is to just use a rotary motor as it is less work to set up and we do not have
: .: :her with the 100/360 Rule.
200 Chapter 7

Case Study: Path Mate

In t his case study, we will move a car
component around a t rack. The track will be a
winding road where the car must turn both
left and right.

Path Mate
The Path Mate is an Advanced Mate t hat
connects the vertex of a component to a path.
The component can be dragged along t hat
path using sett ings for Path Constraint, Pitch/
Yaw Control, and Roll Control. In an animation,
t he posit ion of the component can be
controlled by setting key point s that specify the dist ance along t he path either by percent or distar::

The path can be a single edge or multiple edges using t he Selection Manager.

Storyboard
The MGB sports car will drive along the road for one and
a half circuits of the course.
Play the video Movin g Car.m p4 to see the intended
results.
Moving Car ~~
D
0
....~ ~ =
0

0 ' - - - - -----'
 Motion Drivers 201

~edure
Open the Road.
::21 the part Road.sldprt.
--5 ~s asimple flat plate part with the top surface split and
-==-ent appearances applied to simulate a roadway.

Open the car part.

:-:= the part MGB.sldprt.
==--~-:<ine the model and note that there are
-r:: sketches that each have just a single
: -:..We will attach the point in the sketch
....-:;d Tow point to the path curve to pull
t: :ar around the path. The point in the
.:::~ Trail point will be used to keep the
:::- 2 igned with the path.

:=.:c.- ::1f t he two points is about 7.34mm above

~E ::oint where each of the wheels rests on
t: 5 ound.

Create a path .
.: '.ant t he car to drive on the left side of
::t -:Jad (Well what did you expect? It's an
3 with a right-hand steering wheel). so we
"'=-== ~o create a path that will be halfway between the cent er line of t he road and the edge and 7.34mm
~ ? the ground. Each of the two lanes is 8omm wide.

-==:e a new plane 7.34mm above the ground and name it Car Path Plane.
-:::2:e a sketch on the Car Path Plane and use Offset Entities to offset the inside edge of the road
----:-~ toward the center of the road. This will create a path down the middle of the inside lane.

Create an assembly.
: ::.=:e a new assembly from the Road part and name the new assembly Moving Car.

Add the car.

::1e MGB part t o the assembly.
202 Chapter 7

6 Mat e the car to the path.

Add a path mate from the sketch point found in the Tow Point sketch to the
spline path you created in the Road part. [" Mots'( & AnalysB)

For Path, select Percent Along Path and a value of 0 .0 %. ~ate ~ -

Compontnt V~rt_
x::-:-:::-::--.

Note At this point t he MGB may have an orientation t hat is not level t o the ~ ~~ow point~MGS.:

road nor aligned to the direct ion of the road. We will solve t his problem in lat er Path Stl~ction:

steps.
I I Wi@@!ft@;{@R
7 Create a new motion study.
l [iltdionMan~
dar~es
Name the new study Car Motion and select Animation for the study type.
~nc:edM"'es
8 Adjust the frame rate. ..J Symmetn<

Click Motion Study Properties and adjust the frame rate to 2 0 frames per C-'~ \'Jidth

second. ~ Path Mate

Path
~ong Pa
_.::;t::..:....__~
h
9 Add a key point. P.; 0.000000%
Move the t ime bar to 8 seconds. Rip dimension
PitchJYaw
In the MotionManager design tree, right-click PathMatel and click
Edit Dimension. Change t he dimension t o 100% .

10 Perform a test run. ~ llntar,l mearCoupler

Calculate and play t he animation. ~ ~J t.ooomm

The MGB will make one lap around the track. However, the orientation will not tr. 30.00deg

I
change as we are just dragging a single point on the model. ..
r.!'

L___ - - - - - - - - -

The start and end points of the animation were at the same physical position,
but we know from the 100/360 Rule that the only way the animation can solve is to move linearly fro~
zero to 10 0.
Make sure that the car moves around the track counterclockwise when viewed from above. If it does
not, edit the direction of the path mate by selecting Flip dimension.
 Motion Drivers 203

Modify the mate. Advanced Mates ~

'.iove the time bar to 0 seconds and then edit the path mate. 0 Symme tnc

Width
=or Pitch/Yaw, select Follow Path and X. This will make the X direction of the 0PathMat.o
'.;GB tangent to the path curve. If the car is pointing in the wrong direction. Path C~tr.,int:

::elect Flip to reverse t he tangency.

[&centAiongPath 3
~: ~ 0.000000%

=~r Roll, select Up Vector and then select t he surface of the road. Jl
~ Rp dmension
Pitdl/faw Control:
IFolow Pa1h ~I
Select Flip for the Pitch/Yaw and Roll as necessary t o cause the car to face in
l ox I Yl z
::-e correct direction with the tires on t he road. ::::Rp
Rei Control:
t.: Perform a test run. (Upvec~or ~]
Calculate and play the animat ion.
1 l.l> Vectx><
#HM'M
l : epending on your version and service pack of SolidWorks, this animation may I X l o YI Z

-L - -:::t solve. [JAip

-
~
/ linear;\..,..,.. Coupler
_imitations of the Path Mate
rHJl l.OOOn
.1ile the path mate works we ll in an animation with just one of the three options
::2~ to an option other than Free, it may frequently fail to solve when more t han
L:. 30.00deg
:-e option is set to something other than Free. If you select the Model tab and
- , the different combinations of options, they will all work. The problem arises
: - .y when the animation is solved in a motion study.
1ile this may appear to be a significant problem, we can easily solve it using other mates to keep the
::s upright and point along the road.
3 Edit the path mate .
t:~ly il:?-
.=:,t the path mate and set both Pitch/Yaw and Roll to Free.
- Add other mates.
-.:rl a coincident mate between t he sketch point found in the sket ch Trail Point in t he MGB, and the
: :::~6
:c::h curve. This will keep the MGB aligned with the road.
-.::l a parallel mate between a horizonta l edge on the MGB and the road. This will keep the car upright.

; Perform a test run.

- ;:,:::ulate and play the animat ion. The MGB should make one lap around the t rack.

: Continue the path.

--=next task is to make the MGB go another 50 percent around t he road.
: 1e the time bar to 12 seconds. Double-click PathMate l and edit the dimension to SO%.
204 Chapter 7

17 Perform a test run.

Calculate and play the animation.
For the first eight seconds, the MGB makes one lap counterclockwise around the track. Between 8 c'"':
12 seconds, it moves clockwise for half of a lap.

Path Mate Percent Scale

The problem is that the Percent Along Path sca le is linear from o to 100 percent. While we might assur=
that after you reach 100 percent, the scale resets to o percent, we know from the 100/360 Rule
(page 198) that it does not. To get from 100 percent to any other value, it must go backward along ti-=
scale.
To make the car continue around the track, we can use the method shown with the clock of creating ;:
reset key very close to the end key of the first lap.

18 Add a key point.

Move the time bar to about 8.5 seconds. The exact position is not important right now as it will be
moved later. Edit PathMatel and change its dimension to 0%.

19 Move the key point.

Right-click the key point we just created for PathMate l and click Edit Key Point Time. Enter 8.001s f:r
the t ime. We used 8.001 seconds because at 20 fram es per second, a frame will be recorded at eight
seconds when t he path mate is at 100 percent. Between 8 and 8.001 seconds, the path mate travels frc-
100 percent too percent. At 8.001 seconds the path mate starts moving toward 50 percent and t he ne~
frame is recorded at 8.05 seconds.
Unless you zoom in very close to the timeline, it looks like there is just a single key at 8 seconds.

20 Perform a test run.

Calcu late and play the animat ion.
The MGB should now move smoothly around the track 1.5 t imes in 12 seconds, but in some cases, the cc:-
may f lip direction during the reset. Additionally, after the model is saved and reopened, a list of mate
errors may appear.

What's Wrong?
Solving mates in an assembly is not a trivial problem as all mates have to be solved simu ltaneously. lt ..::
complicat ed by t he fact that there can be multiple solut ions fo r each mate, typically aligned and anti-
aligned, but based on the closest solution.
The problem in this particular an imation is the sequence in which the keys are solved. During the rese:..
t he tow point moves and then the mates are solved. As mates solve t o the closest solution, the t rail
point coincident mate can flip to the alternate solution, which makes the car change direction.
 Motion Drivers 205

=::he component we were animating did not have a directional orientation, such as a sphere, we might
-=~have even not iced a component flipping and we would not have to make a correction.

,a c::JC '..-:Jther problem you may see is that an animation that already solved correctly, suddenly has over
::fined mates. In this animation, the simplest so lution is to try suppressing mates. In this animation, the
:c-allel mate can be suppressed and t he animation will run correctly.

IS~~ -=~e problems such as these may happen often in more complicated animation, so lt is important to
.:~erstand the causes and to have alternate solutions available. In t his case, we will look at four

ll..Q ... = ::. :ernatives.

-..n:ernative #1-Suppress the Reset

:-:.5:: --:::?easiest solut ion is to suppress the path mate during the reset.

:- Suppress the mate.

':.ve t he time bar to 8 seconds and suppress the path mate.
- '. C
:: Unsuppress the mate.
_-su ppress the path mate at 8.001 seconds. To locate t he correct key, we can zoom in on t he time line,
:- .1e can accurately position the time bar directly. Right-click in the t imeline and click Move Time Bar.
~G"..s =-::- - -:e 8.001 and click OK.
=5 _-suppress the path mate.
~::-
. -~ ._},

::: =- =~ Calculate.
~ = ::ulate
and play the animation. The car should now make one and a half laps of the track while
=-:inuing to point in the correct direction.
IS
-.aernative #2-Two Path Mates
-s:ead of having the path mate rewind in a very short period of time, an alternative would be to add a
sc:::md path mate. One path mate would drive t he car around the t rack for the first lap while the second
:-'E3 :c.~ mate is suppressed. At the end of the first lap, the first mate is suppress and the second mate is
--.c: _--s.Jp pressed to drive the car around the second lap. While this is a little more work, this method avoids
- -= very small discontinuity caused by the reset action and might be beneficial in animations where the
:::!" -:1ation viewpoint is zoomed in on the transition point.

.5 -..!ternative #3-Key Points

~a-- "' - e remember the clock example, we could drive the car by establishing three or more key point s along
-.o= ;Jath. Once they are created, we could just copy the key points to have the car do additional laps.
;:; ::s:;'

===
206 Chapter 7

Alternative #4-Path Mate Motor

Another method is to drive a component around a path by use of a motor.

Path Mate Motor

The path mate motor is used to prescribe motion of a point along a path. It is like a linear motor whE:
the direction is specify by a curve rather than a single direction. To use a path mate motor requires c
path mate t o be defined first. The path mate motor is only available in SolidWorks Motion.
Note If you do not have SolidWorks Motion installed, you will not be able t o do the following steps.

24 Create a new motion study.

Name the new motion study Path Mate Motor.

25 Suppress the path mate.

We could use the existing path mate, but as you will see, we will need to use different options within ::-e
mate. so we will use a different path mate for this motion study so that we can keep both motion st uc =:!
in the same assembly.

Move t he time bar to 0 seconds and suppress the three mates.

26 Add a mate.
With the time bar at 0 seconds, suppress the exist ing path mate.
Add a local path mate between t he Tow Point and the Car Path.

27 Set the mate options.

This time, we will use all three mate options. Set them as follows: 0 Symme!t1c

; J \Ydth
Path Constraint: Percent Along Path, Oo/o 0 Path Mate
Path Constraint:
Pitch/Yaw Control: Follow Path, X IPercent AionQ Path
~ 0 .000000%
Roll Control: Up Vector, Y, select t he surface of the road. 0 Fl4> dinension
Pitdl/Yaw Control:
IFolow Path -:
l @x l u Y I -
0 Fi4>
RoK control:
IUp vector
Up Vector

U!MFHMi
I X I @Y I ::
0 R;p
 Motion Drivers 207

:..dd a motor. r--JotorType ::::

2::: Path Mate Motor, t hen select the local path mate. ~ Rotary r"iotor
El Lnear Motor (Actuator)
.':Jtion type to Constant Speed and soomm/s.
-
!lJ Path Ma~ l'.otor

-= OK. *

~
~1
te/Direction -

,; get a warning that this motor type is only available in Motion Analysis.
..!" p:tmi5i
-
~ js;1r.neS$Car Path~Roat::l_sj
2:5. % I Road_lll~~

~ Constant Speed . - .
-
~
1
"
0 SOOmm/s :

Turn on Add-ln.
L""g_j lo-..1
Add -Ins
:: Tools, Add-Ins.
Activ~ Add.;,; [ start ~ ~

B SolidWorks Prer:~ium Add ins

=:t SolidWorks Motion. n ~ e<o.mlorks 0
[l ~ F~tur~Wor1<s 0
- ::OK. n e PhotoV'!e'll 360 0
Of'~ ScanTo30 0
,...:;{;-(' <ni,.lNM "*<in n-i<- 0
Change the motion study type. r,/J (} SolidVIor1<s Motion J 0
-z-ge the motion study type to Motion Analysis. J ~ SOiaWorkS Routng 0 -
[l [ j SolldWorks Simulation 0
n S~dWorks Toolbox 0
Calculate. [l 'ij' ~dWorks Toolbox Browser 0
~ JM? Sofid'Norks Utiities 0
::~ ::date and play t he animation. The car will now travel about :-J SoidWorks Wor1cgrDt4J POM 2011 :::J J
I

-.-=e--quarters of a lap in the default animation t ime of five :J SoidWorks Workgr"'-" POM 2012 :::J
C~ToiAnalyst Ll '""
..?::: ild S. (::) SolidWorks Add-ins
[J Autotrace 0
_:-gt:hen t he animation to 12 seconds. The car will now t ravel [J ~d>'lorks Flow Simulation 2012 0
-:::st two laps of the track.
n ~o'Norks Part Reviewer 0 -
I OK I L cancd=:J ~
_ Close.
:C.e and close all files.
208 Chapter 7

Simulation Motion Drivers

Simulation elements, which also includes motors, can be applied t o model geometry to drive motion.
Motors can be applied to all types of motion studies. The others can only be used in the motion stu::
types Basic Motion and Motion Analysis.
Simulation Motion Drivers
These simulation element s can be used t o drive motion and apply realistic physics to t he animation.

Simulation Element Symbol Description

Motor @ Attaches a Rotary Motor or Linear Motor (actuator} to a
selected model edge or face
Spring 3 Creates a spring element attached between points

Contact ~ Defines contact between selected components

Gravity ~ Applies gravity to all components in the study

We will explore the use of simulation mot ion drivers in Chapter 9. Physics-based Motion.
 nimating Parts

-.:;Jon successful completion of this chapter,

JU wi ll be able to:
c:.
~nimate the size and shape of parts within an assembly.
:=reate springs that expand and contract with motio n.
210 Chapter 8

Animating Parts
In the int roduction. it was mentioned that we animate assemblies and that all parts are rigid. We canr:-
animate the specific featu res of a part. such as changing t he depth of a blind ext rusion or the type c=
feature. However, through the use of in-context modeling, we can have the sizes of parts change bas=:
on the motion of other part s in the assembly. This is a very important topic as many of the advance:
animations created later in the book require the use of the techniques presented here. If you are nc~
familiar with in-context modeling, see the SolidWorks training course SolidWorks Assemblies availc:: = 5I

from your SolidWorks reseller.

There are t wo requirements to have a part change shape during an animation:
The animation must be created using the Animation motion study type.
In the Animation motion study, the solver moves all the driving components to their position for ec::-
frame, and then rebuilds the model and captures the image. In Basic Motion and SolidWorks Mor:::--
different so lvers are used to solve the equations of motion. The numerical methods used for the
solution may require many small steps and iterations to determine the solution. When these soh?"
are used, the positions of each component are recorded based on the frame rate set in the mot i:-
study properties. These solut ions do not rebuild the model nor generat e key points.
The feature that changes size or shape must be modeled in-context to other moving parts.
Modeling in-context will allow the feature definition t o be based on the motion of some other par.:
the assembly and at each re build will take the correct shape.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter include:
Working with in-context parts
In-context parts are created within the assembly using adjacent geometry as references.
Consequently, changes are propagated.
Creating springs for animations
For springs to be part of an animation, they must elongat e and compress. This is contrary to t he
information in the int roduction where all parts are considered rigid. By creating springs as in-con::.3
parts. we can make them move as desired.
 Animating Parts 211

=:ase Study: Animating In-Context Parts

-~is
example, the Band component represents a rubber band t hat stretches during t he firing of an
The Band component must be able to change size and shape as the pull ring part is pulled
.::...._-:'Ow .

-c< and then released.

~=ryboard
--::sequence involves creating animations by dragging 0 10

llo ~~ ~
c -ebuilding existing in-context parts.
0
2 the video file Toy Gun.mp4 from the Video In-Context
::sr. Our animation will show the pull ring being pulled Parts
c -eleased, followed by t he arrow flying off t o t he 0 0

~~,~~
~

--E <ey element in t his case study is creat ing t he black

~::which must change size as the pull ring moves.
01 10
Sfep Ti~e P esc.r-i pfi o"' 0 10
0 - I E s fe<.b/ is l..,i"'d s l..,o+ 0 0
I - L{ Pv// r-i"'d be<.c.k. 0 0
3 t..f- 5 Ri"'d r-e /e ...sed 0 0
~
4.8 - 8 Ar-r-ovv ~l ies o .(:.(: s c.r-ee .... 0 0
8 - 9

~~ ~ I~
-::> E"'d /ee<.der-

-xedure
Open the assembly. Ol ~ ~0
:::c:s!l the assembly incontext from the 01 0
- -,pter 8\Case Study\In-context folder.
--e default view orientation and position will be used as the initial position.
212 Chapter 8

2 Drag the Pull Ring.

Before we create an animation, we will first review how an in-
context feature works.
Drag the Pull Ring l < l > component away from the assembly as
shown. The black band does not change shape yet.

Rebuilding In-Context Parts

After a change, an in-context part will not update unt il the assembly is rebuilt. While the Model tat:.::.
active, we can just rebuild the model. If a motion study is active, the assembly will be rebuilt at eac-
frame when the animation is calculated.

3 Rebuild.
Click Rebuild [I] or press Ctrl+b.
The in-context part Band Top now expands to the correct lengt h.

4 Reset.
Return t he Pull Ring l <l> back to its original position and click
-
Rebuild.

--
Create an In-Context Part
Now that we have seen how t he in-context part works, we will
create t he second band for the lower Pull Ring. If you have never created in-context parts, reviev,1:;-c:
section Creating a Part in an Assembly, found in the SolidWorks Help.
The band will be created as a sweep with the sweep pat h anchored at the ends to the Main Body ~
the middle of the band constrained to the Pull Ring.

5 Hide parts.
To make it easier to concentrate on the new part, hide the two arrows and the parts Pull Ring l c:_;:.
Band Top.

6 Show temporary axes.

ln t he following sketch, we will relate the sweep path to t he axes in the middle of the holes used tc
capture the band.
 Animating Parts 213

:reate a new part.

Insert Components, New Part from the menu. Depending on how your options are set, you may

, '= :o select a part template. Choose a template with millimeter units.

: :the Top plane in the part Main Body. This is now the Front plane of our new part. We are now
==.r. Sketch mode in Edit Part for our new part.
: r- ent to the Top view.

Create the sweep path.

:=.:e a centerline from the origin to the middle of the Pull Ring. The exact lengt h is not important as
.: constrain in later.
e:a:-
-=~ Mirror.
--;:::: Dynamic Mirror Entities ~ and create the sketch shown. The horizontal lines should be colinear
- e temporary axes of the holes.

,
.:.-.

r:C'i'

J ;,
> -

,... --
214 Chapter 8

10 Add dimensions.
Add the 2.Smm sketch fillets and dimensions shown to fu lly define t he sketch. The 1.2Smm dimensi: -
t ies the length of t his sketch to the inside silhouette edge of t he pull ring.

Coincident Coincident

Coincident

11 Exit the sketch.

Exit t he sketch and name it Path.

12 Rename and save.

Rename the new part Bottom Band and save it as an external f ile.

Return to Edit Assembly mode.

 Animating Parts 215

3 Open the part. 02

--.,._,.-<- --
~r - __, ::>en the part Bottom Band in its own window.

:-eate t he sweep profile sket ch as a circle with a 2mm

:: ::;neter.

,=._~t the sketch. Rename the sketch Profile.

l_
- Create a sweep. '
:: .;eep the Profile sketch along the Path sketch.
..........
.
..........
..........
.... ..........
..........
..........
..........
...........

=: Complete the part.

:C::nplete the Bottom Band part by revolving a stopper at each end of
- =band.

: -ange the material of the part t o rubber.

: Show components.
::~e t he assembly window active.

=.. ~t Edit Part mode, so that you are in Edit Assembly mode.

= -'JW the arrows, Pull Ring 1, and Band Top.

- :!e the temporary axes.

- Create a motion study.

::-eate a new motion study. Name it Toy Gun.

S=.ect Animation for the Type of Study.

216 Chapter 8

18 Pull the ring. t

Move the time bar to 4 seconds. Move the lower puU ring 6Smm in
the -X direction as shown. The part Band Bott om wi(( not updat e yet
as the assembly has not rebuilt.

19 Copy key points.

Copy the key point for Pull Ring l < l > from o seconds to 1 second
and 5 seconds. This will hold t he puUring in position for the first
second of the animation and return it to the start position aft er it has been retracted.

20 Play the animation.

The Band Bottom wi(( update based on the new position of the
Pull Ring l < l >.

21 Arrow initial point.

The arrow should start to move before the plunger stops moving as
pressure in the cylinder wi(( be sufficient to move the arrow.
Set the time bar t o 4.8 seconds.
Select Arrow l <2 >.
Click Add/Update key. This key wi(( hold the arrow in posit ion unt il 4.8 seconds.

22 Drag the Arrow.

Move the time bar t o 8 seconds. Drag the Arrow l <2> away from the assembly until it is just off
screen.

23 Play the animation.

We have the key elements of the animation, but we can make a few
refinements.
24 Adjust interpolation modes.
When t he pul! ring is puUed back, it wilt be puUed quickly at first and
slow down as resist ance from t he band is met. Likewise, when
released, the puUring wiUmove rapidly at first and then slow down as
pressure builds in the cylinder and the force of the band is reduced. Also, we expect the arrow to me _
quickly at first and slow down due to air resistance. AI! three of t hese conditions can be met with th: -:
interpolation mode Ease Out.
Select the t hree key points at 4, s. and 8 seconds. Right-click any one of them and select t he
interpolation mode Ease Out.
 Animating Parts 217

Save the animation to file.

:::c: e the animation using the SolidWorks Screen as the Renderer and 20 Frames per second .
.c~e the file Toy Gun.

Review the animation.

=;: the Toy Gun.mp4 file to check your work.

Save and close all files .

.n imating a Spring
'c -t of the mechanisms that are animated include springs. There are a few different methods to
, ~ate springs, but the method shown here works very well and gives a smooth result. To create an
-ated spring requires knowledge of two functions:

--context modeling
::Jtions of the Sweep feature

:ase Study: Create a Spring

--s Nill be a simple example to create the animation of a simple coil spring. Play t he
-ation Spring Assembly-l.mp4 from the Videos folder. We have a sinusoidal
-:::on in put and the spring compresses and elongates as we would expect. We will
::::e the spring first, then examine how and why it works.
c::-: -e case study t hat follows this one, we will use a spring in another assembly as a
-.:-e practical problem.

x edure
Open a part file.
,,. r:::~ End Plate.sldprt from the Spring folder. This is just a flat washe r.

Create an assembly.
::: t: t he End Plate part into a new assembly and save the assembly as Spring Assembly.
Add a second End Plate.
x a second instance of the End Plate to the assembly and mate it concentric to the first instance .
.s.= a Position Only mate to locate the second End Plate 185mm above the first End Plate. We are
-~a position only mate just to get an initial position fo r the second End Plate. Because the first End
-:.--=.-e is fixed, t he only movement allowed in this assembly is the movement of the second End Plate
.:-g the Y axis.
218 Chapter 8

4 Insert a new component.

Click Insert, Component. New Part from the menu.
Select the Front plane of the first instance of t he End Plate. This makes the Front plane of our r.~
part coincident with the Front plane of the End Plate.
We are now in Edit Sketch mode in our new part.

5 Create a sketch path. llil

Sketch a line fro m the top of the top End Plate to the
bottom of the bottom End Plate. The line should be fully
def ined and centered in the holes.
Exit the sketch. Name the sketch Path.

m m

6 Create a profile sketch.

Create a sketch on the Front plane.
Sketch a circle, lOmm in diameter and 2Smm from the origin.
Add a horizontal relationship to fully define the sketch.
Exit t he sketch. Name the sketch Profile.
 Animating Parts 219

:reate a sweep. Profile a nd Path -- :::;~

~=a sweep using the two previous sketches as the path 0 I!Profie I
_ :-3file. ~ ('; Path =---:J
:ptions, select Twist Along Path for Orientation/twist !
\ options :::: j
Or!entation/IV.ist type:
Jefine by Turns and type 10 for the number of turns. lrw;stAiong Path :J
Define !2:
OK. I ~ ]
lfil 10. 00

l _[{] Sho~:t preview

=.xamine the spring.

er ~he spring in its own window. We have the same geometry as we would have
~ ~ed by sweeping a circle along a helical path; however, we will see that this one is
=:-for animation.

Trim the ends.

- -.c<e this more realistic, we will cut off t he two ends of the spring to creat e flat
~::es .

..r---n tothe assembly. We can see t hat the spring extends into both end plat es. We are
i the Edit Part mode, so we can cut the ends of the spring along the surfaces of the

==.:: ? lates.
220 Chapter 8

Create a sketch on the Front plane of the Spring. Sketch a line

coincident to the edge of the End Plate.
Extrude a cut through all in both directions.
Repeat t he procedure on the other end of the spring.

10 Rename and save.

The spring is currently an internal part in the assembly. Rename the part to Spring and save it as =.-
external part.

11 Create a motion study.

Select the Motion Study l tab.
To drive the animation, we will use a linear motor to move
the top End Plate.
Click Motor on the Motio nManager toolbar. Select Linear
Motor.

Select the top face of the End Plate as shown and make Monon
~~----------~
sure that the direction is down (-Y direction). osalating
,./~ 40mm I
~ I
Set the motor parameters as fo llows: ~ I
f't,. D.SHz
T I
Motor Type: Oscillating I10&: 9Ddeg

Displacement: 40mm
Frequency: 0.5 Hz
11 Phase Shift: godeg
I.D
L gra~: Chl: . erJarge
 Animating Parts 221

-:--cse Shift
~ Shift controls the location along the sine curve where the start point is located. Wit h the phase
- : et to Odeg, the start point is at the most negative point on the sine curve. With a phase shift of
. ...25, the start point is on the vert ical midpoint of the curve which is usually associated with odeg.

E ~phs below show how the motion applied by the motor would change with the t hree different
...:=shifts.

~-----==---==~--~
::..=~t .vs. Tirr.e
@)
'9!3 I DISplacement .\ 'S. Time
@) I DISplacement .vs. Tim<! @)

s:;o-r-- - - - - -- - - --, 50.00 ,..------------~ sooo,----------~

I 40 00 I .o.oo
:::- 3000 :::- 3000
c: c:
E 2t1 oo E 20 oo
~ 10.06 ~ 10.QO
Q.

6 0.00 g 0.00
-10.00 l I I i : I I : : I I -1000 I I I I I I I I I I I
0 005 1 0 15 202 530 3540 4550 000 5 1.1 5202 5 3 03 540 4550 0.0 05 1.01.5 2 025 3 0 3 54 0 4.5 50
Tirne (s ) Trne (s ) T1111e (s)

Phase Shift = Odeg Phase Shift = godeg Phase Shift = 180deg

..-.a leu late the study.

Calculate. The study will be calculated for 5 seconds. which is the default time.

Dlay the animation .

.e : ::ring will first compress and then extend.
)oes This Work?
::Jat we have created the animat ion. we should examine why t his method works. At the beginning
-= :::ase study, it was said t hat there were t wo key element s, in-context design and the sweep options.
~= ::eep path fo r the spring is attached to the two end plates and does not have a specific dimension.
always be the distance between t he end faces. The bottom plate is fixed, so only the top plat e
=:;. As the top plate moves up and down. driven by the linear mot or. the length of the path changes.
E :econd feature is the sweep options. We choose Twist Along Path and a fixed number of turns,
e-==ore the sweep will always consist of 10 turns. no matter the length of the path.
.::;nbining in-context design with the proper sweep opt ion, we created a pretty good animat ion of
:::Jring.
222 Chapter 8

Rebuild Failures
When the animation calculates, it must rebuild the model at every frame. What happens if there is:
problem and SolidWorks cannot rebuild successfully? To see the result. we will make a small chang=
our assembly.

14 Edit the sweep.

Change the number of turns to 18.
Click Rebuild and then Calculate.

15 Examine the result.

The calculation will be slower than before and at
some point, the spring will disappear.
To see why, select the Model tab. Drag the
upper End Plate a short distance to compress
the spring. Click Rebuild. Repeat these steps. At '*' --
some point, t he spring will not rebuild. If you
examine the images. you can see that at some
point, the individual turns of the coil intersect.
Once the surfaces intersect, the model cannot
rebuild. So. th is is not an animation problem, but
rather a mode l-building problem.
Tip When model geometry disappears during part of an animation. it is generally because the geometry--
not be built. Finding the problem requires you to scrub the timeline to the point where the problem occ
and then move to just before that point and examine the geometric conditions.
16 Edit the sweep.
Change the number of turns back to 10.
Click Rebuild and Calculate.

Spring Diameter
Now that we have an animation, the next question is, is it good enough? One problem with this sv
animation is that the overall diameter of the coil stays the same through compression and expans::;-
real coil spring increases in diameter as the spring compresses and decreases as it elongates. If :-:
spring is seen from a distance in the animation, we could easily ignore t his effect. If. however, we ::r
going to be zoomed in close to a spring and require add itional rea lism, we can easily add this effe:-
 Animating Parts 223

~odology
--e existing spring, the diameter of the coil is set by a fixed dimension. What we wa nt is the coil
a-eter to be a function of t he length of the spring. This can be done easily with an equation. We want
_ -c.ve an equation that will multiply the st arting coil radius dimension by the ratio of the starting spring
2 s-h to the actual spring length.

Coil Radius = Starting Coil Radius x Starting Spring Length

Actual Spring Length

c :-:e coil compresses, the ratio increases and the coil expands. As the coil elongates. the ratio
ec-eases and the coil contracts. We could make the effect more or less pronounced by multiplying by
=~"ficient. but for now this will be OK.

z ::he animation Spring Assembly-2.mp4. This is what we are trying to achieve .

Show the dimens ions.
-~-:-click the Annot at ions folder in the Feature Manager design tree and select Display Annotations,
:E:!Lay Feature Dimensions, and Display Reference Dimensions.

Add a reference dimension .

.:.: a Reference Dimension between the top of the upper End Plate and
(/) All ... :J--- l
E .::ottom of t he lower End Plate. This should be 18Smm if we are back
-e starting position. Rename this dimension Starting Length.

185

r]J lO

Add an equation. Modify

-=.?"'.:me the 2Smm dimension in t he Profile sketch to Coil Radius. Coil Radius~ofile J .
:-:'-.Jie-click the 2Smm dimension and type Coil Radius in the Modify box.
~
..,. ' '
- .
./ x e;:. ? ~
- -=< Tools, Equations from the menu.
:i.= :::t Ordered View ~ .
224 Chapter 8

In the graphics area, double-click the 2Smm Coil Radius dimension. This will place it in the Equation5 -...ase.
(

dialog as the dependant variable.

In t he Value/Equation box. type 25*(185/ and then click the reference dimension in the graphics area ::
add it to the equation. Type the closing parenthesis.
Click OK. The equation should evaluate to 2Smm.
- -~
Click OK.

Equabons. Global Vanables, and ()Jm~nsoons

~~~ 'ill' Fll ter AN Fields

E2h
I Name IValue I Equation I Evaluates to Icomments II OK I
l j "Coil Radus@l'rofile@Spring_&.< l >l = 25 ( l85/'RD3Annototions")
:
l 25nrn
I I canoo I
l Import...
I
I Export.
I
I Help I
n Autom.tic:aly rebuild []_] Ar1g<Jiar equation units: ~egr~ [./j Automatic solve ordor
[ ] Lnk to emrnallile:
~

20 Hide all the dimensions.

Right-click the Annotations folder in the FeatureManager design tree and clear Display Annotations
Display Feature Dimensions, and Display Reference Dimensions.

21 Calculate the study. Compressed Start Elo ngated

We now have motion where t he spring diameter is
a function of the length of the spring.

22 Close all open files.

 Animating Parts 225

Case Study: Wheel Assembly

This assembly will allow us to explore not only the spri ng, but
different motion driver inputs. Play the animation
Steering_Suspension_System.mp4. This will be our initial
animation where we want to show the motion of the linkage as
~he wheel moves up and down. We will need to model t he spring
~o have a spring that will compress and elongate as the system
11oves.
Question
Nhy not use t he Spring on the MotionManager toolbar?
n e spring on the MotionManager toolbar is used to input spring forces and damping. We do not use it
"or several reasons:
The forces involved in this assembly are of no concern to us when creating an animation. only t he
movement of the components.
The spring image is only visible in preview and would not be visible in the animation.
We would have to use Basic Motion or Motion Analysis instead of Animation to have t he spring
available and we do not need any of the other Basic Motion or Motion Analysis tools, so the increase
in process time is not worth the effort.

226 Chapter 8

Storyboard -
--
There are t hree motions needed in this animation. The tire starts from zero ""EO-
rotation and builds speed. It stops at the end of t he animation. The wheel --~-'

assembly must move up and down as if the tire is moving over an uneven Steering
surface. Lastly, the steering wheel should turn left and right. Suspension
~
System
~;:
There are several choices for driving this motion, so we will explore different
-..::;.
options to achieve the desired animation.
0 0 - -=:;:;r
-.=..e!
S+ep Tif"V!e Pesc.r-ip+ion
0 0
I 0- I Es+c.hlisL..i"'J sL..o+ (
0 0 - ~

2 I- 2 WL..ee/ c.c.c.eler-c.+es +o c. c.ons+c.n+

0 0
veloc.i+t ::E.<?:
0 0
3 3- 10 V er-+ic.c.l f"V!o+ion o{: VV'L..eel -ex
L{ 0 0
'-( - 10 S+eer-i"'J VV'L..ee/ +v.-ns /e{:+-r-JdL..+-
c.en+er-. 0 0
-
5 10- II WL..ee l s/oVV's doVV'n. 0 0 :-_--;::
b II - 12 0 0
0 0
~.:::.
-
Procedure E-. _.
We will first create a spring for the animation, and then drive the motion 0 0
......::: :
t hrough the wheel and steering wheel. 0 0 .....-_c-

Open an assembly file. 0 0 =

Open the assembly Steering_Suspension_System.sldasm from the
Wheel Assembly folder. 0 ~. 0 .::
0

0
~ 0

0 -- --
...r
~

~
-
::.:.a:=t:

= --
z::E
 Animating Parts 227

2 Examine the assembly.

The fixed points in the system are t he base caps at the ends of
the upper and lower arms and the upper strut. There are also
two other fixed locations that hold the steering wheel and
linkage in place. This would be consistent with the way the
system works in a vehicle. The steering wheel is connected to
the suspension system through a rack-and-pinion mate.
Steering is controlled through an angle mate called Steering
Wheel Angle.

3 Create the spring part.

Clink Insert, Component, New Part.

Select the Right plane of the part Strut_Upper. This now becomes the Front plane of our new part.
~ename this part Spring and save it as an external file.

Create the path.

,'/e want the path to be co linear with t he axis of the two
~ruts so that the spring will be centered on the struts. Click
'l iew, Temporary Axes.
5 <etch a line and make it colinear with the axis of the
.s:.rut_Upper part.
- ::ld coincident relationships between the ends of the line
~d the edges of the spring retainers as shown.
Strut_lower
=xit the sketch.
mme the sketch Path.

!:: Create the profile.

:-eate a sketch on the Front plane of the Spring t--- - +- + - - 2 3
=<=it. (/) a

5:<etch a circle and add dimensions of 8mm for the

:. Emeter and 23mm from the path as shown.
=x.t the sketch.
lcme the sketch Profile.
228 Chapter 8

6 Create a sweep.
Sweep the Profile along the Path using Twist Along Path. Define
the sweep by Turns and 10 turns.
Trim the Spring?
Do we need to trim the ends of the spring? In this case, the ends of
the spring are not visible, so unless we intend to zoom in very close
to the ends of the spring. it is better to leave them as they are as
the processing time will be considerably shorter. Remember that
we are using in-context design to create the spring. If we trim the
ends of the spring, at each frame, SolidWorks will have to generat e
the sweep, then trim each end. By not trimming the ends, we
eliminate the calculations of trimming.

7 Exit Edit Component.

Driving the Motion

Instead of just applying a motion driver and running the an imation, let's review some of the different
motion drivers and see the differences in the end result.
We have discussed the following motion drivers:

Position
Mate
Motor
In this animation, there are three motions we would like to create: the turning of the steering wheel, the
vertical movement of the wheel due to bumps in the road, and the rotation of the t ire.

Steering wheel
The steering wheel only needs to rotate go degrees in either direction. The easiest control can be
achieved with an angle mate.

Tire rotation
The tire only needs to rotate in one direction, but at different speeds. This makes a rotary motor a
good choice, but there are several ways to define the motor.
Wheel assembly vertical motion
There is not a clear choice for this motion, so we will use three different methods and then compare
them. We will first use position, then mates, and then a linear motor.
 Animating Parts 229

8 Create a motion study.

9 Input positions.
-:he Spindle_Acc part will move up and down to simulate the motion of the t ire going over bumps.
llove the time bar to 1 second. Move the position of the Spindle_Acc part about somm in the
'( direction using either Free Drag or Delta X,Y,Z.

"llove the time bar t o 2 seconds. Move t he position of t he Spin dle_Acc part about somm in the-Y
:!irection.
~epeat for 3 and 4 seconds, respectively.

G Calculate and play.

~sing discrete input positions. we were able to create an
::.1imation. However. the motion is a little jerky. The
1eel moves in a linear velocity and reverses
-:stantaneously. If you used Free Drag, the position of
--e wheel is imprecise; however, that may be OK
:::;>ending on the requirements of the output video.

Create a new motion study.

::3ther than deleting keys in the previous st udy, we will
_se a new study.

: Add a mate.
:.ve the time bar to o seconds.
:..-eate a distance mate between Pointl on the Spindle_Acc part and the Top plane of the assembly
..5 1g the default distance.

::"Jy the key for the distance mate to 2 and 4 seconds.

: 1e the time bar to 1 second. Ed it the distance mate and add lOOmm to the distance.
::-:y the key to 3 seconds.
:: Calculate and play.
-- s animation should be just like the previous animat ion in t hat the motion goes linearly between key
-;;: 1ts. Using t he dist ance mate gave us very precise control over t he dist ance and copying the key
_;e -ts made it easy to repeat the motion.
230 Chapter 8

14 Change interpolation.
Select all t he key points for the distance mate and change the interpolation mode to Ease In/Ease 0~

15 Calculate and play.

This is a little better because the direction changes are smoother.

16 Delete the distance mate.

Delete the distance mate from the mot ion study.

17 Create input motion.

We will add a motor t o drive the vertical motion of the wheel. In this first case, we will apply an
oscillating input to the Spindle_Acc part to show the motion of the spring and linkages.
Add a Linear Motor to the Spindle_Acc part by selecting Plane l wit hin the pa rt.

For direction, also select Planel in the part Spindle_Acc.

Important! You must use Plane l in the Spindle_Acc part and not a plane outside of the part. This pal.
has its internal orientation at angles to the assembly planes. which makes it difficult to apply the mote-
direction. Using Planel, we can orient the motor direction properly.
Select Oscillating for the motion type. The amplitude is lOOmm and t he frequency is 1Hz.

18 Calculate and play.

This time we have a smooth sinusoidal motion. For many types of animations, t his type of motion is
suitable. But what if we want smooth t ransitions that are not sinusoidal? We can use the linear motor
but with a different motion type.

19 Edit the motor. "l l,.,r l'<!oror.ro..l =J @ ~

Edit the Linear Motor. file Edit Forrnot View Help
o.o
1. , 0
Change t he motion type to Data Points and Displacement. 3,50
4 ,0
5 ,75
Click Import Data. Select the Linear Motor. txt file from the lesson folder. 6 , 25
7 ,50
The points provided will give both a quick impu lse t ype input at the 8,0
9,1.00
10,0
beginning and a slower impulse at the end. 11,01
lZ , O
 Animating Parts 231

Select Cubic fo r the Interpolation type.

~nC.JOn Builder

!o Segllert lit! DoiP<*ts] l.h: ex.....- I

Vai.Je (y): (Displacement (mm) -=:J Show gtaphs: lllsolawnent J Velodty J Accderation J J<rlc

!ndepe:>dmtvarial:>le(x): [rme (s) ~1 i::lQ.~

!nt<rpoidtion type: ~

J
~J
100.0 I I

/\fv\~1 -
I llrport 0.121...
e r ~ 100.0
.s
[

I
Tme(s) VaUe
1 50.0
I
'E
.s
g
a-l5 ~
-100.0
12.0
Tme(s)

IDOO.O
'f 4JO.O

i' 200.0
.., soo.o f Tmt ()
.s q.o ~ t 2.0 4.o 6.o a.o 1o.o ~o

i-~71'
.sE -

"'
-"( -500.0
~ -100.0
-1000.0
-600.0

Make finction avoiob!e for use <!=\!Jere in this doa.ment Name: tJr...er f\xxbon 1

(l( )l c.nce I [ ~

:: Calculate and play.

--e Data Point option for a motor gives us a lot of control using tabular input. This is especially useful
-en we need a pulse input yet do not want infinite acceleration.

::' Add a rotary motor.

~d a Rotary Motor to the wheel.
5E:: the type as Constant Speed and enter a speed of oRPM.
::.-:Jy the key point to 1, 2, 10, and 11 seconds.
::::.~the key points at 2 and 10 seconds and change the motor speed to soRPM. This should make the
-;eel speed up from zero to soRPM between 1 and 2 seconds. hold soRPM until10 seconds. when it
- :::ws down to zero by 11 seconds.
232 Chapter 8

22 Turn the steering wheel.

The steering wheel is posit ioned by the mate Steering Wheel
Time Angle
Ph
(seconds} (degrees}
Angle. With the steering wheel set for the vehicle to roll straight
ahead, the mate angle is 180. This was done to avoid having to set 0 180
the angle to positions on either side of zero, which would be a 2 180
pro blem because of the 100/360 Rule.
4 270 .vpO!
.
Add key points and adjust the Steering Wheel Angle mate to the
values in the table. 6 180

23 Create viewpoints.
Add a starting viewpoint at 0 seconds to show the overall
8
10
go

180
.~
-- ~

assembly and then zoom in on just the suspension.

24 Change playback speed.

12 180

A 12 second animat ion is very short. Change t he playback speed to o.sx and play the animat ion.
.

--

25 Record the animation.

Leave the playback speed at O.Sx and record the animation. Notice that when you play back the
animation, it will be 24 seconds because the playback speed also affects the recording.
26 Close all open files.
Physics-based Motion

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand when to use physics-based motion studies.

Understand contact conditions in an animation.

Animate dynamic systems with springs.

Create animations using physical dynamics.

234 Chapter 9

Physics-based Motion
Up to this point in the book, we have been using t he Animation motion study type to create our - X:

animations. As a review. we only do three things in an animation:

Move components
1!1

Change viewpoints
Change properties

Other key concepts in the Animation study type:

Components were moved by these actions:
! Specifying their location at specific points in time (key points)
: Using angle or distance mates
: Using a motor
All other component motion was derived through the mates.
Parts were not solid and only interacted with ot her parts/assemblies through mat es. --
-~

The laws of physics were not considered and part s could change velocity instantaneously with infinit=
acceleration and pass t hrough each ot her.
The Animation st udy type was used when we either had free mot ion or kinematic motion.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter include:
Physics motion drivers
There are many ways to drive component motion beyond dragging the components to locations anc
creating key points. These include physical properties found in the physical world such as gravity,
springs, and forces.

Combining motion
Motion created in a Basic Motion or Motion Analysis st udy type can be imported into an Animation
study type when needed.

a Physical dynamics
Physical dynamics allows components to become temporarily solid and able t o push on each other.

Terminology
Before discussing Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion, it is impo rtant t o understand a few terms and
how they are used in this book.

Animation
An animation is any type of video that depicts motion. The motion may or may not be a simulation.
 Physics-based Motion 235

Simulation
A simulation shows how components move. Simulations could be in the form of animations or they
could just be numerical data.
Analysis
Analysis is examination of the mot ion in order to understand or better draw conclusions from it. An
analysis could include an animation, or it could just be numerical data.
As stated in the introduction, our focus in this book is creating animations. We could get our animations
from simulations, which is what we will do with both Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion. However, we
have no need to analyze the mechanisms we animate.

Motion Solutions
The way motion is calculated in the three types of motion studies is different and should be understood
::o insure that the animations you create will solve, and when they do not, to be able to troubleshoot the
::>roblem.
Animation Motion Studies
The solution to an Animation study is very straightforwa rd. The timeline defines the position of
driving components at specific times. SolidWorks moves the driving component in a direct line
between the two end positions. It interpolates the intermediate positions based on the time
difference between the key po ints, the number of frames per second, and the interpolation mode. All
active mates are solved and the assembly is rebuilt at each fra me.
Basic Motion Studies
In Basic Motion studies, the position of each component must be determined by the physics of the
situation. This takes into account the mass, inertia, gravity, and interaction with other components. At
each iteration, t he SolidWorks mates must also be solved. Basic Motion studies are solved using the
PhysX solver.
3ecause Basic Motion studies are used for animation, and not analysis, accuracy is reduced in order
to speed up the calculations. The user has little contro l over the solver or its settings.
!.'"" Motion Analysis Studies
SolidWorks Motion is used for analysis and has three different solvers that can be used based on the
:ype of motion to be solved and the loading conditions. Because SolidWorks Motion is designed for
analysis, it is more accurate than the solver in Basic Motion, but as a result runs slower.
236 Chapter 9

Animation of Physics-based Simulations

SolidWorks supports two levels of physical simulation: Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion. Basic
Motion is a faster, less accurate. presentation-quality engine. It supports motors, springs. gravity. and
contact between parts. SolidWorks Motion is an analysis-quality simulator which adds forces and
dampers. and can output plots of the simulation results. Basic Motion is optimized for speed while
SolidWorks Motion is optim ized for accuracy. Another way to think about t hese two products. is to thin
of Basic Motion as SolidWorks MotionXpress.
When we animate a system with dynamic motion. we need to use either the Basic Motion or Motion
Analysis study type. We use these motion study types because we need to solve the physics of t he
problem. In the Animation motion studies. we did not solve the physics problem as the components ha::
no mass or volume. =

What changes when we shift to these physics-based motion study types? The only thing that changes 5:
is the way we create component motion. The way we handle viewpoints and appearances does not
change. -~

Motion is driven by motion drivers such as motors. springs. or gravity and not key points.
Key points are only created for viewpoints and appearances but not for component motion.
A physics-based solver is used to calculate the motion.
Components can interact with each other through contact.
The laws of physics can be used and we can consider mass and momentum.

Driving Motion
In physics-based motion studies, motion can be driven by gravity, springs, forces, or mot ors. Each has
different characteristics that can be controlled and are different in Basic Motion studies as compare:
to Motion Analysis studies.

Motors
Motors were discussed in Chapter 7. They can be used in physics-based motion studies in the same we. -;:: '25 i

as they are used in Animation motion studies except that there are additional options available in
Motion Analysis studies. The additional motor types are:
Path Mate Motor
The motor can be used to drive a component along a path mate.

Servo Motor
This motor is only available when using event-based motion. which requires SolidWorks Simulatior
Professional or Premium.
 Physics-based Motion 237

Mates
Basic The types of mates used for Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion are important for the solvers to be
vity, and able to solve the equations of motion.
and Only standard mates are supported in Basic Motion studies. Advanced and mechanical mates are not
while
supported. Therefore, these are the only mates that should be used in Basic Motion:
s to think
Coincident Parallel
Perpendicular Tangent
illation ~:~ Lock
Concentric
Jf the
Distance Angle
tents had
If we have other than standard mates in the assembly, there could be unpredictable and erratic behavior.

changes In SolidWorks Motion, most mate types are allowed and some mates not supported in Basic Motion,
5 not such as the hinge mat e, are preferred to avoid redundancies.

Redundant Mates
Many mates that are added to assemblies are redundant. While these mates may
not be a problem in the assembly itself, they can be a problem for the motion study
solution.
Consider the door and frame shown at right. The actual door uses two hinges to
share the load and provide the rigidity for proper alignment. This is necessary in
the physical world because everything has some flexibility. In SolidWorks, all
Kh has components are absolutely rigid, which means that only one hinge is necessary for
:mpared the motion study. These redundant mates can cause incorrect solutions in an
analysis and can cause the motion solvers to fail or give unpredictable results.
When a motion study does not run properly, you may have to analyze the existing
1meway mates and suppress mates that are redundant.
~ in
SolidWorks Motion can analyze the mates and rep lace redundant mates with
bushings. For more information on redundant mates, see the SolidWorks Motion training course.

ulation
238 Chapter 9

Motion Study Properties

Each motion study type has its own
set of options, but the settings
generally fall into two categories: j-:B;;;;sic:;;;;.;,
a I~;Otion ;;;:;':.;;;-----.::~::..t [ Basic Hotion
frames per second and contact Frames per secnnd:
fNotion Analysis
settings. [16 --~] Fram<!S per secnnd:
r llasic:lofotion
Geometry Aros~<'l' f2s
In Animation, t he frames per second 1-lotioaAnalysis
low Hil;h
set the number of t imes the motion 0 Anima"' dl.mg sm.iation
J Replace redJndant mates
would be calculated per second 3D COnmct Resolution: 0 with bushi:1gs

through interpolation. In Basic

3) Contact ~tion:
Motion and SolidWorks Motion,
' [ Hotion Analysis ~ l~N ~
numerical solvers are used to J
calculate component position based
on the appropriate laws of motion.
Gen:=~~~ I 0
O ~ts fur new motion
Use Precise Contact

=-~ l o'N
These solvers work in relatively [o.OO(iloooooo - ~
~T rTTT
small time steps that are much
smaller than those needed for the
..J I ! Pklt Defaults .. 0

1 Adv<m!d Options... 1
animation. In these two motion L..:::=
study types, frames per second
~ these settilgs as
controls the number of t imes the 0 defatJts fur new motion
studies
component position is recorded for 0
l
Show &I Motion Analysis
messages
playback.
With Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion, components can essentially become solid. Because the
components are in fact mathematical volumes, the methods and the accuracy used to calculate the
boundaries of the components can be adjusted based on t he needs of the solution.
 Physics-based Motion 239

Case Study: Ball Sorter

- -e ball sorter is a simple device where balls of various
~-=es roll down a trough propelled by gravity. Then,
:::sed on t he size of each ba ll, they fall into the
:=:::;Jropriate tray.

--is is a dynamic system as the path of each ball is

::,trolled by its mass, start ing position, and
-:eraction wit h the other balls.

Storyboard
D D
- :the start of t he animatio n, all t he balls are in t he -~::1
D ;:; D
:::ding area at t he t op of t he trough. At the end of
--e animation, all the balls will be in the appropriate
~~

II ~
D
Basic

.
-=y based on size. Motion D

.. ocedure D D

Open an assembly. D D
::en the assembly Sorter.sldasm from the D ?~
,,, t
D
-~a.pter 9 \ Case Study\ Ball Sorter fo lder. D I' ;;;:; ~ ..a! D

Examine the assembly. D D

:tice that t here are no mat es in this assembly and D ~ D

~
:~ 1y t he Sorter part is fixed. The motion of each of D D
-e balls will be determined by gravity, t he trough, D D
:::-:::1 inte raction with the other balls.
D D

Play the animation. D D

::: ::y the animation Ball Sorter.mp4 from the D D
:--a.pter 9 \ Case Study\ Videos fo lder. This is the
D !' - w ID
=.-Imation we will create.
240 Chapter 9

Gravity
Gravity is an important quantity when the weight of a part has an influence on its motion. such as a body
in free fall. In motion studies. gravity consists of two components:
Direction of the gravitational vector
1:1

Magnitude of the gravitational acceleration

The Gravity Properties allows you to specify the direction and magnitude of t he gravitational vector. YoL
can specify the gravitational vector by selecting the X. Y, and Z direction or by specifying a reference
plane. The magnitude must be entered separately. The defau lt value for the gravitational vector is the
Y direction and t he magnitude is g8o6.ssmm/sec 2 or the equivalent in the currently active units.

Where to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: Click Gravity ~

4 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Basic Motion.

Select Basic Motion for the Type of Study.

5 Add gravity.
Click Gravity on the Motion Manager t oolbar.
Observe the triad in the lower left corner of the graphics area and we can see
that the proper direction fo r gravity will be in the -Y direction. Select Y for the Ox 0v Oz
direction and the default value of gravity of g8o6.6Smm/s/\2. ~ 19806.6Smm/s A2 I:
Check the green arrow in the lower right
corner of the graphics area to make sure it
is pointing downward(-Y).lf it is pointing in
the +Y direction, dick Reverse Direction
~ in the PropertyManager.
 Physics-based Motion 241

ote If you tried to apply gravity while in t he Animation motion study

:ype. you would have been warned that you needed to use either Basic
'-1otion or SolidWorks Motion study types. If you did not change to
::me of these motion study types and still tried to apply gravity, it
Nould appear in the Mot ionManager design t ree, but suppressed. jJAn:maijon

5 Calculate the study.

:lick Calculate.
- he study will calculate for 5 seconds (the default) and the balls
Nill all drop through the trough. While we are using a Basic
'.!lotion study type, that in it self does not make the components
solid, to do t hat we must define the component s t hat will require
::ontact to be calculated.

Contact
:::ontacts are defined between two or more bodies (a contact pair). During t he definition, whatever
~eature you pick on the parts, the corresponding body will be select ed (and used for the contact
~malys i s). As the motion study is solved, the software calculates if the pa rts interfere at each solution
step. In SolidWorks Motion, as soon as contact is determined, a fine r interference calculation is done
.Jetween the two bodies and from the ce nt er of gravity of the interference volume. An impact force is
:omput ed and t hen applied on both bodies. In a Basic Motion study, the calculat ions are not refined
Nhen contact is detected.
-o understand t he contact treatment in motion st udies, we first need to remember the original
<:ssu mption of motion st udies: all parts in the motion study are rigid. Cont act conditions are used to
simulate impact of the two or more colliding part s (which are not rigid in real life). Nearly without
exceptions, all impacts feature high relative velocity, which result in elasto-plast ic deformations with
severe localized st rains and significant changes in t he local geometry (geometry of the contact region}.
.;pproximations are t herefore necessary to achieve a solution .

.'/here to Find It
Motion Manager Toolbar: click Contact ~
242 Chapter 9

7 Add contact.
Move the time bar to o seconds.
Click Contact @':> on the Mot ion Manager toolbar. Select the Sorter and all the balls.
Click OK.

8 Calculate the study.

Click Calculate.

The balls now follow the trough and push each other based on their mass.

Contact Groups
Contact Groups can speed calculations by grouping components that do not int eract with each other.
When contact groups are created, components within a group do not interact with each other, but ead:
component in the group will interact with components in the other group.
 Physics-based Motion 2 4 3

- Create contact groups. ~ fJI

',e would not normally creat e a contact ~ ~
~Jup for an animation such as t he sorter,
::St: wewill do it here just t o see what it
::Jes to the animation.
:::::it the feature Solid Body Contactl in
::-te MotionManager design tree.
Select Use contact groups. This will divide
~ I Ba! -13 @5orter
Bai-9@Sorter
Bai-14@Sorter
Bal-lS @Sorter
. Bai-!O<!!>Sorter
"
v

:.e selection into two groups. Delete the

, ~ ~ -'"''~
Sorter from the first group and put it into
:1e second group. The component s will
Number of contact pairs: 14
- ow be color-coded based on t heir group.
:::lick OK.

0 Calculate the st udy.

:::lick Calculate.
-;-his time, each ball acts as if t he other balls are not present, but the sorter is.

11 Remove contact g roups.

--~
t :: Obviously cont act groups are not called for in this animation, so edit the cont act feature and remove
E2: :-. the groups. Make sure the Sorter goes back int o the single group with the balls.
244 Chapter 9

Change the Animation Speed

The animation runs very fast with all motion ceasing in just over 3 seconds. In an Animation motion stuc
we could slow down the motion by extending the timeline for the top level component; however, this v.
not have t he same effect in a physics-based motion study as the speed of t he components is cont roiiE:.
by t he motion drivers.
In this motion study, the motion driver is gravity. So if we want t o slow the speed of the balls, we cou.:
either change the angle of the sorter relative to gravity or adjust the value of gravity. While it may see-
odd to adjust gravity, we have to remember that gravity is just a force and we can adjust that fo rce. -
addition, our purpose is to create a video and not an analysis. People viewing t he video have no way t:::
know that the value of gravity is something other than t he gravitational constant.

12 Adjust gravity.
In the Motion Study design tree, right-click Gravity and then Edit Feature.
Change the value from the default g8o6.6Smm/s"2 to 1S00mm/s" 2.
Click OK.

13 Lengthen the study.

Drag the key point for the assembly to 10 seconds. We have to do this because at 5 seconds, t he ball5
will all still be moving.

14 Calculate the study.

Click Calculate.
At this speed, the motion of the balls is easier to follow.

15 Change starting positions.

Move the time bar to 0 seconds.
Drag several of the balls to different starting positions.

16 Calculate the study.

Click Calculate.
This t ime we have a different animation because the balls have to move based on their starting position5
and the motion drivers and contact applied. This is the main reason we used the Basic Motion study typt:
instead of Animation.

17 Save and close the files.

 Physics-based Motion 245

-imitations
-= ::reate animations using the Basic Motion study type, it is just as important to understand the
- ;:ations as the capabilities. Because Basic Motion is optimized for speed rather than accuracy, t here
: ::things that it cannot do. It is important t o understand the limitations so that you can decide either
: ..:se SolidWorks Motion for a more accurate solution or to create the animation using an Animation
~c-.:ion study.

~es

- ::Csic Motion only supports standard mates.

~~e friction is not available. SolidWorks Motion does support mate friction. which can be added
-:::ugh t he PropertyManager of the individual mate.
--= action of a motor may cause conflict with contact conditions if t he mot or action is t ransmitted
~-:mgh other than standard mates.

!otors
--=on ly variable that can be used in an expression is time. To use other variables in an expression
:-::.~ires So lidWorks Motion to define and solve the variable.

S=--1omotors are only available in SolidWorks Motion with SolidWorks Simulat ion Premium.

Jcmping
:::~.,ping is controlled by a global value that cannot be edited by the user. In SolidWorks Motion,
:c.1ping can be added t o springs or as a separate motion element.

-.:rce
- _-:::es (except for gravity) can only be applied in SolidWorks Motion; they are not available in Basic
::ion.

:Untact
:::::-:-ectly calculating contact is the result of several factors, including geometry accuracy, solver step
5.-=.e, solver methodology, and rate of closure. In Basic Motion, we have no direct cont rol over the solver
: =J size or the solver that is used. We on ly have limited cont rol over the geometric accuracy. With high
::sure rates, the solver can miss the contact because of the distance the geometry moves between
~=Js. Rolling contact is generally solved correctly in Basic Motion, but impact with high rates of closure
-c.v not, and could require SolidWorks Motion to be solved.
246 Chapter 9

Contact Friction
In Basic Motion, contact friction is set by the materials of the parts in contact. If parts in contact are
made from different materials, the average of the two friction values is used. The values of contact
friction cannot be changed in Basic Motion, other than changing t he material assigned to the parts. The
alternative is to use SolidWorks Motion where the values can be set manually.

Coefficient of Restitution
Basic Motion does not support a coefficient of restitution, so it is considered to be zero. Therefore wher
two objects collide, there will be no bounce. If the impact angle is other than go degrees, the parts wit.
continue to move; however, the angle of incidence will not equal the angle of reflection.

Case Study: Impact

This is just a simp le example to show how component s behave at impact in Basic Motion case studies.

Procedure
1 Open an assembly.
Open the assembly Impact.sldasm from the
Case Study\ Impact folder. The assembly contains a ball
with a starting position above the plate.

2 Play the video Impact-l.mp4.

This is what we would like to achieve: a ball drops and e
bounces up and down on the plate until it loses energy
and comes to rest.
e
3 Open an assembly.
Select the motion study 90 Deg Drop. This motion
study has already been set up. Contact has been defined

between the ball and the plate and gravity has been
applied.
 Physics-based Motion 247

Calculate and play the animation.

- he ball drops and stops abruptly at the plate. This is
;:!so shown in the video Impact-2.mp4.

3 Change motion studies.

Select the motion study 45 Deg Dr op.
-
c Unsuppress a feature.
1 t he Feature Manager design t ree, unsuppress the feature Extrude-Thin l in the part Bounce Plate.

Play the video Impact-3.mp4.

nis is what we would like to achieve: a ball drops on t he
-:dined plate and bounces as it rolls down the s lope. At the
::::>ttom, it impacts a wa ll and bounces back up the slope and
-epeats until it loses energy and comes to rest.

_ Calculate and play the animation .

.!.gain, there is no bounce because there is no way to adjust t he
: ;)efficient of restitution in Basic Motion.This is also shown in
:::-~e video Impact-4.mp4.

:low Do You Get the Ball to Bounce?

~cause we cannot adjust the coeff icient of restitution in
3asic Motion, we must either use SolidWorks Motion {which
....as done for videos Impa ct-1 and Impact-3), or create the animations using key points, which could
=2 very time-consuming.

Save and close the assembly.

248 Chapter 9

Case Study: Geneva Wheel

The Geneva wheel is a very basic element in machine design used to turn constant rot ary motion into~
indexing output motion. In this case study, we will create a simple animation of a Geneva wheel to lear
more about the Basic Motion study type.

Storyboard
D D
We want a simple animation of the Geneva wheel in
motion. The input whee l will rotate four times and D D

the output wheel will rotate in steps based on the D D

motion of t he pin in the slot. Geneva Wheel D D

Procedure D D

1 Open an assembly. D D
Open the assembly Geneva Wheel.sldasm from D D
the lesson folder. D D
D D

D D

D D

D D

D D

D D
D D

D D
 Physics-based Motion 249

2 Play the video. Angular Ds placement

~
?lay the completed video Geneva Wheel- l .mp4. ~

t:
N 180

~1-8: o J
~
:=rom t he motion in the video, we can see t hat the
, ot ion would be difficult to create with key points. If
Ne were to create plot s of the angu lar displacement ttl

g, 0.00 120
1

2.40 3 60
I I

4.80
>
6.00
I I

7 20
I

8 .40 10.00
and velocity of t he Out pu t Geneva wheel. we would ~ Time (sec)

see that the general shape of the curves could be

::>btained with key point motion, but the smoot h Angular Velocity
til
~a nsitions would be difficult.

IH l\ ,/~
-:-o have t he Ou t put Geneva wheel driven by t he
:::ont act of the pin on the Inpu t Disk. we will need to
use Basic Motion or Mot ion Analysis to create t he I /\ I
animation. 1 000 1.20 240 360 4.80 6 .00
TRne (sec)
7.20 8.40 10.00

3 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Basic Motion.

Select Basic Motion fo r the Type of Study.

4 Add a motion driver.

Add a rotary motor t o t he Input Dis k to have it drive at
15RPM in the direct ion shown.

:J Calculate.
Calculate t he mot ion st udy. The default length of the
study will be 5 seconds .

.Ve can see that t he pin on t he Inpu t Disk moves t hrough

:he Out put Geneva wheel.

::l Add Contact.

~eturn the ti me bar t o a seconds.

Click Contact ~ on the Motion Manager t oolbar.

Select bot h the Output Gen eva wheel and the Inpu t Disk.

Click OK.
250 Chapter 9

7 Verify initial position.

If there is physical contact between the parts in the cont act group that prevents motion, the motor wit.
not be able to rotate.
Wit h t he time bar still at 0 seconds, make sure that two components are not in contact.

8 Calculate.
Click Calculate. The solver tries to calculate a solution, but the parts either do not move or just move
slightly and st op.
The assembly behaves as if t here is contact between t he parts. To understa nd what is happening, we
have to understand how contact is solved in Basic Motion.

Contact Options
Because contact is calculated from numerical representat ions of our
components, the geometry used in the mathematical model is not precise. In
other words, the smooth cylinders are not smooth, but rather are made up of
t riangles, or tessellation data. The coarseness of the tessellation will
J
determine how close the calculated contact is to real contact of solid object s. 30 c~ Resolution:
Also the amount of penetration can be controlled. The more accuracy we low

demand, the longer the calculation time. J

There are two contact settings in the Basic Motion study properties:

Geometry Accuracy
To calculate the contact between components, Basic Motion uses the tessellation of the surfaces.
The higher the accuracy, the smaller the tessellat ion triangles and the closer to actua l geometry thE
boundary becomes. This makes collision simulation more accurate, but requires more time to
compute.
 Physics-based Motion 251

3D Contact Resolution
This controls the allowed amount of interpenetration between the bodies. Higher sett ings allow less
penetration but increase the solution time. Using higher values of 3D Contact Resolution produces
smoother motion, especially in tight-fit situations. For example, you can include contact information
before calculating the smooth motion of a ball rolling in a channel that has very little clearance.
n our assembly, the image quality has been adjusted to show the geometry as very smooth as shown in
:he left image. The default contact settings cause the Basic Motion solver to see the geometry more
.:ke t he image on the right because t he defau lt settings are relatively coarse to speed calculation. The
-esult is that individual facets of the tessellated model are making contact and stopping the motion.

- ::: allow our assembly to solve, we are going to have to improve geometrical accuracy to more closely
-=?resent what we see on the screen.
::te In t his assembly, the gap between the two parts has been purposely increased t o more vividly
:z;monstrate how contact works.

Change properties. Basic Motion ~

::: .ck Motion Study Properties .11 on the Motion Manager toolbar. Frames per second:

ll6 ~
- -e default value for Geometry Accuracy is 4. Move the slider t o 7.
Geometry Accurp ; 4 / 7
!5. l ow Jf JfHigh
1
t""E ~ Contact R~so~~;
l ow ~gh

r
252 Chapter 9

10 Calculate.
Calculat e the motion study.
The study now runs, but we can see a problem in that the motion of the Output Geneva wheel is no~
smooth and appears to bounce along the surface of the Input Disk.
There are two things causing this. The first is that while the tesselation triangles are small enough t o
allow motion, they still ap pear to be ridges to the solver. Second, the two parts penetrate each other
during t he motion.
To see the individual effects of the two cont act settings, we will maximize one setting and minimize the-
other.

11 Change properties. Basic Motion

Click Motion Study Properties ~ on the MotionManager toolbar. Frames pet second:

Move the Geometry Accuracy slider to 10. This is the maximum value for Basic 10
Geometry Accuracy: ' .
Motion and as smooth as the solver will allow. Low ~

Move the 3D Contact Resolution to 1 (far left).

7 ct Resolution: 1-i<jl

12 Calculate. .r
Calculate the motion study.
With the Geometry Accuracy at maximum we still have some bouncing. This is no longer a problem of
the tesselation dat a, but rather a result of the minimum value of 3D Contact Resolution.

13 Zoom in.
Move the time bar t o a position where the pin is engaged in the
slot and zoom in close. We can see that the pin is not tangent
to the surface of the slot but is penetrating it

Restoring Force
In the physical world, t he pin would not penetrate the sides of
t he slot; however, there would be some deformation of the
surfaces based on the materials and loads. In a numerical
simulation, the bodies are rigid. The solver used in Basic Motion
applies a restoring force based on the amount of penetration.
 Physics-based Motion 253

=:emembering that our goal with Basic Motion is to create an animation video and not an analysis, the
::enetration of the parts is usua lly not a problem unless our viewpoint is very close to t he contact area
~a view where the penetration is noticeable. ln those cases, we can increase the 3D Contact Resolution.
-cases like the ball sorter in the previous case study, the penetration was not noticeable, so we could
"".!n the study with a low value for 3D Contact Resolution.

- Change properties.
C.ick Motion Study Properties ~ on the MotionManager toolbar.
'ove the 3D Contact Resolution to 10 (far right).

'5 Calculate.
C::!culate the motion study.
--e results are a little better but there is still a little bounce. The remaining bounce is caused by two
-- 1gs: the clearance between the two parts and the lack of friction. We ca nnot remove all the
:::netration in Basic Motion so even if we have a tight fit, the parts may still bounce. Basic Motion does
-::~directly support friction, so if we need to refine the animation further, we must use
S:;,idWorks Motion.

S Lengthen the study.

~ :Jur storyboard, we wanted four rotations of the Input Disk. We could either speed up the motor. or
E-:gthen the animation. Because the speed of the rotation is satisfactory, we will just lengthen t he total
~ 11ation.

:-ag the key point for the assembly from 5 seconds to 16 seconds (15 RPM equals one revo lution in
-seconds).
- Calculate.
=.: .::ulate the motion study. We now have four revolutions.

:: Examine the timeline .

.:::Ice that the only key point that is not at 0 seconds is the ending key point for the entire assemb ly.
:: position key points were generated for the motion of the two components.

[ 'V' )~ ~ ~ 'L 0 sec

1 I I
5 sec
1 I I
10 sec
1 I I
j15 *c
~ Geneva Wheel (Defat.it<Defd_Dts,
~Orientation ~ncl Camera Yiews +
- .d] Lights, Cameras and Scene +
~ RotaryMotor4
@ Sold Body Contact 4 f~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~9
f
: ~ ()Output Geneva wheel< I> (Del< +
.:. ~ ()Input Disk<l> (DefaultDefal -------""""---------------~
::; ~~:::,~omector<I>(Defou'tl ; ... " .I n a ; * ; . l
254 Chapter 9

19 Play video.
Play t he file Geneva Wheel-2.mp4.
Now that the basic motion has been established, we will add some viewpoint and appearance changes
to the animation to see how they are done in a Basic Motion st udy.
20 Add viewpoints.
Generate three viewpoints so that when the animation plays, the model will rotate about 60 degrees.
1. Right-click Orientation and Camera Views in t he Motio n Study t ree and clear Disable View Key
Creation.
2. Move the time ba r to 0 seconds.
3. Change to the Front view, then press the left arrow twice, fo llowed by the down arrow once.
4. Move the time bar to 8 seconds.
5. Change to the Front view, then press the down arrow once.
6. Move the time bar to 16 seconds.
7. Change to the Front view, then press the right arrow twice. followed by t he down arrow once.

21 Play the animation.

The viewpoint now changes through the animation.

22 Examine the timeline.

The t imeline is now a mixture of driven motion and key point motion as the Orientation and Camera
Views now has key points.

~~~~ 'il 10 secI I

5 s ec
1 I I llO s ec
I I
j15 ee
s ~Geneva Wheel (Defd;<Defd:_Displ.
@ Orient<lljoo and camera Views
~ U!tts. Camera< and Scene
(t RDtaryMobx'4
~ Solid l!ody Co<tact4
Ito ~(-)Otjp<J:Geneva...,.,.,.<l>(Def<
!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ (-) IslU Disl l > (Defd;<<Defa
---------------------------------
f
~ (f) Gnllrd Comem>r<l > (Defd:
fi QS&i.\1iU
 Physics-based Motion 255

.:3 Add appearances .

.:..s the Output Geneva wheel indexes to a new position, it will change to a new color. Make sure tha t
.Wtokey [f] is selected in the MotionManager toolbar.

Move the time bar to 2 seconds.

Change the appearance of the Output Geneva wheel to yellow high gloss plastic.
::.. Move the time bar to 6 seconds.
Change t he appearance of the Output Geneva wheel to red high gloss plastic.
-
.I Move the time bar t o 10 seconds.
Change t he appearance of the Output Geneva wheel to green high gloss plastic.
Move the time bar to 14 seconds.
Change the appearance of the Output Geneva wheel to blue high gloss plastic.
Change the interpolation mode for the four new key points to Snap.

: ..... Play the animation.

-c.e appeara nce now changes through the animation.

:s Examine the timeline.

--e ti meline for the Output Geneva wheel is now a mixture of driven motion (yellow) and key point
::oaearance (magenta). The key points on the part key frame are only associated with the appearance
~d not the motion.

L5tl ~ 'ih ~ ~ 0 sec 15 s 1c I :::1 1 ~ 1

po sec ::..,.""YL-r" lts yc

1 I I I I r I I
- ~Geneva Wheel (Defaul<Default_Displ) I.
@ Orientation and Camera Views
"' :aJ Lights, Cameras and Scene
@ RotaryMotor4
~~~~==~~~~~~~~~~ =::I

-
~ Solid Body Contact4
- ~(-)Outpui:Genevawheei<I>(Def;

- - t

. ..
Move
dJ Explode
e- Appearance
~ ~ Mates in Geneva Wheel
.: ~ (-)lnputDisk<l>(DefaultDef. ........----
: ~ (f)Gro...-.dConnector<I:=-(DefaUt
.: fi MateGroupl
_: Close all open files.
256 Chapter 9

Combining Motion
To this point. our animations have used either Animation for key point animations, or Basic Motion when
we have dynamic motion. Each module uses different solvers so that we cannot directly combine the
motion such t hat some components are driven by Basic Motion and others by key point s.
There are cases. however, when some of the components need to be driven by key points and others by
the laws of physics, so how do we combine these motions in a single animation? To do t his, we must first
create a motion study using Basic Motion and ca lculate the motion for those components driven by
Basic Motion.
Then, we create a second motion study using Animation and import the Basic Motion st udy using t he
Animation Wizard. This will convert the first study into key points in the second animation.
Important! This is a nonassociative process, so any changes made to the component motion in the Basi:
Motion animation do not propagate to the Animation. If you have to change the motion in the Basic
Motion study, you must re-import the study.

Case Study: The Bouncing Ball

In t his case study. we will animate a ball that is suspended by a spring.
To get the motion of the ba ll, we must use Basic Motion so that we
can use gravity and a spring as the motion drivers. We then have to
model a spring part t hat will work in-context with the movement of
the ball.
The assembly will consist of a ball suspended from a frame by a
spring. We will start the motion study with the spring exerting an
upward force on the ball. opposite gravity.
Once the motion is defined, we will add a spring component to
complete the animation.
 Physics-based Motion 257

Storyboard

!.:
::- -,,. -e - D
At the start of the animation, t he ball will be in a
-e ~"e oosition where it is pulled down from its neutral D ~ D
D t
:::JOsition, almost touching the base plate. The ball will D t D
oe released and pulled upward by the spring against Bouncing Ball D D
--e--s _
gravity. The ball will oscillate until motion almost
~ ~ ~
~s:=y
ceases.
Procedure D D
~:5 T:ii

'2.::
:cs:
2
Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Spring Motion.sldasm.

Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study. Name it BM Spring
Motion. We are using BM in the study name to
D

~
D

D
l ~

!
D

D
~
remind us t hat this study will be done with Basic

~Ill~
Motion inst ead of Animation.
Select Basic Motion for the Type of Study.

3 Disable views. D! ID
We will first focus on the component motion. so we
do not want to worry about different views at this time.
Select Disable View Key Creation and Disable Playback of View Keys.

4 Add gravity.
Click Gravity on the MotionManager toolbar and apply the default value for
gravity (g8o6.6somm/s" 2) in the -Y direction.

_..
258 Chapter 9

Springs
Springs can be used as motion drivers in both Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion: however, Basic
Motion is limited to just linear springs. Both translational and rotary springs can be added to the moti::..-
study between components.

Translational Spring
A translational spring represents the displacement-dependent force acting between two parts over c.
distance and along a particular direction.
When defin ing a spring in Basic Motion, it must be linear. If you are using SolidWorks Motion, you cc:-
readily change the force-displacement dependency from linear to another predefined relationship b;
selecting the function type from a list. This allows you to se lect the relationship between the force 2-.c
displacement. The following force-displacement relationships are supported in SolidWorks Motion:
X. X2 X3, X4, 1/x. l/x2, ljx3
You specify the location of the spring on two parts.
Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion calculate the spring force based on the relative displacement
between the two parts, the stiffness of the spring. and the definition of the spring's free length.

1
Spring force:
-----..-..- ....X
F = -K * (X-X 0 )n + F0

When the spring force is negative, the spring is in a stret ched position relative to the free length.
 Physics-based Motion 259

Magnitude of Spring Force

The magnitude of the spring force is based on the stiffness and initial force.
The spring relationship can be written as follows:
F = -K (X- Xo)" + Fo

1/IJhere:
X = Distance between the two locations that define t he spring
a::
:; K=Spring stiffness coefficient (always> o)
O..T,
F0 =Reference fo rce of the spring (preload)
X0 =Reference length (at preload, always> 0)
n = Exponent. For example, if spring force = KX 2, then n = 2. Valid values for the exponent n are
-4. -3. -2, -1, 1, 2, 3. 4.
~ ote For Basic Motion, the only exponent value is 1.

Positive force repels the two parts.

Negative force attracts the two parts.

Where to Find It
MotionManager Toolbar: Click Spring
260 Chapter 9

5 Add a spring.
Click Spring on the MotionManager toolbar.
The weight of the ball is just under 225 grams.

To make sure that the spring acts through

the center of the eye on the ball and the
center of the arc on the base, reference Spring Type

points were added in the part models. EJ Linear Spring

~ Torsional Spring
Set the spring parameters as follows: L --------~

Exponent of Spring Force Expression: 1

(linear)
Spring Constant: 0.07 N/mm
g Free Length: 110mm

Note When we define the two points that

define the length of the spring, the distance
between the two points will be displayed in
Display
the Free Length box. This distance is about
18 15.000mm
250mm, so by changing the value to llOmm,
~# 10
we start with a spring that has been
stretched 140mm.
0 3.000mm

6 Set spring display parameters.

The spring display is only for the period when the motion study is being calculated. It will not be visible
when the motion study is played back or in any videos we create.

Set the Display parameters as follows:

Coil Diameter: 1Smm
Turns: 10 turns
Wire Diameter: 3mm

7 Set study properties.

Click Motion Study Properties .1] on the MotionManager toolbar.

Set the Frames per second to 20.

 Physics-based Motion 261

8 Calculate.
1 e ball will oscillate up and down based on the weight of the ball, the spring values, and gravity.

9 Examine the MotionManager.

1 ere are no individual key points in the MotionManager design tree for the moving component. While
-:re set the Frames per second to 20, t he solver used a smaller time increment to solve the motion
:=;uations. The solution was saved 20 times per second based on the fra me rate.

=-= ll.otion ." ~ I> ~ j [lrl ~ -+!II

l'ii'IWs 'ih ~ ~ 0 sec
1I II I II I I I
12I sec
I I I II I I I
14I sI ec
I I
: ~ Spring Motion (Defa<At<Oisplay St..te
Orientation and c_..,. View
.,_ bJ Lights, cameras and Scene
. , Gravity
Li"leorSprinQ l
.0! ~ (f) Bose for SprinQ<l > (Default
i~~t
j j ~ () Bal<l> (.Pefa<.lt<<Oefai.Jt>_Di
8i
.dl MateGroup l
:---------------

:::: Play the animation.
,:Jtice that the spring is not visible. The spring we added is used only for the motion study solution and
:; not a physical component in t he assembly. We must model the spring as a separate component to
:ake it visible.

Extend the animation.

::::-ag the key point for the assembly to 12 seconds to lengthen the animation and then recalculate the
::.1imation.

ot ice that the motion decays with time.

J amping
3asic Mot ion has a global damping const ant that causes energy loss during the solution. ln Basic Motion,
:--:e amount of damping cannot be adj usted. In So lidWorks Motion. damping is set as a user defined
=:..~antity.

: Suppress mates.
- 10 coincident mates were used to keep the ball orient ed correctly.

-''Jve the time bar to 0 seconds and suppress the two mates .

.'ave the ball just a very small amount, just enough to move it off the defau lt planes.
262 Chapter 9

13 Calculate and play.

Recalculate the motion study and then play the result.
Even though the line of action is through the center of the ball, the ball moves off axis after several
oscillations. There are times that this occurs even when the starting point is exactly in line. This is a
result of using numerical methods for the calculations, as round-off errors can cause the part to becomE
imbalanced. Because this is an animation, the two coincident mates are used to counteract the small
inaccu racies of the so lution.

14 Unsuppress mates.
Move t he time bar to 0 seconds and unsuppress the two coincident mat es.

Creating a Spring
Because the spring used to drive the mot ion cannot be made visible in the animation, we must create
the spring as a separate part. We learned how to create a spring that changes size t hrough in-conte:G:
relationships in Chapt er 8. Therefore, to create our spring part, it must have an in-context sweep pat~
that is tied to the hook in the base part and the eye of the ball.

15 Duplicate the study.

Create a duplicate of the motion study and name it BM With Spring.

16 Set start point.

Move the t ime bar to 0 seconds. Select the Model tab.

17 Insert new part.

Insert a new part into t he assembly. Select the Right plane of the assembly.
 Physics~based Motion 263

3 Create a sketch.
::<etch a line from t he Point 1 on the hook to
?.Jint l on the ball and make the end points of the
-e coincident with the two points.

:? Name the part.

::me this new part Spring.

::::: Exit.
=xit the sketch. then exit Edit Part.
: Calculate.
::elect the BM With Spring motion study.
:. .ick Calculate and observe the sketch in the new
::2;-t. The sketch remains stat ic and does not change
=.>gth with the movement of the Ball. even though
-:-e lower end of the sketch line is coincident to the
;::;int in the eye of the Ball.
:elearned in Chapter 8 that the in-context relationships were solved at each key point. The problem
--:2;-e is that there are no key points for the components in the Basic Motion study. Therefore, the sketch
.:2:1not update.

:: Key point to zero .

.'-:JVe the time bar to 0 seconds. lf the time bar is at any other position, there will be an error as
3:JlidWorks cannot solve the mat e between the lower end of the spring and the ball.

Importing Simulation Results

-.e downside of both Basic Mot ion and Motion Analysis studies is that they do not support simple key
~med part motion; all motion must be defined using the motion drivers. Also, the results are fragile, so
=you make changes to the assembly, the results will go out of dat e and will need to be reca lculated.
- he calculated results from either motion study type can be imported into an Animation motion study.
;t that point the results are encapsulated as a simple set of part positions.
- he advantage of this is t hat the imported motion is robust and will not be lost if you make other
::1anges to t he new motion study or to the model. The imported motion will play back quickly because
~is already calcu lated. lt can be moved and rescaled to change the start time and duration. Additional
-notion can also be added to t he beginning or end, or at overlapping times for parts that are not affected
3Y the simulation.
264 Chapter g

The disadvantage is t hat the imported motion is static and will not automatically recalculate if the
model changes. If you change your assembly, or want to change the simulation parameters, you must
recalculate the simulation, then re-import the motion into the second motion study.
Note Only component positions are imported. Anything else you have added to the simulation, such as
view orientation changes or, co lor and t ransparency changes, will not be imported.
You can only have one imported simulation in a motion study.
Tip Suppress irrelevant parts before calculating. Any part that is in the simulation may move, even
imperceptibly, within the simulation engine. When the results of the simulation are imported into a new
mot ion study, the imported motion will attempt to position any part that moves. This will interfere with ar.
other motion you add to the part in the second motion study. If t here is a part you want to move separate~
from the simulation, it is best to suppress that part when calculating the simulation.
Best practice is to import the simulation at 0 seconds, and then reposition it to the desired starting time.
When you import a motion study, keys will be added to move all parts to their correct positions at the star:
of the simulation. If you import at 0 seconds. att parts witt have the same initial position in the new motion
study that they had in the Basic Motion study.

23 Create a motion study.

Creat e a new motion study and name it Imported.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.

24 Import the study.

Click Animation Wizard on the
MotionManager toolbar.
Select Import motion from Basic Motion.
Click Next. ~ ~ U U U U M ~ U ~
Tme(s)
 Physics-based Motion 265

E ::elect the BM Sprin g With Spring study. Select a Motion Study

s =-~ck Next .
Select a motion studot. Ond-t motion
studies with calculated results are sho'll-n:
:te If you have created other motion f BM$
~3
::::!dies and t hen deleted them, they will still rm
::-,ow in t his list until t he assembly is saved
=..-d reopened. Even though the tab for
: e!eted motion studies has been removed,
lmpcrts the catculated component movements from a motion ~1-
- e studies remain in memory until the file is
J>n imported motiOn ~em wil appear in the motiOn study FeatureMana!l"f tree a! owing
: :Jsed. the imported results to be moved and rescaled.

< Back H NeJI! > I I eanc,! I ~

"E
,..-
--e default values shou ld be a duration of
-~seconds and a start time of 0 seconds,
;-;ich corresponds with the duration and
:::art time of t he Basic Motion study. loP e (knear) vj

:liosition components at the start time to

k [ s.OONimm __ ]]
-,
f8I [1oo.ooomm ]::.
-;;atch the initial simulation state shou ld
0 Update to model
=eady be select ed. If not. select it. changes:

[ 0 Damper
: .::::k Finish.
Displ ay

:~ Set the frame rate. 12: [zs.OOOmm

~=cause we are now in an Animat ion st udy, I ~# rw=
-e fra me rate might be set differently from j Q) ( 2.500mm
--at used in the Basic Motion study. The
=-"sic Motion study was calcu lated at
.::::: r PS, so we should use the same frame rate in t he Animations st udy so that t he imported data lines
-~co rrectly with the animation frames.

=:::t the frame rate to 20 FPS_

:= 1enRunthethest udystudy.
runs, the 30 sketch follows the motion of the ball because the Animation study type
____ses key points. Now the 3D sket ch can be used as the path for the sweep used to create the s pring.
266 Chapter 9

27 Examine the timeline.

We do not see individual key points. The bo rdered yellow key frames indicate motion that is driven
indirectly. in this case, the imported mot ion. There is also a new Imported Motion feature in the
Mot ionManager design tree.

l 'ii~W ~ ~ 'tJI 0secI l l i l l I II

12sec
I I I 111111
14sec
1111111 II
16s ec
I I I i l l I II
18s ec
1111111 t I
110 sec
Ill t l l t l l
112sec
11 / l

., ~Spring Motion_& (Default <DisplayS

@ Orient<ltion and Camera Vi
(,; ~ liQhts, Cameras an
@ Imported Motion
Etl ~ (f) Base for Spring_&.< I> (Defaull
lb ~ () ~-&< 1 > (Default<<Defd:>
"' ~ (-)[ Spring_ll<'Spring Motion_&. ]<~
d; 81~ MateGroupl
t
28 Open part.
Open t he Spring part in its own window.

29 Edit the path s ketch.

Edit the sketch and change the existing line to a construction line.
Sketch a line on top of the const ruction line and dimension it 1Smm from each end of the
L. 15 ~
construction line.
We are doing this so t hat the path is shorter than the distance between the two points. This
1
will allow us to add a hook to each end of the spring.
Exit the sketch. II

15

r
 Physics-based Motion 267

; :: Create a profile sketch.

~~ f-03
:=:-eate a sketch on the Front plane of the Spring. 7
E'
~-<etch a circle and dimension it as shown.
:=.xit the sketch.
I
-; Sweep the spring. '

:-eate a sweep using the option t o Twist Along Path for 10.5 turns.
I'
I
'
::: Edit assembly. I
=:?turn to the assembly and then Edit Assembly mode.
1
Errors
:JU will frequently get errors in the FeatureManager design t ree with the in-context part. These errors

~e related to the position of the part at the current location of the t ime bar which may be different
=-::>m the position where the in-context relationship was defined.
-~clear the error message, return the time bar t o 0 seconds and click Rebuild.

33 Click Calculate.

3-t Play the animation.

-:,e spring elongates and contract s as expected.

Complete the Spring Part

!,.II that is left is to add the end hooks on the spring. Because t his is basic SolidWorks
-;odeling. we will not do it here. We defined the sweep path to be 30mm (15mm at each end)
::'10rter than t he construction line, so the hooks will not change size or shape during the
::1imation. It is also important t o remember that in a video. people viewing the video on ly see
:hat you allow t hem t o see. They cannot pan. zoom. and rotate the model on their own. so if
:;e viewpoints you establish are not zoomed in on the spring ends, t hen they do not have t o
:::e modeled with great detail.

35 Record.
~ecord
t he animation.

36 Close all open files.

- .p When creating the Basic Motion st udy, suppress all the components not affected by basic
11otion. This speeds the calculation and prevents unnecessary additional key points from being
t;enerated for these components.
268 Chapter 9

Physical Dynamics
Physical Dynamics is a funct ion t hat allows component s to exert a force on other components that they
may touch. Essent ially, the components are temporarily considered solid.

The key options are the ability to specify which components will be used when considering contact anc
the sensitivity. Sensitivity controls the mesh size and overlap to determine when component s are
considered to touch.

Where to Find It
CommandManager: Move Component. then select Physical Simulation in t he PropertyManager

Capturing the Screen

Both still images and video can be captured directly from t he graphics area of the
screen. Both tools are fou nd on the Screen Capture toolbar.
Image Capture
Image capt ure will capture an image of the graphics area and place it on the Windows clipboard. It c2~
then be pasted into other document s such as the SolidWorks Design Binder or PowerPoint.

Where to Find It
Menu: View, Screen Capture, Image Capture
1:1

Screen Capture Toolbar: Image Capture m

Record Video
Movements in the graphics area can be recorded and saved to either an AVI video file or a series of Brv.:::
or TGA images. Recording t he screen can be useful for a quick video where you just drag components
to show how something works.
The problem with these videos is that they are neither editable nor repeatable. There is no time line t::
edit. so if you make a mistake. you have to record what you are doing again from the begin ning.

Where to Find It
11Menu: View, Screen Capture, Record Video or View, Screen Capture, Stop Video Record
Screen Capture Toolbar: Click Record Video Is or Stop Video Record ~
 Physics~based Motion 269

Case Study: Physical Dynamics

i-e ::lhysical dynamics uses physical contact to enable motion between components such as gears and
stops.
a;r.: Procedure
Open the assembly.
:;:>en the assembly Bevel Gears.sldasm from the Chapter 9 \ Case Study\ Bevel Gears folder.
- 1e default view orientation and position will be used as the initial position.

Start recording. !fll Record Screen Cpture to File ~

:::lick Record Video ts . Use the default settings
Save n . ~J Bevel Gears @ ,1' ..
::-:d the name Bevel Gears.
Name Date modifi ed Tl
No it~ match your search.

c::-
_ _
'"
< ~..- ~

f'je nome: Bevel Geors.avi Save

I
Sove os type: Microsoft AVI fole {".avi) ] Canoe!

Renderer: ISolidWorl<s screen ] ~

Image 51~ ..-..1 Aspect Rotio Frame InfOrmation

0 800 ID 600 ~~second l2o

J; Axed aspect ratio
i:5
Use"'"""a~trabo

(c)' CUstom aspect r.!tlo f~idth: heiglt)

4 :3
270 Chapter 9

3 Select physical dynamics.

Click Move Component ~ and select Physical Dynamics and All components.

4 Motion.
Click on a face of the bevel3<2> component as shown and drag to engage the
gears. Move the component in both directions so that you can see the gears go
Rotat<!
through the backlash. The 0 icon shows the center of mass.
' Options
0 Standard Drag
0 Coli,;on Oe~on
0 Physi~ Oynanics
Ched< bertoeen:
0 AI cxxnponents
0 These ccmponenls

0 Dragged part orly

SenSIIMty

5 Stop recording.
Click Stop Video Record .~ .
6 Play the animation.
Play the animation using Windows Media Player or another player.
As you can see, there were no controls to set the timing or length of the animation.

1 Save and close all files.

Animating Gears
There are two approaches when showing gears in an animation. One method is to do as in the previot.5
case study and have the gears interact through contact. This can either be done with physical dynamiG
as a bove or through contact in either Basic Motion or SolidWorks Motion. If the viewpoint is zoomed -
very close to the gear contact point and the gears change direction so that the teeth move through th:
backlash, then this method might be appropriate. However, you must realize t hat t here is a high
computational overhead to this method as all the faces of each contact set must be continually
evaluated for contact with the other parts.
 Physics-based Motion 271

=the viewpoint is not close to the gear contact point or the gears only revolve in one direction, using a
_5::ar mat e is preferable as it is much easier and faster to calculate the motion.

Case Study: Fly-Ball Governor

='y-ball governors are used to control different types of rotating machinery.
::2rticularly steam-driven equipment. As the un it spins, the combination of
~vity acting on the two balls plus centripetal accelerat ion causes the balls
:::move outward and rise. As the balls rise, the linkage closes down on the
.. -Jut valve to slow t he machine. As the rotation slows, the balls lower and
"' ::::.~se the linkage to open the input valve to speed up the machine. ln some
_5:ivernors, there may also be a spring to adjust the set point of the governor.

Storyboard
D D
~:art with the model at rest. Increase speed until the
eights rise and then cycle the speed to show the D D

2:tion of the governor. Finish by having the unit come D D

'
Fly-Ball
:::rest. Play the video Fly-Ball Governor.mp4 to Governor D D
::-ee an example of what we are trying to achieve. D D

~
Animation Approach D D
- ;e first question is what type of motion study D D
:;.-:auld we use to create this animation. If we review D D
:-e assembly, t he parts all move relative to each
D D
::.1er through mates, which would mean that this is a
1ematic system and the Animation motion study
:::~uld be ap propriate. However, the motion drivers
:::-e rotat ion and gravity. To account for gravity, we
- :ght consider using either Basic Motion or
D

D
:l\ D

~
SDlidWorks Motion. Let's start wit h Basic Motion. D D

,D D
-
-~
I
D

' I D
272 Chapter 9

Mates
When we use a Basic Motion or Motion Analysis study type to calculate t he physics of motion, mate
types become more important. There are some mate types t hat cannot be used, such as the width mate.
and there are others that work better. such as a hinge mate instead of a coincident and concentric mate
combination. Basic Motion only supports standard mates. If SolidWorks Motion is used, mates play ar
even larger part in the simulation and may have to be changed to get the correct numerical results. The
effect of mates in motion analysis is covered in the training course SolidWorks Motion.

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open Fly Ball Governor.sldasm from the Chapter 9\Case Stud.y\ Fly Ball Governor fo lder.

2 Examine the assembly.

Make sure that the assembly can rotate and the arms are free to move. We want to insure that the
assembly is free to move as intended during the motion study.

3 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study. Name it BM Governor.
Select Basic Motion for the Type of Study.

4 Add gravity.
Add gravity at the default value in the -Y direction.

5 Add contact.
Add contact between the lower arm and the base. This limits the
downward travel of the linkage at slow speeds.
 Physics-based Motion 273

Add a spring. :OIfll

a<:::: - ::d a linear spring between the circular edges of ' )(
c:nu..c::- :::..:nks-2 and the Center Shaft. Use the settings shown.
~
ring Parameters ~
-L: ---2; !! EdQe< I >@lrn-2 :
Edqe<2>@Center Shaft-1
25:: :: =:-
5-. ;:s ""'E io.,BI !(linear) v
J

k ~ O.O'IN/mm J:
18! .75.000nm 1:
0 Update to model
dlanges

- --- t_Q_Q.amper - _ 2.}

f;[~~=-O=J~
JC::: iUE
~ Qo
0 ~.soomm
-, :
_~ :
j
Add motor.
-dd a rotary motor to the upper arm, Link-1.
~ Motor Speed.txt -... l
File Edit Format
= I @) --
v;., Help
~torType
~ Rotary Motor
:j- ~
0 ,0 A
EJt.near Motor (Actuator)
1 , 100
3et the motor type to Data Points, Velocity. Select 2 , 200
4,250
.-\kima Spline for the interpo lation type. 5, 250
6, 250
7 ,1 50
: :ick Import Data and load the file 8 , 250
9 ,150
:.!otor Speed. txt from the lesson folder. This is a i 10, J250 .
:Jmma-delimit ed text file where the first column is
[%
f.1otion ~
: "Tle and the second column will be deg/s.
Data Points

' - - - - - [ EDt... =:!__1

274 Chapter 9

j[O SOgnms I~ DlliB Ifx J

ExJWcssm

vu cvl: ~ CdeQ/sl ~J
Jndependentvorioble(i<): ~

Interpolotloo type: [ Akmo Spline 300.0

L_.o...... J
I T~(s) I
LO 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 S.O 9.0 !Q.O 11.0
T'""'(s)

----- I

- 200.0 - ~

i 100.0 ~(\ 1\ /
I
~ -100.0
.. ~~Vl
Tme (s) :

200.0
.
----

Design Library
The Design Library can be used t o store some motion driver elements, such as motors and springs, f.:-
repeated use. The methods and principle are the same as using the Design Library to save library par::;
assemblies, and features so that we can just drag and drop elements int o our current document to 52 ;
time and work.
To add a motion element to the Design Library, you can either drag it from the Motion Study design t-~=
to the fo lder in t he Design Library, or you can right-click t he motion element and click Add to Library
Motion elements are added to the Design Library with the ext ension * .sldmt nfvt.
 Physics-based Motion 275

Add the motor to the Design Library. ~...,~-;:]

are going to use this motor again in the next chapter, so we will add it to the ~ X.
2
:::sign Library to make sure that we are using the same motor parameters.
raryMotorl
.,~
~

~ :1e Task Pane, select the Design Library. In the lower pane. right-click and
::c.ect New Folder. Name the new folder Animation Motors.
-- I
Save To -- -- ~
F~e name:
- :he Motion Study design t ree, right-click t he motor and select Add to Library. [fe_Gov _Motor
- -]
Design Library folder:
- :~e Prope rtyManager, name the new file FB_Gov_Motor and select the rs~ Creating Animations ...
! -.imation Motors fo lder. fl3 ~ CreaUng Aninations wi
S ~ Design Li>rary

: :k OK. t.j tMM'Mf.itUi

ttl tJ assemblies
!f) tJ features
fl3 tJ forming tools
0 Mold feat<res
83 D parts
ffi tJ roumg
D smart components
'fl Toolbox

.<
~
I .> I

flJPtions ---- ~
Fl:e t ype:

vor~e (*.~dmtnfvt) v.]

Examine the Design Library. Design library

l
-, e motor is now listed and ready t o be used in future motion studies.
::; Calculate.
tai)IM) (j ~

13 ~ Design Library
133 tJ assemb~es
-"1 I

:=xtend the length of t he an imation t o 10 seconds, then calculat e the study. Ctl l:J features
~-
&J U f orming tools
10 Mold features
2"i-":' ;,e solver is not able t o solve the motion and we get an error. tJ rD\dUS!!li .
tJ parts J
i..'i(J ~ ~ ~ ':U
!:tl 'C) routing vJ
> I
-~ :. ~ Fly BaK Governor (Default<Display
@ Orientation and Camera Views A0.)
.t.. .fi] Ughts} Cameras and Scene ~
~ Grav~y FB_Gov_Motor
Iff:, 5~ Body ContactIS
LinearSpriog6
@
RotaryMotorl4
~ (f) Gov_base<!> (Default< <Di

,'/hat's causing the problem and what can we do about it? If we examine the timeline, we see that the
solver fails at about 0.8 seconds into the solution. If we look at the motor properties, we can see that
: he angular velocity is rising ra pidly at t his point. As a first test, we can run the animation slower by using
a motor that increases slowly to some velocity that is less than our current motor.
276 Chapter 9

11 Edit the motor.

Right-click the rot ary motor and click Edit Feature.
Change the motor type to Constant speed and set the speed to o RPM.
Move the time bar to 10 seconds and again edit the motor. Set the speed to sRPM. The speed of the
motor will be linearly interpolated from o to 5 RPM between o and 10 seconds.

12 Calculate.
This time. the calculation will run longer, but then not only wi ll the solver fail.
the contact may break down as well.

_yl~ ~ ~ b
a ~ Fly ~I Governor (Default<~
@ Orientation and Carnera Views
ctJ ~ LIQhts, CMleras and Scene
ti Gri!VKy
~ Solid Body Contact IS
Unear5pring6
~ RotaryMotorl 'I

Note As stated in the Introduction, the resu lts you get may be different as
we are using numerical solvers to solve the physics of the motion problem.
There can be differences between SolidWorks versions and service packs; however. the point of this
step is that the problem does not solve correctly.
-::
Now What Do We Do?
We are running into the limitations of Basic Motion. As its name implies. t his is only the basic capabilit)
found in SolidWorks Motion and we may have exceeded its capabilities with the number of mates,
contact conditions, and speed of movement. There are several things we can try at this point.
Refine the contact conditions
=
In the Motion Study options we could increase the Geometry Accuracy and 3D Contact Resolution tc
High.
Reduce the solver step size
As stated, we do not have direct control over t he step size used by the PhysX solver; however. there
is a way to indirectly reduce the solver step size which will be discussed in the next sect ion.
Use SolidWorks Mot ion --,
If SolidWorks Motion is available. we can simply change the study type and calculate the study. In this
particular case, this will work and the motion study will calculate. This confirms that it is not a
problem in the setup of the motion study, but rather a limitation of the Basic Motion solver.
In the next chapter. we will look at alternate solutions for problems where Basic Motion will not work.
 Physics-based Motion 277

Calculating Physics-Based Motion St udies

It is important to underst and how physics-based studies are calculated so that we know the options
available to us when a study fail s to solve. Physics based motion studies must be so lved by numerical
methods. A set of coupled differential and algebraic equations (DAE) define the equations of motion of
the SolidWorks model. A solution to the equations of motion is obtained by solving t hese equations
using an integrator. The int egrator obtains the solution in two stages: first it predicts the solution at t he
next time step based on the past history, and then it corrects that solution based on t he state data at
that time until the solution is within the desired accuracy.
3asic Mot ion uses the PhysX solver originally developed by Ageia, now owned by NVIDIA. SolidWorks
Motion has three different solvers that you can choose from, plus the ability to set solver paramet ers
directly, through the MotionManager options.
The effect of frame rate on the solution is different with numerical solvers when compared to t he key
:Joint solutions of t he Animation motion study type. As discussed in Chapter 6, with the Animat ion
'llotion studies, motion is very predictable as there is no contact. mass, friction, etc. The solver knows
.vhere each driving component is going because its starting and ending points are both defined and t he
:::omponent can go right through another component if necessary as they are just mathematical volumes .
Vith physics-based simulations, if contact is involved, a part can be deflected fro m its path and that
:::eflection must be calculated based on the contact parameters, velocity, mass, friction, and various
:::oefficients. The solvers used in SolidWorks Motion have the ability to change t heir step size to obtain
2 solution, while t he PhysX solver does not.

The PhysX Solver

- he PhysX solver uses a default step size of 0.025 seconds (1/40 second}. The frame rat e does not
: irectly control the solver step size; however. it does have an effe ct. Frame rate cont rols the interval at
;;hich the results must be recorded, so there must always be an integrator step t hat occurs at the time
E'Jery frame is recorded and at each key point. If we used a frame rat e of 40 fps, then there would be
::xactly one step for each frame. If we used a frame rat e of 20 fps, the solver could take two steps per
=rame and at 10 fps, four steps per frame. If the frame rate is not evenly divisible into 40. say 30 fps,
::-.en the st eps are not evenly divided. Inst ead of evenly dividing the steps between the frames, it will
still proceed at st eps of 0.025 seconds, but will then take one shorter step to make a solution step at
:ne time of t he next frame.
'"the frame rate is more than 40 fp s. the time between frames is less than the defa ult of 0.025 seconds,
so each frame will be the same length. which is the time between frames.
278 Chapter 9

Example
To show how this works. the following t able shows the st eps the solver would take at different frame
rat es assuming that no key points occur between the frames.

Frame Rate Time between Steps

(fps) Frames (seconds)
(seconds)

5 0 .20 0.025, 0 .025, 0 .025. 0 .025. 0.025, 0.025. 0.025, 0 .025

6 0.16666 0 .025, 0 .025, 0 .025, 0 .025, 0 .025. 0.025, 0.01666

7 0 .14286 0 .025, 0.025, 0.025. 0 .025, 0.025. 0 .01786

7-5 0.13333 0.025, 0.025. 0 .025. 0 .025, 0 .025. 0 .00833

8 0.125 0.025, 0.025. 0.025. 0.025, 0 .025

9 0.11111 0 .025. 0.025, 0 .025. 0 .025. 011111

10 0.10 0 .025, 0.025, 0.025. 0.025

15 0 .06667 0.025, 0.025. 0 .01666

20 o.os 0.025, 0 .025

25 0.04 0.025, 0 .015

30 0.0333 0 .025, 0.00833

40 0 .025 0 .025

so 0.02 0 .02

80 0 .0125 0.0125

The solver must also adjust t he steps when key point events such as viewpoint changes, or motor
changes are encountered.
 Physics-based Motion 279

Graphically, this would look like this:

..
3:::E
Frame rate/Time between frames
--i

..
.e
0
tn

..
.e
...
0

.e"
0
833
"'
..
.e
....
tn

..
.e
0
N

..
.e s t ep 1
tn
.... s t ep 2
..
.e 11 Step3
0
.... st ep 4

..
.e
II Ste p 5

11 Step6
"'
..
.e
II Step 7

step&
I
!
"'
..
.e
tn
,..:

.e
..
...
-
.e" 0.0166~
"'
.e
.. 0.2 0 .0 2 5 oms
tn

0 0 .0 5 0 .1 0 .15 0.2
lime (seconds)
280 Chapter g

SolidWorks Motion Solvers

SolidWorks Motion has three different Advanced Motion Analysis Options
solvers t o choose from. In addition to t he
Advorud Motion Analysis Options
choice of solvers, you can also directly OK

adjust the maximum and minimum step ln!eg:ator Type [GSTlfF

size to help the solver when there are Sl2_GST1FF
Maxm.m Iterations WSTIFF
difficult t ransitions in the motion. Because
SolidWorks Motion is optimized for lni~al lntegrator Step Size 0.0001000000 ~~

accuracy rather than speed. by default the

Minimum Integrator Step Size 0.0000001000 f:,
initial step size is 0.0001 seconds and the
maximum step size for all three solvers is Maximum Integra tor Step Size 0.0100000000 f-: .
0.01 seconds, which is much sma ller than
.laa>bian Re-<!va!uation
the 0.025 second step size of t he PhysX
solver. 0

Which Solver?
If we have an animation which requires the solver to take small steps, which is better, using Basic Motio-
at a high frame rate or SolidWorks Motion with a low frame rat e and smaller solver steps? If SolidWorks
Motion is available, that would be the first choice. If we use Basic Motion with a high frame rat e, we havE
not only reduced the step size, but we have also greatly increased t he file size because each step is
capturing an image of that frame. If we use SolidWorks Motion wit h a low frame rate and a small ste;::
size, most of the steps are not captured as images for the frames, so t he file is smaller.
 Alternate Methods

~
Upon successful completion of this chapter,
you will be able to:
Use oscillat ing and expression motor types.
Determine the best way to create an animation.

!: ~-~==~L7
...... _
~ ~,

E -..:1.'::
. . =- :::
-c s::-:
282 Chapter 10

Alternate Methods
In the previous chapter, we did not always get a satisfactory result with Basic Motion, so what are OU'
choices? Generally. we can either get more complex by using SolidWorks Motion or less complex by
using a key point animation.

Topics
In this chapter we will examine different approaches to create an animation.

Oscillating motors
The oscillating motor can be used to provide a sinusoidal driving motion.
Expression motors
The expression motor type can be driven by mathematical functions based on time. This motor type
provides much more capability than the other moto r types.

Animation comparisons
The same animation can be achieved using different motion study types and motion inputs. We wil.
use a simple assembly to create the same animation in different ways.

Planning the Animation

Our first case study will be to try to achieve the animation of the fly ball-governor that we were unablE
to do in Basic Motion. Things that we should consider:
Animation motion study
Can we do this study with an Animation study type? Generally. yes. Unless a very precise correlatior
between the rotational speed and the position of the linkage is required, we can contro l both motions
independently and get a satisfactory result. Remember. our objective is to make a video. NOT to
analyze the motion.
SolidWorks Motion motion study
If a precise correlation is required between the rotational speed and position of the linkage in the
video. we could use SolidWorks Motion to create the video as it has more powerful solvers. We wiU
do this in the next chapter.
Remembering that our goal is to create an animation. and not an analysis, we have t o consider what it
is we want to show. When people look at the finished animation, will they know if the positions of t he
arms are correct for the speed of rotation and the governor? Probably not. so we have some latitude as
to how to position the components during the animation.
 Alternate Methods 283

Case Study: Fly Ball-Governor

'J :::ay the video Fly Ball Governor- l.av i. This animation was created with a key point motion study
r -ather than Basic Motion.

'te will continue the case study from the previous chapter by creating this animation using an Animation
-.otion study.

Procedure
- Open an assembly.
::Jen the assembly Fly Ball Governor.sldasm from the Chapter 10\Case Study\
:-_y Ball Governor folder.
'2E.
- ,is is t he same assembly we used in the last chapter.

Create a motion study.

:::-eate a new motion study and name it Motor-Mate.

Select Animation for the Type of Study.

Add a motor.
- ,is motor will be used to rotate the links. We saved the motor in the Design Library, so we just need to
=-ag and drop it on t he top link, Links< l >.

::1ce it is dropped on the Links< I> part, check to make sure that the references are correct and that
::-e direction of rotation is counterclockwise when viewed from t he top.

- Add a distance mate.

- ::ld a distance mate between the base and the lower arm Links<2>.
Set the initia l distance to omm. This is a local mate because we are
:::Jrking in a motion study.

_ Lengthen the animation.

:1ag the key point for t he upper level assembly to lengthen the
:.1imation to 10 seconds.

2' Calculate.
~ - -;;s is just to make sure the assembly rotates as it should.
284 Chapter 10

7 Copy a key point.

300.0
Review the mot or speed at right,
as we will determine the position
of the lower link based on the
speed of rotation.
~ 200.0

!
~
~
100.0
v
Copy t he key point fo r the
1.0 2.0 3.0 '\.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 5.0 9.0 10.0 11.0
distance mate from a to 1 Tmrfsl I
second. We are doing this
because t he lower link should not lift off the stop until the rot ation gains some speed.

8 Modify the mate.

Move t he t ime bar to 3 seconds. Right-click Distance and click Edit Dimension. Change t he dimensior
to 90mm.
Move the t ime bar to 4 seconds. Repeat the above procedure and change the dimension t o 7Smm.
Move the time bar to 7 seconds. Repeat the above procedure and change t he dimension to somm.

Note The exact times and distances used are subject ive. You should experiment with changing the
values to see the resu lts on the final animation.

9 Copy key points.

Copy the key point at 4 seconds to 6 and 8 seconds.
Copy the key point at 7 seconds to 9 seconds.

10 Set properties.
Change the motion study properties to 30 frames per second to make sure we capture a lot of data
points for a smooth animation.
11 Calculate.
The animation should look like our storyboard, and it was done with relatively little work. Also notice
that this animation is much smoother than the one done in Basic Motion as t here is much more positive
control over the position of the link.

Alternate Approach
Instead of using a dist ance mate and having to edit all the key points, we could also use a linear motor.
This will allow us to use a single table of values to drive t he vertical motion of t he tower link.

Duplicate the study.

Duplicate t he Motor-Mate study and name the new study Motor-Motor.
 Alternate Methods 285

Suppress the mate.

'::>Ve the time bar to o seconds and suppress the mate Local-Distancel.

Create a table. J Ve rtical Displace ... 1 = HID-~

.<: are going to add a linear motor that will be driven by a table of File Edit Format Vie-N Help
:stance values. Rather than type the values into the PropertyManager, 0, 0 A

1 ,0
3,90
e can do it more easily in Notepad. 4,75
6,7 5
7 , 50
::1en Notepad and type the table at right. Use a comma between the two 8, 7 5
9,150
::lumns. The left column will be the time and the right column will be the
~

:stance the motor t ravels. These are the same values we used for the
:stance mate in the previous example. Save the table as Vertical
-e-s.:;- ::::_splacement. txt.

Add a motor.
)mm_ ::-;ow the t emporary axes.

w.un. -:::d a linear motor to the lower link,

::::..:.nk< 2 >.
s::--:=
~se the temporary axis as a direction so
::cat the motor moves the link along the
~aft.

:::=teet Data Points and Displacement for

-;e Motion type, then import the Vertical
Ji...splacement text file we created in the
::.c:c :-evious step. Select Linear Interpolation
:ype.
- Calculate and play.
-.JI 4..o --t:' ','e should have the same animation as in the previous example.
::::s .::l -= =we need to make changes t o either motor, we can easily change the values in the text files and import
:~em again into the motors. This can be a lot easier than the mate method if we have a lot of points.

Close.
Save and close the files .
.~e These Animations OK?
=or most uses, this animation will serve the purpose as many governors spin too fast to make a good
~nimation when shown at operational speed. If this is not suitable, then we will need to use SolidWorks
'liotion.
286 Chapter 10

Case Study: Bouncing Ball

The ball suspended by a spring used in Chapter 9 is another case where we could use
any of the three motion study types to create an animation. We know that we can do
it in Basic Mot ion, but we had a lack of control on t he damping of the system. We
could use SolidWorks Motion t o t ake advantage of better solvers and additional
features, but is it necessary? Aga in, we have to ask ourselves if precise correlation
of spring force, we ight of the ball, le ngt h of the spring, etc. is really worth the effort
and whether the viewing audience will know the difference.
Instead of solving the motion in eit her Basic Motion or SolidWorks Motion, we can
just drive the ball directly with a linear motor.

Oscillating Motors Motion

The oscillat ing motor type provides a sinusoidal driving motion. With this motor losc~lcting
type, displacement frequency, and phase shift can be defined.

Procedure
1 Open an assembly.

:bJ
Open the assembly SpringMotion_with motors.sldasm from the Case
Study\ Bouncing Ball folde r.
The spring has not been included just to save time. We could add the spring later Ckck the groph to enlarge

in t he same way we did in Chapter 9.

2 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Oscillating.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.
 Alternate Methods 287

...
~

Add a motor. ~ Jl]

- ::ld a linear motor to the point in the center of the eye on V' X
::-:e Ball. Select the temporary axis of the Ball as t he

~
mponent/Qiredion
: -ection. C!J 1Point2@51<etch3@
3et these motor parameters:
1!0 [Axis<! >@Bal-l

~ IL :=L
Amplitude: lSOmm Motion
-- ~
Frequency: 2 Hz
~ ~
Phase Shift: Odeg ./ [_I
S~mn =:J :
::.ick OK. ~ [zHz : I
~ lOdeg -- l :
Calculate and play.
.e have a steady sinusoidal motion, however. it is not
:::ntered between the hook and the base plate.
OFl l
abd
gr~
Clck the
J to enlarge.

:::-ght-c!ick the linear motor and dick Edit 01splacement .vs. Time: @
=eature. Click on the graph to enlarge it. The
187.5a
:otion of the motor is based on its starting
I1WOG
:Jsition. The graph shows that at 0 seconds,
--e displacement is zero and it moves .."
-:::11250
E
CD
750o
~ 37.50
:~sitive for 0.25 seconds. <>.

0"' 000
-3750
00 1.0 2~0 3.0 4.0 5~0 6 .0 7.0 8.0 90 100
Tme(s )

::1ange the Phase Shift to 180deg and Dosploc~ment .vs. Time @

:xamine the graph. The starting position of
187.50
:-te ball will now be considered t he top of
I15o.oo
:1e motion at o seconds and it will move ~
-:::11250
:::lwnward for 0.25 seconds. "
~ 75 00
..
u

~ 0.00
37.50

i5
-3750
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4~ 0 50 6~0 7.0 80 90 100
Tme (s )
288 Chapter 10

Change the Phase Shift to godeg, this will Displacement .\IS, Time
make the ball move down ?Smm first and
187.50 .--------~----------.
t hen up 75mm which, will cause the motion
t o be cent ered about the initial position of
f 150.00
A
~ 1 1 2.50
the ball. ~ 75.00
"' 37.50
! 0.00 v
-37.50 +----t~-+--+---->-+~-+-~+----+~+-...._.,1--+--l

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 50 6 .0 7.0 8.0 9 .0 10 0

T<ne(s)

5 Calculate and play.

We now have sinusoidal motion centered on the initial position of the ba ll. If the motion does not nee::
to be damped, then this motor t ype would work well. In our case, we do want the motion to diminish wit-
t ime, so we will use a different type of motor.

Motors Driven by Expressions

A motor can be driven by a mathematical expression. In Animation and Basic Motion study types, therE
is only one define d variable, which is t ime. In SolidWorks Motion, additional variables can be defined
which greatly expand s the usefu lness of this motor type.

Operators
Expressions are entered into the
Symbol Operation Precedence
PropertyManager in a format similar to standard
programming languages such as C or FORTRAN. ** Exponentiation
St andard arithmetic operato rs are shown in t he
table along with their solution precedence. For
I Division 2

more control, IF and nested IF statements can be * Multiplication 3

used for branching. +/- Addition/ 4
Subtraction
 Alternate Methods 289

Ethematical Functions
:: ::-dard functions can be used in the expression. The complete list of allowable functions is located in
~<: ~ath e matical Function listing in the Function Builder and in SolidWorks Help.

=unction Definition
:..BS Absolute value of (a)
!.COS Arc cosine of (a)
' 'NT Nearest integer whose magnitude is not larger than (a)
'NI NT Nearest whole number to (a)
~IN Arc sine of (a)
-.TAN Arc tangent of (a)
!.TAN2 Arc tangent of (al, a2)
31STOP Models a gap element

-
:HEBY Evaluates a Chebysev polynomial
cos Cosine of (a)
"'""' COSH Hyperbolic cosine of (a)
J IM Positive difference of (al) and (a2)
EXP e raised to the power of (a)
rORCOS Evaluates a Fourier cosine
rORS IN Evaluates a Fourier sine
HAVSIN Haversine function
IF IF statement
IMPACT Models collisions
OG Natural logarithm of (a)
LOG10 Log to base 10 of (a)
MAX Maximum of (al) and (a2)
MIN Minimum of (al) and (a2)
MOD Remainder when (al) is divided by (a2)
POLY Evaluates a standard polynomial
SHF Evaluates a simple harmonic function
SIGN Transfer sign of (a2) to magnitude of (al)
SIN Sine of (a)
SINH Hyperbolic sine of (a)
SQRT Square root of (al)
290 Chapter 10

Function Definition
STEP Represents a cubic polynomial transit ion step function
STEPS Represents a quintic polynomial transition step function
SWEEP Constant amplitude sinusoidal with linearly increasing frequency
TAN Tangent of (a)
TANH Hyperbolic tangent of (a)

Variables and Constants

Variables and constants can also be used in the expression. The list of allowable functions is locat ed i-
the Mathematical Function listing in the Function Builder.

Variable Definition

TIME Current simulation time

Pl Ratio of circumference to diameter of a circle

RTOD Radians to degrees conversion factor

DTOR Degrees to radians conversion factor

 Alternate Methods 291

..... iving Expression

-= f-Jave the animation simulate the ball and spring, we need to define a decaying sine wave. The
-:::ependent variable therefore is Time.
:::stance = Decay function x Amplitude x Sin [Time]
- :J see how the expression works, we will build it in pieces instead of all at once. When we build and test
:--e expression in small steps, it is easier to troubleshoot if there is a problem in either logic or syntax.
'.'e will start with a sine wave of the appropriate amplitude. We will then multiply t he sine function by a
2mping funct ion that will decrease the amplitude of the sine wave with time.

cr=-- - Sine Wave Damping Function

-- 1.2

!1 0 .8

~
I 0 6 I '

-a -
l:: ~'"""""""""""'""'' 9

Syntax
'."nen time is a whole number, we use just Time. If time is to be calculated as an angle for a trigonometric
=-_ilct ion such as sine, cosine, it is considered to be a measure of radians.

: Duplicate the motion study.

:~eate a new motion study and name it Expression.

Edit the motor.

=-ght-click the linear motor and click Edit Feature.
::-:ange t he motor type to Expression and in the Function Builder, Displacement.
292 Chapter 10

8 Build the expression.

Click in the Expression box and t ype 100 * and then in the Mathematical Functions list, click SIN(a).
The cursor will now be in bet ween the parent hesis. In the Variables and Constants list, locate and die--
Time.

Value (y); [~t (tnm) =:::J

100"SIN(T'me)

LOG10(a) logarittYn tD ~ 10 ofexpr~ a.

MAX(o1,a2) Maxinun of two expr~ al and a2.
MIN(.al,a2) Mrirun of two orpr~ at and a2.
MOO(o1,a2) R~ofal/al.
PO..Y(x,xo,ao,at, ... ,a30) Evaluate o standard polynotrial at o us~ sc:
51-F(x,xO,a,w,phl,b) Evaluates a ~ harmonic fLnction a-s~\(-,~ r:
SIGIJ(a l,o2) Transfers the sigl oh2 to the rnagnib.Jde of -
S!N(o)
SN<(a) Hypert.'k sine of expression a.
, --
<t:r"QTfa\
.,....,....,...-=--:__ ~ I
J Velodty ~xvalue: 0 MaxiTun x vaUt: S

t. 3.836 d -63.98_ _ t . 3.836 v. -76.86 t- 3.836 "-63.98 t J.S:l<i J 76.86

...s e
100.0

50.0
\
N' 100.0
<
i"
.s
50.0 Trne (s) ~ ~
<
100.0

so.o
~ .s a
1.0 2.0 3-'f 4.0 s.o ~
I> .s
....~
a 50.0
;.o s.o ..,">;,; -so.o
1.0
TI (s) !
o 3.o ;.o s.o
.,'i
~

.li
50.0
\\ ~ 50.0

100.0 :'-..- lOO.O t 100.0 100.0

Click OK.

9 Calculate and play.

Extend t he animation to 20 seconds and then calculate. In t he f uncti on SIN, the variable Time is
considered to be radians, so one second equa ls one radian. The ball should cycle every 6.28 seconds =:
360 deg = 2 pi radians.
 Alternate Methods 293

: Adjust the expression.

;:,. click SIN(a, .2 want the ball to cycle about every two
ccate and c .::; =~::onds, so we will multiply t he variable Time E'
.s
-:: 3. 5E
~
,= :it the linear motor and then edit the ~ -50.0
i5
:::-:pression to lOO*sin(3*Time). -100.0

Calculate and play.

'o'e now have the undamped motion of the ball.
......
! ...Ca2. .ow we need to add damping to the expression.
"""a2.

l.S: ~..:zrsc; .: Adjust the expression.

Dr-w(
~of - :J dampen the motion, the damping part of the
:xpression will be a fraction that has time in the
:enom inator. As time increases along the
~ UG-ooho I : .me line, the denominator will get larger and
::-~erefore the fraction becomes smaller. At
: seconds, the damping fraction should be equal SO.OT
::J 1, or no damping.

=dit the linear motor and then edit the expression to

\1/(Time+l))*(lOO*sin(3*Time)).
ate If the motor does not run, check to make sure you have an equal number of open and closed
:)arentheses.

3 Calculate and play. 8

.Ve now have a damped sinusoidal motion
b.. ., I Jj shown as the green plot.
4

Can we make this bett er? Two t hings could be

adjusted for a better animation. First is that
~he initial oscillation is too small. Once we
:me is -2
added damping, the first cycle became less
8 seconds as -4
than the lOOmm we started with because the
-6 +-------
damping starts at 0 seconds. Second is t hat
-8
the oscillations continue for too long.
294 Chapter 10

With some experimentation, we can continue s

to adjust the expression until we get the
motion correct as shown in the purple plot.

-8 - -- - - - - -- -

14 Adjust the expression.

Edit the expression.
Edit the linear motor and then edit the
expression to
(1/(S*(TIME+l )))*(goo*sin(3*TIME)).
-so.o
15 Calculate and play. -100.0
This should be very close to realistic movement 1
for this assembly.
We built the expression in steps, just for training purposes and to aid in the understanding of how the
expression works. if you are familiar with writing expressions, this who le process should only take a ve'i'
short time, which ma kes this method very useful.
16 Save and close.

What Is the Best Way to Animate?

We have seen several different methods to animate the motion of an assembly.
In the Introduction, we mentioned that there is generally no one "right way" to do an animation. becaus:
any method that lets you produce the animation you were trying to make is the "right waY: However.
among the various methods that might be called the "right way:' some are better than others as they
achieve the end result fast er, or can be changed more easily. To better explore the different methods t:
create an animation, we will do a relatively easy animation in the following case st udy. This will serve as
a review of the various methods that can be used to create the animation and also as a means t o t he-
compare the pros and cons of the methods.
 Alternate Methods 295

Case Study: Arbor Press

-~his case study, we will make a simple animat ion of the Arbor Press closing
::-::J opening.
..!.ttribution
~ --:e model of the Arbor Press is provided courtesy of
s 9 ~::~i Jack. http://gobijock.com/.
----

Storyboard
e will creat e a 7 second animation. At the start, the arbor .--. IOI Q..i) IO
-.::ndle will rotate for 3 seconds until the Rack Pad
~ 1o1 n~ IO

=z::..r
:=ntacts the Table. There will be a 1 second pause and the n
:-e press will return to t he initial position in 3 seconds. We
ll not worry about an establishing shot. leaders, changing
ews. or appearance. only creating t he motion requ ired.
r--------r
AcbocPcm
IDI I I I -
II DI 0
10
IO
- ol ~ lo
-e first thing we need t o do is to determine the best
-~tion study type to use. To do that we need t o determine 1 01 1~ 1 0
- :--:
~.

Ec.~_
I, :- e motion type. Because all the component s are t ied
::gether by mates, the Animation study type will be our
lO I I I Lll IO
=-st choice because this is a kinematic system. u 10
10 1
- -e completed video is provided as Arbor Press.avi in 01 ~ 10
::-e lesson fol ders. 1n11 1~ IO

0
0
e-=a..s:
F 'E- I lo l o lil lo
-- 0 0

I ~
c~~==
0 0
~as

c, ;.:;er: 0 0
296 Chapter 10

Procedure
1 Open an assembly file.
Open Arbor Press.sldasm from the Case Study\ Arbor Press folder.
2 Examine the assembly.
The initial position of the Rack Pad above the table is 40mm. which you can verify with the Measure
tool. There is a rack-and-pinion mate to turn the rotation of the hand le int o the linear motion of the rae
After examining the assembly, return it to its original position.
There is a named view called Animate which we will use for all animations.

3 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Point-to-Point.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.

4 Disable views.
In this case study, we are only focused on t he component motion. so we do not want t o create any
different views at this time.
Select Disable View Key Creation and Disable Playback of View Keys.

5 Create duplicate studies.

We are going to create the same animation in a number of different ways. Our case study so far is th'
initia l position and settings for all the different met hods, so we can make duplicates and be assured t ha:
we start in the same place on the variations. Create six duplicate motion studies.

Method 1-Point-to-Point
The moving parts only need two positions defined. one where the Rack Pad is at its highest point, anc
a second point when it touches the Table. The initial position of t he assembly is correct for the open
position. so all we need is to create a key point at the contact position. Within SolidWorks we have a
variety of ways to move the Rack Pad. Because all the parts are properly mated, moving a single
component is all t hat needs to be done.
Select the Point-to-Point study.

2 Create the key point.

Move the time bar to 3 seconds.
 Alternate Methods 297

Free drag
We can either drag the Rack Pad or use the
Move Component ~ tool and drag until it looks
like t he two components touch.

easure
~:-c:

Free drag Drag wit h Move Component

Move with triad

We can drag with the ruler, input a delta -40mm Y value, or make it go to a position where Y=38.1mm.
In the last case. we would use Measure to find the correct Y value for the top of the table.
any

-- - _
c. -~
..:-......
. ._ ::-
n ;d t-c<:

: """1:. a'r'rC
e c~e i'
-::..-e a
""g.e
298 Chapter 10

Move Component tool

The Move Component tool also allows the same numerical input as the triad.

W ' t 11
,.?

fMove ~ ~ ~ve ~,
~ Spw!Mates ~ ~es
+ ~~~-,~, + cTo XYZ Position v ~

AX Io.oomm ]: x [ 7.924Bnvn - J: [
IL>.v [-40.oomm _j : v l38:10mm -=:J:
AZ ~ ] : z ~-oomm 1-

I 1\RliY I

3 Copy key points.

The two positions for the Rack Pad have now been established. We just need an additional copy of eacr
key point to create the remaining motion.
For the Rack Pad, copy the key point from 3 seconds t o 4 seconds. Copy the key point from o seconds
to 7 seconds.

4 Add interpolation mode.

Just to smooth out the animation, select the key points for the Rack Pad key at 3 and 7 seconds. Right-
click either key point and click Interpolation Mode, Ease In/Ease Out.

5 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation.
Review
Using the Animation motion study type, with a point-to-point sequence. we were able to make a very
good animation in just a few seconds.

Method 2-Mates
Next. let's make the very same animat ion, but with different mates to control the motion.

1 Change study.
Select one of the duplicate motion studies. Rename this study Distance Mate.
 Alternate Methods 299

2 Add a mate.
Add a Distance mate between the bottom face of the Rack Pad and the top face of the Table.
Set the distance to 40mm.
Note This is a local mate and only appears in the mate list in the motion study and not in the
FeatureManager design tree. It was created as a local mate, because we were in a study and not in the
model.

3 Create the key point.

Move the time bar to 3 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree, expand the mate Local Distancel. Right-dick Distance and click
Edit Dimension. Change the dimension to omm.

4 Copy key points.

e~:..-
Just like in the last method, we now have key points at the two extents of the motion of the Rack Pad,
but the key points are with the local distance mate. We just need an additional copy of each key point
onC5 to create the remaining mot ion.
For the Distance (under Local Distance! local mate}, copy the key point from 3 seconds to 4 seconds.
Copy the key point from 0 seconds to 7 seconds.
5 Add interpolation mode.
Again, select the key points for the Rack Pad key at 3 and 7 seconds. Right-click either key point and
click Interpolation Mode, Ease In/Ease Out.
6 Calculate.
Ca lculate and play the animation.
:- Review
We again created an animation almost as quickly as the first case. The only increase in t ime was creating
the local mate. When you view them side by side, you shou ld not be able to see any diffe rences between
these two animations.
Instead of a Distance mate, let's use an Angle mate. If you examined the previous videos, you saw that
the handle needs to rotate 180 degrees.

7 Change study.
Select another of the duplicated studies and rename it Angle Mate.
300 Chapter 10

8 Add a mate.
Add an Angle mate between the Top plane of the sleeve and t he Top plane of the assembly.
The default value for the angle will be 20.88deg based on the start ing position.

9 Create the key point.

Move the time bar to 3 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree, expand the mate Local Anglel. Right-click Angle and click Edit
Dimension. Change the dimension by adding 180deg to t he exist ing angle.
Tip You can do the math right inside the Modify dialog by just placing the cursor
after the current value and typing +180. 01~3

20.68!6955'ldeQ+JBO!
10 Copy key points. j

Just like in the last method, we now have key points at t he two extent s of the ~ x e ~? ~
motion of t he Rack Pad.
For the angle (under Local Angle! local mat e), copy t he key point from 3 seconds to 4 seconds. Copy
the key point from 0 seconds to 7 seconds.

11 Add interpolation mode.

Again, select the key points for the Rack Pad key at 3 and 7 seconds. Right-click either key point and
click Interpolation Mode, Ease In/Ease Out.

12 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation.
Review
Using the angle mate worked reasonably well in this case because we did not need to move the handle
more than 360 degrees. This method would have been much more tedious if we had to do mu ltiple turns
as we would need to define three key points per turn to insure that the shaft rotated in t he correct
direction.

What if we needed just slightly more than 360 degrees to bring the Rack Pad in contact wit h t he Table
(remember the 100/360 Rule). Could we have done this more easily? If you look very closely at the
animation we just made, you cannot tell if the two surfaces actually make contact unless you use a Left.
or Front view and zoom in on the contact area. Because this is an animation and not an analysis, we
could move the handle 360 degrees and leave a small gap rather than go t hrough the work of actually
making them move to contact.
 Alternate Methods 301

Method 3-Motors
:--!ext, let's make t he ve ry same animation, but using a motor to drive the motion.

Change study.
Select one of the duplicate motion studies and name it Linear Motor.

Add a motor.
_eave the time bar at a seconds and add a linear motor to one of the vertical edges of the TBrack. Make
-
~-
~
sure the direction is down (t oward t he Table).

Set the motor for Constant speed at 13.33 mm/sec because we want the TBrack to move 4Dmm in
;--------.
3 seconds.

3 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation. Because we used a motion drive r, t he default length of the animation
s 5 seconds.

ne motor drives the TBrack part; however, it does not stop when the Rack Pad reaches the Table. To
=ix this, we must turn the mot or off at 3 seconds.

- Turn off the motor.

':iove the t ime bar to 3 seconds.
L ::.l.r-:

~ight-c lick the mot or and click Off from t he me nu.

-
~
Calculate.
:=alculate and play the animation.

-,is time, the motor stops at 3 seconds and we have the first part of our animation.
Jii": =-
~ ,~
,ow the question is, how do we return the components to t heir original position? We can either do it
L--. 1... -

'lith t he existing motor or add another motor that tu rns on at 4 seconds and drives the TBrack upward.
=:rst. let's do it with a second motor.

';:---;::
I - Lengthen the study.
J ;ag the key point for t he assembly from 4 seconds to 7 seconds.
-
.-.e=:
rc
IC
302 Chapter 10

7 Add a second motor.

Move the time bar to 4 seconds.
Add another linear motor to drive at a constant speed of 13.33 mm/sec in an upward direction. By
default, this motor will start at 0 seconds and oppose the other motor, so we must make this motor be
off at 0 seconds and turn on at 4 seconds.
Right-click t he key point at o seconds for the second motor and click Off. This turns the motor off at
0 seconds. Now, with the time bar at 4 seconds, right-click the second moto r and click On.

8 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation.
The first motor now drives the TBrack downward from o to 3 seconds and then t urns off. The secane
motor is off at 0 seconds, turns on at 4 seconds, and runs to the end of the animation.
Review
Using the linear motor worked satisfactorily, but requi red more work because we had to use two motors
to drive the motion and also insure that the motors were not fighting each other.
As an alternative, let's do this again using just the first motor.

9 Delete the second motor.

Right-click the second motor in the MotionManager design tree and click Delete.

10 Turn the motor on.

Move the time bar to 4 seconds. Right-click the motor and click On. Th is turns the motor back on, but if
you run the animation. the motor will drive the Rack Pad through the Table.
11 Edit the motor.
To fix the problem, we must not only turn the motor on at 4 seconds, but we must reverse its directiorL
With the time bar at 4 seconds, right -click the motor and click Edit Feature. Reverse t he motor directior
by clicking Reverse Direction (?J and then OK.

12 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation.
The motor drives the TBrack part to the Table at 3 seconds and then turns off. At 4 seconds, it turns
on and reverses direction and runs t o t he end of the animation.
 Alternate Methods 303

Review
We got a satisfactory result with both met hods of using the linear motor. but it was mo re work and we
also were not able to use Interpolation Mode t o change the rate of movement of the TBrack; t herefore.
E
it moved with a constant velocity.
If we change our motor type to Data Points or Segments. we can have the motor move at different rates
during the st roke.

' 3 Move the time bar.

Set the time bar to o seconds.
:4 Edit the motor.
Point Time Displacement
Right-click the linear motor and click Edit Feature.
(sec) (mm)
Select Data Points as the motor type and 0.0 0
Displacement.
2 0.50 5
rs Enter the values shown in the t able.
3 2.00 35
Select Cubic for the Interpolation Type.
4 3.00 40

5 4.00 40
6 s.oo 35
7 6.50 5
8 7.00 0

,f we examine the values. we see

~he motor will move Smm in the
.::irst half-second, 30mm in the E 4Q.Ol
~ JO.O ;
~
next 1.5 seconds. and Smm in the
next second. The displacement is
! 20.0 :

R- 10.0 I

the same at bot h 3 and 4 seconds l5 ;

to hold the motor in posit ion. The 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0
Tme(s)
:-:15 Cubic interpolation type will
generate nice smooth t ransitions
between the data points.
304 Chapter 10

15 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation.
The motor now drives the TBrack part to the Table with a varying velocity.

Review
By using t he Data Points motor type. we had a lot more control over t he motion, but it was also a lot
more work. However. if we needed more control over the motion, this method works very well and we
have the option to add many more points if required.

Method 3-Motors {continued)

We could also use a rotary motor in all the sa me ways that we used the linear motor. It could be drive;-
either by Constant speed. Displacement. Data Points. or Segments just as t he linear motor. Because the
steps are ident ical except t hat we would apply the motor to the sleeve component and drive the Rack
Pad through the rack-and-pinion mate, we will not actually do the steps with the rotary motor as it is
less direct, and we would have the additional problem of determining the degrees of rotation of t he
sleeve for linear travel of the Rack Pad.

Method 4-Basic Motion

When we first looked at this problem. we chose to use Animation because this is a kinematic system.
What happens if we use Basic Motion instead? Will it work?
Because we used a linear motor in the last method. we will use a rotary motor in this method just to lac
at the options.

Change study.
Select a Motion Study tab and rename it BM Rotary Motor.

2 Select Basic Motion.

Select Basic Motion for the Type of Study.

3 Add a motor.
Leave the time bar at a seconds and add a rotary motor to a cylindrical edge of the sleeve. Make su~::
the direction will cause the TBrack to move downward (toward the Table).
Set the motor for Constant speed at lORPM because we want the sleeve to rotate 180 degrees in
3 seconds.

4 Add contact.
To stop the motion. add contact between the Rack Pad and the Table.
 Alternate Methods 305

3 Calculate.
:::alculate and play the animation. Because we used a motion driver, the default length of t he animation
5 5 seconds.

5 View warning.
,'/e get a warning stat ing:

3D Contacts in Basic Motion are not compatible with certain SolidWorks features , including
compon ent patterns, advanced mates, and mechanical mates, and you may experience
:.ncorrect results.
- o see what will happen, we will note the message, but continue. Click OK.

= Examine the results.

- he motor was able to drive the assembly, but the contact failed to stop t he
110tion.

,'/e now need to investigate the warning message.

-;-here are two mates used that are not standard mates, the width mate and
-ack-and-pinion mate. Each can be handled differently. The width mate can be
-eplaced with a coincident mate and the rack-and-pinion mate could be replaced
Nith contact between t he two gears.

3 Replace the width mate.

'v1ove the time bar to o seconds.
Suppress the width mate.

Add a 6.3Smm distance mate between t he Right plane of t he Column and Planel of the TBrack to
::enter the TBrack in the s lot.

3 Replace the rack-and-pinion mate.

'Nith t he time bar still at o seconds, suppress the rack-and-pinion mate.

Add contact between the two gears.

'Tlportant! Make sure the gear teeth are not interfering

at 0 seconds. If t he teeth are past their contact point, the
animation will not run.
306 Chapter 10

10 Calculate.
Lengthen t he animat ion to 7 seconds and then ca lculate.
The first part of t he animation works satisfactorily, but problems develop when the TBrack contacts
the Table.
Analyzing the Problem
The solver has difficulty at this point because of the way we defined the motion. The mot or is
commanded to turn for the length of t he animation; however. the contact condition tells it to stop whE-
the TBrack contacts the Table. Because the motor is not driving the component that makes contac::
with the Table. the cont act would have to be transmitted back through t he second contact condition c::
the gear teeth. This is beyond the current capabilities of Basic Motion.
Another thing to consider is that a physical system would not be set up to have a motor drive
components into this type of contact without having something to stop the mot or from continuing tc
drive t he mechanism at contact. We need to turn the motor off manually just like we did in an animatic-
motion study type.

11 Turn off the motor.

Move the time bar to 3 seconds, where the Rack Pad contacts the Table.
Right-click the rot ary motor and turn it off.
Add a key point, one second later, to turn the motor back on in t he other direction.

12 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animat ion. We now have essentially t he correct animat ion. but it was a lot morE
work for no gain. We could also add gravity to this animation to make sure the Rack Pad does not
bounce.
Using a Linear Motor
We will do one more animation using Basic Motion, this t ime with a linear motor attached to the
components that will make contact.

13 Duplicate the study.

Duplicate the BM Rotary Motor study and name it BM Linear Motor. This study already has the
contact established between the gears and the TBrack and Table, so all we need to do is change
motors.
 Alternate Methods 307

- Change motors.
::.ete the rotary motor and add a linear motor to the TBrack part to drive it toward
- =Table at 13.33mm/s.

: Calculate.
=-=:ause the motor is driving the part that will make contact, it actually stops at
::-~act.

: Change direction.
::e the time bar to 4 seconds. Edit the motor and change its direction to move the TBrack upward.
:-,:nge the int erpolation mode t o Snap. This is required to prevent t he motor from going down at 3
xconds to up at 4 seconds with a default linear interpolation.

- Calculate.
:now have an animation t hat is very close to the first animation we did using the point-to-point
-:<hod.

Save and close all files.

-;}::view
1ile we could create this animation using Basic Motion, it does not improve the animation. it is more
:::ik, and it could result in errors and troubleshooting that waste time. Of all the methods. the simple
::::~1t-to-point animation that we created first was the easiest and fastest, and got the job done. The
:sson here is that you should not overcomplicate the process. Use what will get you the animation with
--e least amount of work as it is usually the method that can be calculated more easily by t he solvers.

The Law of Simplicity

- -e best solution is most often the simplest solution.
Introduction to Cameras

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand camera options.
Add a camera to the assemb ly.
Edit a camera.
Use camera motion controls.
Create multiple cameras.
Use cameras in an animation.
310 Chapter 11

Introduction to Cameras
The SolidWorks camera allows a more visual approach to establishing and changing viewpoints. The
camera movement s can produce the same results that can be achieved using Pan, Zoom, Rotate, Roll,
and Perspective. The camera. however. more closely approximates the actions of a photographer or
videogra pher and adds two additional features: depth of field and the ability to get inside object s.
For animations, the camera can be controlled by key point positions. attached to sketches or edges, or
attached to a movable assembly component called a camera sled. The use of the camera sled will be
discussed in Chapter 13: Using Camera Sleds in Animations.

Topics
This chapter is about the camera itself and the different options available. The topics covered in this
chapter:

Camera terms
Camera movements. bot h translational and rotational. have defined names in t he video industry.
There are several different methods t hat can be used to position and move a camera in an animatior~
Positioning and aiming cameras
There are different methods to define the position and aim point of a camera during an animation.
Adding a camera
Cameras can be added directly to a part or assembly document. Multiple cameras can be added to
parts or assemblies and can be used in animations.
Camera options
The sett ings that are ava ilable for the camera include directions. distances, and lens type.
Editing a camera
Cameras can be edit ed to change the settings, including the direction, distance, and lens type.
Camera properties
There are visual properties associated with the camera properties, including depth of field and
apparent depth.

Perspective
The camera lens controls perspective.
Effect of focal length
Changing t he focal length of a lens changes the relative size of distant objects to near objects.
Depth of field
Depth of fie ld controls which part of the image is in focus.
 Introduction to Cameras 311

Camera Terms y
: .'hen using a camera for a still image, we generally Crane
::;ag the camera to some location and then aim the
:;::;-get line at the point we want centered in the image .
.Ye tend to not be as aware of the different controls
: J move t he camera as we are when in an animation
nhere the camera position, orientation, and aim point
1 ay change throughout possibly hundreds of frames.
,'lithin the TV and film industry, moving the camera
::long or around the three primary axes of a camera all
-;ave defined terms. Knowing the correct terms is
;nportant when collaborating with others, as all
11ovements can be clearly defined.

Camera Rotation
Camera rotation involves rotating the camera around the camera's X, Y, and Z axes.
Pan
Panning refers to horizontal rotation of the camera about the Y axis of the camera.
Tilt
Tilt is just what it sounds like-the camera tilts up or down around the horizontal X axis of the camera.

Roll
Roll is rotation around the Z axis, meaning the camera remains pointed at the same subject.
When the camera is aimed at a target and the target ca.....,....__Rot.a_ ~ Camera Rotation
-
~

I (@a ,!-135deg ~
Set ral by selection:
point is defined as Target by selection, the camera j , _ _,_ _,___
I
cannot be tilted or panned and the Camera Rotation
~Odeg
r-
~;., ~ lOdeg .r.
&
~... ,

section of the PropertyManager only allows the camera -r

} '=1 ~
~ lOdeg
"7
.-.:-
roll to be set. :J T.
~,

Target by selection Floating

312 Chapter 11

Camera Translation

~
mera Position
Position by selection:
The following terms describe translational movement of the camera along its
three principal axes. During these movements, the camera's position actually
I I
~X900mm ,.;-
changes during the move; however, none of its rotations do. rg 11 ! !! !! II !! I! if !la1''m
~ 'lOOfMl ~
m !I i! I If Jl I. I jj I 11"1t1''Ui
Dolly
A "dolly" is a wheeled platform on which the camera and t ripod can be
mount ed. In terms of camera movement, "dollying" refers t o moving t he c ~z 600nYn
"!! '""" "" ' ~
.-:

camera forward or backward on a dolly, along the camera's Z axis. If you bring the camera in closer to
your subject, the move is referred to as "dolly in," and if you are pulling back away from your subject
the term is "dolly out."

Truck
Trucking is sideways movement of the camera along its X axis. You wou ld use a dolly for this, but
instead of moving in and out you would "truck left" or "truck right."
Track
The term "t rack" is used to define a movement that is both dolly and truck, but it is usually defined
more specifically, meaning to stay a constant distance from t he subject.

Crane
A crane shot involves moving the camera in a vertical direction along the camera's Y axis. The move
is referred to as either "crane up" or "crane down." The term "boom" is also used t o define this
movement.
Note The t erms dolly, track, and truck are frequent ly used interchangeably; however, the definit ions
above are the most common definitions fo r each term.

Positioning and Aiming Cameras

When using viewpoints to control what was seen in an animat ion, our only choice was to create
viewpoints by using t he Pan, Zoom, Rotate, and Roll commands and then create key points. In t he
animation, t he views were animated by moving directly between views, just as was do ne with
components.
With cameras, we can also create camera positions as key points and let the camera move directly
between those points, but cameras provide additiona l flexibility that allows the path the camera takes
between points to be defined. Addit ionally, cameras can be attached t o moving objects so our point o!'
view moves with t he object.
 Introduction to Cameras 313

- 1e different methods to move a camera:

Drag the camera to a position

Set the location coordinates of the camera
Attach the camera to a spline or edge
Attach the camera to a component

.-amera Aiming Methods

- -:1ere are two methods t o aim a camera.
.:C.. Aimed at target
When aimed at a target, the Z axis of the camera (the camera to t arget line) is pointed at t he selected
target, and the camera position is then controlled by dragging it to the desired location so that the
view is what you expect When the camera is aimed at a t arget, it is like adding a mate to the camera
that limits the camera's ability t o pan and tilt
When the camera is aimed at a point on the moving component, the camera pan and tilt automatically
.
~= changes to follow the target point.
:::11 Floating
When a camera is positioned as Floating, it is not aimed at anything specific, so controls are provided
=
-= to position the camera by its X, Y. and Z coordinates and then to aim the camera by rotating it about
its X, Y, and Z axes.

Adding a Camera
5 Multiple cameras can be added to any part or assembly. Once created, the cameras are listed in the
Camera folder in the DisplayManager. To change the view to that of a camera, you can either right-click
the camera in the Disp layManager and click Camera View, or press the spacebar and double-click the
desired camera view.

Where to Find It
Menu: View, Lights and Cameras, Add Camera
Shortcut Menu: DisplayManager, View Scenes, Lights and Cameras, right-cl ick Camera folder, Add
Camera

5
314 Chapter 11

Camera Options
When the camera is added, the graphics window is split to show the camera view on the right and a
standard view on the left. The camera feature is used to establish a view as seen thro ugh the lens of a
Ill
camera.

Target Point, Position, and Rotation Camera Posit ion

The Camera Type can be set to be Aimed at target or Target Point
Floating. The Aimed at target option will be used in
t hese examples and in this diagram the points are
attached to sketch geometry.
The Target Point and Camera Position locate two ends
of a vector to aim the camera. They also establish the
distance from the object.
The Target Point (red dot) is t he first aiming point of
the camera vector, located at the target object. It
can be a vertex, curve, face, or plane.
The Camera Position (yellow dot) is the camera lens View Rectangle
position and second point of the aiming vector. It can
also be a vertex, curve, face, or plane. Attaching the Target Point or Camera Position to sketch
geomet ry allows the point to be moved along that geometry when aiming the camera.
The camera Rotation options are used to
set the rotation of the camera about the
principal axes of the camera (pan, tilt, and
roll). When the camera is aimed at a target
only t he roll angle of the camera can be
adjusted .

Aiming the Camera

The camera target point (red dot) can be moved by
Dragging the camera
Selecting a point vertex, curve, face, or plane
Typing numerical coordinates
The camera position (yellow dot) ca n be moved by
Dragging t he move triad
Typing numerical coordinates
Attaching the camera to a point, vertex, curve, face, or plane
 Introduction to Cameras 315

::amera roll can be set in these ways:

me:
Define t he up direction by selecting a line, edge fa ce, or plane, and then an angle to that direct ion.
~ = :' Drag the camera roll by holding Alt and dragging with the middle mouse button or wheel.

_ocking the Camera Position

avoid accidently moving a camera position, you can select Lock camera position except when editing.
- :::1

F-i - ,is disables the View commands (Pan, Zoom, Rotate, and Roll) when in a camera view.

, 1ere to Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-click a camera, Lock Camera
Camera PropertyManager: Select Lock camera position except when editing
..... Camera Motion Controls
,'/ith Camera View enabled, the camera can be moved while looking through it, using keyboard/mouse
::::~mbi nations. These controls are only available in the Camera PropertyM anager or if Lock camera
?OSition except when editing is cleared. If Lock camera position except when editing is selected, you
:annat move t he viewpoint with the Pan, Zoom, Rotate, or Roll tools and the cursor will change to ~
~ you try to change the viewpoint.

Keyboard/Mouse Action Pointer Description

Middle mouse button fJ Orbit: this moves the camera around the target
o. + holding the camera-to-target distance fixed
..- Ctrl+ middle mouse button ~ Pan: this is a combination of truck and crane
a. +
Shift+ middle mouse button Qf Dolly in and out
~
g, t
Alt+ middle mouse button <a: Roll about target line
o. +
Ctrl+ Alt+ middle mouse button Pan or Tilt the camera
o.~t

/
 316 Chapter 11

Definable Camera Properties

In an animation, the following camera properties can be controlled at Key Points.

Property
Target Point position Depth of Field**
Camera position Field of View {lens)
Camera rotation Aspect ratio*
Camera in use (when several are available)

.,, While aspect rat io can be animated with key points on the timeline, all output formats will only use a
single aspect ratio.
-:..-~
The Depth of Field option is only available for rendered output using [g!_ Depth of Field lt

PhotoView 360.

0
~~1l
Focus by selection:
jlttJ[n,:1ij5

4 ~~ :
--=-r-
l
T

f ~41.664mm :
 Introduction to Cameras 317

~se Study: Introduction to Cameras

-- s case study is an introduction to the camera. The camera
~:::>ears as a gray so\"ta Image W'nen 'oe\ng aaaea Of ea\'teO.

-o keep things simple. we will use an existing assembly with

3<etches to explore the setup and basic controls of a camera. In the
21imation we create. we will view the model as seen through a lens.
3 ~ default. the camera will create a unique camera view with perspective.

l:'SE.

4..

1:

J.-z
Procedure
Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Move Camera from the
Case Study\ Move Camera folder.
~ate The existing sketch geometry is offset slightly from the
center of the assembly.
318 Chapter 11

2 Add camera.
From the menu, dick View, Lights and Cameras, Add Camera.
Make sure that Aimed at target is selected. 0 Show runoric controls
0 Lod< c;ornera position extE1X
l when edililg

3 Note viewports.
The camera view Cameral is displayed in the
right viewport It remains the camera view
until t he Camera PropertyManager is closed.
Tip The standard view is displayed in the left
viewport It is helpful to change the view
orientation to a standard orientation such as
Isometric, shown here.
y

* l s:ometric Cameral

Camera Position and Target

When adding a camera, we define its position, orientation, properties, and target If we use Aimed at
target, there are two positions t hat must be defined, t he position of the camera it self and the point
where the camera is aimed, called the target point In the animation, the ca mera position and ta rge~
point will be changed from key point to key point
Both the camera position and target point can be defined by point s, edges, lines, cu rves, or discrete
coordinat es. Some examples are shown below with the Camera View on the right

Geomet ry Description
Attached to circle
 Introduction to Cameras 319

Geometry Description

- .!.ttached to spline

l@ll'

Attached to helix
+
-

e
. =-
Percent Distance along Selection Target Point ~

,'/henever a camera position or target point is defined by an edge. line. or curve. 0 Target by selection:

zilere will be an input box in t he PropertyManager to define where along the

j une 2@Sketd1 1
I
:urve t he camera or t arget point is located. This is defined as a percent age of
~

~
. rE!ml .-
' ' ')_ T r~l
T___j

::he distance along the edge, line, or curve. camera Position ~

0 Position by selection:
j un~ tSk<tdll I
~ 32.719
~- ~ T - 1
320 Chapter 11

4 Set target and position. Target Point

Under Target Point, for Target by selection, select (in the left viewport) the 0 Target by selection:
IPointl@'S~tch 1
endpoint of the sketch line as shown.
jeamera-Posmon
Under Camera Position, select Position by selection and select the sketch line II 0 Position by selection:

as shown.
, ILine 2!&'Sketch1
i1 vi::% 38. 53

These selections define the vector direction of the camera.

I 0 1 j -

Note Your initial percentage of distance along t he selected line may be differe nt than what is shown -
the illust ration, depending on where you selected the line. Make sure to select the line rat her than thE
endpoint of the line so that the Camera Position remains movable.

Camera Position

Target

5 Adjust camera position.

Move the camera Position distance along selected edge/line/curve slider to SO%. This will place t he
camera at the middle of the sketch line.
 Introduction to Cameras 321

~ Set rotation. t Ca m eraR otation ~.

:::.tck in the left viewport and change to an Isometric view. Under Camera 0
5et rolby
selection:
;{otation, click in the Set roll by selection fi eld and select the Right plane. IRight Plane
0 F~p Direction
: .ick Flip Direction to reverse the camera. i._

:~:
.zls:om

Select field of view.

J nder Field of View, select Perspective and choose the somm Standard lens.
- --
AeldofVoew
[{] Perspective
~

~"
e---'1.
Click OK to close t he Camera PropertyManager.
__._
~ote Your values for li and emay be different than what is shown in the ISOnvn Standard Tl
.:tustration, depending on where you selected the line. 9 26.99deg f:-
j. '

e ~~ iiill: I I I I I ll I I
~
I! II !111rtttli4

" l'*lmm ' :-

iiiijii i 111 I I ! 1111t! hfi'!!fl'l''j

Aspect ratio (width : height):

11: s.s

D Drag Aspect Ratio

322 Chapter 11

Editing a Camera
Camera positions and target point s can be changed during the animation.

General Sequence
When you want to edit the settings of a camera in a motion study, t he general sequence is as follows:
1. Expand t he Lights, Cameras and Scene folder.
2. Double-click t he camera feature or right-click the camera and click Properties.

8 Slide the camera.

Edit the camera by do uble-clicking the
Camera l feature.
Select the yellow dot in the Cameral
viewport and drag the camera along the
sketch line, closer to the assembly.
The Cameral viewport updates dynamically.

9 Slide the camera.

An alternate to dragging the yellow dot is to
move t he slider for Position distance along
selected edge/line/curve. Move the slider to
100%, which moves t he camera to the end of
the sketch line furthest from the t arget.
Click OK to exit the camera.

10 Save the assembly.

Multiple Cameras
You can add as many cameras as you want to a part or assembly. Using multiple cameras in an animation
becomes a little more involved as more cameras are added. Within SolidWorks and in animations. we
can only see the view from one camera at a time, so any split screen video must be done in post-
processing.

Show/Hide Cameras
Graphic images of the cameras can be toggled on or off.

Where to Find It
Menu: View, Cameras
Shortcut Menu: Cameras folder, Show Cameras
 Introduction to Cameras 323

11 Show cameras.
Click View, Cameras and toggle on the graphic images of the camera.

rus:

12 Add a second camera.

Add a second camera, and select the Target
Point and Camera Position as shown using the
other line of the sketch. Set the Position
distance along selected edge/line/curve to
75%.
Under Camera Rotation, click Set roll by
selection and select t he Top plane of the
assembly from the flyout FeatureManager.
Under Field of View, select the
somm Standard lens.
Click OK.

13 Hide cameras.
Click View, Cameras to toggle off graphic images of cameras and their orientations.
~=-

= Also, hide Sketchl.

324 Chapter 11

Cameras in an Animation
You can view an animation through the lens of an exist ing Camera. If multiple cameras exist. you can
switch between the camera views. Camera changes are view changes. The cameras are stored in the
Lights folder and as named views.

Switching a Camera On
Cameras must be switched on in order to view the animation through their lens. To make the viewpoint
that of the camera, you must select Camera View. When in camera view, you cannot pan. zoom, rotat e.
or roll the viewpoint. If you try, you will get the warning: The camera is locked. Edit or unlock to
allow movement .

Where t o Find It
Shortcut Menu: Right-dick a camera in the Lights fo lder, select Camera View
View Orientation: Press the Spacebar, double-click the camera name
Locking the Camera Position
To avoid accidently moving a camera position, you can select Lock camera position except when editing
in the PropertyManager for the camera. Just as in the Model t ab. t his disables the camera motion
commands (Orbit, Pan, Dolly, Rotate, and Roll) when in a camera view.

14 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion st udy and name it Camera Views.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.
15 Unlock view orientation.
Right-d ick Orientation and Camera Views and clear Disable View Key Creation. This will cause key
points to be created each time we change cameras or views.

16 Set initial orientation.

Drag the time bar t o 0 seconds. Change to an Isometric
view and zoom the assembly.

Isometric
 Introduction to Cameras 325

17 Select first camera.

pu can Drag t he t ime bar to 3 seconds. Change the view orientation
j;n the to Cameral to turn on the camera.

The camera orientation continues from the t ime bar point to

t he end of the animation.
riewpoint
Note The borders that surround the camera view appear in
~ rotate.

.,
the active motion study but will not appear in the saved AVI
.:OCk to
file.

Camora l

18 Select second camera. \; IGc:j. ;j . ~.r ~- ~ . J:)i .

Drag t he time bar to 7 seconds. Change the view orientation
to Camera2. This camera orie ntation continues from t he
~ editing
time bar point to the end of the animation. superseding
J~ion Cameral.

j
Came ra%

:ause key
19 Select place key.
Drag t he time bar to 10 seconds. Select t he Orientation and Camera Views feature in the
MotionManager design t ree and select Place Key ~ - This inserts a key point into the timeline for the
camera at the position of the t ime bar.

NJ~ ~ ~ 'IU 10 sec

I I I I I
-
1 1 I I
12 sec
I I I I I
_
1- 1 I I
14 sec
It I I I I
~
I I I
16 sec
I l I I I I
-
I I I
10 sec
I I I L I I I I I
110 sec
d~ Move ~mora (Dmu~< D.tult_D,
~ Orientation and Camera View<
til 1 Lights, Cameras and Scone
~ (f) Viewl > (Default <DefauiL
81~ Matos
~ () Skotchl
326 Chapter 11

20 Change orientation.
Select the key and change the view orientation to Top and
zoom the model. The animation will end with this orientation.

r
"Top

21 View time bar.

Expand t he Lights, Cameras and Scene folder. The beige bars indicate the t imes used by the
cameras. The label indicates the orientation at the key point.

(Y)it~'i4 lJ 10 s ec tl
J It It I I
12 s ec
I I I I I t I I I
14sec
I II. J I I I I
16 sec
I II t J I I 1 I
18 sec
I 1 I t f I I II
10 s ec
It I 1

"" ~ M0011eCarmn (Dehult<Oefuft_Di,

'z> Orimbticn .rut:c.m.n Views
8 b) UghG, Cammrs .rut Scene
: Sconeffiurmnat10n

t

~ Diredicmll t
f1' DirecticnJI2 t
~ Cammrl t
~ Cmeral t
f4} ~ (fJ Vi"""'<l> (Dfhult<Oet.uft_( t
-jfMot.s
~ () Slrdd1l

22 Play the animation.

Notice that the camera views jump instantaneously at the key points as we cannot add interpolation
modes to cameras.
 Introduction to Cameras 327

23 Edit Cameral.
Drag t he time bar to 7 seconds. This is t o make changes to Camera l before it switches to Camera2.

Select Cameral in the MotionManager design tree.

In the MotionManager design t ree. right-click Cameral and click Properties. [cameraPosiuon ~
r ~ Positlon by $<!l<!ctlon:
Move t he Camera Position slider to 25 for Position distance along selected edge/ (Unel#Sk~~ J1
line/curve. This will make the camera move from t he top of the sketch line to a ~ 2s ~
position that is closer to the assembly. l _1_ _ __
24 Lock view orientation.
Right-click Orientation and Camera Views and select Disable View Key Creation.

25 Place key.
--e Move the time bar to 7 seconds.

Select Camera2 in t he Motion Study design t ree, then click Place Key. This key point will hold the initial
position of Camera2.

26 Edit Camera2.
Drag t he time bar to 10 seconds. Edit Camera2. Move the Camera Position slider to 100 for Position
distance along selected edge/line/curve. This will make the camera move to the end of the sketch line
furthest away from the assembly.

27 Play.
Each of the two cameras moves along the sketch lines when it is active.

28 Save and close all files.

10!ation
328 Chapter 11

Camera Properties
Whether you are creating a still image or a video. cameras have the same characteristics.

Still cameras and video cameras follow the same principles. The primary differences are that still
cameras shoot single images at high definition and video cameras shoot an evenly spaced series of
images at a lesser resolution. Another difference is the proportions of the frame. With printed still
images. we can essentially use any length-to-width ratio as the final print can be trimmed as necessary
to fit its use. In a collage of product images. all the images can be different sizes and pasted together
to fo rm an interesting display. With video. the length-to-width ratio of playback devices such as
projectors and monitors is genera lly only certain sizes. While we could produce videos at length-to-widtr
ratios other than those of the playback device, there would be black unused areas on the screen. There
are certainly cases where this may be artistically desirable. but for most videos, the standard sizes work
best.

Camera Lenses
The Field of View section of the Camera PropertyManager contains six standard Field ofY.ew
camera lenses (Wide Angle. Telephoto. etc.) to use with the camera. The lenses
use preset combinations of View angle e. Height of view rectangle Jt., and
Length to view rectangle i,. The Custom angle option allows you to set your own
values. !SOrrm Standard
9 ~9deg
J I
The six lenses correspond to standard lenses used by photographers. In addition
to the standard lenses, you can also create a custom lens which is similar to
e E .598n

using a zoom lens. h. j l5.647in

Aspect raoo (width : height}:

By using lenses. we can control the size of the image similar t o dollying our @:s_.s_ _ __
camera. With the standard zoom tool. we could turn on perspective and control 0Drag Aspect Ratio
the perspective independently from the amount of zoom. With lenses, zoom and
perspective are tied together. Wit h wide angle lenses (lower focal lengths}. like the 24mm lens. there is
much more perspective. With telephoto lenses (longer focal lengths}. like the 200mm lens, there is muc-
less perspective.
 Introduction to Cameras 329

Field of View
Field of view controls the magnification of the image
by using simulated camera lenses. Lenses have View Lens View Angle
angles 9 , t hat correspond to lenses used by
24mm Wide Angle 53.13
standard 3Smm single lens reflex (SLR} cameras. The
Custom angle option allows you to set your own 3Smm Wide Angle 37.85
values.
somm Standard 26.99
8Smm Telephot o 16.or

~
13Smm Telephoto 10.16
200mm Telephoto 6.87

View Rectangle
The view rectangle helps us to see graphically the relationship between the view angle and the subject.
It is initially placed so that the camera view mimics the noncamera view t hat is in effect at the time t he
camera is created. The view rectangle distance is init ially set so the angle of the view is equivalent to a
standard somm lens.
For the view rectangle, the View angle 8 , Height of view rectangle It , and
~.....It
e...-..J ....
Length to view rectangle e have a basic geometric relationship. The image in the
PropertyManager shows this relationship and the simple geometry used to calculat e
the height based on the view angle and the length. Using simple geometry, we have t he height:
height = 2 * length *tan (view angle/2)
If Perspective is cleared, all parallel edges will be parallel on the screen.

Size of Field
~
The size of t he Field of View can be changed by dragging a side or corner of the view rectangle.

Pointer Description

~~ Drag the field of view edge to increase or decrease the Length t o view rectangle e.
Drag the field of view corner to increase or decrease the View angle 9.
~!Sl
330 Chapter 11

Case Study: Camera Lenses

This is a simple case study to explore the different settings that are used with cameras.

1 Open assembly.
Open the assembly Toy Car.sldasm from t he Case Study\ Camera folder.

There are two cameras already creat ed in this assembly.

2 Change lenses.
Double-click Cameral to displays its properties.

Change to the different lenses and observe the differences in the model. While you observe the changes
remember that neither the camera nor the model is moving.

Because the Distance to View Rectangle is based on the zoom you have when creating the camera, thE
value you see may be differe nt than t hat used to create the images below. To see exactly the same
resu lts as s hown below. you will have to set your Distance to View Rectangle to 350mm.

Camera Lens Isometric View of Model Camera View

Perspectives Off
f ieldofVjew ~

A'
v~

I Aspect ratio (width: ~4#) :

. [II : 8.5 ... I
/D Drag Aspect Ratio 1
 Introduction to Cameras 331

Camera Lens Isometric View of Model Camera View

24mm
Foeld of Vie w ~

0 Perspective

~A
e----<~,

[ 24mm Wide A~e

__._

-
v

8
Eli ' __ L_iJ
e.;-~ e l350rrm :
A [350rrm -~J
~
r:: --= Aspect ratio (width : heio#l_ ,
r= .s .,
0Drag Aspect Ratio

3Smm

----
Field or View

0 Perspective
!::

~
e-'~,
A __._ ~
mm Wide Ano:---=:,v '

8
~T d
e ~
A

A \z40mm
~
-~I
Aspect ratio (width : he!Qht):
r; , ,g --,
~-5 v

0Drag Aspect Ratio

332 Chapter 11

Camera Lens Isometric View of Model Camera View

somm
or View
I
Field
lt]Perspe<tive
*I
~~h J.

[50mm standard .v
-
--.
- -
8 ~Q 1 r v::J

e [3sanvn vj
- --
h ~68mm A
'
~
Aspect ratio (,..;dth : height) :
[u :8.5 v

D Drag Aspect Ratio

8Smm
Field or Vie w
It] Perspective

~]
[asmm Telephoto - - v]
e ~07~eQ T
0
d
e r50mm :.s

Aspect ratio (wid:h: height):

II : 8 .5
---~

, 0 Dr"'J Aspect Ratio

 Introduction to Cameras 333

Camera Lens Isometric View of Model Camera View

13Smm
Field of View --~--=-
~
~
[!']Perspective

r-=e--ot
~It ....i..

l135mm Telephoto VJ
9 [lo.!odeg
~ -' I I J
e ~~
It
-vj
Aspect ratio (wiclh : hei<;t>t):
j u : a.5 v~
0 Drag Aspect Ratio

2oomm
Aeld of View ~

0 Perspective

~ It
e--'~,
....i..

J200rrvn Teiephoto v
J
~

t; ~deg ~)
T - , - __.,- J
e @~ ~J

It ~4~
~

Aspect ratio (wldh

~'

~
: height): ,
iu, a.5 v

0 Drag Aspect R -
334 Chapter 11

View Rectangle
The size and position of the View Rectangle does not affect the final camera view. The camera view is -~
strictly a function of the camera position. target. view angle, and aspect ratio.
The fo llowing camera views were created for Camera2 with the same camera position, target. lens
(view angle}, and aspect ratio.

Distance to View Isometric View of Model Camera View

Rectangle

AeldofY'..... - ~

~Perspective

~-.h ...L

[50rm~d__ v .!l
a ~99oov T -,-- T
4'
--":1
eL 2SQnm
~
h ~20rrn L =2SOmm
:2

I
Aspect ratio (vdh : heijlt):
~

c~~ :8.5 v
J

D DriiQ Aspect Ratio -.

field of View ~I
~Perspective

~J
[5o.m. Standord v J
a E:~ ~~

L = 750mm
Aspect ratio (vdh : hei#):
[ 11 : 8.5 __v ,

l0 Dri!Q Aspect Ratio

 Introduction to Cameras 335

Camera Roll
-a vievo~ is Camera roll allows the camera to roll about t he camera to target axis from 0 to 180 degrees. To
properly define the roll angle, you need t o specify the up direction, which can be a line, edge, face, or
plane. Lines and edges define t he up direct ion (zero degrees). If a plane or face is used. the up direction
et.lens
is normal to the plane or face. If a direction is not specified, the Top plane is assumed making the
assembly Y direction t he up direction.
The following table shows the camera rotation of Cameral using a SOmm lens and an
aspect ratio of 11:B.S.

Camera Rotation Isometric View of Model Camera View

o degrees
i C.mer.oltobtioo ~

LJSetroll b;
seledian:
I
Top I
~ odeg ' T'
~:-
J.- J
- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - ------

+45 degrees

i
C.metai!Dbi:IM
LJSetrol b;
seledion:
ITop

~ ~'ISdegT " j_ T
f.:~
!'I

I ,
-45 degrees
C.mer.o llotai:IM - *
o Setrolby

~
>election:
ITop I
~ l-45deg r:-
. ~ -:r~
336 Chapter 11

Camera Rotation Isometric View of Model Camera View

+90 degrees

Camera Rotation
:J Setrol by
*
selection:
jTop I
~ 90deg
' 1
:

'
-90 degrees

Camera Rotation ~

n Setrolby
selection:
fT;" I
~-90deg
::J - ' ~1
 Introduction to Cameras 337

Camera Aspect Ratio

Aspect ratio is the width of an image divided by its height. A 4:3 aspect ratio is an image 4 units wide
by 3 units high. SolidWorks provides us with the most common aspect ratios for film and video and we
are also free to define a custom aspect ratio by entering values either by direct input of the rat io or by
dragging the field of view (FOV} box on the screen. The aspect ratio works with the camera lens. While
the camera lens controls the amount of zoom on our model, the aspect ratio defines how our model is
framed by the camera. Height is the contro lling quantity.
In t he following table, we will use only the somm Standard lens and change just the aspect ratio. Not ice
that the view angle, distance, and height remain the same in all images; only the width of the frame will
change because of the aspect ratio.

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

Field of View *
0 Perspective

~
~.!1:
"''""IVUJW V
'

:
lc::;:::;:==:::::=::::.
]
CAl
h [t68mm
---' A 1:1 Square Format
11..;.._ ~
Aspect ratio (width : heir#):
! 1:1 __ vj
0Dra<J Aspect Ratio

Ifield o f View --
0 Perspective
*

~h
8

e.
~Oirro Standord
09
I3SOmm

h 1!68mm
T
....

"__j
"

:
A
,
l

4:3

v j

Aspect ratio (width :heir#): Standard Video and Print Format

r - ]
~ " ;
OllraQ Aspect Ratio
338 Chapter 11

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

Field o(View _ _ _ _.:..;_

~

0 Perspective

~1
~mm Standa_rd_ _.v

8 ~99d~ - ~~
e 13somm ---~J

ft U68mm :'i 16:9

IAspect ratio (width : height): HDTV Format
16:9
'
0 Drag Aspect Ratio

Field of View ~

0 Perspective

r-=e---'~
~1
[50mm Standard Vj

8 ~eg
T_T_ T v~

e jJsonvn ~r
I
A ~168mm Vol
8:5
Aspect rat<> (Wldth : height): Widescree n Monitor Format
ra;s- - v,
0 Dr~g Aspect Ratio

Field or View
,__...... ~

0 PerspectiVe

~1
~ Standard- -V '

8 ~g --~~1
1.67:1
Aspect r~tio (width : height): Cinematic 3Smm format-Europe
~ - v]
0 Dr~g Aspect Ratio
 Introduction to Cameras 339

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

fField of V"oew ,:::

0 Perspective

~1 I /1 X mw
[50mm Standar_d _ _.v,
e ~99deQ
t--"j_l T T---;
..,

e r350mm
-
v
c;j

It ,.68nm ~I
4
1.85:
Aspect ratio(""*", heiohtl: Cinematic 3Smm format- US/UK
I r1.85: I v
1

lDo.-~ Aspect Ratio

field or View ~

0 Perspective

~1 I /1 ~ / ,.. I '-'W
[50mm Standard
e 126.99deQ v
t-=).J. ~-~
e [350mm
.
:J
1r. F68nm
.
: ~
2a9:1
AspectratX>(wiclh =heiohtl: Cinematic 3Smm anamorphic
[z.39' 1 ~ format
0 Drag Aspect Ratio

Fteld of View ,:::

0 Perspective

~~
1SOnwnStandard j_ -- I I~
e l ;99deQ T T T
~....

e~ ~
It ,.68nm - -:
Aspect ratX><""*", height):
I 3 :2
4x6 print format, landscape
r;;z v

Oo.-ao Aspect RatX>

340 Chapter 11

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

@ eldof Yiew ~l

[SOM.St~d .v .
-
re ~~-
l T J
vj

e \350mm

'
:J
h. \168mm
--- 2:3
vj

IAspect ratio (width: hei<)ht): 4x6 print format, portrait

I IT> ---=- v 1

0 Drg Aspect Ratk>

J
'"Field of View *
~Perspective l
~J
l e ~~
qr_L----:c..
dl
1
e iNn v~
l h. ~ .:J 7:5
I Sx7 print format, landscape
~ =-= vl'
Aspect ratio (width : hekjlt):

0Dr"'J Aspect Ratio

 Introduction to Cameras 341

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

f ield or VIew - - ~

0~1 ~ Stond<lr~ v
1
8 26.99deo - l
t:-).r J: __ T --j

e~
h.
-
!68mm 5:7
I:
Aspect ratio (""dth : heqt): 5X7 print format, portrait
[ 5: 7

0 Droo Aspect Rotio

If i eld or View - - l'::

""

0~~J_J
8
e
h.
50mm Stond<lrd

26.99deg -
t=:)...l
350tNn

168mm
---

_t _r_::j

-
-
. . ..
v

:
'J

: .,,
1

5:4

1
Aspectrooo(width, he9t): 8x10 print format , lands cape
5:4 v

::J Droo Aspect Rotio

342 Chapter 11

Aspect Ratio Isometric View of Model Camera View

FoeldofYM!W
*I
0 Perspedive

~~A --*-
[SOnrn~ v '
9 f~ .-.-d
e [S!mn - -~
4:5
A ~6&nm
~
IAspect rotio (width : heqlt): 8x10 print format, portrait
~ ---..,~

0 llr"'J Aspect Ratio

"Field of View
0Perspedive
~ . -----'-
J, *

~1
[SOnrn Standard v '
9
E:~ t_T ~
1
e~ ~j
11:8.5
:J
Aspect ratio (width : tJght): US letter size, landscape
L~~, s.s ___ ~
0 llr"'J Aspect Ratio

Field of Yoew
0 Perspedive
*
~~--*-A
[S!mn standard -
9 ~99deg
T_ t...._:r ----j

e [JS()rm
~
~

..,..
v
'

8.5 :11
A 116&nm
~
~J
Aspect ratio (width : height): US letter size, portrait
[s.s: 11 _ _ .., ]

0 Or"'J Aspect Ratio

344 Chapter 11
--------------- -- ---------------- ------------- -- ---- --
Case Study: Camera Movements
At the beginning of the chapt er, the six camera
movement terms were discussed. To see the differences
between the movements, we will do a simple example
using a single camera inside the model of a small office.
To compare the movements, we will successively change
the camera view by moving it through five of the six
movements and then use the zoom capability of the
camera lens.

Procedure
1 Open an assembly.
Open the Full Office assembly.sldasm file from the
Office folder of the lesson files.

There is one came ra called Camera Movement. We will edit this ca mera to see t he resu lts of the
different movements.

2 Edit the camera. t camera Type ----;- ~era Rotatior>

In the DisplayManager, double-click the camera t o edit Amed at target ~ -13Sdog
o Roathg )
its properties. l ro~]Showrun<riccontrols ~ Odeg
Examine the camera's properties. The Camera Type is l
[~AJ;gn triad with"""""'
l.tJ ~camerapositionexceptwhen I ~ lade!l
j

set to Floating so we can adjust the pan and tilt of the l__ _j L
camera. The settings shown will be the default position fcamera Position ~ ~.==...:..=
P=tion by se!ection:
from which we will compare all the movements.
~ ~- ;
tnJ T tJ I I IJ ~ I I I I I I \])11'1'1
1

nm sW<tord
~y 400mm .;
ift1i3:J l!i fitl!l i! i l_!f tt" ''- 9 26.99deg

t<:>z ,~- .1 j
'ldlj OVVI I nl l 1 ..,.

mp t! JII ''' ll ' ' l d u'n' j

!
e :;.;:;m
tg .J

'lil '' !_!ii j l l \I I!~ ". .
h !920mm
"!1 1it 1l [!Jl!Jt!I1 ' '1'1W
Aspect ra tio r.':ldth : heght):
4: 3
 Introduction to Cameras 345

3 Examine the view.

In the left pane of the graphics area we can see the position of the camera. There is a named view called
Camera Top which will give you the same view as shown below. The initial camera position is looking
diagonally across the room at the top edge of the computer monitors.

4 Compare Truck vs. Pan.

Change the camera's X coordinate to -soomm by dragging the red arrow on the camera. This will cause
the ca mera to truck left t o a position near the left wall. Examine the view.
Return the X coordinate to 880mm and the Z coordinate to Goomm.
Pan the camera to the left by changing t he Yaw to -lOOdeg.

Examine the view. This time we are looking at the wall with the window instead of looking along the wall.
Repeat the above steps to truck the camera to the right to an X coordinate of 2100mm, then from t he
starting point pan the camera to the right to a Yaw of -170deg.
346 Chapter 11

5 Compare the views.

You can easily see the differences in the views created by physically moving the camera (trucking) as
compared to holding the camera in a fixed physica l position and just rotating it about its vertical axis
(panning).
 Introduction to Cameras 347

S Compare Crane vs. Tilt.

l:5 Using the same starting position for the camera, change theY coordinate of the camera to 1400mm and
then -600mm to crane up and crane down. Then from the starting position, tilt t he camera up and down
20deg.
348 Chapter 11

7 Compare Dolly vs. Zoom.

In this last series, we will compare moving the camera towards or away from the target as opposed to
holding the camera fixed and changing the lens zoom. Using the blue arrow. drag the camera near the
corner of the room away from the desk. then drag it close to the chair. Return the camera to its starting
position and then change the lens to 24mm and then 13Smm.
 Introduction to Cameras 349

8 Examine the images.

The most notable difference between these t wo methods is the amount of perspective. When the
E camera is dollied in, the lens angle remains the same, and therefore the perspective does not change
with distance to the target. With focal lengths above the standard lens, such as the 135mm lens, there
is less perspective. With focal lengths below the standard lens, such as the 24mm lens, the perspective
:s exaggerated as can be seen in the image. This is most noticeable if you compare t he edges of the
desktops and the top and bottom edges of the window.

-;o see the changes made above, view the file Camera View Changes.mp4 from the Videos folder.

Apparent Depth
~s we changed the focal length in the last case study, perspective changed, but because the model was
1ot very deep, it might not have been so obvious. In the next example, we will be able to see perspective
:hange more clearly and we will see another effect of different focal lengths: the ratio of the size of the
::>ackground objects to the foreground objects.

Case Study: Apparent Depth

-;o show the effects of the lens focal length on both
:Jerspective and the background, we will use a simple
:Jart. In the last case study, we held the camera in a fixed
:Jcation and changed the focal length of the lens. In t his
:ase we will move t he camera so that the subject
-emains the same size on the screen and observe the
effect on the background.

iProcedure
Open the part.
::Jpen the part Effects of Focal Length.sldprt from the Case Study\ Focal Length folder.

.: Examine the part.

n e ye llow base has a grid cut into it and the back wall has a decal applied.

nere is a camera already set up. The camera is attached to a sketch named Camera Path and aimed
at a point on the edge of a red and blue box.
350 Chapter 11

We will have the camera move along the sketch line towards the box. As the camera moves, we will
change the lens from a 200mm lens t o a 24mm lens and observe the effects on t he background image
The objective is to keep the closest edge of the box the same size on the screen, so as the
camera-to-subject distance is decreased, the focal length decreases.

3 Open the motion study.

Select the tab fo r the Focal Length motion study.
Not ice that there is no choice for study type as this is a 8~

part and not an assembly. l<l riJ I..ijlts,
~Skdxhl

4 Set first camera point. ~S1retch2

~Slrddl3
With the time bar at 0 seconds, right-click Cameral ~SketcM
~Sketdl5
and select Camera View. ~!Rtxtt6
~ear-a Path
Double-click Camera l t o display its properties. The
camera position is currently at 0% along the sketch line, which in this model is the point furthest awe
from the target.
Change the Aspect Ratio to 16:9 to give us a wider view of the backgro und.
Click OK.

5 Update the key point.

Select Cameral in the Motion St udy design tree, then click Add/Update Key ~ This makes sure th::
the changes we made to the camera properties are properly recorded at the key point.
 Introduction to Cameras 351

't a.a 6 Set second camera point.

--:cge Move the time bar t o 2 seconds.

Edit Cameral and set t he Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve t o 37.9%.

Change the camera lens to a 135mm Telephoto.

Click OK.

7 Update the key point.

Select Cameral in the Motion Study design tree, then click Add/Update Key rt+ .

8 Repeat.
Time Lens Percent distance
Repeat the above procedure to add the camera properties
(sec) along selected
shown in t he t able. edge/line/ curve

9 Play the animation. 0 200mm 0

There are several t hings to notice in this animation.
2 13Smm 37.9
First is that as t he focal length decreases, yo u can see the
4 8Smm 66.3
change in perspective by the yellow grid and t he edges of
the blue face. 6 somm 8 5.3

Second is that even though the camera is moving toward 8 3Smm 93.8
the block, it appears that t he camera is moving away 100
10 24mm
because the background appears to be getting further
away. As the focal length decreases, the lens angle
increases, capt uring a larger section of the background. When we view t he image, t he background must
s: a..?. fill the width of the screen so it appears to be magnified and looks closer.

-e tt:c::
352 Chapter 11

Third is t hat the target edge of the block does not stay exactly the same size as the camera moves. This
is because t he camera position is being linearly interpolated between key points, but t he focal length
differences are not linear. This will be corrected in the next chapter.

200mm Lens 135mm Lens

Camera to Subject Distance = 1,524mm Camera to Subject Distance = 1,016mm
Time = o seconds Time = 2 seconds

8Smm Lens somm Lens

Camera to Subject Distance = 63Smm Camera to Subject Dista nce= 38l mm
Time = 4 seconds Time = 6 seconds
 Introduction to Cameras 353

- -~

~-
3Smm Lens 24mm Lens
Camera to Subject Distance = 267mm Camera to Subject Distance = 184mm
Time = 8 seconds Time= 10 seconds

10 Close the part.

Standard Lens
When we selected different lenses, the somm lens was called a standard lens. In photography literature
it is also called a normal lens. In still photography, a normal lens is a lens whose focal length is roughly
equal to the diagonal of the image projected within the camera. This roughly approximates the perceived
field of view and perspective of the human eye. For a 3Smm camera, the image has a diagonal of 43mm.
The most commonly used normal lens is SOmm, but focal lengths between about 40 and S8mm are also
considered normal.
While video cameras are not the same as still cameras, within SolidWorks, the cameras follow t he
convention of 3Smm still cameras.
Note The somm foca l length was chosen by Oscar Barnack, the creat or of the Leica camera, as a
compromise between the theoretical value and good sharpness, because lens technology at that time
was such that slightly longer foca l lengths were able to achieve optimum sharpness.
Note The SOmm lens is the normal lens only for 35mm film. The normal lenses for other film formats
are different focal lengths. For example, a large format camera that uses 4 x 5 inch sheet film has a
normal lens of lSOmm.
354 Chapter 11

Depth of Field
When we focus a camera on a subject, not all objects in the scene are in focus. Objects nearer and further
from the subject will be out of focus. The depth of field is the distance in front of and behind the subject
which appears to be in focus. For any given lens setting. there is only one distance at which a subject is
precisely in focus, but focus falls off gradually on either side of that distance, so there is a region in
which the blurring is t olerable.
The exact point at which an object is considered out of focus is somewhat subject ive and depends on,
among other factors, the resolution of the human eye and the viewing dist ance. In optics, the fuzziest a
point can be and still be called "in focus" is defined, appropriat ely, as the circle of confusion. Fo r film
photography this is usually calculated using the Zeiss formu la of d/1730 where "d" is the diagonal
measure of the film . For 3Smm fi lm (43mm diagonal), this comes out to be 0.024mm. The exact value of
1730 is subject to some dispute- it's a ballpark figure-so this number is not exact

Use of Depth of Field

Photographers and videographers use depth of field to direct the viewer's eye toward the subject and
to create mood. For instance, a shot of a woman's face in close-up may have shallow depth of field witt-
someone just behind her visible, but out of focus-a common technique, for example, in me lodramas anc
horror films.
Depth of field is only available when using Photo View 360, so only animat ions that will be rendered tc
Photo View 360 can take advantage of this feature.
 Introduction to Cameras 355

Case Study: Setting Depth of Field

a~.c <=urt~ef
.e will use an assembly to see the effects of depth of field. We will use an assembly of three toy cars
~'te subje:?
:--at have been arranged in different orientations. Appearances and suitable lighting have already been
:: subjec: .s ~:ded to the scene. We will hold the camera at a fixed position and change the target point from the
eg:on j ~
- ear car to the far car. We will set the depth of field so that it is centered on the target point_ We will
::e able to see features come in and go out of focus as the t arget point moves through the scene.
:::Jends o-
Procedure
: -<uzziest a Turn on PhotoView 360. -~
Add-Ins
=or f ilrr - urn on the Photo View 360 add-in. Click Tools, Add-Ins_Select
gonal Active Add-ins !startUp 1. ~
PhotoView 360 from the list. f::l SolidWorks Premium Add-ins
c value o= n q Orrut\'ioci<s u
'"i~FeahreWoci<s [J I
0
I
PJ} Photx>View 360j
1~t:'. l SCanTo30 []
:_]" ' SoidWoci<s Desig1 Ole~ n
bject anc
~] ,9 SoSd\'lorks Motion n -I
[ l ~ Soid\'loci<s Routing []
=<=ield witr ::-J(j So!idWorks Simulotion n
:JJ SolidWorks Toobox ~ I
:-amasano :,.; 'ij' SolidWoci<s Toobox Browser 2
LJ~ Soid\Jorks Uti.'ities Ll
0 SoidWorks Vlorkgroup POM 2011 n I
n SoidWorks Workgroup POM 20 U n,.., I
::-:dered tc :::::1Klro1Anoiyst l J -'
1'-l SolidWorks Add ins
n Autx>troce D
D SolidWorks Aow Simulation 2012 [J
lJ SolidV/orl<s Part Reviewer ~J -
! OK I I Cancel I ::t.:i
356 Chapter 11

2 Open.
Open DOF Assembly.sldasm from
the Case Study/ Depth of Field
folder.

3 Add a camera. Camera;..;.

T.:..:. e _ _ _~
YP;.;;.
Right-click the Camera fold er in the DisplayManager and click Add Camera. 0 Ained at lar<;llll
Q FioatinQ

Under Camera Type, select Show numeric controls. This will allow us to input a ( 0 Show runeric controlsJ
r.1 Lock e<>mero position except
position in space for the camera location. "'-'when editinQ
l

Camera Position: Cartesian

CameraX: 280mm
CameraY: 80mm
Cameral: 440mm
Perspective: somm Standard
Aspect ratio: 16:9
 Introduction to Cameras 357

4 Aim the camera.

?or the Target Point, select a point on the rear wing of the
yellow car.

5 Add Depth of Field.

Select Depth of Field.
mportant! Depth of Field is only available in Photo View 360. If Depth of Field is not available in t he
camera PropertyManager, Photo View 360 is not turned on .
.., 5 Select the focus point.
8
.,._,e=pt
The focus point is the point in the scene you
want to be in exact focu s. This may be
different from the point where the camera is
aimed.
Select Focus by selection.
Select the vertex shown on the yellow car.
358 Chapter 11

7 Set Depth of Field.

Type somm for the Depth of Field f . This will
be the distance in front of. and behind, the ~ !Tl
focus point that will be in focus. I
I
Click OK.
I' r~ -
8 Rename camera.
Rename the new camera to Render Camer a.

9 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Depth ,.......___ Focus Plar:e
of Field. ....___ Loss of Foe....

Select Animation for the Type of Study.

10 Change view.
Change the view orientation to the Render Camera
view by pressing the Spacebar, and then double-
clicking Render Camera.
This is a camera position that would represent the
height of a person's eyes if these were real cars.

11 Set the key point.

Select the Render Camera in the MotionManager design tree. Click Add/Update Key to make sure :-
camera view is saved at the key point.
12 Set second camera
position.
Move the time bar to 8 seconds.
Double-click the Render Camera
in the Motion Study design tree.
Edit the Target Point and Focus
Point to those shown on the blue
car.
 Introduction to Cameras 359

This will change the focus area to

the blue car.
Click OK.

3 Set the key point.

Select the Render Camera in the Motion Study design tree. Click Add/Update Key to make sure this
camera view is saved at the key point.
~ote If Disable View Key Creation is cleared. we should not have to update the key; however. it is just
a precaution to make sure the key has been recorded properly.
4 Play.
Play the animation and watch the camera view change from the yellow car to the blue car. There are no
observable changes of the depth of field because we are not rendering in Photo View 360.
s Adjust PhotoView 360 options. Readeo-Quality --~ ~

Pr~w render quality:

Before rendering an animation. t he Photo View 360 options must be adjusted. ln ~

!Good ~1
the DisplayManager, click Phot oView 360 Options ~ remer QUOitv:
/ Ftlal
!Good I
Set both the preview and final render quality to Good. As this is just an exercise. ~:

Good will be high enough quality to see the results without spending a long time [l;l >:
I!Jtl fi! J J '$ ! t!!!( t1 1Jtll..

rendering. You can certainly try a higher setting. but rendering t ime will be much
longer.
360 Chapter 11

16 Test render. $ Save Animation to File ~,

This will be a test re nder to make sure t he
Save in: ..,. Depth of Field
settings are correct before spending the t ime t o
Name Date modified T)
have the entire animation rendered. .._. BlueToy Car 10/1/ 2011 2:01 PM Fi
..., Red Toy Car 10/1/2011 2:01 PM Fi
Click Save Animation to File. ... Yellow Toy Car 10/1/2011 2:01 PM Fi

Select PhotoView for the renderer. I

~[ ____----~~--~~~=--------~
Select Use camera aspect ratio as we want to File name: DOF Assembly test remder.avi
I Save

see just what the camera sees. r

Save as type : [li-<crosoft AVI file .avi) I S<hedule
~I x
Renderer: { IPhotoView ~) I Cancel
Change the horizontal image size to 800 pixels
to speed up the render time. Image Size and Aspect Raijo
I Help
Frame Jnfonnalion

D sao ro 450 ( Frames per second 0. 25 )

:2
Set the Frames per second to .25. This will :J1 Fixed asoect raijo @ Entire animation
cause one frame t o be rendered every four [ @ Use camera aspect ratio] () Tome range
() Custom aspect raijo (\\idth : height)
seconds. For our animation, this will cause t hree 8 to 8
16:9 ~ =~ ;f~
fra mes to be rendered at 0, 4, and 8 seconds.
Click Save.
Select the Microsoft Videol CODEC. then click OK.

17 View rendering progress. PhotoView Progress

When rendering begins, an information window will appear PhotoView renderirlg In progress...
to show the progress of the rendering and an estimate of Gil Show preview and Mal render windo.vs
(this option takes effect on the next frame)
the time remaining to complete the task.
Render staws

Select Show preview and final render windows. Rendering: Completed Depth of Fiied

Frame: 3 of 161
Tme elapsed: 01:30

Estimated time remaining: 01:23:11

Cancel
 Introduction to Cameras 361

8 Time the results.

o seconds Out of focus
,'latch the time it takes to render each frame in the Status
section of the Final Render window. This is important to be able
-J estimate the time it will take to render the entire animation.

::::epending on your computer, it could take from several seconds

:o several minutes to render each frame.

"9 Review the results. 4 seconds

.'!hen we play back the file, it will show each frame for four
5econds, so it looks like a series of three still images .
.Ve can see the depth of field results on the cars. The center of
=ocus is always near the center of the screen and t he parts of the
Ji :ars that are furthest away from the center of the screen are the
1ost out of focus. In the movie industry, changing t he focal I 8 seconds
ength of the lens during a shot is referred to as "racking focus': Focus

Ne can also see a problem with this animation in that the

~ackground is color banded and does not show the smooth
:ransition we observed on the computer screen. This is the
-eason we did a test render of just a few frames rather than
~ender the entire animation to then discover that it is not right.
- he color banding is a problem with the CODEC. so we will need
~o use a different CO DEC for the final rendering.
362 Chapter 11

20 Test render.
Render the animation again, using t he same settings except use
the TechSmith Screen Capture Codec.

21 Review the results.

The background is now better. Examine the three frames again as
we are not distracted by the background problem. We can see the
effect of the depth of field. Remember that the camera is not
moving, but its target point is moving away from t he camera as
it goes from the yellow to blue car.

22 Save the animation.

Now that we are sure that the animat ion and rendering sett ings
are correct we could save the animation as a rendered AVI.
However, it is time to figure out how long that will take before we
commit the computer to this task. In step 18, we timed the render
operation for a single frame, and we know that this animation is
8 seconds. To get a smooth motion, we will need a very minimum
setting of 10 frames per second, so 8 seconds at 10 frames per
second is 80 frames, plus the frame at 0 seconds is 81 frames to
render. If it t ook 2 minutes to render a frame, that would be
162 minutes, or 2 hours and 42 minut es.
This animation has already been saved as DOF Assembly- 8 sec.mp4 and is in the Videos folder. T- -
animation was recorded at 20 frames per second to make it play very smoothly. Play this file.

Animation Speed
When you create and re nder the animation, 8 seconds seems to be a long time. However, when you j:: =
it back at full speed, 8 seconds goes by very fast. A common mistake when creating animations is t:
make them too short and have motion that is too quick to follow. To show the difference, this same
animation was expanded to 32 seconds and rendered. It is provided as DOF Assembly - 32 sec.C ?:=
and is also in the Videos folder.
When you play the 32 second video, it is easier to concentrate on the details of the cars and to see :: -
areas of focus and nonfocus. Is 32 seconds the right choice? Because animations are purely subject _
t hat is up to you.
 Introduction to Cameras 363

~endering Quality
- so note that there is some graininess in the animation as a result of using a Good setting in
::1otoView 360 instead of Best or Maximum. Whether or not this is acceptable will depend on t he
-:_;-pose of this video and the output device you intend to play it on .

. ~ Close the file.

-r-

''CE
::::
Walk-through Animations

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Create walk-through animations.
Adjust and edit the camera.
Create a walk-around animation using the Walk-through
function.
366 Chapter 12

Using Cameras in Animations

This project will use an existing assembly to show how first-person or walk-through/wa lk-aro und
animations can be created. This will be done both by moving a camera with key points and by attachin~
it to a curve. Additionally. we will explore the use of the Walk-through function in SolidWorks.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter:
Walk-through animations
Simulate what you would see when wa lking around or t hrough a large-scale assemb ly.
Adjusting and editing the target
Adjust the camera lens and change the camera t arget point aft er creating the animation.
Walk-through function
Simulate walking around or through a large-scale assembly by using rea l-time control of t he came:.
 Walk-through Animations 367

Case Study: Walk-through Animations

--_ _
......

~~
- 1is chapter covers the use of cameras to create a walk-through first-person animation. One advantage
: .:: using a camera instead of the view commands is that cameras can go inside geometry. This can be
_seful with large plant or building models where we would like to see what a person would see walking
::: ound and through the structure.

Storyboard
D
- ,is sequence involves creating animations using a
:amera moving around a large-scale assembly, in this D
~
:ase a series of tanks and equipment.
II~
Manual
- his first animation will be done by creating ind ividual Walk-through
~
: amera key points. o ~ - o
o _, .._\ . o
- he completed animation Walk_Throughl.mp4 is
::>rovided in the Videos folder.
D
J

~ ,
I"'\ "'"

~.o.Ttu. Q. D
D

Procedure D D
Open the assembly. D D
~)t .. .
Open the assembly Tank Flat.sldasm from t he
Chapter 12\Case Study\ Walk_Through folder. Dliiti
D ~ . ~
D
D

-;-he assembly contains so lid models and sketches.

D D
::c~

.. Add a camera .
Aim the camera at the midpoint of the
edge of the up per platform as shown.
Using the camera position controls and
Cartesian coordinates. set t heY value to
lSOOmm, which is t he approximate
height of eye for an adult ma le.
Manually position the camera by
dragging t he X and Z handles to the
position shown.
368 Chapter 12

With a 24mm lens and an 11:8.5 aspect

rat io, you should have approximately
the view shown.
Rename the camera Walk-throu ghl .

3 Create a motion study.

Create a new mot ion study and name it Walk Through-Manual.

4 View key creation.

Right-click Orientation and Camera Views in the MotionManager design tree and clear Disable View .~,
Creation. This will save us time as view keys will be created automat ically as we move t he time ba~:
camera.

5 Look through camera.

With the time bar at 0 seconds, right-click the camera Walk-throughl and click Camera View. \',;:
should now be looking t hrough the camera lens.
 Walk-through Animations 369

Create initial path.

::,ve the t ime bar to 8 seconds and drag the
2,era to t he approximate position shown
:..s.ng only the blue arrow.

Create second path .

.'ove the time bar to 16 seconds and drag the
:amera using the red arrow to the approximate
::osition shown.

~ 3:-::::::

.=diting the Target

n e Target by selection field is used to select where the camera is aimed. The aim point can be changed
~t any point in the an imation and defined by key points.
370 Chapter 12

8 Create third path.

For t he final path. the camera will dolly in and
change aim point.
Drag the timeline to 2 0 seconds.

Because we have chosen Cartesian coordinates,

the X, Y. and Z axes of the camera are lined up with
the assembly coordinate system. This could make
it more complicated t o dolly in. The easy fix is to
just select Spherical coordinates when we edit the
camera, which will allow us to drag the camera
along its Z axis.
Drag the camera closer to the operator as shown
in the image at right

Change the aim point to the corner of the control panel shown.

9 Test the animation.

The camera should move at a constant speed between the key points.
 Walk-through Animations 371

Smooth Camera Motion

When moving a camera it is important to have smooth motion. This includes not on ly changes in speed.
but also changes in direction and target point. When you watch professionally produced movies and
commercials. you will almost always see cameras start smoothly and not change direction
instantaneously unless they are trying to create a special effect.
To smooth the camera motion, there are two key techniques:
Interpolation modes
Ca mera motion should start with an Ease In and end with an Ease Out. Interpolation modes can also
make significant changes in direction easier to view.
Spline paths
When we use paths consisting of lines and arcs we have C1 continuity. The result is an instantaneous
change where the line (curvature= o) joins the arc (curvature= inverse of the radius). Splines provide
better paths for cameras as they have C2 continuity and are curvature continuous.
In our last animation, the camera started instantaneously at the beginning of t he animation and moved
at a constant speed until it started to turn. At that point, both speed and direction changed
instantaneously. In the following steps, we will make a few simple adjustments to make the animation
look better.
10 Add a beginning and end.
Rather than have the camera in motion at the start and end of t he animation, we will add one second
where the camera is stationary to both ends of the animation.
Copy the key point for the camera from 0 seconds to 1 second.
Move all the remaining key points 1 second to the right.

Copy the final key point 1 second to the right.

1 Pause the camera motion.
t\t t he point where the camera changes direction from moving along the outside of the assembly to
::Jollying in toward the operator. the camera should come to a stop and pause.
Copy t he camera key from 16 seconds to 15 seconds. Move the key from 16 seconds to 17 seconds. As
~he keys we both copied and moved are exactly the same. the camera will be stationary between 15 and
17 seconds.
372 Chapter 12

12 Add interpolation to key points.

Change the interpolation mode of the following key points:
Use Ease In at 8 seconds.
Use Ease Out at 15 seconds.
Use Ease In/Ease Out at 20 seconds.
13 Play animation.
This animation has been recorded as Walk_Through l .mp4 and is in the Videos folder.
This animation is better, but probably not as smooth as we would like. We could make further
improvements by using a spline for the camera path and controlling the target point better to slow do -
the speed at which the camera pans as it goes around t he corners.

14 Save.
Leave the assembly open for the next case study.

Case Study: Walk-through with a spline path

In this case study, the camera path will be defined by a sketch. In doing so, we will have a positive metr~
to control the camera movement that can be easily edit ed.

Storyboard
In this case study, the camera will move along a pre-
defined path so that we are viewing what a person
would see by walking around the assembly and then up
~ra.
~ -~
Walk-through 0 ~ D
the stairs to the upper platform. with a Spline D - D
Path 0 D
This finished animation has been recorded as
Walk_Through2.mp4 and is in the Videos folder.

Procedure
Orh()
0 ~. ~
C c
0 f)j - c
1 Examine the model.
o -- o
Using the same Tank Flat assembly, select t he Model

~,tv. ~
t ab.
Show the sketch named Camera path sket ch. Note
Q. "' II
0 0
that this sketch is part of the assembly and not in a 0 ~~~~0
component. 0 0
0

0
 Walk-through Animations 373

::Xamine the sket ch. This is a 30 sketch t hat will represent the pat h of a person walking through the
::ssembly. The sketch is composed of only lines and arcs.

2:'N ::_

: Add a s pline.
-o use the sket ch as a camera pat h, we should do two things. First, all the lines and arcs need to be
::onnected into a single pat h. Second. while the lines and arcs are tangent. t hey do not create a smooth
'E- c~ ,cc ::hange of direction. To fix both of these problems we can just create a fit spline.
=dit the sketch. Right-d ick any of the sketch elements and t hen click Select Parameters ~

Chain. fJ Delete geometry

:::Jdosed sp!a

Click Tools, Spline Tools, Fit Spline from t he menu. Clear both Delete geometry ,o1 C011$b'ained
) Unconstrailled
and Closed spline, t hen select Constrained. Fixed

l Ed.tChanng
Click OK.

3 Add a camera. ca mera Type ~

=or both Target by selection and Position by selection, select t he sketch spline. o Ained at target
Floating

[J show~controls
Set the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve to 0 % for the camera
r11 Lock earner~ position except
;JOsition and 1% for the target position. This positions the camera at the end of "'-' w~ oditing
L
-----
the spline aimed at a point just ahead of it along the spline. ~

Target Point - *
0 Target by ~ection;
!:'-. c: Name t he camera Path Ca mer a. (i@'ne l @CII!Tlera path ske I
c J::'.% ll ~=
4 Create a new motion study. l
0 }
T ~

C Name the new study Wa lk-th r ough-path. .----

camera Position ~

- [{]Position by selection;
5 Edit camera movement. ~diit$@@
::::: ,__
Right-dick the camera in the MotionManager design tree and dick Camera View. J% '0
_ 01 j '
Select Orientation a n d Camera Views and t hen Add/Updat e Key.
374 Chapter 12

Move the time bar to 12 seconds. In the MotionManager design tree. double-click the Path Camera to
edit it. Change the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve t o 99% for t he camera position
s-.
and 100% fo r t he target position. 7

Select Orient ation and Camera Views and then Add/Update Key. 8

6 Show the cameras.

Right-click either camera and click Show Cameras. ro
7 Play the animation.
Disable the playback of view keys and change t he view so that you can see t he ent ire camera path.
When you play the animation from the MotionManager, you can see t he camera moving along the sketch
with t he target point just in front of the camera.
r_
Note You will also see the camera we created for the previous motion study. It will be stationary at t he
position where it was left at the end of the motion study. You cannot hide this camera, but you can
suppress it if you do not want to see it.

8 Play the animation.

Enable the viewing of Orient ation and Camera Views and play the animation from the
MotionManager.
We are now looking through the camera as it moves along the pat h. The prob lem we have is that this i:::
not very interesting. Anyone act ually walking this path would be looking at the people and equipment
rather than just st raight ahead. To make this happen is just a matter of adding some key points to the
timeline to change the camera target point so that the camera will look at different things as it moves
This is a good point to create an additional storyboard to understand what we are trying to achieve. -
the image on the next page, camera positions are numbered in magenta and target points are lettere:
in yellow.

S fep Ti ,..,e P osifio"' T c. f"",ae+ P esc.f""ipfio"'

I 0- I P...+ L.. Esf...hlisL..i"B s L..o+
2 I - 2 2 A ?:: -

3 G - 7 3 A f o 8
L{ 9- tO L{ 8 fo C
5 IG - 18 5 C foP
G 20 G P foE
 Walk~through Animations 375

lthCamera to
Sfep Ti"""e Posifio"' T ... r-def Pesc.r-ipfiof'\
mera position
7 23 - 24 7 fo A
8 28- 30 8 A fo C P ... vse """ofio"' .(:or- 2 sec.of'\ds.

9 32- 33 9 c
ro 33- 3 5 9 c Hold .(:";"'.,_/ posifio"' .r:or- r sec.o"'d.

Once the camera starts to move at 1 second,

mera path.
it will move at a constant speed until it
o01g the sketch pauses at 26 seconds. Only the camera
target will change during the movement.

:t ionary at the 9 Create establishing shot.

ut you can Drag t he Path Camera key point from
o seconds to 1 second.
o Lengthen animation.
e Jrag the Path Camera key point from
12 seconds to 31 seconds.

is that this is
:equipment
points to the
s as it moves.
Create Intermediate Points
to achieve. lr
In some animations such as this one, we may start with only two key points defining the beginning and
; c:re letterec
end of the motion. This provides good smooth motion, but we may want to modify t he t iming or add
other events such as changing the camera target without changing the movement of t he camera along
the path. Because the current camera controls are in percent distance along the path. how do we
determine where the correct point is to edit the t arget point or stop the motion? The easiest way is to
drag the time bar to the point where the camera is visually at the point where you want it t o stop. Then
select the camera and click Add/Update Key fr:. . Once we have this key, we can copy it to create a
motion pause or to have a key point to edit the properties of the camera.
376 Chapter 12

11 Change the camera target.

Move the t ime bar t o 2 seconds.

Edit the Path Camera and change the target to the midd le of the forehead of the va lve operator
(point A).

Click OK.
Note Because we edited the properties of the camera, and Autokey ~ is selected, a key point has been
added to t he timeline.

12 Change targets.
From our storyboard. we can see that the camera needs to change its target point between 6 and
7 seconds. While we could move the time bar to 7 seconds and edit the camera, this would cause the
camera to change targets beginning at 2 seconds instead of 6 seconds. What we need is a key at
6 seconds based on the same camera target as we have at 2 seconds.
Move the time bar to 6 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree, select t he Path Camera. t hen click Add/Update Key.
Move the time bar to 7 seconds and edit the camera. Change its target point to a point on t he tank at
point B.

13 Repeat.
Repeat the above procedure to create a key point at 9 seconds and then move to 10 seconds and chang&
the camera's target to the console operator at point C.

14 Continue.
Use the same procedure to create the camera changes from 16 to 18 seconds and again from 21 t o
24 seconds.

15 Pause and turn.

Move the t ime bar to 28 seconds and add a key point for the camera.
Copy the key point to 30 seconds. This stops the camera motion fo r 2 seconds.
Edit the camera key point at 30 seconds and change t he target to the console operator at point C.

5
 Walk-through Animations 377

: Adjust the timing.

=.~:::ause we stopped the camera for two seconds, the camera will move faster when it moves to the end
-~- - ~ -
} ~C
: =the path. To correct this, we just need to move the last key point 2 seconds to the right so t hat the
t.. .....
-: '"7ling is back to what we started with.

' ove the camera key point from 31 seconds to 33 seconds.

C:;Jy this final key point to 35 seconds to create the end shot.
--c:s:::=-:
- Play the animation.
',e should now have an animation that is close to what we want.
E a-:: -te Throughout this case study, we used very specific times to have the camera target changes. This
~se ~~ "as done fo r repeatability. Now that you have the basic animation complete, you can adjust the timing
~ c: =,daim of the camera as you desire to make it smoother.
3 Save.
Save the assembly but leave it open for the next case study.

Walk-through Function
-~e Walk-through function allows you to move a camera around a model ~ ~ ~~
=:c-2 =- ::-~rough the use of the mouse and keyboard. Throughout the instructions ,.~G qij ,IJUMfilMu nm,iliiMO
!'!' .

=, d tool t ips, the camera is refered to as an avatar as we are simulating the ~ ~ Scene (Backdrop Studio Room 2)
1ovement in the virtual reality of our mode l. The avatar's view is that of ou r c+) ~Lights
0

.~ Cam!ra
c :i""o2'l5'= :amera. Because the avatar functions as a camera, most of the instructions ~Cameral
~Path Cam""'
, this section will refer to camera movements to be more consistent with B ). Walk-through
:.1e previous material. ).,_ Walk-through!

- he Walk-through function is useful when examining or presenting a large plant design or any other large
assembly that is easier visualized as if walking around and through the mode l.

:-he Walk-through function is different from the viewpoint tools (pan, zoom, rotate, and roll) in two ways:
Viewpoint tools do not allow you to view the model from inside the bounding box so you cannot get
inside a room.
The combination of controls allows you to move in multiple directions simultaneously.

/Jhere to Find It
Menu: View, Lights and Cameras, Add Walk-through
Shortcut Menu: DisplayManager. View Scene, Lights. and Cameras. right-click Walk-through, click
Add Walk-through
CommandManager: Large Design Review>Add Walk-through UJ
378 Chapter 12

Walk-through Interface Wolk-through QuiCk Start Instructions.

When a new walk-through is
started, the Quick St art
Instructions will appear to /
show the methods that can be
used to move the camera.
Keyboard arrow keys
Translat e the camera left,
right, forward, or back.
Mouse wheel
Translate the camera
forward or back.
[] Don't show message again. OK

Left mouse button

Pan and tilt the camera.

Walk-through PropertyManager
The Walk-through PropertyManager controls the initial setup of the walk-
through. The Viewport Settings control our camera point of view by specifying ! Slllrt Wal<-t!Yough
which way is up and how far the viewpoint is above that plane. This is our camera
height or the avatar's height of eye.
IRecording
Play Recording

Motion Constraints allow us t o move the camera along curves, planes, or faces. I:-11
Generote Vodeo
l--
We can use 20 or 3D sketches, grid feat ures, reference planes, planar faces, or lv-oewpon Settings *
model edges. Multiple constra ints may be added in t he PropertyManager and jf (iopPIMe
ordered for ease of use. Only one constraint can be used at a time and that will O Fliporection

be chosen while doing the actual wa lk-through. I 1650rrrn :

t mJJ t!H IJ1'1 lt ! l ll " 'IW

Selecting Turn avatar to follow paths means that the camera will face the
direction of movement of the camera. This is like the previous case study where
the camera target was on the same spline as the camera position.

PJ TUT1 ovotar to fulow ~

o;:;facesosinlini1!!
 Walk-through Animations 379

, ralk-through Control Panel

:1ce we st art a walk-through, the control panel will appear at the bottom of the graphics area. The
:Jntrol pane l is divided into sections.
Motion
Motion controls the dolly, t ruck, and crane translations of the camera as well as changing the camera
direction through the green arrows. The green arrows are dolly and t ruck movements while the blue
arrows control the vertical motion of the camera or the camera crane movements.
-+
The speed of the motion is set using numbers from 1 to 9. with 9 being t he fast est.
View
View controls the camera pan, tilt, and zoom.
Record
:..I The walk-through can be recorded and saved for later playback.
Constraints
lf motion constraints were added in the Walk-through PropertyManager, they will be available in the
list. You can change the constraint at any time by either selecting it from the list or cycling through
the constraints with the Next and Previous arrows.
I
I
;p f,
I
:
~...:.,L--e -a ..... V'?.* "(J,\1!1ti!i----~~"i$

-
l ..

~ ~ ~9
~,
.c; ~ j_
~ 8. 1
@~ ~
-- -
00:00.00
I@ No Constraint

~ IB

. ...__
~ftilo!R
380 Chapter 12

Walk-through Controls
To make a smooth wa lk-through animation or t o do a good live presentation. it is important to
understand the different controls and t o be able to use them without searching for t he correct contrc
Each of the control functions may be accessed in several different ways, so you should experiment wit-
t he choices until you are comfortable moving the camera.

Function Icon Arrow Keys Keyboard Mouse Camera

Term
Move
D w Roll wheel forward Dolly In
Forward i!t
rd
I...
Q.l Move
D s Roll wheel backward Dolly Out >
E Backward
nJ
u

-
Ql
...c:
......
0
Move Left
~ c A Truck Left
c::

c:
:;:::;
"iii
0
Move Right
c D Truck Right
0 a.
~-m Turn Left
0 -~ Ct rl + C Shift+ A
~~
...c:
a.
Q.l
...c:
...... Turn Right Ctrl + C Shift+ D
0I...
......
c::

0
u
Ql
Ul
Q.l
Move Up Shift+ 0 Crane Up
...c:
I-

Move Down 0 Crane Do\'r.

~ Shift+
 Walk-through Animations 381

Function Icon Arrow Keys Keyboard Mouse Camera

r.: 0:0: Term
-s:L
;- ---::-:
: ::x :._...__
~ I -

....c
ui
Look Up ..... Alt+ O LMB drag up Tilt Up

0
c.
ro
,_
Look Down ...., Alt+ D LMB drag down Tilt Down
Ca:;ec
.e.-r I ClJ
E
ro
u
Look Left Q LMB drag left Pan Left
~
ClJ
.....
~ Alt+
c
3:E
.....
~

.=u
::...JUI:: Look Right C2 LMB drag right Pan Right
> ~
"'0 ~ Alt+
ClJ
..r:::
.....
Lock :..e:::

in~
I

I
0,_
.....
c:
0
u
<LJ
Reset View

Zoom In

~
Shift+ Z
Ill
<LJ
...c:
1--
Zoom Out z
~

u
'-
Record

Pause

II
R

spacebar
0
u
ClJ OK
geUp a:: ~ Enter

Cancel Esc
X
ne Dow.:
Walk-through Mini Panel
To reduce the amount of screen area used by the control panel,
you can click ~ to show just the movement controls. Click !Q I ~ ~r~ MJ
to restore the full control panel.
382 Chapter 12

Case Study: Walk-through Function

We will use the Walk-through function to create a simple walk-through animation. As you can see frc-
the definit ion of the fu nction, getting a precise animation will not be possible, so the instructions will t:
more general and you should experiment until you become comfortable with the cont rols to move tr:
camera.

Storyboard
The storyboard is essentially the same as in the previous case study in that we would like to walk arm.:-:
the assembly while looking at the two operators and climbing up onto the upper platform.

Procedure
1 Open new walk-through.
Continue using the assembly Tank Flat.sldasm.
Click the Model tab.
Right-click Walk-through in the DisplayManager, View Scene, Lights, and Cameras, then click Add W2-:.
through.
2 Select walk-through properties.
As we already have the 3D spline path created in the assembly, we will use this for part of the anima~=
Wit h t he Motion Constraints box highlight ed, select the spline in the assembly.
Clear Turn avatar to follow paths. Clearing this option wilt allow us to look in directions other than wh::
we are moving.
Click Start Walk-through.
Click OK to dismiss the Quick Start Instructions if they appear.

Reset
When moving the camera and its view it is possible to get lost as to where the camera is and where :
pointing. There are toots and cont rols to help you locate the camera and find your way back to a kr.:-
position.

Map View
The Map View gives you an overall picture of where the camera is and where it is pointed.
Home position
You can establish a Home position at any t ime. Once it is est ablished, one click will ret urn the ccr:=
to this posit ion.

Reset View
Reset View returns t he camera pan and t ilt back to looking in t he direction the camera is movir&
 Walk-through Animations 383

Home position. M ap View

~x-:
--2 first thing we need to do is to get our camera to the end of the
- =-s s: .ne and then record that point as our starting, or home, posit ion.
S .::-:: ~
.:::-: e the home position is recorded, we can return to it easily.
- :1e Walk-through Control Panel, click Map View fE. This will
: ::en a separate window to show us where our camera is located
i:=. ::;-:;
:=:--::1 which direction it is pointed.

-:he Constraints area of t he Walk-through Control Panel, select

S;~line l@Camera path sketch. This will lock t he camera to the
:o:::ine.

~se th e green motion arrows to move the camera to the end of t he spline shown above and then use the
=.1ows in the View section to pan the camera around so that it is looking in the direction of the spline .

t r...X
n

: .tck Set Home I

- Hide the map.
:::.tck Hide/Show Map. When moving around the assembly, the camera will move more smoothly if the
Q:"'._J .c::::: -:ap is hidden.

Move the camera.

-,=::- ... :-z: =
J se the Move Forward arrow or roll the mouse wheel to move the camera forward a little bit.
J se the View arrows to tilt up and pan left so that you are looking at the operator at t he valve wheel.
Jnce the camera either pans or tilts from its initial position. Reset View 0 appears in the View section
Jf the control panel.

J se the arrow key to move the camera along the spline while using t he left mouse button to t ilt and pan
-F:: : 5 :he camera to stay pointed at the valve operator.
:2 4'";= -
ote This is just for practice and to get a feel for th e controls. You can see t hat this is not precise.

6 Reset the view.

Click Reset View to return the camera to looking in the direction of camera motion.
7 Continue.
Continue moving the camera using the controls until you can move the camera similar to t he way it
E::c-:= moved in the previous case study.

8 Return to Home.
Click Go Home fm on the Walk-through Control Panel. This will take us back to t he starting point.
-:g.
384 Chapter 12

Saving the Walk-through

Walk-through animations can be saved just like MotionManager animations. The walk-through animatio-
is first saved in the assembly fi le. If desired, the walk-through can then be exported to an AVI fi le or
series of images.
To save t he walk-t hrough as you are moving the camera, first click Record on the Walk-through Contrc
Pa nel or use the hot key R.

9 Start recording.
In the Walk-through Control Panel, click Record . The t imer should st art moving. If it does not, you arE
probably paused, so just click Pause 11-

10 Move.
Using t he cont ro ls, move the camera around the assembly to show how t he assembly would look to
someone in the real facility.

11 Stop.
When you have finished moving t he camera, click OK ~ to stop recording. The PropertyManager w:
open.

12 Play.
Click Play [8 and the walk-through will play.
If the walk-through is not what you want, you must record it again as there is no way to edit the
animation because we do not have a timeline to work with.

13 Save the animation.

Save the animatio n. Click Generate Video ~ - The same options are available to save t he video as w-=
have in a standard animat ion. Save t he animation as a Walk-through3.m p4 fil e.

14 Save and close all files.

 r --.c::..:
Using Camera Sleds in
- =:r Animations
(~ .... . ._

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

- - ~~
you will be able to:
Add a camera s led.
Add a camera t o t he camera sled.
!!<3''-:i':,

Drive the camera s led with a motor.

Understand focal length and view angle of lenses.
1253

-
E ...; -<:; h e:
c._ -
386 Chapter 13

Using Camera Sleds in Animations

Camera sleds are a useful method to move cameras in certain situations. In this chapter we will ex;:::..
two cases where camera sleds are useful to get the point of view we desire for t he animations.

Topics
This chapter includes the following topics:

What are camera sleds and why are they used

Camera sleds are not required to move a camera, but they are very useful in certain situations.

Adding a camera sled

The camera sled can be any movable geometry. You can use existing components or make a speo-
camera sled.

Adding a camera to the camera sled

The camera sled has att achment points, generally sketch geometry, built into it. The ca mera is
attached so that it is properly aimed and oriented. Any component can be a camera sled. Cameras:...
be attached to components so that the camera viewpoint sees what the component sees.

Moving and rotating the camera sled

The camera sled component can be moved and rotat ed. This movement effectively moves and roz-
the attached camera. The camera sled can be moved using any of the techniques discussed in:-
previous chapters.

Camera Sleds
A camera sled is any object that the camera is attached t o. There are generally only two r easo.~
use a camera sled as opposed to just moving the camera on its own.

Point of view from the camera sled object

This type of camera sled follows the object to which it is attached. Common examples of this W'::_
be the dashboard camera in a police car, cameras attached to racecars, a gun sight camera in a-
airplane, or a helmet camera on a skier. In each case the camera is unmanned and its point of vi:::
determined by the position and direction of t he camera sled.

Driving t he camera motion in a way it cannot be moved on its own

There are cases where we cannot drive a camera at varying speeds when using key points. If tr
motion needs to be controlled by an equation, that cannot be done directly to the camera, but ;:
be done to a part. When we drive a part using an equation, and attach the camera to the part, ~
camera is in turn driven by the equation.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 387

:mating a Camera Sled

..:J : J are go ing to create a Camera Sled as a Rotation !
i.. =Je part, t here are several characteristics " " \ j
:Jnsider. As this camera sled is just a . j
-..r-.11y part that is used to orient and Roll ::::::-'\ '
"=.-sport the camera, having geometry in orientation ' - I
'E ::amera sled to help orient the sled can

[S ::e ::dvantageous. When done, the camera

~= is just a camera dolly like those used in

5-:J
-=:elevision and film industry.
--=Aiming Vector is a line, or two points,
Aiming vector
..s=:::l to set the aim of the camera and its
:-=s:tion in space.
IS
P-5 -= -otate the camera sled, sketch geometry axes can be added to the part.
--~ camera roll (about the aiming vector) can be set using a planar face on t he camera sled.
:e The shape of the camera sled does not matter as it is usually hidden when
-=:::~rd ing the
animation. It should, however, be physically large enough to move and
,
cr:3
-::ate easily when creating the animation.

~
t"
Case Study: Camera Sled

- -:s case study covers the use of a camera sled to
:Jve a camera in an animation. Using an
=.~:mation of a car moving around a closed path,
a:J
2 will use the car as the camera sled and create
=~imations from the point of view of the driver as
: II as from points around the car.

-,e

-E
388 Chapter 13

Storyboard
In this animation, we will use the model of a
car moving around a closed path. We would D ..
like to see how this motion looks from the D

driver's perspective as well as from other

Cameras Sleds
D '\~
... !..>-
-""
cameras positioned to follow t he car around in Animations D
the track. D

We want camera views from the driver's eye D

position, one from above and behind t he car, D

and a third camera looking down the side of D
the car. D
D
The completed animation is saved as
Moving Car_AM.mp4 in the Videos folder D
for this chapter. D
D
D
.
-..
Q..
-

---
,:
rY ,.
-:
--
::~
. ...- c:
D
",
,
'
' . c:
D .. ~
t==::========~ c:

Procedure
l Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Moving Car from t he
Chapter 13\
Case Study\Camera Sled folder.
The assembly contains a model of the car and
a roadway.

2 Open the car model.

Open the part Vanquish. sldprt in its own window.
Examine the model. To use this model as a camera sled,
it will be helpfu l to have specific points to attach and
aim the camera.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 389

Show sketches.
- :=:::h geometry has already been added to this model. Show the planes Driver Centerline. Drivers
==?-6, and View Points. Also show the sketches Camera Positions and View Circle.

c --e ~hree planes were added to support the sketches. There is a vertical plane named Driver
--==.':erline through the center of the driver's seat. On this plane is the sketch named Camera
c::
I ?-...S::tions. This sketch has two lines from the top of the driver's seat. The end point of one line
c::
~ =::-esents the position of the driver's eyes. The other line ends above and behind the car. This end point
c::
~
-..z- ~e used to position a camera that follows the car from above.
c:
--~;e is a plane named View Circle which is slightly below the driver's point of view. On t his plane is a
~:.e with 12 reference points. These points can be used to aim the driver's camera to look around the
:..- or as mounting points for other cameras. This view circle is purposely below the point where t he

- .::era will be attached at the driver's point of view so that the camera will see more of the roadway.
=E-:ause we are in a modeling environment, we do not have scenery ext ending t o infinity so we want to
- ~what the camera will see.

.~
~
nt'i

Driver's point of view

Make the assembly window active.

390 Chapter 13

5 Add a camera.
We did not add cameras in the part model as the animation will be created in the assembly.
Add a camera and attach it to t he end of the sketch line shown in the image above that represents ~
driver's point of view. Aim the camera at the reference point Front. Name the camera Driver's -pc-
Se lect the 3Smm Wide Angle lens and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.

6 Add another camera.

Add a camera and attach it to the end of the sketch line t hat extends above and behind the car. Tt- s
camera wil l follow the car. Aim the camera at the reference point named PointlO. Name t he came~
Follow.

Select the 3Smm Wide Angle lens and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.

7 Add another camera.

Add a camera and attach it to the end of the sketch line that extends above and behind the car. Th:S
camera will fo llow the car. Aim t he camera at the reference point named Point7. Name the camera
Follow.

Select the 3Smm Wide Angle lens and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 391

Add another camera.

.::a camera and attach it to PointlO and aim the camera at t he reference point named Point2. Name
~E ::amera Front.

:C : ct the 3Smm Wide Angle lens and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1.

Hide reference sketches.

- :2 t he sket ches Camera Positions and View Circle in the MGB part. Hide any planes that may be
-::-,;ing.

: Open the motion study.

~E ect the motion study Car Motion.

--Emotion study is already set up to have the car move around the track once in 14 seconds.
:rtant! Because of t he complexity of the car model, the motion driver for t he car is a path mate
-.::::>r and the mot ion study is Motion Analysis. All the principles would be t he same if we used a simpler
-.::el in an Animat ion study type.

Select camera view Driver POV.

:: ~~t-cl ick on Orientation and Camera Views, clear Disable view key creation, then switch to the
::::.ver POV camera view by right-clicking the camera and then clicking Camera View. The animation
s ::een through the lens of the camera.

: Calculate and play.

- -=view during the animation is that of the driver of the car as it proceeds around the track.

J Change cameras.
::e the time bar to o seconds. Right-click the camera Follow and click Camera View.

Calculate and play.

--=view during the animation is now from above and behind t he car as it proceeds around the track.
392 Chapter 13

15 Select remaining camera.

Repeat the above procedure and change to the Front camera.

16 Calculate and play.

The view during the animation now looks down the side of the car and views what is behind the car 2::
it proceeds around the t rack.

17 Alternate among three cameras.

With three cameras set up, we can change between the camera views at different times during the
animation.
Move the time bar to o seconds. In the MotionManager design tree, right-click the Driver POV car.:~
and click Camera View.
Move the t ime bar to 4 seconds. In the MotionManager design tree. right-click the Follow camera a;
click Camera View.
Move t he time bar to 9 seconds. In the MotionManager design tree, right-click the Front ca mera c.~:
click Camera View.

18 Calculate and play.

The camera view will now change between the three cameras during the animation.
Important! Within the motion study, we cannot crossfade between cameras as they will jump dire::-
from one camera view to another. To crossfade between camera views, we will have to record sepc.?
clips for each camera and then combine them in post-processing.

19 Change the scene.

The scene is not part of the animation and can be changed at any time. From the Heads-Up toolbar. -
Apply Scene and then select Courtyard Background.

20 Change configuration.
The part Road has two configurations: the first uses grass for the appearance of the ground arou;-:
road, the second configuration uses cobblestone instead of grass. In the assembly, select the Moe=
and then change the configuration of the Road part to Cobblestone.

21 Slow down the car.

The car makes one circuit of the road in 14 seconds. When we watched the motion from a positio- :-
the assembly, this looked acceptable; however. when our point of view is close to the car. it appea-s
be moving much too fast. To slow down t he animation, change the playback speed to O.SX in the
MotionManager toolbar.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 393

Save t he animation.
:::.c.e the animation as an AVI file.
:1 RealView on, we can see the reflections of the environment on the su rfaces of the ca r. Because the
=- ~- -onment uses an outdoor image that includes the sun, we can see the highlight of the sun as the car
_-s.

-.iditional Practice
=have not taken this animation as far as it could go because of t he complexity of t he car model and
-=resulting computational overhead to calculate the mates and animat ion. What else could we do with
- s file to make it better? Depending on the use of the fina l video and the amount of time we have to
-=~-< on it, t here are several additional things that we could do to make the video better. In t he first
:::; era position, the car is moving on a curved road yet the steering wheel does not rotate. We could
..s=an angle mate to have t he steering wheel appear to turn the car.
: 1e final camera view, the wheels of the car do not rot ate and the front wheels do not turn to fo llow
~I :-E ...oad. An angle mate could be used to make the wheels turn to align with t he road and a rotary motor
:: _,d make the wheels turn as if rolling on the road. We would only need to have two wheels rotate as
- 1 the wheels on the left side are ever seen in the video.

= Jsed a stock environment for the scene that might not be very realist ic as a place for the car to drive;
-.:.ever, it illustrated the use of RealView to see how the reflections and lighting were ca lculat ed. For
;er_._
_ .:etter video, we would create a more complete road and locate a better image to use for the
=--. ;ronment.
... Save and close all files.
C:.::rc....
:.ase Study: Hitchcock Effect
-- s is the same case study as t he one in Chapter 11 where we moved a camera towards a block while
:::-.::1ging the camera lens in an attempt to keep the edge the same size t hroughout the animation. This
-=':ement is called a "Dolly Zoom" or a "Hitchcock Effect:' The term "Dolly Zoom" describes what is
~..:::::pening as t he camera dollies in toward the subject while the lens zooms out. The term "Hitchcock
==-=ect" comes from the use of this technique by Alfred Hitchcock in t he movie Vertigo. While this effect
!: lore suitable for dramatic film than animations of mechanical systems. it is a good method to show
N to use a camera sled driven by an equation.

~
- ~hapter 11, we had a problem keeping the edge of the block at the same size while t he camera was
i7-
-:::ving. In this case study we will use a camera sled to correct the problem and create the correct
21era motion.
394 Chapter 13

When we moved the camera

through the key points, its
motion was a series of moves,
each at a different constant
velocity. If we plotted the
displacement vs. time, we would
have a graph like the one shown, LO 2.0 3.0 4.0 s.o 6.0 7.0 B.O 9.0 10.0 :.:.%
T~me(s)
where slope of the curve wou ld
be the velocity of the camera. At
each key point the camera
velocity changes abruptly as ~=of
I
-L . - - -----
! 200.0f
seen in the velocity vs. time
graph.
~
~
150.01
100.0 t L__\
50.0 ___,___ _ -
I I I I I I

~ U M U U ~ U U U ~ ~

Tme{s)

By using a camera sled, we can

drive the camera sled, and
therefore the camera, with a data
point motor. By using the motor,
we can input the same values
used before. However, using a
cubic interpolation, we will have a LO 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 ~
Trne{s)
motor that is constantly
changing velocity as seen in the
lower graph.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 395

Procedure
Open the assembly.
Jpen the assembly Hitchcock Effect from t he
8ase Study\ Hitchcock Effect folder.
- , e assembly contains the model and sketches
_sed in this case study. This is the same model
_sed in Chapter 11.

Create a motion study.

arne the new motion study Data Points.

Insert the camera sled.

-sert t he Camera Sled part found in the Case Study
=::,der into t he assembly and mate it to the Camera Target Point
?-d.b. sketch line so that it will move along the line and
-c: rotate.
.....__
Attach the camera.
:-eate a new camera and attach it t o the camera sled at
--' sled's origin with the t arget being the target point on
- e camera sled sketch.
S=.ect Camera View.

Define the motor.

Time Displacement
'-.::l a linear motor to push t he camera sled toward the blue and
(seconds) (mm)
:-:block.
0 0
: -:ose a Data Points, Distance motor and input the fo llowing
;..:es. 2 SOB
2 These displacement values correspond to the values 4 889
...s::l in Chapter 11. In Chapter 11. we defined t he motion as a 6 1143
-.e-:entage along the path. With the motor. we are defining
8 1257
:.-s:2nces from the start point which will be the end of t he
=:ch line furthest away from the red and blue block. 10 1340

~ ::::t Cubic fo r the Interpolation type.

Calculate.
-= : ..!late and play the animation. The camera should move toward t he block.
396 Chapter 13

7 Edit the camera.

Time Lens (mm)
The camera now must be edited at each 2-second point to (seconds)
change the lens.
0 200
2 135
4 85
6 so
8 35
10 24

8 Calculate.
Calculate and play the animation. We have essentially the same animation we had in the last chapte- _
we can improve the motion by adding and adjusting the motion of the linear motor.

9 Edit the motor.

Time Displacerne.-
Add additional data at 1. 3. s. 7. and 9 seconds. Adjust the other (seconds) (mm)
displacement values as shown.
0 0
Note The individual values were determined by t rial and error.
1 290
The displacement vs. time curve now has data points every second.
2 495
3 710
4 889
5 1035
6 1143

Tllll<!(s) 7 1205
8 1257
9 1305
10 1340
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 397

: Calculate.
: ::,culate and play the animation.
- -e completed animation is provided in the Videos folder as Camera Sled Data Points.mp4.
: tice that the new points we added were all above the original curve so that between each of the
:-'gina[ points, the displacement must change quickly at first and then slow down. The edge of t he block
s 1early a consistent length throughout the animation. If our goal is to keep it absolutely consistent, we
:: Jid add additional points and continue to adjust the values until we are satisfied. Or, we can take a
: -=;erent approach through a greater understanding of focal length.

-ens Focal Length

-en we change the focal length of a lens during the animation, we are changing the view angle. By
:.:.::ault, this will be a linear interpolation.

::!" -: understand the effects on our camera view, we need to understand how the viewing angle, focal
=-gth and view area are related. The lenses used in SolidWorks are based on the 3Smm camera as that
<: :'le most widely used camera fo rmat in photography.

- -adians, the view angle is calculated as a = 2 x atan!!... where

2f
a = view angle
d =size of the film or sensor in the measured direction. The view angle of t he film or sensor may be
11easured horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. With all lenses in SolidWorks, the view angle is the
:ertical view angle and the size is measured vertically. For t he 3Smm cameras, the fil m size is
:24 x 36 mm, so 24mm is used for the calculations.
f = focal length
398 Chapter 13

A plot of t his equat ion is shown below.

Vie w Angle vs. Focal l e ngth

200 -r-- -- - - -
180 .--- - -- -- - - - -

160 +1\t-----------~ -------------

1 40 ,_\- \ -- - - - -- - -- - - - - - - ----
.fl 120 +-+-
\ _ _ __
! 100 ~- - - - - - - - -- -- - - - -- --
1
:> so
.. \ \.
60 -~"'-
---------------
40 _ .....___ - -- - -- - - - -

20 ~=:~~-::::::=:~~~~~~~
0 +--r----r---r--r---.---,..-
0 so 100 ~so 200

FOGII Length

Because this is a trigonomet ric function. the results are not linear and the angle of view does not :r
linearly with the reciprocal of the focal length. However, except fo r wide-angle lenses (focal lengths :-
are less than somm). it is common pract ice in photography to approximate the field of view as a :::. =

Focal Length vs. View Area

Doubling the foca l length cuts the view angle in half. The result is that we see only one quart er o=-
area.
 Using Camera Sleds in Animations 399

=.1e are changing the focal length linearly over time, the dist ance to t he target point must change eit her
5 the square of t ime if we are moving t he camera away from the ta rget, or as the inverse square of
--.e if we are moving the camera towards the target.
Duplicate the study.
:_;:>licate t he motion study and name it Camera Sled Equation .
: Delete key points.
:.=:ete all the key points for the camera except at 0 seconds.
3 Add camera key point.
-:d a camera key point at 7-45 seconds and set the camera lenses to 24mm.
t'hy 7-45 seconds?
- -e intent was to have the camera lens change focal length at a rate of 2Smm per second. This would
:-eate an animat ion of 7.04 seconds t o go from 200mm to 24mm. The problem as we saw in the graph

:= Focal Length vs. View Angle is t hat the a ~ i approximation is no longer valid below somm,
-:suit ing in t he added t ime needed. While t his could be figured out mat hematically, it was fast er to do
:.::;es i10i: o'3'1i =. .ttle trial and error t o obtain a suitable number.
e-:gths ::-z-
- Enter expression.
~-, c:s a :::=:: .=::t the linear mot or. Change the Motor Type to u ~ il
~N
~ u u ~ u
=xpression, Displacement.

..c-:er of 7::
- "Je the expression: J-m.of
E'

~ -100o.oT
-

--5.20'.'(1/ (TIME+l))
15 -lSOO.O
:e At o seconds, the camera sled is 1.520mm
=-:m the target. As time increases, t he linear
-::tor will continue to approach the edge, but it
.I never go beyond the edge.
1500.0.!
2 \

-~
"'""'JrJ'
..
.

t
--e plot of velocity vs. t ime is now a smooth
::_:-ve.

5 Calculate and play.

:

j
1000.0

500.0
\

~;I
1.0 2. 0 3 .0 4.0 5.0 6 .0 7.0 8 .0
- -e motion is now very smooth. The target edge Tme(s)

:=the block stays the same size throughout the

-::----:- :~ -- .. -
::-::mation and the background changes size linearly wit h t ime.
- _,e completed animation is provided as Camera Sled Ex pression.mp4 in the Videos folder.
S Save and close all open files.
SolidWorks Motion

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Have a basic understanding of the capabilities of
SolidWorks Motion as they relate to creating animations.
402 Chapter 14

Chapter Scope
As the title of this book states, our goal is to create animations using the core funct ionality founc -
SolidWorks. There may be times, however, when you need to go beyond the capability found in co-=
SolidWorks and use the Motion Analysis study type using SolidWorks Motion to obtain the requi-e=
result. The goal of this chapter is not to cover the specifics of SolidWorks Motion, but only to hig~ ~
some of its capabilities that apply to creating animations. The specifics of SolidWorks Motion are
covered in the training course SolidWorks Motion available from your SolidWorks reseller.

Topics
SolidWorks Motion
There are many capabilities in SolidWorks Motion. Understanding these capabilities can help
determine when to use these capabilities and when to use something else to create the anima: -::;-
Event-based Motion
This capability is available in SolidWorks Simulation Professional and Premium.

SolidWorks Motion
The primary purpose of the Motion Analysis study type is to use SolidWorks Motion (formerly c2 :-:
COSMOSMotion) to determine analytical solutions to motion problems. The output goal is usual~
numbers and graphs rather than an animation. However, as part of the result, the Mot ion Analysis s:_
type does create animations that can be saved in exactly the same way as the other motion study:- _
Motion Analysis Study Type
A mechanism is a mechanical device that has the purpose of transferring motion and/or forces f=-
source to an output. Motion analysis is simply the study of such moving systems or mechanisms. --
motion of any system is determined by the following:

Mates connecting the parts

The mass and inertia properties of the components
Applied and reactive forces to the system
Driving motions
Time
This same list applies to the Basic Motion st udy type as they both must solve the physics of the
mechanical system. Notice in the above list, free motion is not one of the motion types and point-:::
point motion is not a method used in this study type. A key fact is that all motion comes from so me~ _
of driver that is then transmitted through mates or contact and is based on the laws of physics. 1=
need to combine motion created in a Motion Analysis study wit h point-to-point motion, the Motic-
Analysis study can be imported into the Animation study through the Animat ion Wizard just as we . . ,
with Basic Motion.
 SolidWorks Motion 403

:-e thing that you will notice when using a Motion Analysis study type is that the solution times will be
-.c:;ty four.::: t:: =-ger as the solvers are optimized for accuracy rather than speed. This is the opposite of what we saw
~::::,d in co~ ~ 3asic Motion.
:he requi;-E:
:'(',,y to hig7- ~ -en doing a motion ana lysis. we do not do repetitive cycles of motion as the results should be the
'.'otion ere x..-,e in every cycle. However, when our goal is an animation, repetit ive motion may be required, which
e-_ ::2:.~ lead to very long solution t imes. ln some cases. it may be sufficient to do one cycle in Motion
--alysis and then copy it several times after it has been imported into an Animation study.

','hy Motion Analysis for an Animation?

::ca help -y would we use SolidWorks Motion and a Motion Analysis study to create an animatio n? The primary
--e anima:: :::- :3son would be to gain access to additional tools that are on ly available in a motion analysis.
S:;ne of t he additional capabilities we gain by using SolidWorks Motion:
Different solvers Advanced Motion Analysis Options ~
:-he solution of the motion problem
Advanced Notion Analysis Options
;~erly c.: 2: ;-equires numerical methods to solve I OK l
.S USl!a., simultaneous equations. The solvers

iB
Integrator TYP<O
.
I CMx:el I
.:-1alysis "~ used by SolidWorks Motion are
:- s~ucly :-:-=~ optimized for accuracy rather than Maximum l!"'abons
GSTIFF
/STIFF
I Help I
speed. When the PhysX solver used in !ntial Integrator St.p Si"' 0.000 !000000
~
3asic Motion is unable to solve the
~.:rces f-c- - 0.0000001000
motion study, moving to a Motion l"'irWrun Integrator St.p Size ~.-

:-:a1tsms. """"E
Analysis study type may offer a Maximum Integrator St.p Sill!;
0. 0100000000 ~
solution.
Jacobian Re-evaluation
In Basic Motion, we had little control
over the solver, but in SolidWorks {]
Motion, we can not only choose from
three different solvers. but we can also
control the initial solution step size and
:s ::.~the limits.
::.-c :Joint-:::
Event-based motion
.::-.somex All of our animations have been created as time-based motion studies. That is, events are designed
: :--vsics. ~ ~~ to occur at specific points in time. These have been designated through the use of key points on the
,_e ~Jiotio:
time line. If we lengthen the time for a given step, we may have to move all the downst ream key points
_5~ as we::..: manually to keep the remaining animation steps in t he proper order.
404 Chapter 14

Event-based motion is based on actions that result from triggering events. This is similar to real we-:
controls where sensors are used to determine if an object is in position and once the object is re2:
some other event must occur. In event-based motion, actions of motors and other drivers can be
triggered by sensors rather than at a specific time.
Event-based motion is available with SolidWorks Simulation Professional and Premium.
Event-based Motion Example
In the sorting device, blocks are dropped
into the hopper. Play the video Sorting
Device found in the Videos fo lder for this
chapter.
Two sensors will determine if the block has
a hole in it or not. If there is a hole,
Actuator l will push the block to the
second position; if there is no hole it will only
be pushed to the first position. After
Actuator l retracts. either Actuator 2 or
Actuator 3 will push the block into the
appropriate bay. The motion of
Actuators 2 and 3 is triggered by the
sensors and the retraction of Actuator l.
 SolidWorks Motion 405

ar to rea l woe-: Motors

a~ject is reac Motors work the same in SolidWorks Motion as they did in both Animation and Basic Motion study
l'lers can be types.
There are two significant additions to motors in SolidWorks Motion:
m. : When defining the motor type as Expression, the expression can use variables other than time in
the equat ions of motion. Any solution variables, such as ve locity. displacement. and acceleration,
just to name a few. can be used in the driving expression for a motor.
: Stepper motors are available in event-based motion. Their motion can be t riggered by events.
Forces and torques
Forces and torques can only be applied in SolidWorks Motion.
They are defined similar to the way motors are defined:

: Constant
: Step
: Harmonic
: Segment s
~ : Data points

~ = Expression

..
r--~a:c:-1
>..
Contact i
Basic Mot ion - *j Motion Analysis
*
_ Geometry accuracy can be defined t o a much higher Frames per second: Frames per second:

level. Instead of just a simple slider. the precision used 116 r.

~5
~'
j : 'ii
can be specified through a spin box. or it can be defined Geometry AcciX<Ky: 0 ArWnate duTw;J sirr<Aotion
as Precise Contact. Low High 0 Replace redundant mates
with bushln\ls
J
When Precise Contact is selected, t he actual equations 30 Cont<Kt o.JF' -~ #Ot~

Low 30 Contact Resolutoo:

of the surfaces are used rather than tesselation data. Hcjl
Low
L- J
aoth static and dynamic friction can be applied between J

the contacting components.

HiQh
A Restitut ion Coefficient can be applied to ca lculate t he
bounce after impact.
I Plot Def aults. .
Rigid groups I Advanced Options... I_j
Components that have no relative motion to each other
can be grouped t ogether to ease the solution requirements.
406 Chapter 14

Mates
SolidWorks Motion has the ability to suppress redundant mat es and replace t hem with bushings
All mate types can be used in SolidWorks Motion except the Width limit mates.
Mates are considered to be joints in an ana lysis where t he friction, stiffness. and damping can b:=
defined.

t~r-,_
z
Component Display: 2540000NAn
I I Isolate components j !25400 Nslln
ON
r0Fnc:tion
P~ameters:

0 Spe<ty materials
0 Specfy coeffi::ient
y z

Friction
Friction can be added through joints (mate properties) or contact properties. Friction can eitr:=- _
defined discretely or through the material on each element of the joint.

Dampers
Damping can be added to springs or as discrete elements.

Springs
Spring constant and damper can be either linear or nonlinear. Both the Spring Constant (kxe) c.-:
Damping Coefficient (eve} can have integer values from -4 to +4.
 SolidWorks Motion 407

en to Use SolidWorks Motion

::;: =_s=-~. - 2 SolidWorks Motion provides many excellent capabilities, you must keep in mind that our goal is
:: :;-eate an animation, not an analysis. With this in mind, you would not use SolidWorks Motion to create
- =- imation of a system with either free or kinematic motion as there is nothing to be gained except
'=.c:.=:-- -=::essary complication and the possibility of not getting the animation you want after spending a lot
-::-e time than would have been spent using an Animation motion study. As discussed in Chapter 9.
~= Basic Motion is our choice to create the animation for a system, but it lacks the capability to solve
-.: --;10tion, So\idWorks Motion may be a suitable option for solving the problem.

:ase Study: Fly-Ball Governor

- :::1apter 9. we tried to create an animation of the
=- -3all Governor using a Basic Motion study. We
,1\' that this animation was beyond the capability
::= 3asic Motion and that we had two choices:
:::;:>te an animation using an Animation motion
~dy, or move to SolidWorks Motion. We saw that
-= animation could be created with the Animation
~::tio n study quite easily. Now we will look at the
:::. :ernative, using SolidWorks Motion.
2will initially set up the animation as we did in
=-~pter 9 and then run it with SolidWorks Motion.

:~e If you do not have SolidWorks Premium

-:;tailed, you will not be able to do this case study.

r r~~-::.- -=-

i f; a- =
408 Chapter 14

Procedure
1 Open an assembly. -.....
Open the Fly Ball Governor.sldasm from the Case Study\ Fly Ball Governor folder.

2 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study. Name it FB GOV_BM.

Select Basic Motion for t he Type of Study.

3 Add gravity.
Add gravity at the default value in the -Y direction.

4 Add contact.
Add contact between the lower arm and t he base. This limits the
downward travel of the linkage at slow speeds.

5 Add a spring.
Add a linear spring between the circular edges of
Links-2 and the Center Shaft. Use the settings shown.
e I
k1: i(lneor) v

j
~ --cl

k ~j;;;.~ :
~I j lOO.OOOmm ~ :
0 Update to model .
chanQes

Displ ay

18 \ZS.OOOmm "] :
!i~ ~ ~:
0 \2-SOOnvn ]:
'---
 SolidWorks Motion 409
--- ----- -
.-..=d motor.
: -:~tary motor to the upper arm. L ink-1 .
I[Q Segrre~s ~ ~~ DetaPoits JT_h !J:essoo I
.:older. Volu<! (y): !Velocity {deg/s) Tl
- =motor type to Data Points, Velocity. Select Cubic Spline ~ (s)
- =Interpolation type. Independent variable {x): Tl
Interpojation type: 1Cubic Spline
.=-:J
Import Data and load the file Motor Speed. txt from the I ~oata... I
__.:, fold er. This is a comma-delimited text file where the first Tme s Volle
-, is t ime and the second co lumn will be velocity. The Os o OOdeg.ls
1s 250 OOdegls
:>tg plot of Velocity vs. Time is shown below. 2s SOO OOdegls
750 OO~ews
~
Ss 750 OOde!lfs
6s 500.GOdegls
.::z:..:!
7s
as
500 OOdegls
750.00degls
!Is SOO OOdeg.ls
10s 7SO.OO~egls

Cick to ll<ld row

=:: ~ '

1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0
Tme(s)

Calculate.
--= calculation will fail before there is any meaningful movement

-.. 1ternate Choices

=saw in Chapter 10 that we could use an animation study as one alt ernat ive. In addition, we could try
-: ::se a very high frame rate such as 5,000 fps with a change in the contact parameters and might
: :ssibly get a solution, but the result would be a very large file size as t his is a 10-second animation. so
::.,:::mo fps would result in 50,001 frames. That would be a very large file.
=we really want to solve the physics of the problem to obtain our animation, the only other choice is to
-=:e SolidWorks Mot ion.

Duplicate the study.

:reate a duplicate study and name it FB GOV_MA

9 Change the study type.

:::nange the motion st udy type to Motion Analysis.

o Calculate.
-he study will now run using t he default settings; however, t here is too much oscillation in the vertical
1 ovement of the mechanism.
410 Chapter 14

11 Add damping.
Edit the linear spring.
Select Damper and change the value of C to 1.00 N/(mm/s).
Note While we could have selected Damper in the Basic Motion study type, it would not be calcL ~

12 Calculate.
This time. we get a solution that is more realistic.

13 Close all open files.

Review
When the Basic Motion study type cannot solve the motion due to its limitations, we can either t~
Animation study type or Motion Analysis study type.
The Motion Analysis study type can sometimes be run with no add itional changes ot her t han to c .a--
the motion study type. Whtle t his worked in this case, additional changes could be required depe-:.
on the situation.
We learned in Chapter 9 t hat we could reduce the time step in Basic Motion by using frame rat es c.~
40 fps. The problem with this approach is t hat the file size increases proportionally because we c.-=
capturing a frame at each time step. By using So lidWorks Motion, we can use a very sma ll t ime ste: _
contro l t he frame rate separately and keep t he file size smaller.
SolidWorks Motion has much more capability to solve motion problems than Basic Motion, but :-~
solution times are longer. To put this in perspective, in SolidWorks Motion the default initial ste:: :
for all solvers is 0.0001 seconds. ln Chapter 9 we saw that the defau lt step size in Basic Motion is: _
seconds (1/40 of a second). Therefore, SolidWorks Motion is taking 250 steps for each step in Bo
Motion.
Event-based motion can be used to simulate mechanisms based on trigger event s rather than jus: -
To learn more about SolidWorks Motion, see the training course SolidWorks Motion available frc~
SolidWorks reseller.
 SolidWorks Motion 411
- ---- . : : _
I ~ - -- - - ----------- - ----- -------- ------- ---- ------------

ary of Motion Drivers

Vl
c:: ..><:
0 '-
0
+::
ro c:: $ Vl
E .~ ~ -o - cv
c: Vl 0 -"""0
- """0
<( ~:a ~:a z
2:Es Basic Motion limited to standard mates.
~ Width mate not supported.

Dist ance X
Angle X Difficult to use beyond 180.

-y; -:_ = Pat h X

-""E'"
I Friction X Fiction can be defined on the Analysis tab
of the mate PropertyManager.

==mact X X
@
-'otor
r:::.:s a:::~ ~
c 'E:a:'!'
res:::-. ~
I Constant Speed

Distance
X
X
X
X
X
X
Speed can be changed du ring animation.

Oscillations X X X Harmonic oscillations.

Data Points X X X Input values directly or import from file.

Three interpolation modes .
~ =.cs=

-
Segments X X X

-1!::: ;:__________ Expression X X X Time is the only variable available in

Animation and Basic Motion.

Stepper X Used in event-based motion.

Spring
3
Linear Spring X X X
Nonlinear Spring X
Spring + Damper X
412 Chapter 14

c
0
~
VI
....
0
0
~
1'0

.5
c
-~
c
:3
VI 0
5
- ....0
-o -
-
VI
....0
Ql Pr
<( ~~ s:~ z
Damper X Dampers can be added separately and be

Force ' X
linear or nonlinear.
Forces can be defined with most of the
!)

..__
" same types as motors.

Ill -
 Output and Post-
Processing
ately and be
J pon successful completion of this chapter,
lOSt of the you will be able to:
Understand the needs for post-processing of animations.
Create a video from images.
Understand the basics of post-processing.
Add titles. effects, and transitions to video clips.
Analyze how post-processing affects t he requ irements of
the video clips you create.
414 Chapter1S

Output and Post-Processing

Our goal in this chapter is to explore the options t o output our animation into a usable form and t he
options available for basic post-processing.

Why Post-Processing?
Except for simple animations, the output recorded for SolidWo rks is not fully complete for most
presentations. Depending on the fina l product desired, post-processing may be used for these actio~.::.
Comb ine multiple clips into a longer video
Combine individual images into a movie file
Add titles and logos
Add sound and narration
Add video and audio effe cts
Change the movie file type
Compress the output for better portability

Video Editing
Video editing is a long and involved topic and beyond t he scope of this book. It is also very subjectiv=
and knowi ng when t he video is done is as much a matter of deadlines as it is of achieving the desire::
results. We will explore only rudimentary video editing. just to get an appreciation of what may hap;::E-
to the clips we create in SolidWorks. This is important so t hat you can save t ime by not having to rew::
clips that will be post-processed later into longer videos.

Topics
The topics covered in this chapter:

Output considerations
One of the first items in our planning is to define what the output will be. This should include sue-
things as the file type, output size, aspect ratio, compression method, and t he need for post-
processing.

Post-processing
Post-processing is any operation we do after we have created t he animation output file(s) in
SolidWorks. In video editing this generally means the process of combining clips and add ing tit.;=-s
transitions. audio, and special effects.
Post-processing software
There are many software programs available to post-process our clips. Microsoft Windows cc- s
with a simple video editing program called Windows Live Movie Maker.
 Output and Post-Processing 415

=.J:CCs
3:X: ::::::cs are important to t he video editing process as they have a significant influence on the size
:o:c ;uality of the finished video.
-..ation Output
i:C-'5="" -c: .e seen in the previous chapters t hat there is only one video file type that can be created directly
SolidWorks, and t hat is the AVI file type. There are many other video f ile types in common use.
1V: Windows Media Video
?G: MPEG Video File
:?4: MPEG-4 Video File
: <JV: Apple QuickTime Movie
::~NF: Shockwave Flash Movie

:= :hese file types have to do the same thing. They have to store t he information for all of the
- :Jal fram es of the animation and be able to play t hem back in the correct sequence, frame rate,
....::= aspect ratio, and color depth.
--:-.5 s similar to st ill images. If we see an image on our screen, we do not know if it is a TIF, Targa, PNG,
::s file. Similarly, when we see a video playing on the screen, we do not know which file type it is. The
.:-o::: 'tance of the different file types is that whichever one we choose must be compatible with the
::ack program. Not all playback programs play all video file types. In this book, we have been using
-:::.3ws Media Player as it is normally loaded with the Windows operating system, is free, and plays
~:common video file types. There are, however, many other programs available to play video files.

=-:s:-Processing Functions
--~-e are many projects where additional information is needed in the video:
E-
- -1otations
:leS
- ext
- :ghlight arrows
3ackground music
.arration

- .e it is possible to put some of these items into an animation created in SolidWorks, they are beyond
-at the product is designed or intended to do and are very tedious. If you regularly make animations,
(:- can use one of the many products available for editing video such as Windows Live Movie Maker,
-=:'-ISmith Camtasia Studio, and Adobe Premiere, to name just a few.
416 Chapter 15

For anything other than simple animations, some degree of post-processing may be required. When\'=
watch a movie, we know t hat the entire movie is not filmed as a single, nonstop process, but rather as :
large array of film clips that are then spliced together to form the final movie. Special effects, musi::.
and t itles may also be added to improve the final product.
When we edit video. we can think of the individual animations made in Solid Works as the individual c::::
a video producer will make that will then be put together in an editing package.
Even if you are only responsible for creating the animation clips in SolidWorks. but not responsible-_
the post-processing. having a basic understanding of how the clips are used can save a lot of time
reworking the animation clips.
In the introduction, we said that there were only three things we did in animations: change compor?"""
positions, change properties, and change viewpoints. ln post-processing there are also just a few bs
things we will do:
Clip editing
During the editing process. the individual clips are not embedded in the editing software. They.::=
linked to the original files, essentially the same way in which a SolidWorks assembly does not er..:e
component fil es, but rather has reference links to them.
Clip editing generally consists of the following:

= Clip order
The individual clips can be inserted and repositioned on the timeline. Clips can also be reusec .~
as components can be used many times in an assembly.
: Clip trimming
Frames can be trimmed from t he beginning or end of a clip to remove unwanted frames or to cc-=
timing issues.
: Clip transitions
Transitions from clip to clip are rarely jump cuts where the first clip just ends abruptly and thE-_
clip starts on the next frame. Instead, some form of transition is generally used where one clip"'?.:.
out and the other fades in.
 Output and PostProcessing 417

e.::-......-ed. ..:.--e:" ~es and annotations

;s :J~ rc::;er -- es can be added to separate frames or over the animation clips.
e.r.;ects. ~
- - :Jtations are like titles in that they add additional information to the animation. They could be text
:; -:nages such as arrows, or a combination of both, such as ballooned text to call attention to certain
~e .adiviC...!c :: =:;-i;as of the annotation. You might also add a company logo to the entire animation in one of the
:::-ners.

: -espons;:;.= !.!Jdio
c . a~ o.c t:~;~ -_dio can be added as background music, for impact or narration.
=ormat
:-ge COrt:);._.
:-;ce the editing is complet e, the final file is created. The type of file (<'.AVI, *.MP4, etc.) and
, ...!St a r t' -
: : mpression are chosen and the final file is created as a standalone without links t o other files.

eo Editing Programs
- -e:-e are many video editing programs available on the market t oday. If you are regularly creating
.rc:e. he: :r:: ::c:Js of your products, it may be a good idea to have one available and spend a little time learning its
cces 1o : :::~- -=::Jres. It is not the intent of this book to teach you how to use any of the specific video editing
"":'E,rams, but it is easier to understand some of the concepts if we see how some of the programs
.2'"':::He our video clips.

:~e editing program that is provided with the Windows operating system is Windows Live Movie Maker.
- :; easy to use and has the capability to add sound, titles, and transitions. Because it is a rudimentary
:Je reusec :st. .: ...: gram, it has some limitations; however, if you need a basic program to edit clips t ogether and add
:::-~sitions and titles, it is a good program to use.

- -:nid-range program is Camtasia Studio from TechSmith. Camtasia Studio is used frequently t o capture
es or to coil::o:l :.:::-een action and narration for training and collaboration purposes. It is also quite good at editing video
: :JS.

:.y and the ,...e
? :x 1e clip fa:.=-:
-:obe Premiere is a higher-end product with a lot more capability; however, it may be too much in both
:: st and learning overhead for basic editing.
: is important to have a basic understanding of the steps required to produce the fina l movie as this
: :-ocedure affects the way we create the source dips.

External References
.'ost video edit ing software deals with the individual clip files as external references in a manner similar
:: the way SolidWorks deals with component files. When you edit d ips in the t imeline, the actual clips
::-e not embedded or changed. If frames are trimmed off the end of a clip, they are not deleted. Instead,
::1e editing software stops displaying the unwanted frames. If you later edit the sequence and want to
::dd the frames back in, the editing software just shows the frames from the external reference file .

j
418 Chapter 15

Timelines
Almost all video editing programs use the time line as the primary user interface. While the specific to::: 3
of each program are different, you can see in the following images that t he time lines are similar.

TechSmith Camtasia Studio

Adobe Premiere

;00 00;00;08;00 00;00; 16;00 00;00;21;00 00;00;32;00 00;00;10;00 00;00;~

1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I !1 I I f t I I I I I I I I I l1 I I I I I I I I I I I I I It I l1 til I
I I I I I I I 1I I J I I I I I I I I I I I !1 I I I I I I II I I 1 1

Robotl.avi'OpacK'(:Opocity

Video Compression
Video compression is different from compression of image files. With image files, t he compressic- _
part of the file format If you save an image file as a JPG, the amount of compression can be chose-
while saving the file and you do not have the choice of a different compression. With video files, yo_ -
save a fi le type using different compressors as t hey are independent of the video file format In
SolidWorks, the only video file format that we can save to is the AV I file type, but we can choose
whatever video compressor we have available on the computer.
When you intend to post-process your animations, it is better not to compress the AVI file when x
the animation from SolidWorks fo r several reasons. First, if you're going to be editing the AVI and 2: J.
music or voice-over, or splicing two AVIs together, you will want to avoid compressing the vi deos~
as that will result in reduced quality. Second, some video editing programs give you access to me-=
compression options than SolidWorks does, which will give you more control over the quality of::-.::
compression. Once you are done editing, you can t hen compress t he final video you produce.
 Output and Post-Processing 419

=. ::eriment with different CODECs. because different CODECs will be better or worse for each
: S J E: ...::: : :-- zz- ""ilation you do. Also. some CODECs have limitations that can cause trouble. For example, the
:s - ~ -osoft Video 1 CO DEC tends to produce corrupt AVIs if t he widt h and height of the image are too
C5e. and it also has a limited color range.
--= same CO DEC can give very different results depending on the options settings you choose.

-ransitions
-::1sitions are t he way we go from one clip to the next. With the exception of the jump cut. the other
-=~sitions available have an overlap period where frames from both the clip that is ending and the clip
- Bt is starting are playing simultaneously. One of the most widely used transitions is the crossfade.
:::....:1ing the overlap period, the opacity of the ending clip changes from 100 percent to o percent
:::tnpletely visible to completely transparent} while the starting clip goes from 0 percent to
=:J:!,
:.J percent.
=;e are only responsible for creating the clips but someone else does the editing. why do we need to
-:m about transit ions? The importance of understanding transitions is what happens in the overlap
: =-iod. If the clip is exactly the correct length for the time it is supposed to play. what happens during
--=transition? Some editing programs will just duplicate the starting frame of the clip during the
:asition period. This may be satisfactory in some cases. but in others it may not look very good.
: :-.sider what would happen if we crossfade into something that is supposed to be rotating. If the first
: ""ile is just duplicated, during the crossfade the object will be stationary. At the end of the crossfade
-~object will start rotating Oust like a jump cut}. If we know that all our clips will have t ransitions added
:....:ing the editing process, we could make the animation clips longer so that the object is rotating as the
Jnpress~o- - ::-::::ssfade occurs. Think of scenes you have watched on television or in t he movies of t he actua l
..., ::e chaser -:;viemaking process. The director always calls for the camera to start rolling before the action
c : ~:es. Y~- 3""" =IITlences and the action commences before the scene actually starts.
r-:at. .n
r. moose r tles and Annotations
::: =ferent video editing programs have different capabilities for adding t itles and annotations. Generally
- :.2s can be added to their own frames or over the top of the video. The tit le is essentially just a layer.
e Nhen sc: ~
~- --JOt ations can also be added as a layer or layers over our video to draw attention to some action or
r.. .~. and cc:: .:.: :,...::Jvide explanation. We might also choose to put a company logo in one corner of the screen and have
e :ideos ~ ::= - ::artially transparent like a watermark.
55 to more
.:ality of t'">e - He we will not discuss the specific steps to add titles or annotations into a video. what is important
_ ._.__
'" 0 ' _- us when creating the animation clip is to have planned out where t he t itles and annotations will
.!!::::ear on the screen. This should be part of t he storyboard so t hat we can plan the camera positions to
::.- oid having the problem of titles going over multiple it ems and backgrounds where they are hard t o
= cd.
420 Chapter 15

The key to this process is a good storyboard where you define all the elements that will go int o each c:-:
during creation as well as in post-processing.

Looping
When some action in the animation continually repeats, it can be much easier to create a clip of one
cycle of motion, then add it to the time line multiple t imes in the editing programs. This is especially t r: =
when you have to render to Photo View 360 as it can save you a significant amount of time.

Parallel Processing
Creating rendered animations using PhotoView 360 can be a very long task as you have to render ec::;-
frame separately. If we are doing an animation that is 20 seconds long and we are rendering 20 frare5:
per second, that is 401 frames (20 x 20 plus one frame at 0 seconds) that must be rendered. If you c: :.
test render of a frame and find that it takes 5 minutes to render, you can expect the whole animatic- -=
take about 2,005 minutes, which is over 33 hours.

SolidWorks does not currently have a method to utilize multiple computers to speed up the rende- -:
However, by using post-processing techniques to add separate clips to the same time line, we can:..:;::
multiple computers to our advantage.
Steps to take once we are ready to create the rendered animation:
1. Copy the complete files (or have them accessible) to all t he computers that are available for =
task.
2. Use each computer to render only a specific section of the total animations.
3. Import all the clips into a video editing program.
4. Splice together the clips.
5. Produce the file animation file.
Because there are no transitions to apply as each clip starts on exact ly the next frame after the= -
frame of the previous clip, it is a simple matter of just import ing the clips and dropping them on :..,c
timeline in t he correct order.
Important! When you have different computers render different sections of the animations, mak::-
you render the correct number of frames. As a simple example. suppose you had a two-second ani-z
that you were going to render at 10 fps and you were going to use two computers, each renderir5-
If you had t he first computer render from zero to one second and the second computer render fr::-
to two seconds. you would have an extra frame which would cause a slight interruption of the rr.:-
lf you just rendered on one computer, t here would be a tot al of 21 frames (2 seconds x 10 fps +- -
at zero). If you used two computers. each rendering one second, each would render 11 frames for::
of 22 frames. The problem is that both computers rendered the same frame at 1 second.
 Output and Post-Processing 421

p into eac- ::: ":.:arne Rate

- ::: .e rate is of more concern during post-processing than when just creating a single clip. Each clip
"'"::uld be created at the same frame rate so that the post-processing program does not have to
---::2rpolate frames as this can cause unexpected results in the final product.
a clip of o;;
especially...,.,. T:-ne rate is also important when saving the animation as individua l images t hat will be combined in
~o
~. ::st-processing into a video file. Some post-processing programs have preset frame rates that are
-.::Jstry standards. such as 24 fps fo r PAL and 29.97 fps for NTSC. If you are rendering to individual
~ages and distributing the task to multiple comput ers. make sure that all computers are recording to
: o render ea:"
-= same frame rate, and that frame rate is the same one you will use on t he final video.
r:.1g 20 ~rc-e
rt=::!. If yoL o: ~endering Efficiency
E a1imc:~ ~- -en rendering an animation. there are several things we can do to speed up the rendering of each
-=-ne. Keep in mind that our output is going to be a video, where each frame will be shown for on ly a
- ::ction of a second, so we do not need the ext reme fine detail of a photograph on each rendered frame.
:-e renee- ~
- so remember that the screen resolution of t he device on which we view an animation can be
2 :e ca;- ..sc
::1siderably less than t hat of a high quality print of just one of the frames.
::.:::iTle of t he things we can do in the setup:
Reduce the Photo View 360 out put setting.
~te ~Ciu"12
Check the test renders to see how high you need to go. A setting of Maximum will take about twice
as long to render as a setting of Best. For a single image. this may be acceptable, but if the rendered
animat ion takes 24 hours at Best, will the increase in quality be even noticeable to make a 48 hour
render a good choice?
Render to the correct size.
If you are creating an animation for a handheld mobile device. do not use an output size larger than
:::-- : .... E - -
the device can display. Rendering is pixel bound, meaning that it is all about t he number of pixels. If
2:-- c-7'E
you double t he size of the output image, you quadruple the number of pixels and also the rendering
time.
15 -:a=:;....:
Close other programs before rendering.
I C a- -.c:--
The rendering process will try to use all CPU cores at 100 percent. Every time a core is called on to
--::e- 5 -a
do another task. it is taken away from rendering and as a result, rendering takes longer.
:e-=-:::- :re
-:: ~~-=-- Render with the assembly loaded lightweight.
Loading the assembly lightweight frees up memory. This is more important on 32-bit systems. but can
::s - ~
be useful when rendering large animations to AVl files on 64-bit systems where t here must be enough
~ .:=- c ~=_,. memory to hold the entire animation until it is finished.
422 Chapter 15

Adjust your appearances to avoid those t hat take a long time to render.
Remember that we are rendering frames that flash by quickly on the screen. Many appearances ::3""
take significantly longer to calculate and the difference will not be noticeable in t he animation. kc
appearances such as brushed or satin finish metals. Also. use bump maps instead of displaceme-
maps as displacement maps can take a very long time to calculat e.
Important! Make sure you do a test of the settings by creating an AVI file at a very low frame rate --
make sure t he sett ings are correct. You do not want to find out that you had an incorrect sett ing 2 - .::
rendering fo r 24 hours!

Render to AVI or Images?

To this point, we have created all of our output videos as AVI files directly from SolidWorks. This 3::
efficient method when creating short animations or clips that are not rendered to PhotoView 360. C
we are creating longer videos that are rendered using Photo View 360. rendering direct ly to an AV =
is less desirable and many people will choose instead to render as individual images.
Why the switch? There are several reasons to render to images and then create the video file sepa~C:..
Editability
Occasionally, you may get a corrupt frame in an animation either in the rendering or the compc-~
position. If you created an AVI file. cutting out the bad frames and inserting a new section can
sometimes be difficult depending on the software you are using. If you have rendered to indivi::__
image files. you essentially have a stack of images where you can de let e t he bad images andre;::
them with re-rendered images.

Memory usage
When recording an AVI video file, SolidWorks holds all the information in memory until t he ent:-:o
animation has been rendered. and then creates the AVI file. If you run out of memory before the -
file is created, you lose everything.
If you create the animation as images. each image is saved after it is rendered. This means the:: -
amount of memory needed is much less as only one image (frame) needs to be in memory at any:-
Compression
While the individual BMP or TARGA images have some compression. this is different from t he
CODECs that are used for the video file. Once the images are put together as a video file. the ' -
file can be compressed separately.

File format
Saving directly to a video file from SolidWorks only allowed us to save as an AVI file . Most ott-e-
programs that convert individual images into a video file will allow the video to be saved to m~
video formats.
 Output and Post-Processing 423

:ase Study: Animations from Rendered Images

oea;-cnces::::: - ::his case study, we will create a short video by creating an output t o image fil es and then combining
....,ai:io;' !. -: -e images into a video us ing Apple QuickTime.
: .so.c:ce-e-
ortant! To use QuickTime to create a video from images requires the Professional vers ion, which
:.::es come at a modest cost. If you do not have QuickTime Professional available, you will not be able
C"'il e~= - =do all the steps in this case study, but you will still be able to see how t he process is done.
: setti.1g c - ::!'
ocedure
Open the assembly.
::oen the assembly PV Render from the case study f iles in Chapter 5. We used this assembly in
-<S. This .s := ::1apter 5 to create an AVI file, so it is already set up to render t he output.
ew360.S~
' :o 2n A\'' =- Open the motion study.
:oen Completed Motion Study and play the animation just t o review the motion.

= esepa;c:=- Save the animation. ~ Save Animation to File

Save the animation as a series of bitmap images
Save in _. Rendered Images @ ,t ..
:::> the Rendered Images folder using the
No items matc h your search.
~Ecompone settings shown. Note that we are saving
;: an can :4 Frames per second. The reason for this will
;:o individ~;c: ::e explained in a later step.
;s and repl2::::
ate To save time, you can save the images
.JSing RealView instead of rendering them. The l'le name: PW Render.bmp Save

-endered version of images can also be found in I

Save ., type Series d. Wndows Bimaps r .bmp) ] l Schedule
l ;:he entire :he folder Rendered Images - Complete Rende<er: ~VIew J Cancel
e=ore the A. =ound in the Case Study directory. ~
Image Size and Aspect Rotio Frame !nformotion

Save as type: Series of Windows Bitmaps a 1000 ro 1so Frames ~"'' second 124
eans that th Image S ize: 1000 x 750 rz Fixed aspect rotio o Entile onimotion
Use camera as~ct ratio Tme range
1 at any t im:: Aspect ratio: 4 :3 0 1Custcm aspect ratio (width : height) tD 9
Frames per second: 24 4:3

om the
" e. the vide:

'ost other
c to multip!E
424 Chapter 15

4 Start QuickTime. (!1 Open A File

Click Start, All Programs, QuickTime, QuickTime look in.j.... Rendered Images 4X3
Player.

ln QuickTime, click File, Open Image Sequence.

Navigate to the Rendered Images folder where
PW PW PW
the images were saved and select the first image, Render.OOOO.bmp Render.OOOl.bmp Render.OOOl.bmp
PW Render-OOOO.bmp. Fle name: jP'II/ Render.OOOO.bmp

Quick Time will use the images in the fo lder, in file Flesoitype j1mageFiles

name order, displaying each image for an amount of r Open osreod-only

time based On t he frame rate. Framerate: j24fi-ames""rs=nd

5 Set the frame rate. 60 hmes per S<!COnd

50 rrames per second
We saved the images at a frame rate of 24 fps, so we want QuickTime to display 30 fromes per second
29.97 fromes per second
the images at the same rate. Quick Time does not allow frame rates other than 25 fTomes second

23.916 frames per second

those in the list, so you need to check this list to make sure the frame rate you 15 rrames per second
12 fromes per second
are rendering t o in SolidWorks is available in QuickTime, or whatever program 10 fromes per second
6 fromes per sec:ood
you choose to use. 2 fromes per second
l hme second

5
I
 Output and Post-Processing 425

:: Create the video.

: :ick Open. The video will be saved to the same folder as the images and be named
?7l Render-OOOO.mov (the name of t he f irst image we selected) and the Quick Time player will open.

=.ick Play to see the video.

Ota!lil
.... PW Render-0000

e~
e~

e""""""
: "Z""~

e~

~ ~e::::r:r
c-=c::
' :oe:::n:
'~
~

-=no
e=n:

-.co l:
.,tl--il>
08(;)8(;)

Save the movie file. (l Save A File

~-

~lick File, Save. Save in: [ ,J. Rendered Images 3 ... (!;] d lilly
No it~m~ match your search.
Select Save as a self-contained movie so that t here
are no ext ernal references back to the original
image files.

With QuickTime, the only file format the video can

be saved in is the Apple QuickTime
!
Fle name: f:o\?Ji!l!\'!ltl'Z:o:O:Oiitt'l ~ I
Movie (* .mov). I
Save as type: jMovies :3 Cancel

r. Save as a seUconlained movie

Any external media w~ be included in this movie
Estimaled l~e size: 465.77 MB

r Save as a reference movie

Any external movies 'Nil! be required to play ths movie.
Estimated lile size: 152.7 KB
426 Chapter 15
--------- -------------------------- ------------------ -
8 Export the video file. (?1 Save exported file as:
Once we have the initial video file as a MOV file, Save in.j _ Rendered knages
QuickTime can export it to other file formats. To
demonstrate this, we will export the movie file as
an MP4 file.
In Quick Time, click File, Export PW PW PW
Render-OOOO.avi Render-OOOO.bmp , R~nder-OOOO.mov

Fie name: jPW Render-OOOO.mov Save

Sove type: jAil Files r 1 :=J Cancel

Export: I Movie to MPEG-4 3 Options

Use. 1Most Recert Settings 3

For Export select Movie to MPEG-4 from the list Examine the list to see Movie to 3G
Movieto~TV
the other choices. Usually you know what is on this list before you choose Movie to AVI
Movie to DV Stream
to create the movie file in QuickTime as you need to know if you can get l>'.ovieto FLC
the final file format you need. Movie to Hirted Movie
l>'.ovie to ~ge Seq.Jence
Movie to !Phone
The defau lt fi le name will be the same as the original movie file with the Movie to iPhone (Cel<>ar)

. .-
Movie to iPod
mp4 extension.
Movie to P"tdure
Movie to QuickTme Media Link
Movie to QuickTme Movie

Select Broadband- High for the Use function. The reason for this is that Defu~ Settings
Most Recent Settings
the quality will be lower if we use choices like Dial-up as t he connection
speed. This reduction in quality will make the file size smaller for easier : .... . .
transmission with the slower connect ion speeds. 8roacfland - Medun
Brol!d>and Low
Dial"Up
Dioi<JP - Au<io Orly

~"*'9 Medum
Sl!eaming-Low
 Output and Post-Processing 427

Set the export options. MPEG-4 Export Settings

-. Options.
Fie Formot. IMP4 3
zaine the different options IVideo 3
- 2Jie.
Video Format: l H264 3
~se we recorded the original Oat Rate: rsn-- kbls/ sec Optirrized for J CD/OVO-ROM ::::J
~:::s at 1000 x 750 pixels, we 3 ~ X h. pso--

-
Image Site: \ Cusiom W.

::-: to record the video at the P Preserve aspect Rllio using 1Letterbax ::::J
r- ~-= size. So you must select Frame Rote j24 ::::J
- ~m for Image Size and then Key Frame: r Automa!Jc r. EvOf)' rframes I
I

- : t :nthe values.

..e ~ecorded the still images at

Video Options .

.2.1
:.:. ~s. so that rate should be
Video: H 264 Video. 1000x 750 (Custom). 672 kbps. 24 00 Ips
=5E1 as well. Ado: No audo track in source movie
Streaming: None
Ale Size: Jlcprox 756 KB
-E.,. you have the options set as Data Rate: Total data I>Jte 672kbps. wil strean over 768kbps DSL./Cable
Codonnance: The fre conforms to MP4 fie formot spedficotion
::"Nil, click OK. Compatibility:

.2J QCl ea-re I

Play the file.
__x~~e the mp4 file you just created and play it. It should play correctly on Windows Media Player.
&

Save.
<: and close all open files.
: :;;er Choices
.:; had used a program other than Quick Time, the general flow of the process would have been
~--c1tially the same.

:~eate each frame as an individual image in SolidWorks

:::mbine the images into a video file or clip in whichever program you have available
:::;nbine clips into a completed video file if necessary
::::ve the video file
: -:ange the video file format or compression to the fina l output
428 Chapter 15

Case Study: Post-Processing

In this case study. we will create and then combine several animation clips that were created from th:
same animation. but from different camera views. Then we will add titles and annotations. Finally. the
animat ion will be saved as a separate file. Post-processing will be done using Windows Live Movie
Maker.
We will not get into the specifics of Windows Live Movie Maker or any other editing program; howe\'&"
the general procedures are similar among the various editing programs although the specific "picks a~
clicks" will be different.

St oryboard
Cl
Create clips of the toy from t hree different cameras.
Cl
Combine the clips and add transitions. Add a main title
Cl
and scene titles. Dart Gun D

Play the video fi le Dart Gun.wmv. The video will start

with a title. There will then be one camera rotation around
the assembly. followed by a close-up of the pu ll ring as it
is pulled back and released. Finally. there will be an overall
view to show the launch of t he arrow followed by the o ~,...., =
Cl
=
credits.
Cl =
Procedure Cl =
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Dart Gun.sldasm from the lesson D~
Cl~ .., =
= ~

folder. This is the same assembly we used in Chapter 3. Cl =

The component motion has already been created. so all Cl =
we are going to do is add cameras.
 Output and Post-Processing 429

.:.a: first path sketch.

~?::

S.~~l-
- :cameras we use in this animation will move
_ ~::;ecified paths.
v- L
:
=ssembly, create a new plane. 7Smm above the 75
..::-:and name the new plane Camera Path Plan e.

=600mm by 400mm ellipse on this new plane,

== on the assembly origin.
: -e sketch Ellipse .

..!.dd second path sketch. Pull Rmg of Dart Gun.SLDASM' @ (g c:J GJ ~

-:-.:::a 3D Sketch. Sket ch a line from

.
~
:::..zdrant point of the ellipse shown,
~-:::the center of the lower pull ring.

~: this sketch Pull Ring.

Add cameras.
,cu
1 .,
~-'
~ - *Trimelric
~ :.ree cameras, using 24mm lenses
::Je first two cameras and somm
:;e third. All should have an 11:8.5
.a:::ct ratio.

- -:::ch the fi rst camera to the ellipse

:: aim it at the assembly origin. Name
L,: ~- ZJ~i
- s camera Orbit.
CD *front GS:>*Right
Model omoleie<l Dart Gun I Camera Orbli
-=:::ch the second camera to t he line in
-=Pull Ring sketch. Aim the camera
~ :he end of t he line nearest t he assembly. Name t his camera Pull_Ring.

e You need the underscore between words to differentiate this camera name from the Pull Ring
S"et ch name.
430 Chapter 15

Add the third camera. Position this camera manually so that it can view the arrow flying away from tb:
dart gun. Name the camera Launch.

Create The First Clip

The first clip will be the camera orbiting the assembly along the ellipse while focused on the asserr..:-
origin. This will be an 11-second clip and no components move in this clip except for the camera.

5 Create a new motion study.

Name the new study Camera Orbit.
6 Create first camera key point.
Clear Disable View Key Creation so that we can quickly creat e t he key points.
With the time bar at 0 seconds, right-click the camera Orbit and select Camera View.
Edit the camera properties and set the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve to 25%. ,'
the assembly is viewed from the top, this puts the camera at the six o'clock position relative to <~=
assembly.

7 Create establishing shot.

Copy the key point from o seconds to 1 second.

8 Create additional key points.

Time Perce;-
We need additional points t o have the camera orbit the assembly
counterclockwise when viewed from t he top. We will use a total of five key 0 25
points with the positions shown in the table.
3.5 so
Move the time bar to 3-5 seconds. Edit the camera and set the Percent 6 75
distance along selected edge/line/curve to 100%.
8.5 100
Create addit ional key points to complete the orbit.
11 25
9 Play the animation.
There is a problem between 8.5 and 11 seconds as t he camera reverses direction.
 Output and Post-Processing 431

-.
?,."., - . . . .-
~ Problem
-;..: :::~roblem is a result of the 100/360 Rule we learned in Chapter 7. With ellipses, just like circles,
~. ::1 ellipses, and arcs, we cannot control where the zero point is located.

- !tion
_s -z the technique from Chapter 7. after the camera position reaches 100 percent. we will add a key
_-: to place the camera at 0 percent. Then we will move this key point close enough to the previous
z point so that the mot ion happens before t he next frame is recorded. The change is essentially
-s:antaneous.

Add a key point.

:: te the time bar to about 9 seconds.
::::: t the camera Orbit and set the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve to 0%.
lE asse;:
-:e-a Move the key point. Edrt Time
::-.v that we have the key point created, we need to move it close t o the ~.s1s
:J percent key point. If we plan to record the animation at 20 frame s per second, ~llillii!IJa!liill!l~Dniii
:::ch fra me will be 0.05 seconds apart. Therefore. we need to move this frame so ~ X ~ . .. t?
-at it is less than 0.05 seconds after the key point at 100 percent.

=ght-click the key point foro percent and click Edit Key Point Time. Set the time to 8 .51 seconds.
: Play the animation.
25% : ~ 1e camera will now appear to smoot hly orbit the assembly in just one direction. The camera still went
e~o~=
: .ockwise between t he two key points, but is not seen in the animation.

3 Smooth the camera motion.

::hange the Interpolation Mode of the camera key point at 3.5 seconds to Ease In and for the key point
at 11 seconds, Ease Out.
ote The scene is not part of the motion study so it can be changed before the recording. In the
?en:en~ rollowing section, the scene was changed to Backdrop-Studio Room. and both RealView and Shadows
25 in Shaded Mode were t urned on before recording the animation clips.

)0 "4 Record.
Hide the sketch Ellipse and then record t his animation at 20 frames per second. Name the clip
1:;,
Orbit.avi.
00
Create the Second Clip
.....
.:;, This clip will focus on the pull ring and expanding band. The camera will zoom in during the animation;
however, it will be a small zoom. If you observe television and movies, you can see that there are many
cases where cameras are focused on something but the camera is moving slowly to add effect.
432 Chapter 15

15 Change motion studies.

Select the motion study Completed Dart Gun.

16 Set first camera point.

Move the time bar to o s econds.

Right-click the camera Pu ll_Ring and select Came ra

View. Edit the camera position so that the view is
approximately as s hown.

Select Orientation and Camer a Views and then

Add/Update Key.

Note The actual Percent distance along selected edge/

line/curve is a subjective setting in this case a nd
depends on the length of t he line you created in the
3D sketch Pull Ring.

17 Copy the key.

Copy the camera key from 0 seconds to 1 second. We are doing this because the pull ring does not s:a-
t o move unt ill second.

18 Second camera point.

Move the time bar to 4 seconds. Edit t he camera a nd
zoom in slightly, about 10 percent from t he last camera
point.

19 Play the animation.

The came ra should zoom in between 0 and 4 seconds
and then hold position for the remainder of t he
animation.

20 Record.
Record this animation at 20 frames per second and
name t he clip Pull Ring.avi.

Note We are recording the entire 8-second animat ion even though nothing happens in t his view a":?
seconds. We will use this extra length to demonstrate how to t rim clips in post-proces sing.
 Output and Post-Processing 433

_ =:e t he Third Clip

s ::ip, the camera will be stationary and record the motion of the pull ring and the flight of the

Set first camera point.

=:he time bar to 0 seconds.
-:-click the camera Launch and select Camera View.
g;::-click Orientation and Camera Views and select Disable Playback of View Keys.
-.e :::>mbinat ion of select ing the camera view for the Launch camera and disabling t he playback of
<.eys enables us to record this clip without having to modify the keys associated with the
-=_Ring camera.

Record.
- =c=-d this animation at 20 frames per second and name the clip Launch.a vi.
=::st-Process ing
_"' that we have t he three clips, we will combine them in Windows Live Movie Maker and add the t itles
.:: : ransitions.
:: Windows Live Movie Maker should have been installed with the Windows 7 operating system. If
-::::, it can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/downloods.
: :. . =~ to Windows Live Movie Maker, Microsoft offered Windows Movie Maker for Windows XP and
, -dows Vista. If you are using either Windows XP or Vist a, you may have Windows Movie Maker still
--s::alled. If you are using Windows 7. Windows Movie Maker will not be listed in the Download Center.
~s:ead you can load Windows Live Movie Maker as part of the Windows Live Essentia ls package. The
:. ~erent downloads are available at www.microsoft.com/downloads. These are free downloads.

-
434 Chapter 15

Windows Live Movie Maker

Windows Live Movie Maker has an interface that is not a standard timeline but rather will play a
collection of clips in order. In some programs this is ca lled a storyboard interface. For simple projeG:s
this interface is very easy to use.

1131 I 1..1 -} ,_.. -. My Movie- Windows Liv~ Mov1~ Maker

~ Click here to browse for videos and phcws

 Output and Post-Processing 435

:.ndows Movie Maker

r c = Ju have Windows Movie Maker and would like to use it instead, you will see t hat it has both a t imeline
---- -. -
1- ._ __ ,
== storyboard interface.

r~ .R ... -, ,. (t!lshowSto,.,;o~u
n I ( 11 "' 8I I (J
-- - ==o.c-
L.: w~m.w UU:...'4;ll _w~AJG - ~----:-.-- ------ - H"~ '1 ; l.l.llLU,liJ ~- 'I

.:..:;.-.:..;.. -.cv ..._.-:\.-"'

~~- ~::~~ ;,r :~~~~N ~! -_--_,,o
~ .:.:. ~r.~- lii -r~ H

Video B

~ ~~~!"'r -~ - ~- - "' ""=",.,.....,.,....~~:"'1"'1~~ l,.~ ~i"'lrl~!"'rr~~

I Transition
Audo Timeline View
""->:io/f'u<ic
nloOverlay ,_
'< >
~
~ A' .. , [ ~ShowTineline J

- -lr-
l~-' 1
~to~boac~V;ew :j - ~
1

I
E
;Jrag_me_di.<LI;l> the storyboa rd to beg!O__making a_m_oyif!.~
I .I )'
I :::ixxl::s
~~

Frocedure
Start Windows Live Movie Maker.

Establish project settings.

:>elect t he Project tab and select t he Standard {4:3) aspect ratio.

3 Import video clips.

:::lick in t he right plan to import the video clips.
_ocate t he t hree video clips and select them all. Click Open.
n e three files will all appear in the right pane in alphabetical order. In this case, the order is alphabetical
:::ecause we select ed multiple files. If we had selected the files one at a t ime. they would be in the order
..1 which t hey were imported.
436 Chapter 15

While there is no classical timeline. there is a time bar. The frame shown in the left pane is from the
location of the time bar.

Home Animations Visu al Effects Project View Edit

o x ~J
Paste
D
) ~~ .~
!=!] ~
Add videos Add Web cam Snpshot
.i~

a rcn
X '~
SkyDr1\.--e .~ Save
I~
Sign
and photos music ... video Aj j .... movae In

Chpboard Add Auto~.1 0\Ite themes Edo!mg Share

Time bar

00:00.00/ 00:28.15 ~

J Items se lected ;.;;l - ~)

Aspect Ratio
Notice in the left pane above that there is a black band on each side
of the fra me. This comes from the fact that in Windows Live Movie
Maker there were only two choices for aspect ratio. 16:9 and 4:3. When
we recorded our clips, t he cameras were all created with an aspect
ratio of 11:8.5. Windows Live Movie Maker does not stretch the video
clip to fill the frame, instead it just leaves t he extra area black.
Some software will stretch the frame t o fi ll the window. While this
eliminates the black band. t he proportions of the object in your video
~---------------------
may change.
 Output and Post-Processing 437

--- --,:; ~mportant point here is that when you create your storyboard, you need to understand the
..:=-abilities of the post-processing software so that you create the clips properly. In this case, we should
-: .Jack and change the camera aspect ratios to 4:3 and record the clips again. However, as the black
:c-:::l is small and we are just creating the video for practice, we will continue without making the change.

Reorder the clips.

: :s can be reordered by simply dragging them in the right pane. Drag the clips so that the order is
~
::':Jit, Pull Ring, and then Launch.

~ Play.

~
::: :< Play in the left pane. The three clips will play sequentially.

Trim a clip.
- -e Pull Ring clip is too long. We want to go from the Pull Ring to the Launch clip after t he pull ring
s ::ps moving.
: -ag the time bar while observing the Preview pane. The motion stops at about 17 seco nds.

~ ~~~~
/
~~
( 00:17.0.2.i00:2lll5 )t2iJ
--------------------------- --
.... ... 1111>
438 Chapter 15

Select the Edit tab. With the time bar at the point where we want to stop showing t he Pull Ring eli;:
click Set end point time.

18 ' ld .., (D My Movie Windows LIVe Mov1e Maker

v;..,.,

-
Hom Animations Visual Effects Proict Edit

0 ~ fade in; Non~ .CJ Spt t d: 1x ... - 1-.J 1 1-J ~ Set start point

v~l~:e ~ Fade out None .. E:sc~ QfOtmd [ urat n Spl~ Trim ( .; St nd point
tool '- _ _....;..--J.
J
colo
~UdtO Ed1hng

This action hides the frames of this clip after 17 seconds and the following clip moves left t o preve~ :
gap. We added this additional second (from 16 to 17 seconds) to make a better transition as we will s~
in the following steps.

7 Play.
The video is a little shorter now and we see the Launch clip start sooner. But the transitions ben.::w-
clips present a problem: we see an abrupt change as we go from clip t o clip.

8 Save.
Click File, Save Project and save the project to the Case Study\ Dart Gun folder as Dart Gun.w:=.;._
The file extension indicates Microsoft Windows Live Movie Maker.

9 Add transitions.
Move the t ime bar to the beginning of the Pull Rin g
clip.

Time bar

Select the Animations tab. VIdeo Tools

Expand the Transitions Animations Visual Effcts ProJct View Ed ~

section. There are 77

il .,
~l
~ Ouratl~r"
transitions available. .Jj _ 0 Apply to all

transtt1om ' Expax:

 Output and Post-Processing 439

p-..:!! ? =- i -=.
_:c=~e the Crossfade transition and select it. This adds the transition between the Orbit and Pull Ring
=5 because that is where t he time bar was positioned.

--
~
8
~
~
~:J ::;-c.?-
J
1as \ 'te ,
~ ...~..JI
_ , . and Shopes
J Crosslade I. .

::. :-s :;=~ : =-~Apply to all. The Crossfade t ransition is now

~
-::::.ied to all of the clips as noted by the triangle in
-= lower left corner of each clip.
=: G~..-w-:--

Play.
--=video now transitions between clips by having one clip fade out while the other clip fades in.

-~e of Transitions
-c...,sitions should provide a smooth flow from clip to clip. It was pointed out that there are 77 different
~-sitions available in Windows Live Movie Maker. There may be a t emptation to use a different
:--:::-sition for each clip. but you should avoid this. Most professionally done videos use the same
. "'-sition throughout. Different t ransitions are only used to create a very specific effect. not to show
-.::t the editor knows that there are 77 different transitions. If the t ransit ions become the show, then
':-wasted time making the clips!
"11.0::

..... ~ .fd"C
440 Chapter 15

11 Add a title.
We will add a title to the beginning of the video. Move the time bar to the beginning of t he video.
Select the Home tab and then click Title. A black frame will be added before the Orbit clip and a tex:
box will appear with the default title "My Movie: Triple-click the My Movie text to highlight it all, thE-
type the name of your video. In this case, just a simple title of "Dart Gun" will be enough.
Edit the size and font of the title as you like. The controls are the same as any word processing progrc:-

IB kl , l "; My Movie - Windows Live Movie Maker VIdeo Tool5 Ttxt Tools
---~
Home Anunatlons 'lisual Effecb Project Vit>w Edrt Format

.Jt ~Background color ..

t3J S~rt ~~me-
~ tj Text C:ur.~tion.
o.oos
-.UKI
.L =
't J ., ...

12 Edit the title.

Using the controls on the Visual Effects tab, do the following:
Change the Start time to 1 second and t he duration t o 3.5
seconds. This will cause the title not to appear for the first
second of the video, and then disappear after 3.S seconds.
Select the effect Cinematic burst-1. This is a simple visual
effect to give the opening a litt le more punch. Effect s, like
transitions, is an expanding list and there are 24 different
effects that you could use.
Important! All of the above settings are very subjective and you should experiment with the diffe-::;
settings to see what they do. If you mouse over the different effects, they will preview in the left :.3"'

13 Add captions.
Move t he t ime bar over the Orbit clip. Click Caption. This is Features
essentially the same as a title except that it shows over the top
of the clip. Type Features and then position t he caption as
shown. Edit the font to something you think looks good. Repeat
this procedure to add captions to the other two clips.
 Output and Post-Processing 441

- Add credits.
: -edits appear at the end of the video.

:::.ick Credits and a black clip will appear at the end of the video.
- :pe your name and date. Adjust the font and position of the text.
! :dan effect from the list.

: onsistency
- .1as not ed that when applying transitions, the same transitions should be used for all the clips except
=:-some specific purpose. This also applies to the fonts used for the captions. Captions shou ld generally
: -: located in the same position on the screen so that the viewer is not looking to different parts of t he
s.:::-een for each one. Consistency should also be t he rule when choosing the effects for the title and
:-edits. The rule is that elements such as t ransitions, effects, and captions are used to support the
::eo, not to be the main feature.

3 Play.
th very little work, we have added three clips together with transitions, a title, captions, and credits.

: Save.
~ave the project file.

=inish the Movie

.ow that the movie is complete, it must be saved as a separate file. At this point t he proj ect file is like
=SolidWorks assembly in that all the clips are st ill in their original locations. When we finish the movie,
e will create a self-contained file without references.

- Save as a movie file.

:::.ick Save movie, For computer from the Movie Maker ~ tab.
- 1pe the file name Dart Gun and browse t o the Case Study / Dart Gun folder.

:lick Save.
- he movie will be created and saved.

3 Play the movie.

- he movie has been saved with the extension WMV, which is a Windows Movie file. These files play on
,'lindows Media Player and are usually satisfactory for playing videos on your computer. If you need t o
:hange the format. you will need to use a different program.
9 Close all open files.
Advanced Topics and
Problems

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Animate configuration changes.
Create dynam ic section views.
Create an animation of a moving belt.
Create an animation of a roller chain and sprockets.
:::1 Understand the stroboscopic effect on rotary mot ion.
Create a shadow study of the sun moving over a buil ding.
444 Chapter 16

Advanced Topics
This and the following chapter are about application of what we have already learned. As we have see-
the principles used to create animations are not very complicated. Creating more difficult animations a
just a case of developing techniques to use the basic principles. To t hat end. we will explore additiona
case studies t o see how to apply what we have already learned.
Topics
This chapter covers the fo llowing topics:
Animating configuration changes
Configurations of components cannot be changed with key points on the timeline. To change
configurations we will use a technique of changing between multiple instances of components ar.~
changing their visibility.

Dynamic section cuts

The Section View tool only creates st atic views. so it cannot be used in an animation. Instead an
assembly cut will be used to animate the dynamic section cut.

Stroboscopic effect
Rotating components can look like they are rotating at t he wrong speed or in the wrong directio;- =
the frame rate used to calculate and record an animation is not matched to the rotational speed :-
t he components.
Gear systems
Gear systems are easy to animate using gear mates and motors. Common problems when anima::...,:
gears are being able to see the t eeth move due to the st roboscopic effect and conflicts betwee-
motors trying to drive motion in different directions.
Belts
Technically you cannot animate a belt; however. we can make the viewer believe that the belt is
moving.
Chains
The concepts needed to animate a chain are simple; however, the process is tedious and
computationally intensive.
Shadow studies
Creating an animation of where shadows fa ll due to the sun is simple and requires only a few kE'
points to be solved.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 445

==migurations for Animations

-~e following case study, we are going t o make multiple video clips to depict different operations. This
:::ause us to add components in different motion studies that are not needed in all of the motion
_::es .
.e create all the motion studies in the same configuration, we will have to either hide components in
-;:: 11otion studies where they are not needed, or suppress them globally. If the components are hidden,
-=v are st ill calculated in the animation and slow down the process. If we suppress a component
~ ::Jally, we have to remember to unsuppress the component if we need to return to that study to
--::::ify it. Generally speaking, making a configuration for each motion study is preferred unless all the
~
::1ponents and mates are used in all motion studies.
s:::s
- second animation issue is changing the configuration of a component during an animation. Technica lly
-::_cannot add an animation change to the time line, but the process of visually changing from one
1=-a:: =-- :::figuration to the next is quite simple and we already know the basics of how to do this.

Case Study: Hand Punch

--e hand punch will be used to show several
=-- . . : = erent operations.
5~2:
-.:tribution
--:is example is adapted from a
:-esentation given at SolidWorks World
a---c- .:::Jog by Gerald Davis.
,~"== =:ay the video Punch Assembly.mp4
:cated in the Videos fo lder for this lesson.
:Ju can see that t here will be some post-
t::e: s :;ocessing to add titles, credits, and
:::-ansitions to clips we create in SolidWorks.

rcew key
446 Chapter 16

Storyboard
There are four different things we want to show in this animation:

How to assemble the punch

How the punch works, using a sect ion view
How to change the punch and die
The punch in use, cutting a hole in a piece of sheet metal
Rather t han create one long animation, we will create four shorter clips and put t hem toget her in
Windows Live Movie Maker. In postprocessing. we will add transitions. tit les, and credit s. Our goal -
creating the final movie is to further explore the process of using a video edit ing program for pos:-
processing and to see how this affects the choices we make while creating the source clips.

=-..2

Clip 1 Clip2 Clip 3 Clip 4

Assembly Assembly Action Change Cut Met al
Punch and Die

0~0
0 0
0 0

0 0

o~
0
- , o0 0~0
0 0
0 0 0 0
0 ~ 0 0 0

0~0
0 0 0~0 0~0
0 ~ 0 0 0
0 ~ 0 0 0 0 0
0 .,:? 0 0 El 0 0 0

0~0
0 0 0~0 0~0
0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 c 0
 Advanced Topics and Problems 447

Clip 1: Assemble the Punch

- he easiest method to create the assembly st eps is to create an exploded view in the assembly and then
:nport the collapse into a motion study using the Animation Wizard. When creating assembly
~imations, showing all the components at once and then having them move into position can be a little
:onfusing. The animation will be cleaner if the individual components start out hidden and then become
.'isible just before they move into position. By making each component become visible just before
loving it into place, t he animation draws the viewer's eye to the next component
~ether in
Procedure
Our goal i;-
Open the assembly.
:1 for post-
Jpen Punch Assembly.sldasm from the Case Study/Punch Assembly folder.
iJS.
: Create named view.
~ :hange the view orientation to Dimetric, then zoom in until the punch fills the screen with a reasonable
:::10rder around it

J
Create a named view called Full Model.

3 Examine the assembly.

Jrag the Top Handle and notice that it moves to a certain point and stops. If we examine the mates.
we can see that there is a limit mate, LimitAnglel, that st ops the motion of the Top Handle.
Cl

Cl Limit Mates
Cl Limit mates do not work well in animations. They are computationally intensive as they must be
Cl continually solved during t he motion. Angle and distance mates are better choices as they can be
Cl
cont rolled by key points in the MotionManager and can be used to drive the components.
Cl

Cl Because our assembly has a limit mat e. we need to replace it with an angle mate to make our animation.
Cl Our question is: should we do this at the global level or the loca l level?
Cl
If we were making a single animation and we were using our manufacturing assembly, the choice would
0
be to add the angle mate in the motion study as a local mate. Because this is a copy of our manufacturing
Cl
assembly and we intend to make several animat ions. we will add the mate at the global level.
CJ
D 4 Change mates.
0 Select the Model tab.
0

,a Expand the MateGroupl folder and notice that a mate Anglel has already been added to the
assembly and it is suppressed.
Suppress mat e LimitAnglel and unsuppress mate Anglel.
448 Chapter 16

5 Add a mate folder.

There are a lot of mates in this assembly and the only one that we are initially concerned with for t he
animation is Angle l. Create a fo lder and na me it Not for Animation. Put all the mates into this folde-
except Angle l.

6 Create configurations. Advanced Options

Create four configurations for the assembly and name them Clipl, Clip2, [J] Suppr..-..s new n,atiK"" and ma2S
U ~new components
Clip3, and Clip4. Make sure that the Advanced Options, Suppress new
lJl S..Wess new CDIT!>OOents
features and mates and Suppress new components are both selected. fl Use configuration :;pedfic cnlcr
c.o:or ..
7 Copy exploded view.
An exploded view has already been created in the Default configuration of t his
assembly. Copy the exploded view into the configuration Clipl.

8 Activate configuration.
Make configuration Clipl active.

9 Watch exploded view.

Exp lode and collapse the assembly t o see how the parts move. All parts except t he Drive Lever he ~
single movement s. The Drive Lever moves in two steps, one to disengage it from t he Punch Tip c:~:
a second to move it away from the assembly.

10 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Clipl.

Select Animation fo r the Type of Study.

11 Set motion study properties.

Set the motion study properties to record 2 0 frames per second.

12 Establish the starting point.

Because we are going to collapse the assembly, we need to start the a nimation with the assembly
exploded.

With the time bar at o seconds, explode the assembly.

Press Ctri+Q to rebuild the assembly. This also updates the key points at 0 seconds to reflect t he -=a.
that all components are at their exploded position.

13 Create collapse steps.

Use t he Animation Wizard to insert the collapse steps into the t ime line. Start t he collapse at 0 seco.......
with a duration of 16 seconds.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 449

4 Play the animation.

~ - he components should all collapse correctly.

s Hide components.
-\ssembly animations can look better when the individual parts are hidden until it is their turn to move
J'lto position. To do this. we will first hide everything except the Main Jaw. We will then show each
component when it starts to move.

- .....
-....::
Nith the time bar at o seconds. in the MotionManager design tree. select all the components except the
Main Jaw. Right-click in the graphics area and click Hide.

~ 6 Show components.
We now need to show each component at the time when it will begin to move. There is no easy way to
do this other than to move the time bar to the time when a component starts to move. right-click the
component in the MotionManager design tree, and click Show.
Show all the components at the appropriate time. These are the fi rst few steps:
Move t he time bar to 0 seconds. right-click Punch Tip, and click Show.
';:;:. . - Move the time bar to 1 second. right-click Driver Lever, and click Show.
- -~;: ~
l,yliilll ~'ill <tl 0 sec
1 1 1111 I I I
12 sec 14 sec
I lllfllll f llltlllll
16 sec
1111 11 1 I I
13sec
I l l 1 l 1 I I I
110 sec
I I I 1 f 1 11 1
112sec
I 111 11 1 I I
114 sec
1111 / I I II
116II

~ ~ Pulo:h Assembly (B~ rf Matena:s <<Bil

Orientation and CoYnera Views
"' ~ lil#s. c"""".' and Scene
... ~ ""'"'.low< I > (Del.ut<<Oefd>

G> -
,t, ~ Rat!.i'lk<I>(Deld<<Oef.ut>
a ~ Rat !.i'lk<2> (Del.ut<<Defa,.>
m

.
~ Top Hondle<l > (Oel.ut<<Oefa

.
.,; ~ Ort;er Lever<!> (Oelotlt<<OefllU G)
>Jl ~() Drive Pin<l > (Oelou~Oefaul
'
~
.. ~ (-)Axle<3>(0el.ut<<Oefd>j
-" ~(-)Axle<4>(Delau't<<Defd>j
.., ~(-)Spacer<!> (Oel.ut<<Defd


"' ~ (-) Spocor<2> (Delaul<<Def.ut>, @- .
L ~(-)Axle Ret-..<3> (DeloUt<<
.., ~(-)Axle Retainer<'!> (Del<,. (!)-~
5ii: ~ (-)P<.nch~< l > (2BI2BI >_Ph
~ ~ (-)0~<1>(2BI<<2BI >_PhotoWc
:t. ~ tietWJ#M!M$MW
&, 'if (-)~tHeodCapScrew_Al <l>
Jl 'if Socl<e!HoodCapScrew_AI<2>
& IJjMat~l
~ ~e -a:-
Note You do not need to do the key points in order from left to right. Any order is okay as long as you
get them all.

J secoacis
450 Chapter 16

17 Play the animation.

Each component fades in and is fully visible when it starts to move. and the timeline should look like tr.::
image below.

I5Z_Il!a ~ ~ 1J 10 sec
! Ill l tll i
!2 sec
l llllll t l I
14sec
l ll l iltll
16 sec
I I t 1 l II II
Ia sec
ill t ll l l l
110sec
11 1 1 f l Ill
112 sec
t l t llltl l
114 sec
I I ll i 1 1

d ~ F\mch Assembly (BI of Materials< <Bill

@ Orientdt:ion and C.!!mera Views
!l ~ Lights. Cameras arwJ Scene + :
<tJ ~ Man Jaw<!> (Oefou~Oefout>
f ~ Flat li~<l>(Oef,~n.Jt<<Dcf~IJt:> +
~---------------------4--
S ~ Flat Unk<2> (OefatltDefaUt>
.tJ ~ Top Handle<!> (Oef~<<Oof~
~J ~ Driver Lever<!> (Default <<Oefau
.:iJ ~ ()Drive Pin<!> (DefaUt<<OefaoJ
1<. ~ ()Axle <3> (0efaUt<<OefaUt>_
ttl ~ (-) Axle<4> (Oefouk<<Oefoub _f'

r:t:J <% H Spocer<1> (Defoul<<Defau)t)
l<J ~ () 5pacer<2> (OefauitDefou~>
~------------.--

(<I ~ () Axle Re<Ain"'<3> (Def~<


( ~ ()Axle Retainer> (Defauit<<Oo
lil ~ (-) Ponoh Top< !> (281 < <281>_Ph
Ill ~ () Die <!> (261 <<281>_PhotoWo
W ~ (-)stop<!> (Oefoui:Defalit>_
l1:J 1"1 (.)Socket Head CapScrew_AI<l>
ltl 'l' Socket Head Cap Screw_Al<2>
"" (il@ MateGr~l : ===
18 Change the fade-in point.
We do not want t he components to st art fa di ng in at o seconds, but rather, we want them to st ay h ide~
until just before the component sta rts moving.

For each of the components, Ctrl+drag the key point at 0 seconds t o 0.3 seconds before the key pc- -~
- _5

that t ells the component to move.

- -s
__
.,..,
5?---~

l'i? l~'illl:~ ~ 10 sec

llll!ttll
12sec
1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1
14sec
Ill I , , , , ,
16sec
, , , ,, , , I I
jB sec
I
110 sec
ll t l ltl l l li l I l
[12 sec
l t l ! t l l l l l t I,,
!14
I
sec
! I II II

d ~ Punch Assembly (Bill of MaterialsBil -~--

. .-. ...
Orientation and Comeral'iem
l:tJ t&) Ur;:ilts. Cameras and Scene
1<; ~ Main Jaw< I > (DefaulDefault >.
IB ~ FlotUri<<l>(Default<<Oefoub_
itl ~Flat U'*-<2> (Def<l<Jt<<Default>_
..,._ ...
t

"' ~ Top Hande<l > (DefaUt< <OefaUt
1iJ- ~ Driverlever<l > (Defalk<<Oefau
~ ~ ()Dr;ve l';n< I >(Defoul<<OefooJ
Et: ~ () Axie<J> (DefatJ:OefaUt> _f

. .-.
....
....
f
f
f

.... .... ....

11-l ~ () Axle<4> (Defa!J:<<DefaUt> _f t
ft:, ~ ( )
5Pc)cer<1> (Defai.Jt:<<Defcn.lt'
lt. ~ () Spacer<2> (DefaUtDefatlt>
1<J ~ () Axle Retoiner<3> (Defouk<<Oo
I ~ () Axle RetaH1.,..<4> (Oefd<<Oo ...

ltJ ~ ( )PIJnchTop<1>(2B1<<281>_Ph
lt. ~ ()Die<1>(2B1<<281 >_PhotoWo
dl '% ( )stop<!> (DefoulOefaUI:>_
....
"' 'f1 ()SccketHeodCopScrew_AI<I >
W 'IJ' Socket Head C<p Screw_AI <2> (H:
\t. ~(jl MoteGrm.opl

 Advanced Topics and Problems 451

-;p It can be hard to just Ctrl+drag all these key points to exactly the correct place on the timeline. Rather
..E --. :han moving the key points back and forth until they are exactly correct, you can just drag them until they are
d ose. Then, mouse over each point and see if the tooltip says it is in the correct location. If it needs to be
-noved, right-click the key point and click Edit Key Point Time. You can then enter the time exactly.
~ote Because of the way we imported the motion, all component motion starts on an even second.
Therefore, all fade-ins start at 0.7 seconds after the previous second.
g Play the animation.
This t ime all the components stay hidden until just before t hey move.
Establishing Shot
- his will be the first clip in our final animation. In post-processing. we are going to add a title to the final
animation and then crossfade into this clip. We do not want t he motion of t he clip t o start until after t he
,, u ossfade is complete, so we will add one second to the beginning of our clip where nothing happens.

.:o Move key points.

-:-o add one second of no motion to the beginning, we are just going t o select all the key points and move
~hem one second.

} :;.:3' - u.:-e- .Vindow-select all the key points for the components. Do not select the key points for t he MateGroup
:JrLights, Cameras and Scene.

)rag the key points to the right 1 second.

WI ':.f!Y' ::X.
)rag the final Orientation and Camera Views key point from 17 t o 18 seconds. This wi ll add one
second to the clip at t he end where nothing happens. This still time will be used during the transition
<=rom this clip to the next clip in the series .

.:1 Make final adjustment.

3ecause the Punch Tip was never hidden, it is showing during the time of the establishing shot. We
.vant this component to start hidden and fade in from 0.7 seconds to 1 second. Hide this component at
o seconds and then copy the key point to 0.7 seconds.

.....
452 Chapter 16

22 Change interpolation mode.

To make the motion smoother, window-select all the component key points, except those at o seconds.
Right-click any of the selected key points and click Interpolation mode. Select Ease In/Ease Out.
The final t imeline should look like t he image below.

I.YI~ lh ~ 'iLl 0 sec

11 1 1 1 ] 1 1 1 1
12 sec
1 I 1 1 ] I I 1 I
14 sec
I I 1 I ] I I I I
16 sec t
I I I I I I I I
18 sec I
I I I I I t t I
jl 0 s ec
I II I I I II t
j12 sec
I I I I I I t I I
j14 s ec
I I I I J I t
i
d ~ Punch Assembly (~lofMate~~s<<BII

Orientation ~nd (l!.rner.!l View:>
00 ~ lights, C61lletas and Scene

lil ~ Man law<! > (O.fao~<<Oefauit>.
r:tJ ~ Flc!lt Unk<1> (Oefal..dt<<Default> _ t-t- +

-
W ~ Flot liri<<2> (Defa<JIDefa ul>_ t-t- +
.... u-
"' ~ TopHldde< l >(Defaut<<OelatJ~
i.l ~ Driver Le'ller< l > (Defd<<OefctU
~ ~ H Drive Pi'l< l > (Oefaut <<DefcXJ!
._._.
"' ~ () Ax1e<3>(DeiO<itO.faob_
o; ~ (-) Axle> (Deli><JtDefault> ....
t-+- +
M- +
t!) ~ () Spacer<1>(DelaulDefa<JI
....
... ._._.
EtJ ~ () 5pacer<2> (Defao~Defa<JI>
~ H Axle Retainer<3>(Default <<OI

.
.:1:1

~
W ~ () Axle Retainer<4> (Default<<Do
... ~ () Pur<h Tlp< 1 >(281281>.}'11

....
w ~ ()Oie<1>(281<<281>_PhotoWo
it. ~ () Stop<! > (DelatJtDefaubJ
~ '!J' () 5oci<ot HeadCap5crew__Al< l >
lj, 'fl Sod<et Head Cap Screw_Al <2> (H:
1r. jj~ MateGrocpl
23 Record.
Save t he animation as Clip l.avi. Use a Custom aspect ratio of 4:3 and reco rd it at 20 frames per
second.

24 Save.
Save the assembly, but leave it opened fo r the next part of the case study.

25 Review.
Play the finished video fil e to make sure it recorded correctly.
454 Chapter 16

4 Remate the part.

This new part was created with an InPlace mate to hold it in position. Because we want this new pa-:
to be able t o move, we must change t he mates.

Delete the mat e InPlacel.

Add coincident mates between the Right pla ne of the part and the Right plane of the assembly. 2 .... : - .!: ..-
between the Top planes of the part and assembly.
=~
Add a distance mate between the Front plane of the part and Front plane of the assembly. Set tr:=
distance to SOmm. Flip the dimension if necessary to make sure that the sketch pla ne is on t he sa--:=
side of t he asse mbly as the component called Stop.

Top View

Sketch plane (Front plane of part)

::-:eo=
5 Create assembly cut.
Create an assembly cut using the sketch fro m t he part Section Cut Profile.

While in Edit Assembly mode, select the Front plane of the part Section Cut Profile, then click
Insert Sketch from t he menu.

Select the sketch in t he part Section Cut Profile, then Convert Entities.

Click Insert, Assembly Feature, Cut, Extrude from t he menu. Ext rude t o a - I
blind depth of 2Smm. Rename the feature Section Cut.
@ Seiectl!d components

This cut does not actually cut anything at this point as it stops before the O l'ropagate featll'e 1D

I
parts
assembly. During t he animation, we will move the part Section Cut Profile 0 Auto....Ject
t oward the assembly. Because t he assembly cut is tied to this part, the ~ Moin Jo.w...:l~PunchAsoe-. -.::s
Rot lill<...:l i!:l'unch ~
assembly cut will cut the components. !Rat lilk...:2 @!i'l.n:h ~ -
lT~~--=---;-
Under Feature Scope, select All components.

6 Create a motion study.

Creat e a new motion study and name it Clip2.

Select Animation for t he Type of Study.

 Advanced Topics and Problems 455

.... Animate the Top Handle .

I
r this new par.: Move the time bar to 5 seconds.

In the MotionManager design tree, expand the MateGroupl and locate the mate Anglel and expand
it as well.
!SSembly, anc Right-dick the Angle and dick Edit Dime nsion.

Change the angle to 155 degrees.

r bly. Set the
; on the same 8 Play the animation.
The Top Handle moves and the punch opens between o and 5 seconds.

9 Modify the motion.

We want the Top Handle to cycle th ree t imes so that we can get an overall look at the mot ion, fo llowed
by zooming in on the Punch Tip and Die. On t he third cycle, we would like to see t he section view.

For the Angle key point, Ctrl+drag t he key point f rom a seconds to both 2 and 8 seconds.

Ctrl+drag the key point from 5 seconds to 4 seconds.

1
0 Play the animation.
Check to make sure that the Top Handle opens and doses properly.

11 Copy motion.
To get t he Top Handle to cycle two more times, we can just copy the appropriate keys.
~en click Window-select the four key points for the Angle. Ctrl+drag t hem so that the first copied key point is at
10 seconds.

Copy the key points again to start at 18 seconds. This will give us a total animat ion length of 24 seconds .

!.._
----
12 Play the animation.
:a:nl!n!s
This is just another check to make sure everyt hing is correct bef ore moving on.
c ~ts

- feimre to
13 Animate section cut.
:le:t During the second opening and dosing of the punch, we want to show a section view of t he punch. To do
..::~ "= ~ t his, we will change the mate distance of the part Section Cut Profile so that it moves into the punch.
..: :ePtnch Assem
k_~ Assem
~ ....,-.. . .&. . . . _ Move the t ime bar to 10 seconds.

Locate the mate Distance! in the MotionManager design tree and edit the distance to 2Smm.
456 Chapter 16

14 Modify the cut timing.

We want the sect ion cut to start after the first cycle of the handle opening and closing, so copy the :-=>
point for the distance mate from o seconds to 9 seconds.
For the distance mate, copy the key point from 10 seconds to 16 seconds, and the key point from
0 seconds to 17 seconds. This will cause the cut to start at 9 seconds and complet e at 10 seconds, t-e-
hold untill 6 seconds when it retracts until17 seconds.

15 Calculate and play the animation.

We should now have th ree cycles of the handle, with the section cut occurring only during the seco-=
cycle.

16 Modify feature scope.

The action of the cut will be clearer if the section cut does not cut the Punch Tip and Die. Because ::-_
section cut is made by an assembly feature, we can control which components get cut and which d o~:-

In the FeatureManager design tree, edit the Section Cut feature. Expand the Feature Scope and se.::-::-
Selected components, instead of All components, and clear Auto-select. Delete the Punch Tip and =...:
from the list.

Feature Scope
0 AI components
<!) Selected components

D Propa9ate feature to parts

D Autoselect
 Advanced Topics and Problems 457

:7 Modify feature appearance.

f..G9Y t.~E .;~. 'Nhen we create a section view in SolidWorks. there is normally a cap color
to differentiate the faces of the cut from the faces of the part.

-: : f01i1 In the Feature Manager design t ree. select the Section Cut feature and edit
;e::oncs. ~'"'='"" it s appearance. Change the color to red.

18 Calculate and play the animation.

All the motion sho uld be correct. but there is one problem with the section
; :--,e se:::::oc.: cut: it does not cut the entire model.

This cut is defined by a sketch in the part Section Cut Profile. When we
created this sketch. the punch was in the closed position. so the rectangle
L 3eccuse :---: was large enough. With the punch in the open pos ition. the rect angle needs to be larger. Edit the sketch
: .hich c:~ -c a nd change the height dimension to 400mm.

)pe and se:e-:-

~ :-"!p cr.c :J"..; - ~ Notcut

400

1-------- -- -- 350 - - -------l

~---------350 ----------~
458 Chapter 16

19 Add viewpoints.
We now have all the motion defined, so all that is left is to animate the viewpoints.

Create the viewpoint s shown either by first creating named views or by manually moving the timelir:
and recording the different viewpoints. The exact positioning of the viewpoints is very subjective, so--::
specific guidance is given to set the viewpoint precisely.

o seconds 4 seconds 9 seconds

12 seconds

22

20 Calculate and play the animation.

This is just the final check to make sure everything works properly.

21 Add a leader.
To allow for the transition in the final video, we want to add 1 second of no motion to bot h the begir.
and end of the clip. Window-select and move all the key points fo r all the components and mates
1 second to t he right. Also copy the Orientation and Camera Views key point from 0 to 1 seco~

Drag the final Orientation and Camera Views key point from 25 to 26 seconds.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 459

:: Record.
::ave the animation as Clip2.avi. Use a Custom aspect ratio of 4:3 and record it at 20 frames per
5eeond.
--=-~
e;.~ '<::-
:3 Save.
Save the assembly. but leave it opened for the next part of the case study.

Clip 3: Change Punch Tip and Die

- -,e third clip will show how the punch t ip and die components
::-e changed to different sizes. The basic order is as follows:
Remove the socket head cap screw that holds the back of
the Drive Lever.
Move the Drive Lever to the rear while the Top Handle
is raised.
3. The Punch Tip is extracted and the Die is unscrewed.
-t. The Punch Tip and Die are then replaced with different
size components.
J. The animation is reversed to assemble the punch.
-;-he Punch Tip and Die are each single parts with seven
matching configurations. This presents a problem in that we
!:annat directly animate configurations through the use of key points.

Changing Configurations
There are times when we would like to change the configuration of a part or subassembly during an
animation. While this cannot be done directly using key points. there is a very simple technique that will
accomplish a configuration change.
The key concepts t o change configurations are these:
Showing and hiding of components
Lock mate
The procedure to change configurations during an animation is as follows:
1. Insert multiple instances of t he component into the assembly. each using a different configuration.
e~egi;-..~ ~ 2. Use position only mates to position the instances together so that they occupy the same space.
-::~es 3. Add a lock mate so the components move together.
1 second 4. Hide all instances except the one in use.
s. Add a key point where one instance hides and the other shows.
4 60 Chapter 16

Procedure
1 Activate configuration.
Make configuration Clip3 active.

2 Add components.
Click the Model tab.
Add a second instance of the Punch Tip and Die to the
assembly.
Edit the properties of each of the two new components
and change their configurations from 281 to 125.

Lock Mates
Lock mates are very useful in animations because they
fix two parts in relation to each other. That relation is
defined at the time t he mate is unsuppressed in the
motion study. Thus, Lock mates can be used to pick up
an object at a certain time by unsuppressing the mate
at the time that t he two parts should begin moving
together. The exact posit ions of the two parts are not
critical, as they would be with other types of mates.

3 Mate components.
In the FeatureManager design tree, se lect the two instances of the Punch Tip and Die.
Right-click in the graphics area and click Isolat e.
Use Position Only mates to locate the new instance of each part in exactly the same place as the
originaL Once positioned, add a lock mate to keep the second instance of each part in the same lace-
as the originaL

4 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Clip3.

Se lect Animation for the Type of Study.

5 Suppress a mate.
To let the Socket Head Cap Screw move out of the hole, we must suppress any mate that limits -
freedom in the direction of motion.

With the time bar at 0 seconds, suppress the mate Coincident l 8.

 Advanced Topics and Problems 461

6 Remove the Socket Head Cap Screw.

Move the time bar to 2 seconds.

Use Move with Triad to move the Socket Head Cap Screw about 3Dmm in the Z direction.

7 Play the animation.

This st ep highlight s one reason we made diffe rent configurations fo r each clip and selected the
advanced option to Suppress new features and mates. Had we not made different configurations for
each a nimation, with this option, t he screw would move into the assembly cut and disappear. As created,
the assembly cut is only unsuppressed in the Clip2 configuration. This is easy to test by just changing
configurations to Clip2 and recalculating Clip3.

When done. change the active configuration back to Clip3.

8 Suppress a mate.
While the Socket Head Cap Screw holds t he Driver Lever in the physical assembly, it is a concentric
mate that does it in the assembly file. To allow the Driver Lever to move. s uppress t he mate
Concentricl2.

Also suppress mate Coincidentll as this mate keeps t he top of the T-slot of the Driver Lever aligned
with the top of the Punch Tip.

Mates
We have had to suppress severa l mates to make this animation wo rk as we wanted it to. ln this case
study, we didn't plan ahead and suppress all the mates at t he beginning. Depending on the complexity of
t he overall animation, you can either s uppress all the unneeded mates at the beginning, which speeds
the calculations, or do as we did here and suppress t hem when needed.

:e as te 9 Move components.
;c~e toea: -::- There are two actions. The first is to change
the mate Anglel t o 155 degrees to raise
t he handle as we did earlier. The second
motion is to move t he Driver Lever to the
ap proximate position shown. You can do
this using Move with Triad. The exact
distance that t he Driver Lever moves is
not impo rtant. only that it is clear of the
JCi: limits iLS
Punch Tip as shown in t he images.

Create the two motions to start at

2 seconds and complete at 4 seconds.
462 Chapter 16

10 Remove tools.
Animate t he Punch Tip and Die so t hat they move about 40mm in the positive and negative
Y directions respectively. Have them move from 4-5 to 6 seconds.
11 Reverse. =
The second half of the animation is just a mirror image of what we have done so far, so we will cop
invert t he time line.
Window-select all the key points on the timeline including t hose at 0 seconds. Ctrl+drag all the ke:-
points so that the copies fa ll between 8 and 14 seconds.
With all the copied key points still selected, right-click any selected key and click Reverse Path fro;-
menu. We should now have a symmetric set of key points as shown below.

10 sec I
I I 1 I 1 I I 1
12 sec I
I I I I I I I I
I" sec
~ I I I f I I I I
16 sec l
I I I I I I I I
18 sec I
I I I I I I I I
110 secJ
I I I I I I I I
112 sec
I I I

B ~ PUnch Assembly_& (Clip! <D1splay st

~ Ouentation and r:arnera Vle~..-~s I
ktf ~ Lights} Cameras and Scene
ffi ~Main Jaw_&<!> (DefaUt Defaul
&J ~(-)Flat Unk_&<l > (Defaui:Def4
Ill ~ (-)Flat Link_&<2> (Defaui:Def~o
f
f
f
(j
'''
&J ~(-)Top Handle_&<! > (Default f f
1:!J ~ (-)Driver Lever_&<1> (Defaut<
ffi ~ (-) Drivel'll_&<l>(DefautDef;

f
f
f ''
t.J ~ (-) Axle_&<3>(Defaul<<Default~

f!j
~ (-) Axle_&<4> (DefaulDefault'
~ (-)Spacer_&<l> (Default<<Def~
f
f
0 ' '
~ (-)Spacer_&<2>(DefaUt<<Defa.~ f
ffi ~ (-)AxleRetainer_&<3>(Default<, {)
1:!:1~ (-)Axle Relainer_&<4 >(Default<J
l1l t'Cl ()Punch Tip &<1>(2111<<281> I '
~ -
ffi ~ ()Die_&<1>(2ll1<<2lii>_Photoll
1B ~ ()stop_&< ! > (Defaui:<<Default:
l

(] 'lJ' (-)
Socllet Head Cap saew_AI_&<
J3 'f1 Socl<et Head Cap 5aew_AI_&<2> f
1;t1 ~ [Section Cut Part"'Punch Assenbl).
~ ()Punch Tip_&<2> (125125> _ ---
Ill ~ () Oie_&<2> (125125>_Displa~l~
Ill ~~ MateGr"'4'l
~Sketch! I

 Advanced Topics and Problems 463

2 Hide and show components.

::: 1 the time where there is no movement. between the forward animation and the reverse animation. we

Nill change which configuration is visible.

=a de out the first Punch Tip and Die (281 configuration) from 6.5 to 7.5 seconds and have the second
Punch Tip and Die (125 configuration) fade in during the same time.

[~~ ~~ i.J 111 s ecJ ( l l l j2 sec 14l lsec j6sec 18Itsec [10sec j1 2sec jl '
~-e =r - ~ P\l'>ch Assembly_& (Clpl <Display stJ
t II t I I I If I l l I tlf lf I I It tt fl t ll 1 1 !11 1 1 ll ttlttll l l tiJt ttJ I

~ Ouentat>"<l and Canera V..WS

~ l.l!#s, c.......as and sc.ne
dl ~ Moin.Jaw_&.<I>(Def<d:<<Def.U
~(-)Rat lilk_&.<l> (Def<d:<<Defj f
f

dl ~(-)Rat l..i>l\_&<2> (Defd:<<Def4
~ (-)Top Haodle_&< l >(Default 0

0
f '
ljj ~(-)Dr~ Lever_8t<l > (Def<d:<~
~ (-) Drive Pln_8t<l> (Defd:Def- f
f

f
''
il ~ (-) Axle_&<3> (DefaUt<<Defd:3
~ (-) Axle_&<4> (Defauii:<<DefaUt~
t=
r-
~o
f
(J
'
.
l:!l ~ (-)~et_&<l>(Defd<<Def..j ""0

~ (-) Spacer_&<2> (Defd<<Defat.i f ~ (J
~(-)Axle Retainer_8t<3>(Defd:<J f {} 0
~ (-)AxleRetai1er_8t<4> (Defd:1
._. .
~ ~ ~:~ :::::~;~~~::,:~)

f
~ ~(-)Stop_8t<I>(Defd:<<Defd:~ ._. f

~ 1l
(-)SOcket~CopScrew_AI_&.<
1l
SOcket~ Cop 5aew_A1_8t<2>

f

dl ~ [Section CU: Part"''ulch Assembl)
dl ~ (-)PII'>ch,._,_8t<2>(125125>J
-
--
._.
._. -
+J ~ (-) Die_8t<2> (125 125>_DisJ>Iai
jlj)MateGr.,..,l
~ Slcetchl

.,..ip When moving appearance key points. remember to expand the component in the Mot ion Manager design
f
tree so that you are only moving the appearance key point.

-:j ~ (-)Oie <1>(281<<281>_Phot11 ~

i
Move
d Explode
~ Appearance
464 Chapter 16

13 Add motor.
When the Die is replaced. it is screwed out and the new
Die screwed in. To add realism. add a rotary motor to
spin the Die. If we scrub the timeline. we can see that
the Die starts moving at 4 seconds and the threads are
disengaged at 5 seconds.
If we want the rotation to properly match the advance
of the threads, we can calculate the rotation rate of the
4 seconds 5 seconds
motor.
Add a rotary motor to the Die and have it unscrew the Die from 4 to 5 seconds and screw it in frc-
9 to 10 seconds. Use 100RPM for the rotational speed. Add key points to turn t he motor off and or a:::
to reverse its direction.

14 Create viewpoints.
Creat e two viewpoints. one as an overall view
to show the entire punch and one to show the
Punch Tip and Die being changed.
466 Chapter 16

When t he punch cuts the metal. t he part without the hole will be hidden and the one wit h the hole
be shown. The Sheet Metal Slug is a separate part. It can be mated to the hole in the Sheet Meta:.
Part if desired, but it really isn't necessary. Instead, it can be positioned in the Die and hidden until :-~
punch st roke, at which time it is shown and made to move out from the bott om of the Die.

Positioning Strategy
The one clearly defined position for the Sheet Metal Part is when it is in the punch because the '-::.::
in t he part must line up with t he hole in the Die. Creating t he path for this part is easier if we start , -
the Sheet Metal Part at this position at the appropriate position on the t imellne and then move --=
part to a position out of the punch where the exact position is not critical.

Procedure
1 Activate configuration.
Make configuration Clip4 active.

2 Select the Model tab.

We will add the additional component s before we create the motion study.

3 Add components.
Add t he components Sheet Metal Part and Sheet Metal Slug to the
assembly.

Add a second inst ance of the Sheet Metal Part and change its
configuration t o No hole.

4 Mate components .
Mate the t wo sheet metal part s t ogether so that t hey
appear to be one part.

Hide the part in the configuratio n No h ole.

Mat e the Sheet Metal Part in the position where it

will be when it is to be cut.

Note You will have to either temporarily add mates to

t he Die and St op parts or Fix t hem becaus e they were
free to move in the previous animations.

Once mated, suppress the four mates so t hat the parts

will be able to move independently.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 467

.c 5 Move component .
::z--
~..c:.... Hide the Sheet Metal Part [Default] and show the Sheet Metal Part [No hole].
- --.::
Move the Sheet Metal Part [No hole] to its starting position by moving it 30mm in the -Z direction.

6 Mate the slug.

,;: -- Locate the Sheet Metal Slug concentric to the hole in the Die,
then move its position into the Die near where the slug would be
at the end of the punch stroke.
-=cr
Hide the Sheet Metal Slug.

7 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Clip4.

Select Animation for t he Type of Study.

Motion Paths
There are three motion paths that have to be created:

The punch must complete one and a half cycles of the handle,
ra ising, lowering, and raising again so that the Sheet Metal
Part can be inserted, cut, and removed.
The Sheet Metal Part must move in to the cut position, hold while the punch cycles, and then move
out of the punch.
The Sheet Metal Slug must move through the Die and fall out the bottom.

8 Hide/show components.
With the t ime bar at o seconds, s how the Sheet Metal Part without a hole and hide the Sheet Metal
Part with a hole.

9 Prepare first path.

Using the same techn ique used earlier, animate the mate Angle l t o open and close the punch. Have the
punch closed (Anglel = 96.5) at the beginning of the animatio n. Have it open at 4 seconds
(Anglel = 155), stay open fo r 2 seconds to allow the Sheet Metal Part t o be inserted, then closed in
3 seconds to cut the sheet metal, pause for 0.5 seconds, and t hen open again in anothe r 2.5 seconds.
This should make the animation lengt h 12 seconds.
468 Chapter 16

10 Prepare second path.

At 5 seconds, the Sheet Metal Part should be in position to be cut. Because t he part is already in:=
correct position, move t he time bar t o 5 seconds, then select the Sheet Metal Part and click Add/
Update Key [ij. Move the time bar to o seconds and move the Sheet Metal Part out of the punc"
(30mm in the -Z direction). From 11 to 13 seconds, have the Sheet Metal Part return to its startir_g
position.
Note Creat ing this motion will extend the total length of the animat ion to 13 seconds.

11 Hide/show components.
During the time when the Punch Tip is cutting the sheet metal part (7.S to 9 seconds). hide t he pa-
with no hole and show the part with the hole.

12 Prepare third path.

Create a path for t he Sheet Metal Slug to start moving in the -Y direction when t he Punch Tip ,5 ?
the bottom of its stroke (9 seconds). To add rea lism, create additional key points to have the slug tu- - =
once it clears the Die.
13 Create a viewpoint.
Establish a single viewpoint fo r the ent ire clip where you can see the head of the punch and the s- e
metal parts throughout their motion.

14 Play the animation.

Make sure everything is moving correctly.

15 Add establishing shot.

Add one second of no motion to the beginning and end of the clip.

16 Record.
Save the animation as Clip4. avi. Use a Custom aspect ratio of 4:3 and record it at 20 frames per
second.

17 Save the assembly.

 Advanced Topics and Problems 469

The Animation Series

In this case study, we created four different animations, and in doing so set up and recorded each
animation in series. In successive animations, we added additional component s and mates to the
=..r::- assembly. By using different configurations for each animation, we were able to avo id problems with
iir~~~ parts created for one animation causing problems in other animations.
If we had not created configurations and were to play the first three clips again in the time line, the
Sheet Meta l Part would be visible. When we created these clips, t he three sheet metal parts were not
in t he assembly, but those clips would now show these parts. If we were not going to use configurations,
the parts could have been placed in the assembly before we started creating clips, and then we could
be =-3Si:
have hidden these parts in the clips by creating key points. By having a good storyboard, and
understanding what components are necessary, we can minimize these problems.
Note The completed assembly provided in t he Built Parts folder has all four clips and configurations.
Remember to activate the correct configuration for each clip or you may see errors.
~5~_.:

18 Close the assembly.

L"E s.-e= Post-Processing

Now that we have created all the individual clips, we will combine t hem in a video editing program. We
will use Windows Live Movie Maker; however, you can use a different program if you like. As you go
through each step, you should investigate the other options available and modify the fina l video as you
see fit based on your idea of what the final video should look like.

Open editing program.

Open Windows Live Movie Maker.
On the Project tab set the Aspect ratio to Standard (4:3).
es JlE5"
2 Import clips.
In the right pane, click to browse for the clips we just made. Locat e Clip l through Clip 4 and click Open.
Organize the clips in the correct order, l to 4.
470 Chapter 16

3 Add start title.

In the Home tab, click Add title.
Type Creating Animations with SolidWorks.
Adjust the font and font size t o fill the screen
appropriately. The image shown uses a 36 point
Comic Sans MS font. Change the Background color
to blue.
Change t he Start time to 0.00 seconds and the Text
duration to 4.00 seconds.
Select the effect Zoom in-big t,. ,._ iJI
Animations Visual Effed.s Proj'td: Vint Format

.Jt. ~ Ba ckgro-Und color

t!J StJrttim~ O!JO.s
:: \j! Tutdui'Btlon: 4 .00
Font Ad,;urt

4 Add a second title.

Move the time bar to the beginning of Clip 1 and click Add title.
Type The Hand Punch and change the font to match the previous step but at a larger font size -
supplied video. the font size is 72 point.
Change the background color and effect to match the previous title. Change t he Text duration tc
4.00 seconds.
At this point we have two sequential titles that take up less
than the t ime of the title clip. If you mouse over each of the
tit le clips, the callout will tell you that they are each
7 seconds. If you mouse over the titles, the callout will also
tell you the duration.
Pan and =com; None
Effects: Ncne
 Advanced Topics and Problems 471

5 Edit the titles.

By default, each title clip is 7 seconds long. We shortened the t it le's text to 4 seconds, so t he title clip
text shows for 4 seconds followed by 3 seconds of blank screen. We can easily edit the title clip
durations to make them match the length of t he title text.
Double-click the first title clip (the clip, not the text) and then on the Format tab, change the Duration
to 4 seconds. Repeat this for the second t itle clip. Both title clips will be the same length as the text
that goes wit h them as you can see from the text bars under the clips.

A Creating Ammat1... . A The Hand

i~
6 Add annotations.
Add annotations to each of the clips. In the fo llowing images, t he annotations have been added in the
upper left corner for consistency, except in two instances where the annotation is difficult to see. This
is the type of problem that a good storyboard can eliminate. If we had anticipated this problem through
the storyboard, we would have known to either change the lighting so t hat t he shadow fell in a different
location or we could have changed the viewpoint slight ly to allow room in the upper left corner for t he
annotations.
:::-=

Assemble
... ::) Con!poncnts

Change Size #281

#125

tii.!D II
~e--j
472 Chapter 16

7 Add credits.
Move the time bar to t he end of the last clip and then click Add credits, Credits.
Type your name and t he date. Change the background color to be consistent with t he title clip.

8 Add transitions.
Select the Animations tab and then select the Crossfade transition. Click Apply to all.

9 Play.
Click Play and check the playback to make sure you have everyth ing correct.

10 Save.
Save the movie project to the lesson folder.
11 Finish the movie.
Select the Home tab and then click Save movie, For computer. Sov<
movie ...
Name the movie Punch Assembly and save it to the lesson folder. Recommen ded setting

Be co mmen d ed fo r t h is p rc, t:C

Click Save.

12 Examine the finished movie.

For !!igh-d<finitlon display
Post-processing made a subtile addition to the animation by placing all
the viewer was seeing into context. The entire process takes only a few
minutes once you are fam iliar with the tools, and in this case, the video
editing software was free!
~l
- _J For ! mail
When done, close all open files.
Mobile d.~ice seWngs

I ~ndows Phone Oorg<)

I Windows fhon< (sma;o

I zune HD (for Z20p displ.,

I Zunt HD ~or device)

~ Create cust om f ettinQ...

 Advanced Topics and Problems 473

Stroboscopic Effect
Ne have all seen old movies where rotating objects. such as wagon wheels in old westerns, appear to
-ot ate in the wrong direction. This is called the stroboscopic effect, or aliasing. We must be aware of
~is effect and how to correct it as the method used to shoot a movie on film is the same as that used
il animations. In both, still images are captured and played back in rapid succession. In movies, cameras

::nd projectors have a fixed frame rate based on the industry standard of 24 frames per second. ln our
::nimations, we are not constrained to the same frame rate, so we can adjust the frame rate to fit our
;-reeds and correct this stroboscopic effect However, if we change the frame rate to correct the
stroboscopic effect, we must be careful if we are creating clips to be post-processed because, as we
1ave seen, post-processing software does not always allow frame rates other than a specific set When
:here is a choice, changing the rotational speed is preferred to changing frame rates to nonstandard
'I a lues .

.Ve must recognize also that our goal is to create an animation, and what the components are actually
doing is not as important as what it looks like they are doing. The actual speed of rotation is not the

- determining factor in the way a component appears to rotate in an animation. Rather it is the
combination of rotational speed and frame rate together t hat determines what we see. Because this is

-- a function of two variables, we can get the same visual result with more than one combination of
rotational speed and frame rate.

In our animations. component motion is calculated at a frame rate set in the Motion Study Properties.
By default this is 8 frames per second. lf the frame rate is such that a component makes one or more
complete revolutions in the time between two frames, it will look like the component is not moving.
Similarly, if the component makes just less than a revolution between frames. the component will look
like it is rotating backward.
~

~-

I-
474 Chapter 16

Case Study: Stroboscopic Effect

In this case study, we will use a simple part
re presenting a spoked wheel to examine the effects
of frame rate on the recorded animation.

Procedure
1 Open an assembly.
Open Strobe Effect Assembly.sldasm from t he
Case Study\ Strobe Effect folder.

2 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion study. Name it Strobe Effect.

Se lect Animation fo r the Type of Study.

3 Add a motor.
Add a rotary motor to the part to rotate it counterclockwise at a constant
speed of 720 RPM.

4 Set frame rate.

Click Motion Study Properties .lj on the MotionManager t oolbar.

Set the Animation Frames per second to 12.

5 Calculate the motion.

Click Calculate.

6 Play the animation.

It appears that the part is not rotating.

7 View markers.
Change t o the configuration Numbers.

This configuration just unsuppressed a numbered extrusion on each spoke so

that we can see t he difference between spokes.

8 Play the animation.

Throughout the animation, the part still appears to be stationa ry.

9 Change the frame rate.

Change the Frames per second to 24.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 475

a Play the animation.

This time, even though the spokes do not appear to move, we can see that the numbers are changing
because the part is act ually rotating.

Stroboscopic Rate
In the first inst ance, the part was rotating at 720 revolutions per minute or 12 revolutions per second.
With the frame rate we selected, we capt ured an image 12 t imes per second. So the part was always in
exactly the same position each time we captured an image, making all images look the same. When we
changed the frame rate to 24 frames per second, the wheel only rotated 180 degrees between frames,
so if we looked carefully we could see that on two spokes. t he numbers were rapidly changing between
2 and 4 and on the ot her two spokes, between 1 and 3.

11 Change the frame rate.

Change t he Frames per second to 11.

~2 Calculate the motion.

Click Calculate.
This time the wheel rot ates in the correct direction, but it does not look like it is going 720 rpm.
mportant! You must recalculate the motion or you will not see a change.

At 720 rpm, t he part is rotating 12 times per second or 4.320 degrees/second. At 11 FPS, each frame is
0.0909 seconds apart. This means that between each frame, the wheel rotates about 393 degrees. This
appears as if the wheel is only moving ahead 33 degrees (393- 360 = 33) at each frame.

:3 Change the frame rate.

Change the Frames per second to 13.

14 Calculate the motion.

Click Calculate.
Now the wheel appears to be rotating in the direct ion opposite the one in which the motor is driving it.
At 13 FPS. each frame is 0.0769 seconds apa rt. This means that between each frame, the wheel rotates
about 332 degrees. This appears as if the wheel is only moving backward 28 degrees {360 - 332 =28).
Now that we see the relationship between rotational speed and frame rate, we will make changes to t he
motor speed while holding the frame rate constant as this is more pract ical for animations.

~5 Change initial conditions.

~ With the time bar at 0 seconds, change the motor speed t o 1440 RPM and the frame rate to 24.
476 Chapter 16

16 Add changes.
We will have the motor start at 1440 rpm then drop to 1400 rpm. It will then increase to 1480 rpm a-:
return to its starting speed of 1440 rpm.
Copy the motor key point from o seconds to 1 second.
Move the time bar to 5 seconds. Edit the motor and change its speed to 1400 RPM.
Move the time bar to 13 seconds. Ed it the motor and change its speed to 148 0 RPM.
Copy the motor key point from o seconds to 17 and 18 seconds.
This will give us a motor speed that varies as shown in the graph.

l'lOO.O t
~ 1460.0~
~
.t; 14'10.9 ---- ---~----
~
>
l'!:ZO.Ot
!
l~.of
0.0 ~ u u u ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tme (s)

17 Calculate the mot ion.

Click Calculate. The completed video is also provided as Constant Frame rate.mp4 in the Videc:E
folder.
Because the rotation speed changes linearly for a constant motor, the wheel is stationary for the =-s-
se cond. then appears to begin rotating clockwise. It continues to speed up until 5 seconds. after\',- -
it slows down and reverses at 9 seconds. It will reach a maximum counterclockwise speed at 13 sec::..,:_
and then slow to a stop at 17 seconds. Remember that throughout the animation, the wheel is rotc:: ~
at speeds from 1400 to 1480 rpm counterclockwise.
This example highlights the fact that the actual speed of rotation is not always important to get a g-...:
animation. rather it is the relationship between the rotation speed and the frame rate that deterr-.....
what we see.

18 Save and close all files.

 Advanced Topics and Problems 477

Calculating Frame Rate

:::==.- Frame rate is calculated in two different places:
Timeline
The frame rate used when you click Calculate is that set in t he Motion Study Properties.

Recording
The frame rate used for the recording is that set in the Save Animation to File dialog.
When you record, if the motion study has already been calculated at the same frame rate as you select
for recording, t he recording process will start immediately. If t he recording frame rate is different from
the motion study frame rate, the motion study must be recalculated first before recording can begin.
Before recording, you should always calculate the motion study at t he same frame rate you intend to
use fo r recording. The reason for this is not to save time during recording. but to make sure all the
motion is going in the correct direction. In the above example, if you had t he frame rate set to 13 in the
Motion Study Properties and recorded the animation at 11 FPS, the output video would not be the same
as you saw on the screen.

-~

=-~ --s-
=- ....- =-
~c==--~

-=:~~

::cg=.:c
:e~ --=s
478 Chapter 16

Chains
Animating a chain is a conceptually easy; however, it is a tedious process that can be very frustrat '"';
and can be computationally intense. We know that we have three types of motion studies, so whicr
animate a chain the best? While it may appear to be logical to use a physics-based motion study c:-:
have the chain sprockets drive the chain links, this is very computationally intense for both Basic Me: -
and SolidWorks Motion. Consider that to use a physics-based approach, we must define contact
between t he chain links and sprockets. This means that all the surfaces on all the links must be
constantly evaluated against the sprockets. Each link may have from 20 to 40 surfaces and even a =
short chain will need a minimum of 20 links. Likewise, each tooth of the sprocket will consist of at le:s
six surfaces. All these surfaces add up to a very difficult computational task. While this can be do.-:
there are several alternat ives that give good results with much less work.
We will explore three options:
Non-physics-based animation
In this approach, we will use an animation motion study and mates to control the relationships
between the links and the sprockets. The sprockets will be driven by one motor and the chain b; :
path mate. Synchronization between the sprockets and cha in will be a matter of setting the corre:-
starting key point positions and timing.
Non-physics-based animation using a physics-based solver
This will be similar to the first approach except that the chain will be moved by a path mate mo~:
instead of a path mate. To use that motor, the motion study type must be Motion Analysis, so we ,
be using a physics-based solver but ignoring most physical properties.
Physics-based animation
With this approach, mates will still be used to connect all the links; however, contact will be usee
between the chain links and the sprockets. Motion will be driven by a motor on one sprocket whic-
will move the chain and therefore the second sprocket
Play the video file Chain l.mp4 from t he Videos folder. This is our desired result, to have the chc: -
move smoothly around the t wo sprockets.
Chain Animation Setup
All three of the above methods have one thing in common: creation of the chain from the individual chc.
links. As you will see, this is a very tedious process to add and mate all the links. We cannot do the chc. -
as a subassembly because all the mates must be solved in the animation and therefore need to be in ~
top level of the assembly.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 479

For non-physics-based animations, these are the basic steps:

-::s:=--
1. Create the assembly with sprockets attached to some back plate.
- . -..::r"""
:::: L _s_ t ___,_
2. Mate the sprockets together with a gear mate so that they will turn together at the proper speed
.;:c;: -=- 3.
ratio .
Create a path to guide the chain links.
-~

i:::.E
4. Insert the first link and mate it to the path.
5. Add the remaining links, mating each to the path and the previous link.
==~ ~
6. Line up the chain with the sprockets.
-: == == .r:::s: 7. Drive the lead link around the path.
~~ !::?':(-=.

Chain Animation Considerations

When starting to create an animation of a chain, you should consider several things before even starting
to create the assembly.
-s- :-s
::.- c--::: ~
Mates
A chain animation will have a large number of mates to be solved at each frame as all components
:.-.e :: GJ I E!':.7
except for the back plate are moving. To make this animation solve reliably and in a reasonable amount
of time, we need a consistent mating scheme that minimizes redundant mates.
Each link needs three degrees of freedom, as it must be able to translate in the X and Y directions and
-.:e:e -:;:~
must also rotate about the Z direction. Once we add a single coincident mate between two planes, three
.5 SOY ~
degrees have been removed. However, we need additional mates to connect each link to the link ahead
and behind it in the chain. Additionally, we need mates to keep the links moving along the correct path.
This leads t o a situation where there are a lot of redundant mates.
::;<::css:
In this case study, the overall method that will be used is to mate all the links to the same plane which
:c:<et ,_-,r-..::-
will be centered on the middle of the sprocket teeth. The pin in each link will be mated concentric to the
hole in the adjacent link. With this method, the coincident mate will remove three degrees of freedom
"E the ch.::- and the concentric mate will remove four, for a total of seven. One alternative to this method is the hinge
mate as it will remove only five degrees of freedom, making the calculations easier. In this case study,
we will use the combination of the concentric and coincident mates instead of the hinge mate for two
reasons. First is that by using the coincident mate, we can use the multimate function to add many
idual c~c.-
mates at once, speeding the setup process. Second, all the links are mated to the same plane rather than
co the ch:: - to the next link. If we were to mate each link to the adjacent link, we would introduce the possibility of
:ito be int~
a circular reference. Lastly, by separating the two mates, we make some aspects of troubleshooting
easier.

To keep the chain links in line, a cam mate will keep them tangent to a dummy part that we will create
to define the path.
480 Chapter 16

Chain Path
It is difficult to create a path that is exactly the same length as a chain. In a real chain. gravity cat.:::~
the chain to droop and there are clearances at all the connections. Because we will be using a non-
physics-based animation. there is no gravity and our model does not have clearances. Together, t hEX
two issues require us to make allowa nces when we close the loop of the chain.
The other issue is how to create the actual path the chain links wi ll follow. There are two choices, o;-:=
to create a path curve and t he second is to create a path surface. If we use a pat h curve, the mates r ..s
be either path mates or coincident mates. While a path mate might appear to be a good cho ice,
animations may sometimes become difficult to solve when there are a large number of path mates
Coincident mates may also work, but they really are not designed for moving relationsh ips.
If we use a path surface, the chain rollers could be mated either t angent or with cam mates. As the
motion of t he chain roller along a path surface is really a cam action, this is the best choice.
Chain to Sprocket Synchronization
Synchronizing the motion of t he chain and the sprockets must be done manually as t here are no mc.:::r
that relate the sprockets to the chain. Once the initial chain position is est ab lished, the gear mate r .s
be suppressed and the sprockets rot ated into the proper start position.
The second part of synchronizing the components is to establish the correct speed of the chain to:-:::
rotational speed of the sprockets. Determining t he correct speed is just simple mathematics.

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Chain Problem.sldasm from the case
study fold er.
The back plate and sprockets have already been added to
the assembly and mated in place. Notice that the Front
plane of t he assembly is located along the plane on which ---
-=
we want the chain links to move.
We need two measurements from t his assembly: the
distance between the axes of the two sprockets, which is -~
lOOmm, and t he diameter of the sprockets at the locat ion
where t he roller pins contact the sprocket. This distance is 35.314mm.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 481

2 Open a chain link.

--=c-=c= Open the part Half Link.sldprt. The link has a centering
J lane and a sketch point that can be used to mate each link.
It is also important to measure the pin diameter as this will be
important when we creat e the path surface. The pin diameter
:=-s =-- is Smm.
-c-c--

-~:o

.... ~. ___
-._L- ..::: .._ -
3 Create the path part.
Create a new part using millimeters.
. - . -- - 100 --~

Create a sketch on the Front plane. This

path is for t he center of the pin on each
m
= ~= ~.;?._?
chain link.
______ _je_ _____ -+
-- c.:= - The height is t he diamet er we measured 1!175.628
!Zil
on the sprocket plus the diameter of the
c-~ - ': - pin in the chain link. The lOOmm dimension ~

3 is the center-to-center distance of the

sprockets.
Create a Fit Spline so that this becomes a single continuous curve.

4 Create a cam surface.

Create a second sketch on the Front plane and
offset the first sketch t o the inside by 2.Smm.
Extrude this sketch as a thin feature making
sure that the feature is created to t he inside of
the sketch. The actual thickness is not First s't_tch
important. Second sketch

Add a colored appearance to t his feature. This

is being done only t o make it easier t o see it in
the assembly when we need to select the
surface.
Save the part and name it Chain path.
482 Chapter 16

5 Insert the part into the assembly.

Insert the Chain path part into the assembly and mate it to the origin with
the part's planes aligned to the assembly planes. You can now see how t his
part is used to guide the chain links.

6 Assemble the chain.

Once the path part is inserted and you are sure it is positioned properly and
is t he correct size, you can hide all t he other components. This will make it
easier to assemble the chain.
Hide all the components except the Chain path part.

7 Add links.
Depending on your skill at adding and mating parts, you may want
to add the links one at a t ime and mate each one as you go, or you
may want to add many at once and then mate t hem in sequence.
We will add the first link on its own and mate it, since the mates
are just slightly different.
Insert one inst ance of t he Half Link part. Mate the centering -
.. ..._...
-- -....
plane of the part to the Front plane of the assembly. Add a path
mate between t he sketch point in the part and t he spline curve in
the Chain path part. Set the path mate to Percent Along Path and set the percentage to 0 .0 % .
 Advanced Topics and Problems 483

8 Add more links.

ow that the initial link is in place we need to add 38 more links. Add five V' X tfl
more links by pressing Ctrl and dragging the existing Half Link into the (<\ Mates'( f} AnalySis)
graphics area to add an additional instance.
Hate sele<:tions ::::

Mate all of the links coincident to the Front plane of the assembly using ~l fFront ---'

the Multiple Mate Mode ~- While we are only adding the mate to five "
.
II)'ianel@Haiflilk..::l@Cha<l
Pianel~lilk_-4Cha<l Problem. A
Problem..
I
components, we could do this to all the Half Links at one time if we had )'lanel@Haiflilk__:Z@Cha;n Problem.L
I f!a"l@Halflilk..:l@Cha<l Problem. T

inserted more instances.

I Create rrub-mate folder
Lnk~soons
Add a concentric mate between the roller on the second link to the hole
- -----
in the first link. Then add a cam mate between the roller and the surface Standard l...,tes - ::::

of the Chain path part. ~Coinddent

('j Para!el

Cam Follower G!J Perpendicular

----
').. Tangent

\~) Concentnc

rJLod<
B l.OOOmm

IDJ 30.00deg
Mate a.'ignment:

~~
9 Repeat.
: 0 .0/o . Add t he remaining links and mate them as above except for the final link.

Troubleshooting the Chain

It is not uncommon when mating the links to
have links fli p the wrong way as the cam
mat es all have multiple solutions that are all
equally valid. In the image, all of the links
have been added but the chain appears to be
+ - - - - .. . --- - - * -~ ... . ____ +
short.
To solve this problem, we must first find the
link or links that are reversed. When
examining the chain, we will find sections
that look like the image below.
484 Chapter 16

To solve this problem. you s uppress the cam mates in the affected area and then manually move :-~
links away from the cam surface, then pull on the end of the chain to stretch it. Once the links are c :
to their correct position, unsuppress the cam mates.
Important! When solving this problem you need to have part of the chain fixed so that the whole c-.a-
does not move. In our case, the path mate is preventing the first link from moving.

10 Close the chain.

When we get to the last link, we need to make a small change. As it is difficult to get the path to b::
exactly the correct length for the chain, and because the chain is made up of rigid bodies, we do not v?"
to mate the last link to the first link. Instead, add a second cam mate to attach the hole in the last
to the Chain path surface.

-
-

Note Even if you do get the path length to exactly equal the length of the chain, you still do not war.:
mate the last link to the first link as it can create problems that cause the solution to fail.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 485

~1 Adjust the path length.

We can see that the hole in the last link does not match the pin in the first link. To fix this. we must adjust
::.... the length of the path. To get the path length correct. measure the distance between the hole and the
pin using the Measure tool. We can see that this distance is 3.076mm.lf we move the sprockets toget her
by half of this amount, the hole and pin should line up.

--..r:".-e -:-E
sa:: :s:

'w-::.2 :-a..

---~
C Ol - --
- -'r
':.t...

=~0 'llJ:: ""?"

~ :-e !cs: -
We must make two adjustments as the
path was not created in-context with t he
sprockets. First we will edit the back plate
part and reduce the distance between
~"
sprockets to 98.462mm (100- 3.076/2).
Make the same adjustment to the first "'
sketch in the Chain Path part. Remember
that you can do the math right inside the
Modify dialog.

The hole should now line up very closely

with the pin.

,3 not wa n~ :::
-
486 Chapter 16

12 Show/hide components.
Show all the components t hat were hidden. Hide the
Chain path part.

13 Organize the assembly. ~ t~~m:n:mn.w.e:

@ Sensors
It is much easier to work with this assembly if it is organized. We can use folders lf -/;) Design Binder
in both the mategroup and component sections of the Feature Manager design +~ {.AI Annotations
<$;! Front
tree to significantly reduce the size of the tree and to make it easier to find <:$>-Top
~Right
things. 1. Origin
~ Sprocket back plolr_
How you organize the mates in your assembly is up t o you and t he organization ~ (f) Chain path_&<!
& LJ Pa rts
shown in the image is just a suggestion. t+ 0 l inks
8 jj MateGrou pl
14 Add gear mate. l ~ Multi-Mates!

Add a 1:1 gear mate between the two sprockets. l+' 0 Concentric
[+} D cam
L+J D Sprockets
~!"~ D Animi5tion

15 Synchronize the sprockets.

Move one of the sprockets so that its teeth line up
properly with the chain.
Suppress the gear mate and line up t he other
sprocket.
Unsuppress the gear mate.
Tip Use a section view or make t he sprockets
t ransparent to check the alignment.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 487

Driving the Motion

At this point, you have to decide how the motion will be controlled. You can either drive the sprockets
at a defined speed and then calculate t he speed required for the chain to stay synchronized, or the
opposite where the chain speed is specified and the sprocket rotation is calculated.
For this animation, we will drive the sprockets at a defined speed and then calculate the chain speed.

16 Add a motor.
Add a rotary motor t o one of the sprockets. Set the motion as Constant Speed and 10 RPM.

17 Set the path mate.

To make the chain move, we have a key at 0 seconds with the path mate set at 0.0%. To make it go one
fu ll rotation. we just need to determine the time it will take wit h the sprockets set to 10 rpm.
At 10 rpm, the sprocket will rotate one revolution every 6 seconds. Because the sprockets have 19 t eeth,
and there are 35 chain links, the chain goes one full revolution for every 1.842 rotations of the sprocket.
or 11.052 seconds (1.842 x 6).
Move the time bar to 11.052 seconds. Edit the path mate and set the percentage to 100%.

18 Calculate.
If we have done everything correctly, the chain and sprockets should move together as if one is driving
.:: t he other.

Making the Animation Longer

What happens if we want the animation to play longer? There are several choices:
Make the animation longer.
Because the sprockets are driven by a motor, they will just keep rotating at a constant speed for
however long t he animation may be. The chain, however, would need some work because of t he 100/
360 Rule.
Loop the animation.
Another method would be to loop the animation so that it plays continuously. This would be
satisfactory for the chain itself as all the motion you need is for the links to move forward just one
position. In this animat ion, however, we have other component s that need t o move much further, such
as sprockets and keys. Because of those components we need the sprockets to turn one full
revolution before looping. so in this animation we would need 6 seconds.

Change the method of driving the chain.

An alternative is to change the way we drive the chain and use a path mate motor instead of just a
path mate. If both the chain and the sprockets are driven by motors, you can just drag the top level
key to whatever time you would like and calculate the animation.
488 Chapter 16

19 Delete a key point.

Delete the key point for the path mate at 11.52 seconds.

20 Calculate the chain speed.

From the previous steps, we know that the chain must go around once in 11.52 seconds. Using the
Measure tool we can determine that the path length is 434.55lmm. The chain must therefore go
37.72mm/s.
21 Add a motor.
Add a path mate motor to the existing path mate. Set the speed at 37.72mm/s.

22 Calculate and play.

The animation should look exactly like the one done with a path mate but now we can easily change-
length to whatever length is required.

Physics-Based Solution
The remaining alternative is to use Solid Works Motion and have a sprocket drive t he chain and the c-
drive the second sprocket.
There are a few changes we will need to make to the assembly to run the motion study as Motior
Analysis.
Complete the chain.
In t he non-physics-based animations, the last link of the chain was not attached to the first lin
physics-based motion study, they need to be mated together. In a physics-based stu dy, we will ~2
gravity, so the chain can be a little longer than the original path because it will tension due to its-::
weight.

Remove the cam mates.

The cam mate is no longer necessary as the chain will be supported by contact between the cha-
links and the sprocket s and the mates between the links.
11 Add contact.
Contact calculations can take a considerable amount of time. Because the links are mated toge~
we do not need to add contact between them. The only contact that is necessary is between the -
and the sprockets. To save t ime, we will define two contact groups, the cha in links and the sproc .c-
With the use of groups, the links are only calculated against the sprocket s and not against each:

23 Suppress mates.
Select the Model tab. then suppress all the cam mates.
Suppress the gear mate as the second sprocket will be driven by the chain.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 489

24 Add a link.
To make sure t he chain is longer tha n the path, we could either move the sprocket s closer toget her or
just add an additiona l link.
Add one more Half Link part and mate it to the first and last link of t he chain.

25 Add material.
Make sure that a material is assigned to t he Half Link part. Any steel material will be sufficient as the
variations in density among all the steel materials are too small to affect the out come.

26 Create a new motion study.

Create a new motion study and name it Physics-Based.
E
27 Add gravity.
Add gravity in the -Y direction at the default value.

28 Add contact.
Se lect Use contact groups and place all the links in one group and the sprockets in the other.

'*
~ )(

t-1essa~g.:
---~-----
Sel~
,J]Use contact o-oups

Halflill< &337~ Problem & A

Halflill<-&3-38@Chain Problem-~
Halflili<=&339@Chain Problem=&_.
Halflili<_&3-400Chain Problem_& ~
(l "' '
'r Sprocket_&3-2~hail Problem_&3
Sprod<et_&31~ Problem_&3

Number of contact pairs: 70

29 Calculate.
At this point, you can calculate the motion study if you choose. This study will take a considerable
amount of t ime to solve. For comparison, on the test computer, each of the previous motion studies took
about 100 seconds to calculate. On t he same computer, this motion st udy took about 55 minut es.

To see t he results, play t he file Chain -Physics.mp4 from the Videos folder.
You can see t hat t here is more vertical motion of the chain links as they move between the sprockets.
490 Chapter 16

30 Close.
Close all open files.

Belts
At first. animating a belt may appear to be similar to animating a chain; however, these are very differe~
problems. With a chain, the individual links can be moved around a closed path. Belts, on the other han:
are created as single body rigid objects so they do not move. While there is a method to create a be.-c
as a swept in-context feature, doing so is not worth t he effort and gains us nothing for an animation.
Play the file Belt_l.mp4 found in the Video folder. What is moving in this animation? It looks like t he-::
is no motion.
Play the file Belt_2.mp4 found in the Video folde r. What is moving? In th is animation, it looks like tP:
pulleys, shafts, and belt are all moving.

Belt_l.mp4 Belt_2.mp4

Both of these videos are from the same motion study, the only difference is the co nfiguration and
display state of the assembly. In the fi rst animation, t hings that are act ually moving appear to be
stationary and in the second, things t hat are actually stationary appear to be moving. This demonstrates
a very basic concept in animations which we will call The First Law of Animations.

The First Law of Animations

What is actually happening in an animation is not as important as what you make t he viewer believe is
happening.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 491

Animating a belt involves making the viewer t hink the belt is moving when in reality it is not. When we
think of belts in the physical world, we realize that there is not much to see if we have a belt moving
over a set of pulleys. What tells us that there is motion are generally nonuniform visual properties such
~-r-
as a logo or markings on the be lt, rather than something physical. In the computer world, the problem is
-cr= that models are "too perfect" and have no surface imperfections, so the pulleys in Belt_ l .mp4 have
nothing t o give us an indication that they are moving. In Belt_2.mp4, the spoked pulleys and the keys
;==- on the shafts serve to show motion.

-<== Understanding this helps us t o figure out how to make it look like the belt is moving. Because we can
not make the actual belt move, we can instead move separate parts around a path defined by the belt.
These parts will appear t o be markings on the belt, and therefore give the appearance that the belt is in
=--~ motion.

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Belts and Pulleys.sldasm from the Case Study folder.

2 Examine the assembly.

The assembly has t hree configurat ions: a Default, one with spokes, and one without spokes. The belt
has already been created. Notice that it is an in-context part based on creating a sketch offset from the
pulley diameters. The offset sketch has been turned into a spline and used to sweep a profile of the belt.
The belt has a matte rubber appearance applied.
Return the assembly to the configuration Without spokes .

.,......

~-=

=:
s:c:es

e.-= .s
492 Chapter 16

3 Add mates. t~edlanical Hates

Both pulleys will rotate at a fixed speed cam

ratio based on their diameters. Add a . ~

gear mate between the two pulleys. The @)eear

larger pulley has a diameter of 350mm
and the smaller pulley has a diameter of
~~ ZSOmm

I [.ljReverse
250mm. Remember to select Reverse so ~ Rack Pin:on
that t he pulleys both rotate in the same
direction.
I~Scr~N
!~ tm,.saJ Joint
4 Create a motion study. l' '

Create a new motion study with the type

of animation.

5 Add a motor.
Add a constant speed rotary motor to
the larger pulley and set the speed at
15 rpm.

Important! When you add motors for animations, slower speeds are generally better as they help to
avoid problems with the stroboscopic effect and also make it easier for the viewer to see the motior

6 Play.
The animation should play, but no motion is visible. Because there are no discrete features or
appearances to show motion, the parts all look stationary.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 493

Add an appearance.
-\dd the appearance shiny galvanized to the two pulleys.

3 Play.
- his t ime. we can see t he two pulleys rotating because the
appearance is not uniform.

v
9 Change configuration.
Change the assembly configuration to With spokes.

10 Examine the assembly.

There are two changes. First. the pulleys both have spokes which
will make the rotation clear. even without changing the
appearance. The second is that the two shafts have keys and the
pulleys have keyways, again making it easy to see the rotation.

11 Play.
The pulley and shaft rotations are now easy to see because of the
physical characteristics of the parts.
Animating the Belt
Because we cannot actually make the belt move around the
pulleys, we will just make it look like it is moving by adding
components that will move around the be lt. As the belt model is
"too perfect;' even if we could make it move around the pulleys,
there would be nothing to see, just as in step 6 above, unless we
added a nonuniform appearance.
494 Chapter 16

12 Open the markers.

There are three small parts included in the case study files
called Markerl, Marker2, and Marker3. These are just
basic shapes. Note that each has its origin in the center of t he
part to make it easier to mate the parts to the path sketch
used for t he belt.
Each of the three parts has a white textured appearance
applied. Because belts are not very smooth, this appearance
will be similar to that of the belt.

13 Add a marker to the assembly.

Insert Marker3 into the assembly.
Mate the origin of the Marker3 part to the spline in the
path sketch of the belt using a path mate.
For Path Constraint, se lect Percent Along Path and set
t he value to 25%. As this marker is a sphere, we can
leave both Pitch/Yaw Control and Roll Control as Free.
Moving the Marker
Moving the marker component around the path could be
done by adding key points for the path mate set to
different values; however, this does not always give us
satisfa ctory results for several reasons.
As we saw in Chapter 7. path mates can work well in many situations. However. if we want the mar~
go around more than once, we must contend with the 100/360 Rule. There are also prob lems whe- ~
marker is not a simple sphere and must be kept oriented. A better solution is to use a path mate r::-
if SolidWorks Motion is available. Using the path mate motor. we can have the marker go around as-
times as necessary just by controlling its speed and the length of the animation. The path mate=
also works with more than one option of the path mate set to something other than Free.
The only disadvantages are that we must have SolidWorks Motion available and we must use a ' -
Analysis study type.

14 Add a motor.
Change the motion study type to Motion Analysis.
Click Motor on the Motion Study toolbar. Select Path Mate Motor.
Set the type to Constant Speed and set the speed to 278mm/s.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 495

Motor Speed
Determining the motor speed is just basic math. If we look at the large pulley, it has a diameter of
350mm and the sketch used for the belt path {and path mate for the Marker) is offset 2mm, yielding a
diameter of 354mm. The circumference is therefore 354mm x pi or l,l12mm. The pulley is rotating at
15 rpm, or one revolution every 4 seconds. Therefore, a point on the circumference movesl112mm/4s or
278mm/s.
This value is rounded off to the nearest unit as very small differences between the marker parts and the
pulleys will not be noticed. Also. during the animation. the markers will only go around a few times. not
enough for a viewer to realize that the marker has moved.

15 Play.
The marker will now move around the belt at a speed where it ho lds a fixed position to the pulleys as it
passes them.

16 Add additional markers.

Add additional markers using Marker2 (cylinder) and Markerl (box). With these markers you must add
a relationship between a plane in the marker part and the Belt Plane. This plane was created in the
middle of the belt part and is used to keep the marker parallel to the surface of the belt.

Marker Right-Plane
Coincident to Belt Plane

- ,:i:';/''~ '
1111
. :~~.(./

_.P. / -
/ .
/

~.~~::
/b-:;:.-
';;;.....
:.,.,;-

= ~:a1r..3'
~~<y .;,'YF
-~/,1}';
!5--=r
->}:
'1111!11111
/ ~/-,,'
.~.::-:/
.:.:;._/
1/
~~:;
!
-.::-:=-- / .
/
,!;,

;:,./
~~-
__ /
);Y ':Jr.
''~ ./
u""J~ / -
.c:: -- II
- ., :.,...., .
496 Chapter 16

With Markerl (box) you must also change the Pitch/Yaw option in t he path mate to Follow Path. This
is to keep the top of the marker part from tilting up or down as it goes around the path.

Pitch/Yaw = Follow Path Pitch/Yaw = Free

17 Set t he initial positions.

When we added the first marker, we set the path mate position to 25%. This will be the position of t hE
part when the motor turns on and drives it around the path. Once the motor starts moving the part, th:s
value is ignored.
Set the initial positions fo r all the markers by moving the time bar to 0 seconds and edit each mate tc
evenly space out t he ma rkers.

18 Hide the sketch.

Hide the path sketch in the belt part.

19 Calculate and play.

The animation must be calculated before you can play it and have t he motors work.
We now have an animat ion where it looks like the belt is moving. even though it is rea lly stationary.
20 Close.
Close all files.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 497

~-
<1 ~- Planetary Gear System
Planetary gear systems are found in many different
power t rains as t hey can provide output that moves
in the same direction as t he input. They can also be
used when different gear ratios are needed as they
can have two inputs combined to create variable
outputs. Unless you have a close-up view of the gear
teeth where you need to see t he backlash as t he
gears change direction, the Animat ion motion study
is the easiest to use and provides t he best results. If
you use a physics-based motion study and use
contact between the gears, calculation time can be
very long because of all the surfaces that must be
calculat ed t o determine when contact occurs.
In this case study, we will use techniques used
::;;. ::f ;,_~ 1E t hroughout the previous lessons so detailed
~ 62-ri. 'i:;-;-.:; instructions will only be provided for new topics.

Storyboard
- -;;::E; ::: To show t he planetary gear system, we will start with an overall view, followed by a rotat ion to see the
entire assembly. The assembly will then explode and collapse. Next, we will zoom in to a Dimetric view,
and hide some components so that we can see t he five gears. Different gears will be driven or held to
show the various input versus out put relationships. Play the file Planetary Gear System.mp4 found
in the Videos folder for this chapter. to see the animation we are trying to create.
The animation will be recorded in ReaiView.

..::'lary. S +e p Ti ""'-e P e scri p+io..._

0 - 2
2 2- /0
3 II - 2 1
4 22 - 32
5 33 - 35
Es+c..hlisL-.i"'d sL-.o+, s lovv z.oo""'- ;.,
O r hi+ +L-.e c..ss e""'-hl'1 (:or over c..ll v ievv.
E xplode c..s se""'-hl'1.
Collc.. p s e .SSe""'-hl'1.
Z oo""'- ;., +o Pi""'-e+ric v ievv c..O'\ d /..,;d e co""'- po.. _ e.,+s
;., (:',-o.,+ o(:' d ec..rs.

b 35 - 40 Hold ri'1j dec..r c..O'\d r o +a..+e SVO'\ .

498 Chapter 16

S+ep Ti>"V!e Pesc.r-ip+io"'

7 '-10 - '-15 Hold pi"'-"'e+ c.<>.r-r-ier- ...... d r-o+e..+e SV"\.

8 '-15 - 50 Hold sv"' .,._,...d .-o+c-+e .-ii:j

9 50 - 5:3 R.e+vr-f'"\ +o s+c-rtii:j sl..o+.
ro 5:3 - 5'-1 E"'dii:j sl..o+

Preparatory Work
Before creating the actual animation, there are several t hings we should do or consider having ready s
as not to interru pt our workflow when we are creating the key points.
Apply appearances
In this case st udy, the ap pearances are already applied; however, you should check to make sure t-::
model looks as you would like it to appear in t he video. While you could do t he animat ion first an;:
then go back and add or adj ust the appearances, it is easier t o set up the animation when you can se=
how it will actually look.
Add a second ring gear
When we zoom in t o look at the action of the different gears, t he shaft a nd web of the ring gear \'1
hide t he sun gear and sometimes t he planet gears. We cannot just hide the ring gear, because We
would then not be able t o see its teeth. To solve this, we make a second configuration of the ring ger
part and cut away everything but t he rim and teeth. At the appropriat e t ime in the animat ion. we ,
change from seeing t he complete part to th e cut-down version.

Create an exploded view

The exploded view has been created to explode all components in the direction of the central a:JG.s _
the assembly.
Add gear mates
There are two parts t o the process. First is to add the mates wit h t he proper ratio between the gea-:
The second is to line up the gear teeth so that the teeth do not clash. We should also be careful ~r -
the order in which the gears are mated to avo id a circular refe rence. in this case study we will use-__
gear mates, each of which will have the same planet gear as one of t he two parts.
&I Organize the mates
Create t wo mate folders. one for the gear mates and one for all the other mates.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 499

Create display states

To properly show the gears, we need to hide several components. It may be easier to creat e two
display states, one to show all the components and the other to show the gears with t he appropriate
components hidden.
Add motors
Because all the motion is rotary, we will use three rot ary motors to control all the motion.
Remembering from Chapter 7 that a mot or with zero speed is the same as a mate, we can use the
motors to hold specific gears fixed at the appropriate times.
5:ac ~s-:
Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Planetary Gear.sldasm from the case st udy folder.
E ~-: -:::-E
2 Check appearances.
- -s: a-,=
~

Examine the model in ReaiView. The shadow comes from the first light in the Lights folder so if you
o.... :a- :;;:.r
want to move the shadow, you must adjust the fi rst (not the Ambient light) light in the list. If you do not
like the appearances provided with the model. change them now.

3 Check exploded view.

'5 g::a-
Explode the assembly to check how the components will move. If you would like to make any
~: '"' =
adjustments t o the movement, make them now.
E --- --==r-
.5.:=--
",?

r.:c a ~ ~=

-~:: s==.-s.
:c::-:_
_se~
500 Chapter 16

4 Modify the Ring Gear.

Open the Ring Gear part in its own window. Create a new configuration named Ring Only.
Use a cut feature t o remove all but the ring and gear teeth.
Confirm that Link Display States to Configurations is selected in the Disp lay States manager.

Ring Only

5 Add a Ring Gear.

Add a second instance of the Ring Gear part and mat e it t o the first instance so that it matches
position exactly.

Mating Gears
When mating the gears for an animation, we should keep
two things in mind:
Align the tooth mesh
Gear mates set the ratio of rotation rates and do not
need or consider the teeth themselves in the solution.
The initial position of the gears must be set manually
at t he start to avoid gear clash.
Avoid circular references
In this system we should mate Planet Gear <2>
to Planet Gear < l > and then also mate
Planet Gear <3> to Planet Gear <1>. Do not mate
Planet Gear < l > to Planet Gear <2> and then
Planet Gear <2> to Planet Gear <3>.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 501

Tip When mating gears. use the number of teeth to set the ratios rather than the pitch circle diameter as the
f.
number of teeth is always an integer and we avoid any rounding error.

6 Mate the gears.

Choose one planet gear and mate it to the other four gears. These are the number of teeth on each gear:
fir-
Sun Gear: so
Planet Gears: 20
Ring Gear: 91

7 Adjust the gear mesh.

Once t he gears are mated, you need to make sure the t eeth mesh properly. To do t his. work one mate at
a time. Zoom in on the mesh area, then suppress the mate controlling the two gears. Manually move one
of the gears until the mesh is correct and then unsuppress t he mate. Repeat until all teeth mesh
correctly.

8 Create display states.

There are two display states needed, one showing all the components except the second ring gear. and
a second display state to the four gears without the components in front of them. These should look like
t he images shown below.

-.c: ::.-es

Internal Parts Only

Tip Create an additional display state called Working and make this display state active. This helps to avoid
making changes to the other two display states when you are working on t he assembly.
502 Chapter 16

9 Create a motion study.

We now have all the preparation work done and can begin the motion study.
Start with a full screen isometric view of the full assembly with all parts showing.
10 Create establishing shot.
Move the time bar to 2 seconds and zoom in a small amount. Add a key point.
11 Rotate the assembly.
Use the method described in Chapter 4: Reference Triad to rotate the model go degrees around the
Yaxis at 4. 6. 8. and 10 seconds.

12 Add delay.
Rather than have the model go from a slow zoom directly to a rotation at 2 seconds, we should add a
small delay. Copy the view key point from 2 seconds to 1.5 seconds.
13 Change the interpolation and adjust timing.
To smooth the motion, the interpolation modes should be changed to ease in and then ease outthe
viewpoint changes. The first movement, the zoom in, can be done by changing the interpolation mode c-
l.S seconds to Ease In/ Ease Out.
The interpolation for the rotation requires a little adjustment. First, for the key at 4 seconds, change t-=
interpolation mode to Ease ln. Then, change the interpolation mode for the key at 10 seconds to
Ease Out.

14 Play.
Play the animation and you will see that the rotation is not uniform. If you review the section
Interpolation Modes in Chapter 2, when a component uses Ease In, it starts slowly but must be goirg
faster at the end t han a component using Linear interpolation. Likewise. for a component using Ease
Out, it must start faster than a component using Linear interpolation in order to slow down at the e-:
of the motion.

15 Adjust key points.

To fix this problem we just have to move t wo of the keys so that the time between the keys using Ease ~
or Ease Out is longer than the t ime bet ween keys using Linear. Move the key point at 4 seconds to
4.25 seconds and the key at 8 seconds to 7.75 seconds.
Note This is not scientific in that t here is no exact rule that says how much to adjust the keys. In tr .5
case, as the original keys were all equally spaced it was easy to figure out with a little t rial and errc-
 Advanced Topics and Problems 503

16 Play again.
This time, the rotation starts smoothly and ends smoothly with a constant speed throughout t he rest of
the rotation.
Could we have used Ease In/Ease Out on all the view keys instead? No. because the rotation would have
stopped at each key, resulting in four discrete quarter t urns instead of t he desired full rotation.

17 Add explode/collapse.
---..:
.... . -... L.. J;;:;::
Use the Animation Wizard and add an assembly explode from 11 seconds to 21 seconds and a collapse
from 22 seconds to 32 seconds.
Change the interpolation mode for all the explode/collapse keys to Ease In/Ease Out.
=~=~ Ring Gear Motion
Notice that the second instance of the ring gear did not move during the explode. This is because it was
not in the assembly when the explode steps were creat ed so there is no path fo r it. You might think it
shou ld move because it is mated to the first instance of the ring gear. but as we have seen in previous
..--~
case studies. when an explode or collapse is imported into a motion st udy, t he component mat es are
- :x:~ = ignored. We can see this in the MotionManager as these changebars are orange.
To solve this problem, we could go back to the assembly model and edit t he explode steps to include
IGS: :-'":
this component. or we could just hide it until it is needed later in the animation.

18 Hide a component.
Move the time bar to o seconds and hide the second instance of the component Ring Gear.
19 Add viewpoints.
eg: ...,g When the assembly is exploded, we need to be zoomed out far enough t o see all t he components. As we
5 =.ase did not create any named views fo r this, we will do it now.
t: ;::;e e-c
Move the time bar to 21 seconds as this is where the assembly is fully exploded. Zoom out until all the
components are in view. Add a view key point.
Move this new key point to 12.25 seconds. This causes the zoom out to end when the first pedestal
g Ease -
ds-- component reaches its explode position.
Copy the key point from 10 seconds to 10.5 seconds so that the viewpoint stops moving between t he
rotation and the zoom.
i. lil i ''L5
c err~- To return the view back to the starting point at the end of the collapse, copy the key point from
12.25 seconds to 30.75 seconds and t he key point from 10 seconds to 32 seconds.
Change the interpolation mode for the new key points to Ease In/Ease Out.
504 Chapter 16

20 Add motors.
Move the time bar back to 0 seconds.
Add three rotary motors. one to the end of each shaft. Set the motors to Constant Speed and o RPM.
For consistency, have the motors rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the assembly Front vie,
Name t he motors for the gear in which they turn. This will make it easier to pick the correct motor as
we use them in the animation.

21 Save.
Save all the files.
Because we are at essentially the same point visually where we started t he animation, we cou ld chaos:
to record this first part and then duplicate the motion study. In the duplicate study, we could remove 2
the key points except for final positions and then go on from t here. In t his case study, we will just
continue on with the same motion study.
22 Pause.
Copy all the key points from 32 seconds to 33 seconds to create a visual pause.
Move the time bar to 35 seconds. Change to the Dimetric view. zoom in to fi ll the screen. We are usi5
the Dimetric view instead of a normal view because it shows t he assembly wit h some depth. If you ~
a normal view. such as the Front view, the assembly will appear very flat and uninteresting.

23 Change the displayed components.

At this point. we want to look at the gears. If we change the disp lay state at this point to show only t-:
internal components. the change will occur between 0 and 35 seconds, which is not what we want. T-...::
happens because we have no other visual property changes recorded.
Move the time bar to 33 seconds. We need appearance key points at this time to hold the visual
properties constant from 0 to 33 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree. select all the components and then click Add/Update Key.
Move the time bar to 35 seconds and change the display state to Internal Parts Only. You will he :
to change the display style to Shaded to hide the edges. This is because we made the parts trans parE'""
through their appearances instead of hiding them. If we had hidden the parts, they would not smoo<-
disappear. but would snap off. As the parts are transparent and not hidden, the edges will show wr;:-
displaying Shaded With Edges.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 505

24 Change motor speeds.

In the next part of the animation we want to show the different motions inside the gear set. It is
: o RPM. important to remember that only two mot ors can be on at the same time. The intent is to have one
motor off. one motor driving. and the last motor holding (on at zero RPM).
c:::1t vie"'
~tor as With the time bar at 35 seconds, turn off the motor driving the planet gears. Edit the motor driving t he
sun gear and change it to 5 RPM with a Snap interpolation mode.
Move the time bar to 40 seconds. Turn off the motor driving the ring gear and turn on the motor driving
the planet gears. Leave the planet gear motor at 0 RPM.
Move the time bar to 45 seconds. Turn off the motor driving the planet gears, turn on the motor driving
: : ilOCSE
=-~\'2 2
the ring gear at 5 RPM. Change the motor speed of the sun gear to 0 RPM.
..... .::::: ... Make sure the interpolation mode for each motor change is Snap.
Note We are using a relatively low speed fo r the motors because of the number of gear teeth. If the
rotational speed is too high, it can be difficult to see the teeth.

25 Play.
=-E .J-5 5 Extend the animation by moving t he key point for the overall animation to SO seconds. We should now
- ::::... ::-"" have the three different rotations of the different gears.

Capture Appearance Settings

We want all the components to reappear as the assembly returns to the isometric view. First we must
:_;-L'\1 i:-..= capture the appearances as they are before making a change. The problem is how to create the key
::_'""""' points fo r just the appearances of transparent parts without creating any unnecessary keys. If we move
the t ime to so seconds and double-click the display state Internal Parts Only, nothing will happen as
this does not represent a change from the existing condit ion. The simple technique t o solve this problem
.!C.
is t o change the display state t o something else first and then back to Internal Parts Only.

26 Return to start position.

Move the time bar to 50 seconds. Double-click the display state All Parts Visible, then double-click
?'E Internal Parts Only.
-s=c-=-
Move the time bar to 53 seconds and double-click the display state All Parts Visible. The transparent
~=-
parts will now become opaque between 50 and 53 seconds.
7E:-~

Ext end the overall length of the animation to 55 seconds.

27 Play.
This is our final check. If everything works as intended, record the animation at 24 frames per second.
506 Chapter 16

28 Save.
Save and close all files.

Case Study: Shadow Study

In this case we will create an animation of the sun passing over a house at two times during the year t:::
see how the shadows fall. The two times of interest are the summer solstice and winter solstice, as
these will give us the two extremes. We would like to examine the house from several locations, botn
from outside and inside. In our animation, one second will represent one hour. As the summer solstice s
t he longest day, we will do that one first and then make the motion of the sun line up in time so that boz-
conditions can be played together to see the differences. This will make 4:00 a.m. be at time zero.
This house is in the area of San Diego, California, at approximately 34 North and 11/ West and oriente:
to the southeast.
To determine the path of the sun, we could search online and download t he following information fro-
the U.S. Naval Observatory.

~st ronomical Application~ De pt . As~ronomical Appl ication~ De pt .

u.s. Naval Ob~ ervato=y u.s. Nav~l Observatory
tllashinqt on, DC 2 0392-5120 t~a.::shington , DC 2 0 392- 5 120

SAN DIEGO SAN DI EGO

0 0 0 0
Wl.17 00 , N31 0 0
'
lo1117 0 0, N3'i 00

Altitude: a=td A2iituth o f c he: Su..Yl Altitude a....,d Azimu th of th e Sun

JU!l 2 1, 2011 Dec 21, 2011
Zone: 8h We~t of. Greenwich Zone: Sh Ne!!!t of Greenwich

Altitu d., Azin:.u th Altitude Azillluth

(E o f. N) (E o f N)

h m 0 0 h m 0 0
04:00 -7.1 55 . 2 0 6: 00 - 10 .1 111.5
05 : 00 3 .6 63. 8 0 7 : 00 1.5 119. 5
0 6 : 00 li. 9 71 .5 0 8 : 00 11.5 128 . 7
07 : 00 26.9 78. 7 0 9:00 20.1 139 . 6
0 8 : 00 39 . 2 8 6. 0 1 0 : 00 27. 3 15 2 . 6
0 9: 00 51. 6 9 1.5 11 : 00 31.6 167 .6
10 : 00 63. 8 106. 5 1 2 : 00 32 . 5 183 . 8
11 : 00 74.8 130 .9 13: 00 30.0 199.6
12 : 00 79 . 2 192 . 6 11 : 00 21.4 213 . 7
13: 00 71. 1 210 .0 15 : 00 1 6. 4 225. 7
11: 00 59. 7 2 58 .2 1 6 : 00 6. 9 235 . 7
15: 00 47. 1 268 .6 17 : 00 -1. 0 214. 3
16 : 00 3 5. 0 276 . 5
17 : 00 22 . 8 283.7
18: 00 l.l . 0 291. 0
19: 00 0 .2 29 9. 0
20 : 00 - 10 . 8 308. 1
 Advanced Topics and Problems 507

Display Considerations
We need to decide on the method to display the model based on the way shadows are calculated.
OpenGL will not work as the shadow is based on the orientation of the model and not the lights.
Photo View 360 will work. but we have to eliminate all the environmental lighting and the rendering time
g the year tc may not be worth the effort. RealView will work well and does not require long calculation times. This
: :J tstice, as is the method we will use.
:~ions. both
t;.;- solstice is In RealView. only the first light, the light highest up the list in the DisplayManager that is on, will cast a
so that batt shadow. Also, all lights are calculated as directional light s in RealView regardless of their actual type.
> e zero. RealView only supports three lights.

c"ld oriente:: Procedure

1 Open the model.
Open the assembly Shadow Study.sldasm.
~ation fror
The model of the house and grounds is a single part and has been mated into an assembly in order to
orient the house correctly. In the following image, we are looking from the east.
soB Chapter 16

2 Examine the model.

Seven cameras have already been added to the model. One each looks at the house from the south,
southeast, west. and east. One camera is from directly overhead. and two cameras are inside t o be able
to observe t he amount of light coming through the windows.

3 Set the scene.

Change the scene to Cour tyard. This will create a simple background similar to sky. We want to do tr.s
before we add the lights. If we change the scene after we establish the lights. unwanted lights may b::
added by the scene.
Change the environment image to black.hdr. This is to eliminate any reflections from the scene on tr ;:
house or walls.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 509

4 Add three directional lights.

'e south, Do not worry about t he locations yet as we will position the lights in the animation.
=to be abl2
Name the lights Summer. Winter, and Fill. Make sure that the lights are in this order and the Fill light
is last. Also make sure that Keep light when scene changes is selected so that these lights are not lost
if we decide to change the scene. Select Lock to model so that the light positioning dimensions are
based on the assembly coordinates.
Turn off t he Ambient light and delete any other lights in the scene.

Shadows in RealView
Remember that in RealView, only the first light casts a shadow. This is why we had to have the Summer
and Winter lights first in the list. Because we will only use one of these lights in each animation,
whichever one we use will cast the shadows and the Fill light will just keep the shadows fro m being
completely black.

5 Change light brightness.

Set the Brightness value for the Fill light to 0.1 and for the Summer and Winter lights to 1.0.
Position the Fill light to Longitude 28 deg and Latitude 28 deg. It does not have to be accurately
positioned.
The purpose of t he Fill light is to show some detail in the model when the sun is below the horizon.
Without this light, the mode l would be completely black.

6 Create a motion study.

Name the new motion study Summer.

7 Adjust the lights.

::o do th6 Turn off the Winter light.
::s 11ay bE
Moving the Lights
Because directional lights always point to the assembly or part origin, all we will need is the latitude and
e . . . e on tr.: longitude for each light at the different times of the day. For each light that re presents the sun, the first
point will be at the first time available in the data. following through the last point which will be the last
available time in the table.
510 Chapter 16
------ ---- ---------- --- ----- -- ---- -- --- ----- -- ----- ----
We must also consider that the coordinate system of the assembly is 180 degrees opposed from the
table data. When we lock the light to the model. zero degrees longitude means that the light is coming
f rom the south (front view) in our modeL The table data. on the other hand, indicates compass bearings
the light is coming from, so a longitude of zero degrees means that it is coming from t he north (back
view}. The second part of the problem is that the table dat a spans 0 to 360 degrees while the light is
positioned 180 degrees. While the conversions are straightforward, it is easy t o make a mistake if ym..
are not aware of the differences. To keep the numbers straight. we will calculate the numbers we neec
now.

Summer Winter

Time From Light Azimuth From Light Azimuth

Table Table

0400 (4 a.m.) 55.2 124.8 -7.40

0500 (5 a.m.) 63.8 116.2 3.6

0600 (6 a.m.) 71 .5 108.5 14.9 111.5 68.5 -10.1

0700 (7 a.m.) 78f 101.3 26.9 119.5 60.5 1.50

0800 (8 a.m.) 86.0 94.0 39.2 128.7 51.3 11.5

0900 (9 a.m.) 94.5 85.5 51.6 139.6 40.4 20-4

1000 (1o a.m.} 106.5 73.5 63.8 152.6 27.4 27.3
1100 (11 a.m.) 130.9 49.1 74.8 167.6 12.4 31.6

1200 (12 p.m.) 192.6 -12.6 79.2 183.8 -3.8 32.5

1300 (1 p.m.) 240.0 -60.0 71.4 199.6 -19.6 30.0
1400 (2 p.m.) 258.2 -78.2 59-7 213.7 -33.r 24.4
1500 (3 p.m.) 268.6 -88.6 47-4 225.7 -4s.r 16.4
1600 (4 p.m.} 276.5 -96.5 35.0 235f -55.7 6 .9
1700 (5 p.m.) 283.7 -103.7 22.8 244-3 -64.3 -4.0

1800 (6 p.m.) 291.0 -111.0 11.0

1900 (7 p.m.) 299.0 -119.0 0.2

2000 (8 p.m.) 308.1 -128.1 -1 0.8

 Advanced Topics and Problems 511

-~ How many points do we need? Once per hour is enough to look reasonably smooth. We might think that
we only need two or three points (start, end. and one in the middle), but unless the sun goes directly
overhead, the geometry dictates that you use more point s.
8 Position the Summer light.
The earliest time we have for the summer data is 4:00 a.m., so that will be at o seconds on the time bar.
=
..
Each second will represent one hour of real time .
: ---
-::,:,-

Move t he time bar t o 0 seconds. Edit the Summer light and position it at Longitude 124.8deg and
Latitude -7.4deg. Not e that the latitude is below the horizon but it will be above the horizon at the next
data point.
Move the t ime bar to 1 second, which represents 5 a.m. Edit the Summer light position and set it to
Longitude 116.2deg and Latitude 3.6deg.
Continue adding points to the light until the sun sets.

9 Adjust the light brightness.

Because the light start s below the horizon. we may want the light to start with an int ensity of zero and
then increase to a brightness of one after it rises above the horizon. The first problem is to determine
the time the sun rises above the horizon. This does not have to be exact, so the easiest way is to start
by showing the lights. In the motion study, change to the Front view.
512 Chapter 16

Scrub the timeline until the Summer light is horizontal to the origin. This should occur at about
0.7 seconds.

Edit the Summer light and change its Brightness to zero.

Edit the key at o seconds and also change t he Brightness to zero.
The Summer light will now start with no brightness until it rises above the horizon and then rapidly
increases to full brightness at 1 second. How fast t he brightness changes is up t o you. You can add
additional key points as necessary to get it the way you want it to look.

10 Repeat.
Repeat this procedure for the setting sun, then hide t he lights.

11 Create a Winter study.

Create another mot ion st udy called Winter.
Repeat the above steps for the Winter light. Make sure that the t imes are the same. in other words,
8 seconds on the time line is 12:00 p.m.

Recording the Results

Because there are no physical component s moving in this animation, you will notice that it does not havE
t o be continually recalculated. We can use this to quickly record several videos of this study from
different cameras.
If Disable Playback of View Keys is selected, it is a simple matter of moving the t ime line to 0 seconds
and changing the camera view, then recording the animation.
 Advanced Topics and Problems 513

12 Create video files.

Depending on how you choose to use the shadow study, you cou ld make individual video fil es and play
them individually or they could be combined into a composite video.

Play the video file Shadow Study.mp4. In this video, the shadow paths of summer are compared to
those in winter from various views using post-processing to combine mu ltiple views into a single video.

13 Close all open files.

c:J!Ciy
~ .::de

-;:)~cs

-- -----
l ~.;k"....:,....,

_..,
rG e;::

: se:::::1:::s
Advanced Tapies with
In-Context Modeling

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Lengthen an exist ing animation.
Change between different cameras in an animation.
Use an assembly feature to simulate the cutting of a
component.
Create animations where parts appear to change shape.
l!l Create animat ions of parts winding on and off other parts.
516 Chapter 17

Animations Using In-Context Features

In this chapter we will look at advanced techniques that require t he use of in-context modeling. In-
context modeling is a key element in many animations. so it is important to understand this technique
if you would like to do the animations found in t his chapter. Additional information about in-context
modeling can be found in the training course SolidWorks Assemblies available from your SolidWorks
reseller.

Case Study: Pencil Sharpener

In this case study, we will animat e a pencil
sharpener as it sharpens a pencil.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 517

Storyboard

-
Using a camera, move around t he pencil sharpener ~ I a CJ
~ and then zoom in on the gears. While zooming in, --J I CJ I I I CJ
have the plastic cover disappear so that we can
Pencil I I CJ I ~~ --1 CJ
s see the gears. Once centered on the gears, have Sharpener
the motor start. CJ I I CJ

Change the camera position so t hat we can see

t he pencil enter the sharpener, then have the ~ IBL_ I ~
pencil advance into t he sharpener and get CJ I I CJ
sharpened.
CJ 1:::::::. '\ I CJ
Remove the sharpened pencil from t he sharpener. CJ - Ia
zrQ..~ ICJ

,...
The final animation will be rendered using CJ
Photo View 360 and be 20 seconds long.
I~
-- CJ
Play the completed video Pencil Sharpener.avi -7.~, CJ
and review the expected motion. I CJ CJ
CJ CJ

CJ CJ

CJ CJ
I
Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open Pencil Sharpener.sldasm.
2 Examine the assembly.
All the components are at t heir initial position. Only a
few components will actually move.

'
518 Chapter 17

Plan the animation.

Review the storyboard and determine the type of motion study that will be needed plus the viewpoint
and appearances considerations.
Component motion
There are only two motion streams. One is the rotation of the gears and the cutters. The other is the
pencil moving into the sharpener and then retracting.
All component motion can be achieved with key points. The only question is the gears. Because t he
motor will drive at a constant speed and there is no concern wit h backlash, an Animation st udy type
will work.
To show t he pencil being sharpened is going to require an in-context, assembly-level cut. This dictates
that the final animation will require the use of the Animation study type.
To show t he pencil being sharpened, the pencil moves into the sharpener until it intersects an
assembly cut. A lock mate will then be used to make sure that both the pencil and the cut move
backwards together.
Appearances
The final output will be a rendered animat ion, so we must make sure that the appearances are applied
correctly.
The appearances applied to t he pencil can be a problem because the in-context cut will create new
faces; therefore, it needs to be modeled as separate bodies wit h the appearances applied to the
individual bodies rather than faces.

Viewpoints
The viewpoints will be relatively close to the model so perspective will be important. Because the
bounding box of the model will continually change as the pencil moves into and out of the sharpener.
using a camera will be preferable to using viewpoints.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 519

3 Check appearances.
Et'?C- Appearances have already been added
to the components of the assembly.
Before you proceed. the assembly
should be rendered to make sure that
!~E; ~s r=-
everything looks the way you want it to
look.
~:c.Jsethe

~
4 Add gear mate.
S::Jdytyp:
Hide the Cover and change your
viewpoint so you can see the gears.
sdctates
Drag either gear as necessary so that
the starting position of the gears does
3an not have gear teeth clashing.
'<: ii:lOVe
Add a gear mate between the two gears. The larger gear has 58 teeth and the smaller gear has 11 teeth.

5 Organize mates.
The assembly mategroup already has two folders to organize the mates into those that will be used fo r
c:-e appliec
the animation and those that will not. Drag the new gear mate and drop it into the Assembly Mates
folder as we will not make changes to this mate during the animation.
::eate new
Preparation Work
~:::to the
Before starting to build the actual animation, we need to create two things, the cut feature and the
camera paths.

ccuse the Cut f eature

We will need an assembly cut feature to be able to create the cut on the pencil to sharpen it.
=sharpener.
Cameras
We will also need some camera paths created to be able to position the cameras during the animation
sequence. Our plan is to use three cameras: one for the overall shots, one to show the gears, and a
third to show the pencil being sharpened. During the animation sequence, we will switch between the
cameras.
520 Chapter 17

Assembly Cut 8
The key to sharpening the pencil is the in-context creation of the cut. The sketch that defines the Ad
assembly cut is derived from the face of a component which defines t he profile of t he cut. Once the the:
pencil is moved int o the sharpener, the definition part and the pencil are locked together so it appears
as though the cut remains as the pencil is removed. The definit ion part is simply hidden fo r the entire (

.
durat ion of the motion study.
A similar technique, not shown in the animat ion, is to create a part based on sketches derived in-context (
from ot her assembly components. The new part geomet ry then cha nges as the assembly components
are moved.

6 Create t he cutter part. I

Creat e a new part using millimeters as the length unit.
Creat e the sketch shown on the Front pla ne.
9
Extrude the sketch to a depth of 2 mm. In t
Save the part as r evolve cut assembly feature.

Exr

~~l____________________________\_1~-~
----------~~
-- Cre
~--------------------------80--------------------------~
Sel
Note A red appearance has been added to the component to make it easier to see in the assembly.

7 Insert the component into t he ass embly.

Hide the Blade and Gear Housing components so that
we can see the cutters.
Change your viewpoint so you can see the cutters.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 521

8 Add Mates.
es the Add three mates to position this component so
Once the that this part lines up with the cutter.
1 it appears

~n e entire
Coincident: Front face of revolved cut
assembly feature to Front plane of t he
assembly.
: in-context Coincident: Top edge of the revolved cut
:mponents assembly feature to Axis l in the assembly.
This axis is the pat h of the pencil.
Distance: Vertex of the revolved cut
assembly feature t o the inside face of the
Shreddings Tray. Set t he distance to S8mm.

9 Create revolved assembly cut.

In the assembly, create a sketch on the front face of the revolved cut assembly feature part.

Use Convert Entities to convert the edges of the part into the lines of the sketch.

Exit the sketch.

Create an assembly cut by clicking Insert, Assembly Feature, Cut, Revolve from t he menu.

Select the sketch we just made.

ssembly.
522 Chapter 17

In the PropertyManager, expand the section Feature Scope. Select Selected component and then select 12
the component Unsharpened Pencil. By using the Feature Scope. the only component t hat will be Cre.
affected by the cut will be the Unsharpened Pencil. spli1
are
Nan
~olve Parameters
,.. ~
The
see
5] IOoe.nirodion
~ 360.oodeg
13
The

Sho
Cre<
Add
Ske

10 Add a lock mate.

Add a lock mate between the pencil and the revolved cut assembly feature part.
Suppress this mate.
We will need this mate during the animation. but we will start with this mate suppressed. After the pencil
moves into the sharpener to its extreme position, we will unsuppress t his mate to lock the cut feature
to the pencil so that they will move together and t he pencil will retain the cut.

11 Create a camera path plane.

Click the Model tab. r 14
Cha1

~~
Create a new plane, lSOmm above the Top plane of the assembly.
Name the plane Camera Plane. HidE

15
Ail e
appt
Pho;
http
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 523

se.e:: 12 Create a camera path.

:JE Create a sketch on the Camera Plane, like the one shown. There are two
splines and a line. The splines are tangent at point 2 and the spline and line
are tangent at point 3.
Name the sketch Camera Path.
The sketch is approximate at this point and we can adjust it later once we
see how the camera views look.

13 Create a target pat h.

The key aim points for the cameras will be along the axis traveled by the pencil. Because there are no
convenient vertices to aim the cameras, we will create a simple sketch to define some aim points.
Show the feature Axis l.
Create a sketch on the front plane of the assembly. Create a line and make it colinear to Axisl.
Add three sketch points and add relations and dimensions to position them. Name the sketch Target
Sketch. Points A and B are coincident with the silhouette edges and C is lSOmm from point B.

150

E ::::-=
, -- (
-ra:--:

14 Change appearances.
Change the appearances of the Blade and Gear Housing components back to opaque.
Hide the component revolve cut assembly feature because we do not want to see it in the animation.

15 Learn more about appearances.

All of the appearances have previously been added to the components. For more information on
appearances and PhotoView 360, see the book Photorealistic Rendering Using So/idWorks and
Photo View 360 Step-by-Step available through the SolidWorks merchandise webstore:
http://store.solidworks.com. or Amazon.com.
524 Chapter 17

16 Create a motion study.

Create a new motion st udy. Name it Pencil Sharpener.
Select Animation for the Type of Study.

17 Diable views.
We will fi rst focus on the component motion, so we do not want to worry about different views at this (
time.
(
Select Disable View Key Creation and Disable Playback of View Keys.
r
18 Add a motor.
Add a rotary motor to the Drive Gear 8e Motor part. -"
Set t he motor type to Constant speed and the speed to 230RPM.
a
Important! The speed we choose for the motor needs to c
accomplish two things. First, it must be a speed that, when coupled e
with the frame rate, makes it look like the gears are turning and in i1
the correct direction. Secondly, it must be a speed compatible with
the rotation of the Blade part so that it is clear what is happening
in the animation. In t his particular case. this is difficult because of
the small size of the teeth. With 58 teeth. the teeth are only about
6 degrees apart. To make them appear to move, each successive frame must show the teeth moving oni'Y
one or two degrees. The logic in this case is to find a rotation speed that is correct for the Blade and J.,.
II
then adjust it from that speed to make the gears look correct.

19 Start motor.
In our storyboard, we want the motor to start after we see an overall view of the sharpener and then
2
zoom in on the gears.
Turn off the mot or at 0 seconds and then add a key point to turn it on at 8 seconds.

20 Set pencil motion.

The motion of the pencil is simple. It moves from its st art position
::I
to a point where the revolved cut will cut part of the Solid Works
writing on the flat of the pencil. This is done to make the motion
more visible. The pencil then returns t o its start position.
We will add the key points to have the pencil start moving at
10 seconds, be at the extreme position at 14 seconds and hold
position for 1 second, and return to the st art point at 19 seconds.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 525

Move the time bar to 14 seconds.

Move the pencil to a posit ion where the SolidWorks lett ering on the pencil is half cut away by t he
revolved cut

21 Add return path.

t'tS at :-.:s Copy the key point from 14 seconds to 15 seconds to hold the pencil at the cut position for one second.
Copy the key point from 0 seconds to 9 seconds and 19 seconds This will cause the pencil to hold its
start posit ion for the first 9 seconds while we orbit the assembly and watch the motor st art It will also
return the pencil to the starting position between 15 and 19 seconds.

22 Add intermediate key point.

The pencil should move quickly until the moment it contacts the cutter, and then it moves more slowly
as the wood is cut away. Rather than drag the pencil to the point of contact and then drag it further. we
create the full motion first and then break the motion into two parts: before the contact and after. It is
easy to adj ust the timing after that to get the right speeds. This technique is used to make the
movement of the pencil more natural.
Drag the time bar until the end of the pencil is just about to enter the Gear Housing (about
13.5 seconds).
In the MotionManager design tree, select the Unsharpened PenciL then click Add/Update Key.
~:::. -g~ -

:r-..-...;o ...._,_.._ Drag this new key point to 12 seconds. By moving this key point, we have shortened the time the pencil
....~-c.._
has to move from the start position to contact with the cutter and lengthened the time the pencil is
being cut. The pencil will now move quickly from 9 to 12 seconds as it moves into the sharpener, then
move slowly during the sharpening process from 12 t o 14 seconds.
c-,:: z-.e-
23 Animate mates.
The only mates that must be animated are for the component revolve cut assembly feature. The
existing mates will hold it in place until the pencil is fully inserted. At t hat point. the lock mate must be
unsuppressed to lock the two parts together. At the same time. we must suppress the distance mate to
allow the revolve cut assembly feature component to move. Otherwise. the mates would be in
conflict
Move the time bar to 14 seconds. Suppress the distance mate FOR ANIMATION- CUT LOCATION and
unsuppress the lock mate FOR ANIMATION-CUT LOCATION.
By suppressing the distance mate, the revolve cut assembly feature part is free to move in t he
direction in and out of the sharpener. By unsuppressing the lock mate, the revolve cut assembly
feature part and the Unsharpened Pencil become locked together in their current relative positions.
526 Chapter 17

24 Calculate.
Calculate the animation just to ma ke sure the mot ion is correct.

Animate Appearances
Now that the mot ion of the compone nts is correct, we can move on t o t he appearances.

There are t hree tasks in appearances.

The component revolve cut assembly feature must be hidden fo r the entire animation as it is r-::-
a real part of the sharpener.
The Cover needs to be hidden after the animation starts so that we can see the motor, gears. anc
blade.
The Gear Hou sing needs to be transparent so t ha t we can more easily see the pencil being
sharpened.

25 Hide compone nt.

Move the time bar to o seconds. Right-dick the component revolve cut assembly feature in the
MotionManager design t ree and click Hide.

Important! You must hide this part. not suppress it. as t he assembly cut is a child of this part.

26 Animate the Cover.

Move the t ime ba r to 7 seconds and hide the Cover. Copy the key point from 0 seconds to 6 secont"E
so that the Cover hides f rom 6 to 7 seconds.

27 Animate the Gear Housing.

Animate the Gear Housing so it becomes transparent between 10 and 11 seconds.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 527

Pencil Appearances
One thing to be aware of when changing part geomet ry in motion studies is the possibility that
appearances may be lost. This can happen when faces are cut, or bodies are split. To succeed in having
the red paint, the wood int erior. and the gra phite core. all three appearances were attached to
independent bodies in the same part. The paint was modeled as a thin shell, so that when the faces were
cut. the appearance remains. This is because the internal refe rence of the body did not change.
as ~t :s ~:-. . Experiment to find t he most robust appearance you can based on how you change the part geomet ry.

~ Unsharpened Pencil_Shoft_& 0 0
gec;s, a-c .@] Sensors
It (> Design Binder
rl1 ru Annotations

:.e-. -g e. iru Solid Bodies(3)

ILl Extrudol.
ILl Extrudel
ILl Fillet4
~= Material <not specified>
1
-~ Front ~
::'e ia t:-:E ~ Top ~
~ Right ~
1. Origin 1.
(f 1{0 Base-Extrude
..JC.I ..,.
~ ~ Cut-Extrude!
0 Filletl
I+, ~ Extrude!
!l- 1{0 ExtrudeZ
c 6s&on& $ 112
Extrude!
~ 1{0 Extrude9
+ 1{0 Extrudol.()
0 Fillet3
' t?l Fillet4

Viewpoints
We will use three cameras for this animation. One camera will give us the overall view of the initial setup
and then zoom in on the gears. Once the motor starts, we will shift to t he second camera. which will show
the pencil being sharpened, and then use the third camera zoom out t o give an overall view.

28 Add cameras.
Add three cameras. Each camera should be set to use a Standard SOmm lens and an Aspect rat io
of 16:9. Initially, aim all t he cameras at the assembly origin.
Add t he first camera to the long spline and move it to the end at point 1. Name the camera Orbit.
Add the second camera to the short spline and move it to t he end at point 2. Name the camera Gears.
Add the t hird camera to the line and move it to the end at point 3. Name t he camera Fade Out.
528 Chapter 17

Note The precise positioning and aiming of these cameras is not important at this point. We will
position and aim them correctly in the following steps. For now. we just need to have t he cameras
created.

29 Create view keys.

Now that we are ready to position the
cameras. we can let the view keys be created
as we make changes to the cameras. The
camera motion and targets are summarized
in the image to t he right. Camera times and
posit ions are shown in blue and t arget points
are shown in magenta.
Clear Disable View Key Creation.

C: 18-20 seconds

Origin: 0 seconds / 0 seconds

A: 8-10 seconds 1

30 Attach the camera.

Click the motion study tab.
Move the time bar to 0 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree. right-click t he
camera Orbit and click Properties.
Set the Percent distance along selected edge/
line/curve to 0% so that it is at point 1. Leave the
target point as the assembly origin.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 529

31 Set Orbit camera.

as Move t he t ime bar to 8 seconds.
In the MotionManager design tree, right-click
Cameral and click Properties. Adjust the Percent
distance along select ed edge/line/curve to 100%
so that the camera is at point 2. Change t he Target
Point to point A on the Target Sketch.
Make sure a key point is created for the camera at
this point.
32 Set second camera.
Leave the time bar at 8 seconds.
Edit the Gears camera and adjust the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve to 100%
(point 2). Move the Target Point to t he point A. This should make the sta rting position and target point
for this camera exactly the same as the ending point of the previous camera.
Make sure a key point is created for the camera at this point.
33 Second camera path.
Move the time bar to 12 seconds.
Edit the camera Gears and adjust the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve to 0 % (point 3).
Move the Target Point to point B.

34 Set third camera.

Move the time bar t o 14 seconds.
ll
Edit the Fade Out camera and adjust t he Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve t o 0%
(point 3). Move the Target Point to point B.

35 Establish third camera path.

Move the t ime bar to 18 seconds.
Edit the Fade Out camera and adjust the Percent distance along selected edge/line/curve
to 100% (point 4). Move the Target Point to point C.
530 Chapter 17

36 Adjust the camera timing.

Copy and move the camera key points so that we use the Orbit camera from 0 t o 8 seconds. At
8 seconds, switch to the Gears camera, but do not have the camera move untillOseconds. Have Gea...TS
complete its move by 12 seconds. At 14 seconds, shift to the Fade Out camera and have it move frorr
14 to 18 seconds. The timeline should look like the following.

[ 'ii' l ~ 'if.*~ ~ 5 sec

1 I I
10 sec
1 I I
p s ~ec 1
~ 121
1:J ~ Pencil Sharpener Assembly_& (Def<
~Orientation and Camera Views
13 ~ Lights, Cameras and Scene
<V
9'-
Ambient
Directionoll
9' Directional2
~Orbit
~Geors
~Fadeout
:=====::::::::=:=

@ RotaryMotor l
~ (f) Base_&.<!> (Def...tDefl
.z, ~ Cover_&.<I>(Defid:<<Defau

37 Calculate.
Calculate the motion and review the animation.

38 Edit the animation.

After reviewing the animation, you may want to edit the times and camera positions. Remember tha~
each camera is moving along the splines and line of the Camera Path sketch. To edit t he camera
positions, edit this one sketch.

39 Record the animation.

When you are satisfied wit h the animation, record it at 24 frames per second.

Remember to hide the Camera Pat h and Target sketches so that t hey do not show up in the video.

40 Examine the video.

When we were creating this video, 20 seconds seemed to be a long time. On playback, however, on
playback. the act ion may be too fast.

Lengthening Your Animation

lf you have put together your animation and you decide it is too short. t here are three ways to lengthe-
an existing animation:
Move the key points
This is a case of just dragging key points or groups of key points to locations down the timeline. Th~
method works, as it is just basic editing, but it can be very tedious for anything other than very simp =
animations. This method can also be a problem if there is any sequence of complicated timing
between components as it is easy to move a key point to an incorrect point.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 531

Stretch the timeline

This is a very simple way to lengthen an animation to a very specific length. As was mentioned in t he
-ea..~ introduction, you can Alt+drag t he top level key point and the entire timeline will stretch
proportionally.
There can be a problem with this method when motors are defined t o start at specific times. The
defined t ime does not change with this method, causing unpredictable results.
Change the playback speed
If we change the playback speed to O.Sx. the recorded animation will be twice as long. This is a very
reliable method as there are no changes to the timeline.
At first, this method may not seem obvious, but when you set the recording speed to some va lue like
10 frames per second. that will be 10 frames per second at the playback speed. So during every
second of recording. 10 fra mes will be captured. but only O.S seconds of video will have played. So, in
effect, you have lengthened the recorded video so that it t akes twice as long to play.

41 Lengthen the video.

Change the playback speed to o.sx.
Record the video again using the same settings as before (20 frames per second).
. :~a:
42 Examine the video .
-a Everything is the same, except the events go at half the previous speed so t hat the completed video is
now 40 seconds long.

43 Run a test render.

Save the animation to Photo View at O.S Frames per second to test the settings.
r ~~
.....c ...
44 Render.
If you are satisfied with the settings, render the animation using PhotoView at 24 Frames per second.
The completed video is provided in the Videos folder as Pencil Sharpener.mp4 as rendering this file
will take many hours.

45 Save and close all files.

r:g:-:-

'*' - "'
r Si..-::: E

ii-5
532 Chapter 17

Case Study: Jigsaw

In this case study, we will animate a jigsaw cutting through
a piece of wood.
The jigsaw has several subassemblies, most of which do not
need to be animated. The blade, however, needs to
reciprocate to be able to cut the wood and will require a
setting to allow it to move.
We will create the cut in the wood using the same technique
used to create a dynamic section view in the Hand Punch
case study in the last chapter.
Once the saw cuts through the wood, the scrap end of the
wood should fall away. The technique used to create this action will be that of multiple configurations
of the wood part. The wood has a procedural appearance which will require a small change to the way
the configurations of the wood piece are created.

Storyboard
Cl D
Play the completed video Saw Animation.mp4 from
Cl D
t he Videos folder. The camera will do a partial orbit of
Cl D
t he assembly and then zoom in on the blade.
Cl D
Jigsaw
The blade will start moving up and down, and t hen the
Cl D
saw will move through the wood, creat ing a cut. During
Cl D
the cut. t he camera will back away from the cut.
Cl D
When the wood is cut through, the scrap end will fall 0 D
away. D

~-
Cl

0 D
There are four major elements to this animation:
0 D
Camera path 0 0
The camera path will be two sections of a 3D sketch.
Cl D

ii
one to create the orbit and one to have the camera
Cl D
back away. Because we will not use post-processing,
Cl D
we want to create a seamless transition between the
0 D
camera paths.
Animating the saw blade
The saw blade will follow a reciprocating path.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 533

Creating the cut in the wood

Creating the cut will be done using an assembly cut which is tied to the saw blade, making it look like
the blade is doing the cut.
Making part of the wood piece fall away after the cut
We will use a technique of two configurations like that used for the sheet-metal cut in the Hand Punch
case study.

Procedure
1 Open the part.
Open the part Wood.sldprt from the Case Study\Jigsaw
folder. The wood part has the appearance unfinished oak
applied to the entire part.

-::;gurations
.:o the way

Procedural Appearances

lJ~'
Procedural appearances are applied based on the X, Y, and Z coordinat es of each point on the surface.
The importance of t his is that when we create the configurations of t he part, each configuration needs
to be referenced to the same origin so that the appearance will look correct.
This was not important in the Hand Punch case study as the appearance of the sheet metal was just a

~
~
solid uniform color. In this part. we have to consider the wood grain so that when we shift configurations
there will be no visible appearance change.
0
It is also important to remember that procedural appearances are only calculated when rendered in
0

Jllo Photo View 360. When a procedural appearance is viewed in RealView, it is shown as a 20 texture as
shown below.

~~I
Plo
LJ~I ReaiView Rendered in Photo View 360
534 Chapter 17

2 Create a sketch. 1(
This will be a reference sketch, placed where the rv
saw cut will occur. tr
Sketch a rectangle 350mm from the end wit h the 3!
origin. Make the rectangle 2mm wide and sc:
coincident to the long-side edges of t he part. Pc
Exit the sketch. cc

3 Create cuts.
Create two overlapping rectangular cuts. using the reference sketch. Both cuts must cut t he area
covered by the reference sketch so t hat the combined length of the two configurations is 2mm less than cr
the Full Board configuration. This gap is the equivalent of the saw cut.
fa
4 Create configurations.
Add two configurations to the part, naming them Long 11
and Short. Ec
srr
When you are done, the appearances on the Long and
Short configurations should be exactly the same as the Sk
wic
appropriat e sections of the Full Board.
5 Create new assembly. Ex
Create a new assembly and add three instances of the Re
Wood part at the origin. All three instances should be at
exactly the same place and be fixed. No
thE
6 Save. thE
Save and name the assembly Saw Animation. to
wit
7 Change configurations.
Change the configuration of the second instance of the Wood part to Long. 12

Change the configuration of t he third instance of the Wood part to Short. Wh

Ins
8 Hide.
Hide t he Long and Short instances so that only the Full Board configuration is visible. Set

9 Add the saw. Clic

Insert the assembly Jigsaw Assembly.sldasm. dirE
Um
con
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 535

10 Mate the saw.

Mate the saw so that the skid plate rests on the top of
the wood. Add a distance mat e to make t he saw blade
3SO.Smm from the end of the wood. This lines up the
saw blade with the center of the cut.

Position the J igsaw so that the blade is not yet in

contact with the wood.

Assembly Cut
.:--ea When the saw moves through the wood. we want to
ess tha- create a cut in the Wood part as if the saw blade was
making the cut. To creat e this cut. we will use an assembly cut that is based on a sketch on the front
face of the saw blade teet h.

11 Create a new sketch.

Edit the part Blade and create a new sketch on one of the
small faces on the blade teeth.
Sketch a rectangle with relationships that will keep it lmm
wider than the width of the blade teeth.

Exit the sketch. t hen rename the sketch Cut Profile.

Return to Edit Assembly mode.
Note This sketch is wider than the blade because the teeth on
t he blade model do not have set as would a real blade. Because
there will be no view in the animation that will allow the viewer
to see the fine detail of the blade. we can just compensate
with a wider cut.
12 Make assembly cut.
While in Edit Assembly mode, select the same face of the blade used in the previous step. then click
Insert Sketch from the menu.
Select the sketch in the part Cut Profile, then Convert Entities.

Click Insert, Assembly Feature, Cut, Extrude from the menu. Extrude Through All and make sure the
direction of the cut is away from the Wood part. Rename t he feature Saw Cut.
Under Feature Scope. select Selected components, and clear Auto-select. Select just the Wood
component.
536 Chapter 17

13 Test the cut.

Drag the Jigsaw Assembly so that the saw blade is in the
middle of the wood, then rebuild the assembly.
If the cut is correct. return the Jigsaw Assembly to its
starting posit ion and hide the sketches.

Assembly Changes
Before starting the animation, you must make some
important changes to the assembly:
Cha nge t he view display to hide the edges.
Change the subassemblies to give the parts inside them
the ability to move.
Suppress internal components in the saw that are not
seen in the animation. Suppressing these components can speed up the calculations.

14 Change view display.

The default view display is Shaded With Edges.
Normally this is a good display to use when
modeling. but for animations in RealView it is
more realistic if the edges are not showing.
Click Shaded ~ .
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 537

15 Make assembly flexible. Component Properties ~

The saw blade is in a subassembly of the General P<oper~es
jigsaw, which is a subassembly of the Component Name: ~ l.!.!,lrtt:ttt~l'Jt'] Instance Id: 1 FuiName: Plunger Assembly_I

top level assembly. To be able to Component Reference:

animat e the saw blade. its assembly Spool Reference:

must be made flexible as well as each Component Desaiption: Plunger Asserrbly_&

subassembly that contains it up to the Model Doa.ment Poth: C:\Solidl"/orl<s Step-by-Step GUdes\Crealing AsWnations v.ith Solidl'lori<s

t op level. (Please use FieJRepia<e amnand to replace model of the """""""'t(s))

Click the Jigsaw Assembly
subassembly from t he FeatureManager
Des ign Tree and select Properties ~ -
Select Flexible and click OK.
Display State spedfic proper~
0 Hdec.,._,.,t
Referenced Display State
DefaUt_Oispiay Statel
l < Default:> _Ap.,earance Display State

Olange dsplay proper~ n: .J

Configuration specific P<operties
Re peat the procedure for the Plunger Referenced confiQuration Suppression stole
Assembly subassembly. Default
~ ) Suppressed

@Resolved
LJghtv...q,t

Solve as
) Rigid
0\flel<i:>l<!

Olange proper~ i1: IThis configu-ation I u Exdude from bi

of materiols

~ I eance1 I GLJ

Animation of the Jigsaw Blade

The animation of the jigsaw blade requires a mot or to an imate t he reciprocat ing motion.
16 Rename the motion study.
Click the Motion Study l tab.

Rename the motion study Wood Cut.

538 Chapter 17

17 Set oscillating motor. 22 I

Click Motor ~ and Linear Motor Drag
(Actuator) ~. 18.S ~
Select the face of the Blade for the saw.
location, the linear edge of the Blade for Hide
direction as shown.
Chan
Select the Skid Plate for Component to
move relative to. 23 F
If t he
Set the values for the motor as shown. fixed,
Because the blade is starting at the top of Featt
its travel. t he initial direction should be set comp
as down. An alternative would be to set the Move
direction as up and add a goo phase shift. Se lec
Click OK. Rota1

Note Choosing the correct speed for the blade can be difficult as the blade on a real saw moves fast Selec
enough to make seeing the individual features difficult. In an animation we may have to move the blade comp
more slowly to make it look bett er in t he animation. comp

18 Disable view keys. 24 tv

Right-click t he Orientation and Camera Views compo nent and click Disable Playback of View Keys. Move
This will keep the view orientation changes from being captured as you zoom in to work. ani me:
click~
19 Move the saw. XYZ.
Create key points to have the saw blade start moving at 6.5 seconds from its starting posit ion to about
20mm past the end of the board at 20 seconds. Wit h the existing mates, the jig saw can only move in Drag t
one direction. comp1
end of
20 Turn motor off and on.
Turn off the linear motor at 0 seconds and have it t urn on at 5 seconds.

21 Calculate and play.

Test the work so far. Nothing should happen for t he first 5 seconds. The motor should then turn on and
1.5 seconds later, the saw should move through t he board and create a cut.
 Advanced Topics with lnContext Modeling 539

22 Hide/show the wood.

Drag the time bar to the point where the saw blade just gets to the end of the cut. This wil l be around
ft- $l
18.5 seconds, but your value may be slightly different depending on the start and end positions of the
:.:; s;.;.~ ASSEM:
saw.
~ SAW A55e.ol

,o.ssa.ay _&.-:
Hide the Wood part (Full Board configuration) and show t he Long and Short configurations.

~
Change the Interpolation Mode fo r all t hree parts to Snap.
23 Rotate component.
If the Wood component in the Sh ort configuration is
fixed, you will have to float it before it can move. In the
FeatureManager design tree, right -click the
component Wood (Short) and click Float.

D -
o:r ll>enlar~
Move the time bar about 0.4 seconds t o the right.
Select the Wood (Short) component and click
Rotate Component ~ and select About Entity.

-::JVes fast Select the bottom edge of the Wood (Short)

-e the blade component t hat is next to the blade and drag the
component as shown.

24 Move component.
=view Keys. Move the time bar to 20 seconds (end of the
animation). Select the Wood (Short) component and
click Move Component ~ and select Along Assembly
XYZ.
::::1 to about
, 'I move in Drag the component downward as shown. We want this
component to move fa r enough to be out of view at the
end of the animation.

~u;-n on and
540 Chapter 17

25 Create a camera path.

Create a 30 sketch. In the Top view, sketch a two-point spline from point 1 to point 2, t hen a stra ight line
from point 2 to point 3.
Use t he spline handles to adjust the shape of the sp line to approximately t he shape shown. The line
should be tangent to the spline so that we get a smooth transition between camera views.
The intent is that the camera will go from point 1 to point 2 and stop, then it will back away from the saw
going from point 2 to point 3.
t
Tip When adjusting a 30 spline, split the window to Four View. When you drag points. t hey will drag parallel
to the plane of the view. Start in the Top view and get the general shape. Change to the Front view and drag
point 2 vertically. Continue to adjust as necessary.

!! Sa-.v Antm;,tJon_& SLOASM

lr
b
c.

2
R
w
:F~
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olr~ic==============================

3 3
w

2 M
Ri

L. M

G:i *front m Rtght

Ri,
Model m lee

Exit the sketch and name it Camera Path.

 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 541

26 Add first camera.

g-:: ..Cv.O' We are going to add two cameras, both will use a ou!tl
50mm Standard lens and 11:8.5 Aspect ratio.
Add a camera to the spline. Have it move from
point 1 at o seconds to point 2 at 6 seconds.
r;--e sc We want the cameras to aim at the point where the
saw is cutting the wood. There is, however, no point
there, so we will pick something close. Aim the
X-,..2 _!:
camera at the vertex shown on the Skid Plat e.
--..-.~
,..,. _.5:
::r.ll .--

Name this camera Orbit.

27 Add second camera.

Add a camera to the straight line and aim it at the
same point as the first camera. Have it move from point 2 at 10 seconds to point 3 at 16.5 seconds.
Name this camera Dolly Out.
Important! Because point 2 is a common point for both the spline and line, we will be able to switch
between these two cameras without a change in the view seen on the screen. If we need to adjust the
camera path, adjusting point 2 in t he sketch will move bot h cameras t ogether.

28 Enable view keys.

Right-click the Orientation and Camera Views component and clear Disable View Key Creation. This
will make it easier to create the camera keys.

29 Create camera keys.

We want to start the animation looking through the Orbit camera. It will stop at point 2 and we will see
the saw start. We then switch to the Dolly Out camera and back away so t hat when the wood is cut, we
will be able to see it fall.

, Move the t ime bar to 0 seconds.

Right-click the Orbit camera and select Camera View.

Move the t ime bar to 10 seconds.

Right-dick the Dolly Out camera and select Camera View.

542 Chapter 17

30 Calculate and play. St

Note that the blade movement is not smooth. This is the result of the frame rate and t he speed of Ar
calculation. We discussed the problem of stroboscopic effect caused by frame rate in the last chapter. be
18C
The other problem may be the camera views. To fix the camera views, edit the Camera Path sketch.
pi~
Because the cameras are both tied to this sketch, the adjustments are easy to make.
stc:
There are several parts inside the saw that have no effect on the animation. Some of them may not move foL
and as a result will move outside of the saw body. Once you identify these components, hide them at the
beginning of the animation.
<
31 Record.
Save the animation as an AVI file.
32 Save and close all files.

Bending Parts
One of the basic concepts of animations is that parts are solved as rigid bodies. What this means is t hat L

one body cannot deform through contact with other bodies such as a golf ball being struck by a golf club.
c
In Chapter 8. however. we saw that parts could have their shape changed through in-context modeling.
Many advanced animations use in-context modeling. so if you are not comfortable with this concept you
will need to learn more about it. In-context modeling is covered in the SolidWorks Assemblies tra ining
course available from your SolidWorks reseller.

Case Study: The Pipe Bender

The pipe bender is a case study about bending a
part. This animation was first done in 2001. so the
Pre
techniques used in this animation are not new but
At
it shows some ingenuity in its solution. There have
po ~
been only slight modifications to the original
spe
animation due to some changes in the algorithms
hov
over t he years, but they are very small.
Attribution
Op,
The original models and concept for the case
study were provided by Mike J. Wilson and used 2
with his permission. Usi
incl
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 543

St oryboard
ed of A piece of pipe is inserted into the pipe bender. The
~chapter. bender clamps the pipe and then rotates. bending the pipe
180 degrees. The bender releases the pipe and the bent
CJ ~
CJ ~ CJ CJ
t sketch. CJ CJ
pipe is retracted. The bender then rotates back to the
Pipe Bender CJ CJ
starting position. Play t he animation Pipe Bender.mp4

~~~
""'.ot move found in the Videos folder to see the final result.
ell at the

'S+ep T i<"VVe Pescr-ip+iof"'

CJ ~ CJ
CJ - CJ
0 - I Es+ ... bl is/., iid sl.,o+ CJ CJ
CJ CJ
2 1 -3 P ip e <"V~Oves o ....+o ...., ....... Jr-e l.
3 3 -4 cl.......,p closes. CJ ~ CJ
CJ CJ

~~s is tha:: CJ CJ
4 4 -G P l...+~or-<"VV ro+ ....+es 180o
! golf clu:;. CJ CJ

~.ode ling.
5 G - 7 C/c......,p opef"':S
"'.Ce;:>tyoL G G - 8 Pipe r-e+r-..._c+s.
s ::'Oining
7 8 -10 Plc..+~or-<"VV r-o+c..+es +o s+...r-+
posi+io .....

~
8 10 - II P .... r+iid s l.,o+

Procedure
At this point in t he book, you should be able t o create all the motion necessary to move the tubing into
position, close the clamp, rotate the bender, and reverse all the motion, so we will not discuss the
specific steps to do that part of the animation. All we will concern ourselves with is the pipe part and
how to make it bend.

1 Open the assembly.

Open the assembly Pipe Bender.sldasm from t he Case Study fo lder.

2 Animate the bender.

Using the information from the storyboard, animate all the existing components. The Pipe part is not
included as we will create it in the following steps.
544 Chapter 17

The Pipe Part 4

There are several requirements for this part. When created, it must include the bend. As you will see, we Crea
will creat e the bend and then cut it away with a movable sketch. This movable sketch will have an Pipe
external relationship to a moving part of the assembly. There is an additional requirement for this model
because an actual pipe will maintain the same overall length as it is bent. In our model. we will be 5
Crea
lengthening one end of the pipe with the moving cut, so we must also shorten the other end of the pipe
Entit
by the same amount.
sketc
The part is a little difficult to ful ly explain until you see how it works. Therefore, we will build the part
Note
and then explain how the geometry works. The basic outline of how this part is created:
will b
Create the pipe as a sweep.
m Cut off one end with a movable cut.
6 c
Creat
a Shorten the other end of the pipe by the same amount that t he first end lengthens.
segm
3 Create the pipe part.
Create a new part in millimeters. Name the part Pipe. 7 c
Sketc
PlanE
Path
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 545

4 Create a sketch.
...ill see, we Create the sketch shown on the Top plane. Name the sketch
:;, :e an Pipe Layout.
this mode!
5 Create a path sketch.
rill be 25
Create a new sketch on the Top plane and use Convert
::~f the pipe
Entities to creat e the sketch entities from t he Pipe Layout
1112
sketch. Name this sketch Pipe Path.
18 the part
Note This may initially appear redundant. but its purpose
R50
will be explained later.

6 Create a plane.
Create a new plane at the end of the long straight line
segment shown as point A. Name the plane Profile Plane.

7 Create a profile.
Sketch a circle with a diameter of 32mm on the Profile 320 m
Plane and add a Pierce relationship to the end of the Pipe
Path sketch. Name this s ketch Pipe Profile.

8 Create a sweep.
. .L- -,/
Sweep the Pipe Profile sketch along the Pipe Path sketch.
546 Chapter 17

9 Cut the pipe.

v
Create a sketch on the Top plane.
a
Sketch a line from the center of the arc
horizontally t o t he left, past the part
Origin. Make sure that the end of the
line is coincident with t he center of the
arc. Also make sure that the line does
not have any other relationships, as we
want to be able to pivot it on the center 175 -
of the arc. 270.00''

Add an angular reference dimension as

shown. We will use t his dimension in an
equation that will shorten t he straight
end of t he pipe. Name the dimension
Cut Angle. Name the sketch Cut
Sketch.
Use the sketch to extrude a cut which removes the curved end of the pipe.
Important! Make sure the angle dimension is a reference dimension and not a driving dimension.

10 Lengthen the pipe.

Create a sketch on the cut end of the pipe and convert the outer edge of the pipe.
Extrude the sketch 12Smm.

11 Shell the pipe. p

Shell the pipe to a wall thickness of 1.7Smm.
We now have all the geometry and we can see how this part works.

12 Bend the pipe.

Edit the Cut Sketch and drag the line to different angles and t hen exit the sketch
and let the part rebu ild. The images below show what should happen. When we
use this part in the assembly, it will be clamped in the Mandrel at the sket ch line.
As the Platform rot ates, the part of the pipe that was form ed by the last
Boss-Extrude feature remains a fixed length as the pipe on the other side bends
around the Mandrel.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 547
-------- ----------------------------------- ------------
When this part is inserted into the assembly. t he Cut Sket ch line will be given a relationship t o keep it
\
- I
aligned with the Platform so that as the Platform rotates. the pipe will appear to bend.

__/

; :::il.
13 Add the pipe to the assembly.
Add the Pipe to the assembly. Mate it concentric to the
Mandrel with the orientation such that the 12Smm extrusion
is not on the Mandrel. Add a second mate to keep the Top
plane of the Pipe parallel to the Top plane of the Mandrel.
~
'J

c./
548 Chapter 17

14 Animate t he pipe.
The Pipe has only two positions in the animation, the
f irst is offscreen and the second is in its clamped
position.

Move the time bar to 3 seconds. Move the Pipe onto

the Mandrel so that the arc of t he Pipe Layout
sketch is concentric to the Die. You do not have to
use a mate to set this position, just visually adjusting
the position from the top view is good enough.

Make sure a key point is created for the Pipe.

15 Retract the pipe.

Copy the two key points from the Pipe as follows.
Copy the key point from 3 seconds to 6 s econds to
hold t he Pipe in posit ion while it is bent. Copy the
key point from o seconds to 1 second and 8 s econds to prevent the pipe from moving during the
establishing shot and to remove the bent Pipe from the bender.

16 Test the animation.

The motion s hou ld now be correct, except that the Pipe does not bend. To fix this we need to create a
relationship between the line used in the Pipe that cuts off the sweep with the rotation of the Platform.

17 Add a relations hip.

Select the Model tab.

Edit t he Pipe in-context and then edit the sketch Cut Sketch.

Add a Parallel relationship between the line in the sketch and the Right plane of the component Clamp
Press Casing.

Note You could add this relationship t o any element that rotates with t he Platform. The key is that the
sketch line rotates with Platform so that the cut follows the Platform position.

18 Test the animation.

This time, the Pipe should bend as the Platform rotates.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 549

19 Maintain pipe length.

The one problem we have with the pipe is that the lengt h of the pipe changes as it is bent because we
are just cutting off less of the original sweep as t he Cut sketch rotates. To solve this pro blem and keep
the overall length of t he pipe constant. we will add an equation to shorten t he lo ng straight section.
The logic is that the equation will calculate the length of the
st raight section as follows:
Length = Original Length - Arc Length
25
This results in the straight length decreasing as the arc
length increases.
The arc length is just a fraction of t he circumference based
on the bend angle. As the bend angle starts at 270 degrees,
and we want t he original fraction to start at zero and
increase to 50 percent as the bend angle goes from
270 degrees t o go degrees, we have to construct t he r------L
I 257
I ___L
m
I ______________~
;::le fraction: (Modify '

03~ loyout

Fraction = ((360 - (bend angle+ 90))/360 ~ =257-{314"(360 ( "Cut ~#Cut sketch"-+90))/360)

::reate a This makes t he equat ion: ~ x e t? ~

:r..atform. Original Length- (circumference x (360 - (angle+ go))/
360)
Add this equation to the length in the sketch line.
Question
Why is t he original length 257mm?
. Clamp
If you examine the geometry, this is the initial length that will
cause the bent part shape to be a U shape with equal legs. You
;::hatthe
could use ot her values for the initial dimension. but the final part
would not have legs of equal length.

20 Test the animation.

The animation should now work correctly.
The animation is a little fast. so set t he Playback Speed to .sx.
550 Chapter 17

The Pipe Layout Sketch 3 E

Why did we create a Pipe Layout sketch if we were going to duplicate it as the Pipe Path sketch? If Open
we were not creating an animation, we could have just used the Pipe Path sketch and put all the canst
dimensions and equations in this one sketch. With an animation, solut ion problems can result when side.
equations are changing dimensions in sketches absorbed by other features. In this case, the Pipe Path
sketch is absorbed by t he sweep feature. By creating a layout sketch as the first feature of the part, the
equations solve more reliably.

21 Close.
-..
Save and close all files.
4 E
Case Study: The American Flag Open
This is the first of two case studies showing how to
All of
create a moving surface. Each case study will animate a
lange
flag but by different methods. In the American flag. this
is actually a sheet metal part made up of many elements.
Motion is driven by a moving spline. In the flowing case
st udy of a SolidWorks flag. motion is driven by a rotary
-
motor turning a helix which defines a lofted surface.
Play the file American Flag.mp4 t o see how the flag Once
looks when animated. If we
Attribution
The original models and concepts for this and the
fo llowing case study were provided by Mike J. Wilson and used with his permiss ion.
The American Flag
In this case study, we will not do all of the steps to create this animation. Instead we will dissect the
methodology used to create the animation. While the concepts and steps are easy to do. they are very
repetitious and t he solution can take some time.

Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open t he assembly American Flag.sldasm.
2 Examine the assembly.
The assembly consists of three parts: two assembly-level patterns and an assembly cut.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 551

3 Examine the flag shaper.

>--<e,ch? I~ Open the part American Flag Shaper in its own window. This part contains just one sketch that has a
--e
const ruction line and a spline. The purpose of this part is to move the elements of the flag from side to
. ~ e il
side.
'!.;>e Pa::.::
=:Jart, t~e
--- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4 Examine a stripe.
Open the part American Flag Stripe in its own window. The part consists of a series of straight lines.
AUof the lines are the same length except for the one that attaches to the Origin, which is slightly
longer.

~
Once this sketch is extruded as a thin feature, it is converted into sheet met al.
If we select View, Sketch Relations, we can see that each endpoint has a relationship to the sp line.

sect the
~ c:re very 1D1 Plll
552 Chapter 17

5 Examine the union.

Open the part American Flag Union in its own window. The union is constructed in the same way as
the stripe except that there are fewer segments .

.7630n 3815
-~-----

Sheet Metal Features

What is the purpose of converting these parts to sheet metal? The sheet metal feature comes after the
extrude feature in the FeatureManager design tree. When applied. it adds a bend between each segment
at the default bend radius. As this bend radius is re latively large, it smooths the section transitions so
t hat there is no crease between the straight sections.

6 Open a part.
Open the part American Flag Stripe in its own window. Suppress and unsuppress the Sheet-Metal
feature and observe the differences in the shape of the surface.

F
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 553

Moving the Surface

--
.:..J"-t::r ~
~~
The way this animation works is to move the American Flag Shaper part. As the points in the sketches
of the American Flag Union and American Flag Stripe are related to the spline on the Waving
Flag Shaper sketch, they move from side to side. At each frame, the parts rebuild and the sheet metal
features recalculate the bends to keep the flag smooth.

Play the file American Flag-

sketches.mp4. You can see that the sketch
in the American Flag Shaper part moves
past the flag. As sketches in the American
Flag Union and American Flag Stripe
... _ - .... are related to the spline in the sketch, the
"5-':?-: points must move back and forth in the Z
::-s s= direction. With this construction, the points
can also move in the X direction if the
amplitude of the spline increases or
decreases.
J .ro- ,... ..
~-...;e._

This construction shows a lot of capability by using a separate union and patterns to create all t he
stripes. A variation of this assembly could use just a single stripe extruded to the full height of t he f lag.
Instead of applying appearances to the individual stripes, a decal could be used. To see an example, play
the file French Flag.mp4.

7 Close.
Close all open files.

Case Study: SolidWorks Flag

This case study demonstrates a diffe rent method to shape a
part using a loft with a guide curve. One advantage of this
method is that the motion can be driven by a motor which
allows for a longer animation and also makes it easier to
creat e a seamless loop for an apparent continuous play.

Another advantage is that the flag surface is being controlled

by curves so that the result is much smoother than t he sheet
metal option above. Finally, the animation calculates much
faster as there is no need to calculate all t he bend features.

Play the video SolidWorks Flag.mp4 to see how the final

animation looks.
554 Chapter 17
------------------------------------- -- ----------------

Procedure 3
1 Open the assembly. T
Flag.Sl.DPRT Cill000CJ[]D~
Open the assembly Flag.sldasm from the
SolidWorks Flag l folder.

2 Open the part.

Open the part Flag.sldprt in its own
window.
r )( ~
~-
y

"
~ I

CD *Top ~Trimetric:

Expand the loft feat ure Flag and notice that

~
there are three sketches for the loft.

d--- z.J
y

t I
I

I
* Front <lD *Righi
f' ~ ...._.I Model MoHon studv 1

The loft goes from the straight line

sketch named Flag, Beginning to
the 3D sketch Flag, End.
Guide Curve(Fiag Shape)

The remaining sketch, Flag Shape,

A~
controls t he waving of the flag. This is
an in-context sketch to the other part a
Si l
in the assembly called Spring.
4
RE
SE
E>
Prof~e(Fiag, Beginning) SJ
Profi:e(Fiag, End)
we
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 555

3 Open the part Spring.

This part contains just one sketch which is a helix.

Spnng.SLDPRT

~~@-~
91 Spring (--- <D!!playSt.tl...
i@liffiMW!fSfi
.;' )( 1
~.,.....

,.,
rx
.....
~A ~~
Deli~

JHeight and RevokJtion ] i .,

~--
Parameters
Constzlntpitdl
* CD * Top "'Trimetric

ro- Vori!lble pitch

Re9on par~~: l:
H Rev p Dia
1 Din 0 20in lin
2 30n 1 'lOin lllin
t
,,
3 7CNl 2 'lOin 15in
4 - ~ ::: ~

-- -
ZJ
0 Reverse direction
~ ' c::> ' Front *Right
Model I Motion StudY 1

As the sketch Flag Shape in the part Flag is a 20 sketch. t he projection onto the sketch plane produces
a sine wave. In the animation, the Spring part rotates around the axis of the helix producing a moving
sine wave in t he Flag Shape sketch.

4 Edit assembly.
Return to Edit Ass embly mode.

Select the Completed Motion Stu dy tab.

Examine the MotionManager design tree and you can see that there is a rot ary motor that drives the
Spring part at 12 rpm. At this speed, the helix will make one turn in 5 seconds, so to get a continuous
if.iiiO !iii
wave we can make aS-second animation and just loop it. This is all that is needed to drive this animation.
556 Chapter 17
~-- - - -- --- - --- - --- - ------------------- - ------- -- ----- - -

Rectangular Flag 7
To creat e a variation of this flag, all we need t o do is make a slight adjustment to one of the sketches. Cha1
In the previous steps, t he loft went from a line t o a point If we edit t he 3D sket ch Flag, End and change
it to a line, we will get a rect angular flag. 8
ReCI
5 Edit the sketch. com
Open the part Flag in its own window Flaf
Edit the 3D sketch Flag, En d. 9
Play
Sketch a vert ical line and make it midpoint to the point in t he sketch.
havE
Exit the sketch.
10
6 Edit the loft feature. Clos
You may or may not have to edit t he loft feature depending on how you
drew t he line. If the loft fai ls, it is because the connect or is going from
the top end of t he start sketch t o the bottom end of t he end sketch. If
t his happens, edit t he loft and reselect the end sketch near the top.

Prof~e(Fiag. End)
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 557

7 Change decal.
e sketches. Change th e decal to the Let's Go Design logo.
! and change
8 Record.
Record this animation f or 5 seconds. The

Is
complet ed animation is provided as SolidWorks
Flag 2 .mp4 in the Videos folder.

9 Play.
Play the animat ion in loop mode and you will
have a continuously waving flag.

10 Close.
Close all open files.
a
II
558 Chapter 17

Case Study: Cable Winding Off a Reel 2

This case study demonstrates another common animation problem, t hat of winding a part on or off The
another part. There are other methods to accomplish this animation other t han just the method shown oft
in this case study. but the method shown here is very reliable and produces good results. the
Attribution rot<
The original models and concept for the case study were provided by Depak Gupta and used with his inst
permission. rot<
t he
Storyboard the
The storyboard is simply that both reels will rotate in the same direction at the same speed and t he mai
cable will transfer from one reel t o the other. Play the video Cable Roll On-Off.mp4 to see the finished apa
result.
The
botl

3
Ope
feai
dim
and
the!
Cre
In tt
Cable Solution Method cabI
The method used to create the cable is sweeping a profile along a helix. When first looking at this
problem, most people will think to st art the part by creating a helix at the end of the cable and working eve1
toward the crossover point. A better solution is to start at the crossover point in the middle and create adju
the helix so that it extends from the crossover point toward the end of the cable. The logic is t hat the
geometry of the cable is consta nt in the middle and the only thing that changes is the amount of turns. 4
Use
The helix is defined by height and pitch. This allows the height of the helix to be controlled by a simple
equation.
Procedure
1 Open the assembly.
Open the assembly Cable Assembly.sldasm.
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 559

2 Examine the assembly.

>n or off The assembly has the two instances
:hod shown of the Reel part. One is positioned on
the origin and is mated so that it can
rotate around its axis. The second
d with his instance is also mated so that it can
rotate about its axis and is aligned to
...
the first instance by the Top plane of
the assembly. There is also a distance
:and the mat e which holds the reels 200mm 0
:e fin ished apart.
There is a gear mate to make sure "
both reels turn together.

3 Examine the Reel.

Open the Reel part in its own window. Double-click t he I---- 80 - -..-;
feature Revolve l to see the dimensions. The two important
dimensions are the diameter of the cylinder, which is SSmm,
and the distance between the end plates, 80mm. We will need
these numbers to construct the cable.

Creating the Cable zl

ln this case study, we will create a single part for the entire
cable. Alternative methods could be used where the cable is
c<: this constructed as three separate parts; however, creating
.i dworking everything in one part facilit ates making changes when ..____ _ 105 _ ____,
and create adjusting the animation.
5 that the
_'Ct of turns. 4 Create a new part.
Use a temp late with millimeter units.
-:.y a simple
560 Chapter 17

5 Create first sweep. ~l!mtF= m

On the Front plane, sketch a circle 6omm in diameter centered on the origin. ~ X
Creat e a helix defined by Height and Pitch. Set the height at 34mm and the
pitch at 6mm. The exact height is not important at this point as it will
l~
~-
:]
ond_p;:tch:::~==.:;:ill
-=
~-
Parameters ~
... J
eventually be defined by an equation. 0 Constant pitch
Variable pitch
Create a profile sketch of a smm circle and sweep it along the helix. Hed>t:
:J.'l.OOOnvn
6 Create a new plane. Pitch:
Create a new plane offset from the Front plane by 6.36mm. 6.GOOmm

::J Reverse direction

Stzrti!Ij.e:
90.00deg

0 Oockv.ise
Counterclockwise

7 Create second sweep.

Create a sketch on this new plane 200mm
from t he origin and horizontal to it. L
Create a helix defined by height and pitch.
Set the height at 3Smm and the pitch at
6mm. Again, the exact height is not
important , we just need to get the sweep
~----200 J
established. c
t
Create a profile sketch of a smm circle and sweep it along the helix.

8 Edit the features.

Check the part from the top view. ---
----
............__,
-. ......__
------ ..
t
t
F
Make sure that the sweeps t urn - ~ -- - - - - Start Points - ~- -
opposite each other and that t he ~
starting points are on the top. ------ .
-~ --
.-~ - 1

If necessary, reverse the dimension

Top View
--
. .......-__ . .
c
t
of the offset plane so that the two helixes have the posit ions shown.
L
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 561

9 Complete the cable.

Create a 3D sketch and sketch a line
between the two start points. The
ends of the line shou ld be concentric
-
. -=-=
.. ~ .

:-=T,:r-
111113
__.1 ::..

- ~
to the end profile of each sweep and : ---:---.
~

on a plane. Create a profile sketch on : _:_ .

one end of the line that is coradial

with the end of t he cable and create a new sweep.

10 Check the part.

lll:r: Back in step 6, the offset plane was set at 6.36mm. This value was determined by simple trigonometry,
knowing the pitch and circumference of t he cable, so that the sweep creating the straight section would
appear tangent to the two he lixes. You could arrive at this number by trial and error and get close

- enough. If there is a kink, adjust the distance of the offset plane unt il you have smooth transitions.
Note An alternative would be to create a loft between the two ends of the helixes and set the end
l conditions to create smooth transitions. This is actually more work as you would also need to make sure
the loft connector does not twist.
I
Insert the part into the assembly.
r 11
Save the part as Cable.sldprt and then insert it into the assembly.

Mate the part so that helixes are concentric to the reels. At this point, the
Cable part should be able t o move only in one direction, along the axes of
the reels.
Add a dist ance mate between the Front plane of the Cable and t he face of
the reel shown. Set the distance to any value between 20mm and 6omm.
Rename this mate Moving Plane.

Mate Function
This distance mate will be used to move the cable along t he reel during the animation. As the part is now
constructed, the coils will just pass through the ends of the reel as we adjust this mate. What we need
to do is to smoothly reduce the height of the helix as the plane moves toward the end of the reel.
Likewise, on the other reel, the height of the helix needs to be increased by the same amount.
562 Chapter 17

12 Add equations. 14
For t he helix on the cylinder with the distance mate. the height of t he helix is the va lue of the distance Cree:
mate, minus some constant to keep the cable sweep from ending in the reel. For the other helix, the
equation is a constant minus the value of the dist ance mate. Mov
Mov
Equations, Global Va nables, and 01mensions

r~~~~ 'il' Filer AI Fields .. Add

i rlame
--
1 'Helix 2 Height@M<ix/Spirall@Cab!e < l >.Part'
Value I Equation
"Dl~vilg Plane' 6
Evaluates to
34mm
Comments I OK I 15
2 1 'Helix 1 Height~eix/Sp;rai2@Cab!e< I>.Port' = 70 "Dl~o'ing Plane' 30nvn I Cancel
I Calc
'
I Import ..
I oft~
I Export. ..
I that
I ~ I
16 ~
~ees::::::J
=.J Automaticaly rebuild ~ Angi.Aar equation lrlits: ~ 1Automatic solve order
Save
U Lirk to external file:
~

13 Test the assembly.

Edit the value of the distance mate between 20mm and 60mm and make sure the equations work.

- - -
I
 Advanced Topics with In-Context Modeling 563

14 Create an animation.
s:~== Create a new motion study.
~-.c
Move the time bar to 0 seconds. Edit the distance mate and set it at 6omm.
Move the time bar to 11 seconds. Edit the distance mate and set it to 20mm.
Add a rotary motor t o one of the reels and set it for a constant speed of 30 RPM.

15 Play.
Calculate and play the animation. Notice that the cable appears to unwind even though t he only motion
of the Cable part is linear t ranslation. The reels are rotating, but they just help to give the impression
t hat the cable is unwinding from the reels.
16 Save.
Save and dose all part s.

1'!!.-.
Tips and Tricks for Better
Animations

Upon successful completion of this chapter,

you will be able to:
Understand the uses of a good storyboard.
Understand the importance of s mooth camera motion.
Understand the importance of proper animat ion timing.
Make better workflow decisions when creating animations.
566 Chapter 18

Putting It All Together

The purpose of this final chapter is to review many of the topics covered in the previous chapters and
to highlight techniques that lead to better animations. Some of the items below have been repeated
from t he earlier chapters. but the information bears repeating.

Planning
Creating an animation is just like designing t he parts themselves in that understanding t he design intent
is critical t o achieving the final result There are many questions we need to answer and most of them
are captured in some form of a st oryboard.

Storyboards
It is easy to think of a storyboard as unnecessary and a waste of time. However, the more complicated
the animation. the more time t hat will be saved by a good storyboard. The storyboard is not just a map
of t he specific moves. It should also have a section to consider the out put, as you should start with a
description of the fin ished project and then work backward to the details. What form should the
storyboard take? That is up to you, the important thing is that you understand where you are going. Key
elements of the planning:
Definition of the finished product
What is the story you are trying to tell?
What will the format be of final video? Will it be still images. AVI. MOV, WMF, etc.?
What playback device(s) will be used to play the final video? These could be a mobile device.
computer screen, TV, projector. etc.
What aspect ratio: 4:3. 16:9. or something custom?
Is there a required t ime length?
Is t here a maximum file size?
Is there a file type required by the playback method?
Which compression techniques will be used?
Will post-processing be required?
Will the fina l video have t o be rendered with PhotoView 360? Will that require distributed
processing t o get the video rendered in a reasonable time?
Will the video be looped? If so, will it be a seamless loop or a repeated loop?
Will t itles or annotations be required? If so. where will t he t itles and/or annotat ions be placed?
An imation mechanics
Will this be a physics or non-physics-based animation?
Will in-context parts be required?
Will physics-based interactions be required with in-context parts?
Do we need a separate copy of t he parts and assemblies so that we can restructure t he assembly?
 Tips and Tricks for Better Animations 567

Can we work with the existing mates of the assembly or does the assembly need to be mated
: e-s ciid diffe rently?
!)2c:ed Do subassemblies need to be dissolved and components moved to the top level of the assembly?
What views are needed? Do we need to use cameras or will viewpoints be sufficient?
How many cameras will be needed?
If we are going to use multiple cameras. how will we change between views?
6 " Jitent Will multiple clips be able to be created without interfering with each other due to suppressed
.:of them parts, additional components, and the like? Will we need additional configurations?

Post-processing
Will you need to include a leader at the beginning or end of a clip, or maybe both?
-:hlcatec
How will you account for transitions between clips?
:st a map Will there be t itles and credits?
-: Nith a
L;-e Animation Length
~~'lg. Key If the viewing audience keeps asking you to play the video over and over again, it could be because it is
the greatest video they have ever seen, or more likely it is TOO SHORT. When you create an animation.
6 to 10 seconds may seem like a lot. However, on playback, it is very little time. In many cases, the
animations we created in the case studies were too short. but if you check the playback time of the
included videos. some of them are many times longer. The case study animations were kept short to
speed the learning process, but the resulting animations were too short for a finished product.
: . Ke,
You can start with a short version so that you get all the movements correct and have it solve quickly.
When all t he moves are correct, use one of the three methods below to lengthen the video on the
t ime line.

Lengthening Your Animation

There are three methods to lengthen an animation:
Move the key points
red Stretch the timeline (Alt+drag)
Change the playback speed

Organization
=!aced? Good organization of your files and mates can speed your work by allowing you to find components and
mates more easily. As the MotionManager takes up a lot of screen space, being able to COiii;Jress
unrelated components and mates into a single line can significantly improve the workflo,r.

assembly?
568 Chapter 18

Separate Assembly for Animation F

If you have a good storyboard, you can more easily make the decision to either add the motion study to
the working assembly or to create a copy just for the purpose of creating animations. t

Things that you need to consider:

Do you need to reorder the assembly components to make items sequential in the tree that need to
L
.,
.
t
move together? Reordering makes it easier to window-select and move key points together. F
Should you create animation configurations or a separat e file?
Shou ld you use flexible subassemblies or dissolve subassemblies? We saw t hat elements in
subassemb lies, such as mates, cannot be animated because t hey do not appear in the MotionManager
s
8
design tree.

Mates p
Mates can easily be organized by dragging them to a different point in the MateGroup. Rename mates
to make them easy to find in the list. Pos
Use folders to group both mates and components. You only have a limited amount of screen space.
Ag'
is m
Do not use width or limit mates. Widt h mates are not supported in motion studies and limit mates are
ho:,
computationally intensive.
Only use standard mates if you are going to use the Basic Motion study type.
Determine if it is better to use global mates or local mates based on the original assembly and the
need fo r mult iple animations.
. ;...
p

Frame Rates
..
,..
irl
Frame rates affect several aspects of animations.
s~

Use standard frame rates gr

The television and movie industries use frame rates of 24 and 30 frames per second as it provides a cr
good balance between smooth motion and file size. Higher frame rates can result in much larger files Bt
and lower frame rates can resu lt in jerky motion.
Post-processing compatibility
The frame rate used must be usable in the post-processing program. Not all post-processing
programs can use nonstandard frame rates. Make sure that all clips are created using t he same fra me
rate to avoid post-processing problems.
Solution results
Frame rate has an effect on the solution of Basic Motion st udies. To significantly reduce the solution
step size, ve ry high frame rates are required, which significantly increases file size. It is better t o use
SolidWorks Motion t o solve t hese problems if ava ilable rather than Basic Motion.
 Tips and Tricks for Better Animations 569

Final frame rate

s:.Jdy to The frame rate is based on clock time, not the timeline time. Clock time is the timeline time divided
by the playback speed.
Use fewer key frame s
Key frames record the entire frame, the remaining frames only record information that changes. For
~ ;eed to test animations, use fewer key frames (every eight to 10 frames) to speed up the recording process.
For the final animation, use more key frames if you have a lot of mot ion. For static backgrounds, use
fewer key frames.
Stroboscopic effect
'.'.:nager
Before recording an animation, set the frame rate in the Mot ion Study Properties to t he same value
as you intend to use for the recording and then recalculate and play t he animation. Examine the
playback to insure everything looks like it is rotating in the correct direction.
~emates
Post-Processing
A good storyboard will help you det ermine if you need to do some post-processing. If post-processing
e.... space.
is needed, the storyboard will help you determine the extra frames necessary for the transitions and
'>c~es are
how to establish viewpoints and camera views so that you can add t it les without having them interfere
with the view.

c&d the Add titles and annotations where appropriate. If your video will be posted for download, add credits.
Post-processing is much easier if you created the clips correctly. If you observe TV and movies, you
will see that changes are almost always done with transitions. Sometimes this is very subtle, such as
in news reports, but there are still transitions. In a movie, the transition for an effect could take
several seconds. In a news report, it could be just 0.1 seconds, but it is still there. If you Cid not do a
good storyboard, and created clips without allowing for the way the post-processing softv.rare
~:-cvides a creates transitions. you may have to recreate some or all of your clips, which can be costly.
a~ger files Be consistent with the video transitions. Just because there are many transitions available does not
mean that you have to use them. The most common transition is the crossfade, which cre2tes a very
smooth transition between clips without drawing attention to the transitio n itself.
; -g There are free utilities available for converting the file type of video files. If you are going to use one
z-:e frame of these programs, you need to unde rstand its capabilities and limitations before you ceate your
animation.

-esolution
:::er to use
570 Chapter 18

Viewpoints/ Cameras

Smooth, Smooth, Smoot h
Nothing makes a video clip look more amateurish than jerky camera motion. Our eyes are very sensitive t
to sudden changes in the view, so unless you are trying to create special camera effects, camera motion p
should be smooth. That means that all changes, whether they are zooming, panning, or changes in target
point should st art and stop slowly and smoothly. Cameras should also stop and pause before a change
in direct ion. The best t ra ining is to just observe television and movies and look at the camera motion. Est
Unl;
Most people don't notice the camera motion, because the intent is not to draw att ention to the camera
sho'
motion, but rather the subject. An exception would be something like the view of a person on a ro ller
of ~
coast er where changes in direction are purposely very abrupt.

To make camera and view orient ation changes smoother, use the Ease in/Ease out int erpolation mode
Tit!
Unl<
and have the camera come t o a stop and pause before moving in a different direction. For any pair of
dec
keys defining a transition, right-click on the second key (the end key) to set the interpolation mode for
the t ransit ion. You can also window-select a group of keys and change the interpolation mode fo r all of Cre1
them at the same t ime. Fo1
vid~
Changes to a camera's definition (such as position, target, roll, lens, depth of field) can be added to a
motion study by the same method used for everything else: set t he time, then edit the camera. You can Rer:
also use t he Place Key and Replace Key commands from the right mouse button menu in the t ime line t o Whe
add the current view t o the animation at the time where you clicked. frcr
a frc
Do not use combinations of lines and arcs for camera paths because there is a sudden change of
Alsc
direct ion and rate where t he line meet s the arc. Instead, use splines for camera paths because they are
cor.s
curvature continuous. If you are uncomfortable creating s plines, create the path with lines and arcs and
t hen use Fit Spline to smooth out the transitions. Soffi
Changing from one camera to another, or from a noncamera view t o a camera view, will not interpolate.
The transit ion will be inst antaneous at the time of the key. Transitions between two noncamera views
will int erpolate. To interpolate from one camera view to another, you must use a single camera and VE
interpolate its properties. fr.
p;-
Camera Tips
When using multiple cameras, you can move cameras that are off so that they are already in the
n
to
correct position when you turn them back on. By using this technique, you can reduce t he total number
tc
of cameras.
If
Ac
no
 Tips and Tricks for Better Animations 571

When changing cameras, the view just snaps as you cannot dissolve or crossfade. To avoid a jump cut,
have the second camera in the same position and aimed exactly the same as the first camera before
:-s.::ive the change. The alternative is to record each camera as a separate clip and create a crossfade in post-
,_r;t:c;l processing.
! ::a -ge~ When a camera is set to follow a 3D spline, use a direction reference to keep it vertical.
c:1ange
Establishing Shot
-c~1on.
Unless you are creating a looping video, an establishing shot sets the stage for what follows. These
c<:11era
shots establish the context for the scene by showing the relationship between the important elements
-::: ..er
of the assembly.
Title Shot
<;-aode
Unless you are creating videos that you, or someone else, will int roduce, adding a tit le shot makes it
::c:r of
clear what the video is about and who made it.
:::,:::;e for
::- all of Credits
For videos that will be posted to the web. add credits at the end so that people know the source of the
video and how to get permission to use it.
= to a
:::m can Rendering Efficiency
t:!i.1e to When rendering an animation, there are several things we can do to speed up the rendering of each
frame. Keeping in mind that our output is going to be a video, where each frame will be shown for only
a fraction of a second, we do not need the extreme fine deta il of a photograph on each rendered fra me.
Also remember that t he screen resolution of the device on which we view an animation can be
r.- t:y are
considerably less than that of a high-quality print of one of the frames.
:l;:::s and
Some of the things we can do in the Photo View 360 setup:
!':lolat e. Reduce the quality of the appearances. The fine details of the appearances will not be noticeable in
2 .iews the video. Remember that in Photo View 360 renderings of images, the image could be enlarged t o a
l end very large size and the image is static so that people can study the detail. With animations. each
frame is only shown for a fraction of a second and at a quality much less than can be achieved with a
printed image.
The Maximum quality setting is generally not required for a rendered animation. If the output will be
' ::ile
to a small screen, such as a mobile device, a setting of Better is usually good enough. Do a test render
(;:umber
to make sure of the setting before proceeding to the final render.
If you are using satin finish appearances, turn off Accurate reflections.
Accurate reflections will take significantly longer to calculat e and the difference will not be
noticeable in the animation.
572 Chapter 18

For large animations that need to be rendered, render in pieces (possibly on multiple computers).
Stitch together the individual clips in a video editing program such as Windows Live Movie Maker.
The alternative is to render to images and create the video from the images. This method is generally
favored as you can easily replace individual frames.
Final video files are almost always compressed to reduce file size; however, when you create video
clips that will be further edited, it is generally better not to compress the file. Multiple compression/
decompression cycles can cause the loss of definition with each cycle.
Before recording an animation, use Photo View 360 to render individua l frames at different points in l
J
the animation.
This is to make sure that appearance, scene, and lighting are all correct. (
1
Test render the animation with a low frame rate that only renders a few individual frames.
c
This checks the qualit y of the rendering after being compressed by t he CODE C.
Important! Both these tests are important. You do not want to find out that you have a problem after
rendering for 24 hours!

When you have a lot of mates, you can suppress mates that do not control the motion during the
animation. This speeds up the calculation and reduces errors.
Rendering is pixel-bound. That means that the amount of time to render a frame is directly
proportional to the number of pixels. Make sure you are rendering to the correct size for the intended
output device.

Do It t he Easy Way
Analyze the motion type or types that will be required to achieve the animation based on the overall
goals in the storyboard.
As we saw, both Basic Motion and SolidWorks Motion provide a good capability to so lve the physics-
based motion problems. They can also cause a lot of extra work and t ime (time = money) when applied
to situations that do not need that capability. We saw several examples where an animation created as
an Animation motion study achieved equal or better results than one created with Basic Motion or
SolidWorks Motion. Remember, our goal is to make animations, not to do an analysis.
What type of motion are we animating. free, kinematic, or dynamic?
Free = Animation
Kinematic =Animation,
Dynamic = Basic Motion or SolidWorks Motion
Do not try to force an animation into the wrong type of motion study. Keep in mind the Law of Simplicity
and do it the easiest way.
 Tips and Tricks for Better Animations 573

~ers). The Law of Simplicity

The best solution is most often t he simplest solution.
.:aker.

_g<:01erally When Is the Animation Finished?

The suitability of the final animation is a very subjective decision. It is very easy to keep tweaking an
animation to get it just right. There is, however, a point where the effort you are putt ing into t he
:e video tweaking exceeds any real benefit to the finished animation and you should stop and do the final
::~ression/ recording. Remember t he Law of Diminishing Return.

The Law of Diminishing Return

:Joints in
At some point, more and more effort is required for smaller and smaller improvements.

Consistency
There are several items that help to make animations more consist ent and avoid sudden, unwelcome
changes.

Use named views

em after Named views allow exactly the same view to be ca lled at any time during the animation.

Use display states

~g the Display states provide consistency of appearances for both part s and assemblies.
Use consistent transitions in your post-processing
Use the same transition between clips when post-processing.
: i.1 tended

~ overa ll

:::hysics-
2>1 applied
:reated as
:ion or

simplicity
574 Chapter 18

Large Assembly Animations

Creating animations of large assemblies creates some additional problems. With the large number of
components. problems can occur with the speed of solution and being able to move components in
subassemblies. Difficulties also arise when t rying to locate components and mates in t he
FeatureManager design tree, MotionManager design tree, and the timeline.

Working in the assembly
The large assembly mode and other options are used t o select a set of options to improve t he
performance of large assemblies. Using Selective Open. only components that need to be an imated
should be fully loaded into memory. Animations can be created and recorded with components in the
lightweight mode.
Use filters
Filters provide a simple way to temporarily limit the number of tracks in the MotionManager.
Reordering the assembly
The order of components in the FeatureManager design t ree of an assembly is not important for the
assembly to build correctly, so it can be reordered to make it easier to select groups of components.
Large Assembly Modes 1
Large Asse mbly Mode and Quick view/Selective open are t ools that can be used to improve the
performance of large assemblies by reducing the amount of dat a the computer must load int o
memory and calculate. Suppressing components t hat do not affect the motion can be used to speed
the calculations. Creat e separate configurations just for animations.

Animation Tips and Tricks

The following tips and tricks can help you work faster:
Use the Animation Wizard whenever possible
The Animation Wizard simplifies the task of creating animations by rotating parts or assemblies,
exploding or collapsing assemblies.

Work with small steps
In large animations it can be difficult to get everything in sync. Break up the animation into small
pieces by either working on shorter time slices or getting t he key part to follow its path and then
working on t he surrounding pieces.
Test animations

Do test animat ions to get a good picture of how the animation is progressing. Dragging (scrubbing)
the time bar is an easy way to control the speed of the animation. Fina
The
Whc
 Tips and Tricks for Better Animations 575

Save often!
-~eJ c!: Save after each step. If you make a mistake, you can always close without saving. When you reopen
-:s ~n the file, you will be right back to the point just before the mist ake. An alternative is to use the Reload
comma nd to reload the file fro m the hard drive to RAM.
Render overnight when rendering to Photo View 360
Rendering to Photo View 360 can take hours to complete. Schedule the render to occur at the end of
~e
t he day and let the comput er work overnight.
:-,;;nated
Test different image qualities
-::s in the
SolidWorks image quality determines the quality of the recorded frames. Image quality can be kept
low for test animations, then set high for t he final output.

Rigid groups
.t! -
Rigid groups is a function available in Motion Analysis studies. If your choice is to use SolidWorks
Motion to create an animation. creating rigid groups can speed the calculations. Rigid groups act like
--t for the a subassembly in that t he parts all have a fixed relationship with each other so that mates are not
-:lonents. solved and t here is no relative motion to be solved.
Workflow
.e the Select Disable View Key Creation while you are animating components to avoid setting unwanted
nto view keys.
::o speed Turn off Auto key for complicat ed animations because if you have it on, you run the risk of creating
a lot of extra keys that can be hard to back out when you want to make a change.
If you add or change key points and the model jumps around, recalculate.
Use separate folders for mates that are used for animations and those that are not.
Use cameras rather t han viewpoints because they are more stable. Viewports (with perspective on)
are based on the bounding box of t he model, so as you move components. the size of the bounding
:-;1blies, box changes and you get a zoom whether you want it or not.
If you have a problem with the video. try a different CODEC. Use free CODECs for better
portability.
3small If you need to solve the physics of motion for part of t he animation, use Basic Motion or
1CI then SolidWorks Motion, then import that motion t hrough the Animation Wizard. Suppress all
components not affected in Basic Motion or SolidWorks Motion.
You cannot change configurations during an animation. To get aro und this limitation, insert two
instances of a component and hide one. Show one and hide the other to change between them.
::rubbing)
Finally, and above all else, remember the First Law of An imations.

The First Law of Animations

What is actually happening in the animation is not import ant. only what the viewer thinks is happening.
 577

Index
Numerics sheet-metal features 552 form new subassembly 190
3D contact resolution 251 speed 362 promote/demote
spring 217 components 190
A subassemblies 187 assembly cut 520, 535
Akima curve fitting 179 t iming 25 autokey 128
aliasing 473 tips and tricks 574 AVI files 45
ambient light 106 animation concepts
angle component position 6 B
right-hand rule 131 component properties 7 backlit LCD lights 106
animating parts 210 viewpoint 7 Basic Motion study type 5
animation workflow 7 belt animation 490
appearances 533 Animation motion study 5, 22, bending parts 542
belts 490 26 bounding box 83
chains 478 animation properties 129
configurations 445, 459 Animation Wizard 4, 26 c
credits 571 animation wizard camera 570
driven by mates 153 collapse 40 add 313
exploded views 24 delet e existing paths 31 aimed at target 313
gears 270, 497 explode 33 aiming 314
general sequence 47 rotate model 31 aspect ratio 337
key point 23 annot ation 417, 419 depth of field 354
large assembly 574 apparent depth 349 edit target 369
length 567 appearances 518,533 field of view 329
lengthen 530, 567 changing 89 floating 313
move component 129 area lights 106 focal length 330
physics-based 236 arrow keys 68 in animations 324
render 117 adjust 68 introduction 317
results 8 aspect ratio 337, 436 lenses 328
reverse path 48, 138 assemblies on/off 324
rotate component 129 animating exploded position 314
section cut 453 views 24 positioning/aiming 312
shadow study 506 dissolve a subassembly 190 properties 328
 roll 335 delete motion study 49 F
rotation 314 depth of field 354 field of view 329
sled 386 Design Library 274 file formats 42
smooth motion 371 directional light 106 fi le size 44
standard lens 353 disable playback of view file types for output 42
target 314 keys 72 filters
target point 314 disable view key creation 72 MotionManager 161
terms 311 display modes, graphics 101 First Law of Animations 575
view rectangle 329, 334 display pane icons 96 flexible subassemblies 188,
camera sled display states 95 189
definition 387 changing 89 focal length 397
changebar 17, 58 creating 97 force 245
clip editing 416 display pane 95 forces 405
CODEC 42, 121, 415 dissolving subassemblies 190 frame rate 43, 421, 477, 568
coefficient of restitution 246 distance motor 163, 167 free component motion 128
collapse 40 dolly 312 free motion 10
components drag and drop friction 406
appearance 61 reorganizing assembly
dragging 150 hierarchy 190 G
configurations 445, 459 dragging components 150 gear animations 497
constant speed motor 163, 172 duplicate motion study 49 gears 270
contact 241, 245, 405 dynamic motion 11 geometry accuracy 250
3D contact resolution 251 graphics display modes 101
friction 246 E gravity 240
geometry accuracy 250 editing
groups 242 key point time 59 H
options 250 key points 128 help
rest oring force 252 environment 105 Knowledge Base 19
coordinate axes 130 environmental lighting 106 MotionManager 19
crane 312 establishing shot 73, 451 , 571 Hitchcock Effect 393
create new motion study 49 event-based motion 403
creating AVI files 45 explode 23, 33, 54
credits 571 expression icons
cubic curve fitting 180 functions 289 display pane 96
curve fitting 179 motor 163,282,288 image
syntax 291 capture 268
D external references 417 formats 42
damping 245, 261, 406 quality 44
 579
- -- - - ~---------- --- -- ---- -- ------ -- - -- -- - ------ - - - ----------

saving 122 ambient 106 summary 411

image-based lighting 106 animating 105 motion st udies
import animations 11o Animation 26
data points 178 creating 107 choosing 12
motion data 256 directional 106 combining mot ion 256
~2
simulation results 263 keep 110 completed 17
in-context parts 211, 212 point 106 creat e new 49
interpolated motor 163 positioning 109 import simulat ion
r s 575
interpolation mode 37-39 spot 106,110 resu lts 263
5 188,
linear curve fitting 179 limitations 245
K linear spring motion drivers 236
keep light no magnitude-spring force 259 properties 129, 238
key frames 17, 44, 57 lock to model 105 purposes 5
-.568 key point 17 lock to view 105 recalcu lating 166

Yl 128 copy 41 lock view orient ation 37 type s 5

create intermediate looping 420 Motion St udy tab 15
points 375 motion study t ypes
display 57 M Animation 22, 235
edit time 59 mates 245, 568 Basic Motion 235
editing 58,128 limit 447 Motion Analysis 235. 402
modify 37 redundant 237 MotionManager
place 41 suppressing 151 cha ngebar 17, 58
.30
es 101 place key 128 unsuppres sing 151 COD EC 42
replace key 128 Model tab 15 defin ition 4
kinematic motion 10 motion design t ree 4. 16
Knowledge Base 19 dynamic 11 edit key point t ime 59
explode 54 filt ers 161
a_, L free 10, 128 f rame rate 43
Law of Dimin ishing Return 573 kinematic 10 history 5
~
Law of Simplicity 307, 573 rigid body 9 image 42
3
LCD light 106 Motion Analysis study t ype 6, image quality ~ :
leaders 73 402 key frames ;7. "51
lengthening animations 530, motion drivers 13, 150 key point ~7
567 damping 261 key point d;sp,ay "51
lens. f ocal length 397 gravity 240 renderer L2
lighting 106-107 motor 163 reverse patr i38
animation 116 simulation 208 save to A\ ~:;
lights springs 258 st arting ~3
 timeline 16 0 motion study 129, 238
timeline symbols 57 online help, MotionManager 19
triad 130 orientation and camera views. R
user interface 15 suppress 66 rebuild failures 222
video file formats 42 oscillating motor 163, 282, 286 recalculating studies 166
video file output size 44 phase shift 221 record video 268
view orientation 73 output 4, 414 recording animations 41
visual properties 88 aspect ratio 436 redundant mat es 237
mot or types f rame rate 421 ref erence triad 69, 103
linear 163 render choices 422 rename motion study 49
rotary 163 rendered animations 117
motors 245 p renderer 42
const ant speed 172 pan 311 rendering efficiency 421, 571
distance 167 parallel processing 420 reorganizing
expression 282, 288 perspective view 66, 70 subassemblies 190
import data points 178 bounding box 83 replace key 128
motion analysis 405 effect 81 restoring force 252
on/off 142 modify 70 reversing a mot or 171
options 168 phase shift 221 reversing a path 138
oscillating 282, 286 PhotoView 360 117, 119 right-hand rule 131
path mate motor 236 add-in 117 rigid body motion 9
reversing 171 physical dynamics 268 rigid groups 405
servo 163, 236 physics-based motion 234 rigid subassemblies 187
start posit ion 168 PhysX solver 277 roll 311,335
move component 129 place key 128 rotate component 129
move with triad 130 point light 106 rotation by reference triad 103
movies post-processing 414, 469, 569
See recording animations annotations 419 s
moving component s credits 571 saving images 122
drag rulers 130 external references 417 scenes 105
move 129 functions 415 screen capture 268
rotate 129 looping 420 scrub the timeline 136
triad 130 titles 419 section cuts 453
transition 419 servomotor 163
N video compression 418 shadow animation 506
named views 69 video editing programs 417 shadows 107- 109
neon tube lights 106 properties simulation motion drivers 208
animation 129 SolidWorks Motion 402
 581

s solvers 403 t orques 405 views

motion analysis 280 track 312 exploded 23
physics-based 277 t ransitions 419 perspect ive 66
PhysX solver 277 t riad visual blooming 81
:lO spotlight 106, 110 definition 130 visual properties of a
springs 217, 258, 406 reorienting 131 component 88
creating 262 t ruck 312
force magnitude 259 w
t ranslat ional 258 u walk-t hrough 377 381
::::
-~ storyboard 27, 566 unlock view orientation 36 animation 367
I storyboard development 27 unsuppressing mates 151 control panel 379
stroboscopic effect 473, 569 userinterf ace 15 controls 380
::.-.571 stroboscopic rate 475 interface 378
subassemblies v properties 378
go dissolving 190 video compression 418 Windows Live Movie
f lexib le 188, 189 video editing 414 Maker 434
reorganizing 190 video edit ing programs 417 Windows Media Player 46
rigid 187 video f ile 44 Windows Movie Maker 435
suppressing mates 151 video f ormats 42 Wizard, Animation 26
video output
T f ile types 415
tabs videos, completed 18
!, Model 15 view key
Motion St udy 15 creat ion 73
target by selection 369 disable creation 72
:::-iad 103 tilt 311 disable playback 72
time bar 16 view orientation 35, 66, 73
moving 59 lock 37
timeline 4, 16 lock/u nlock 66
colors 47 states 72
scrubbing 136 unlock 36
symbols 57 view rect angle 329, 334
t itle shot 571 viewpoint 66-71, 518, 570
t itles 417, 419 arrow keys 68
~
J tool bars middle mouse button
animation cont roller 24 functions 67
ers 208 MotionManager 14 named views 69
J2 tooltips 17 posit ioning 67
 FEATURES
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tools with the helpful instructions and tips available
only from technical training experts on staff with
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation.

~ Build your skills and confidence quickly with

more than so easy-to-understand tutorials,
each building upon the previous lesson.

~ Reinforce your new skills with the accompanying

DVD which contains the project files for the tutorials.

Learn at your own pace-review each lesson as

often as you want or quickly move on to the
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next lesson. wot<~S
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Follow along with more than 1,100 full-color
images and screen captures that serve as .,-ooL-S s-r~'P
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easy-to-understand visual cues. A. 5 e\f-study gul ductivity
. your pro
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with Sohd or

USA :l89.95
58995
~
jjS SOLIDWORKS
Dassault Systcmes SolidWorks Corp.
175 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02451 USA 9 81589 340336
www.solidworks.com $89.95