Parameters Dialog Box

Creates parameters that you can link to model dimensions, global variables, materials, and features from Simulation or Motion studies. You can also edit or delete existing parameters.

You can use parameters in Design Studies and link them to variables that can be changed with each iteration of an evaluation or optimization design scenario.

To access the Parameters dialog box, click Insert > Design Study > Parameters.

You can also view defined parameters in the Parameters node of the Simulation study tree.

Name Type a name of the parameter.
Category Selects the type of the parameter from one of the following:

Model dimension

Linear, angular, or pattern instances

Global Variable

Define global variables in the Add Equation dialog box.

Simulation

Study properties, Mesh, Loads, Fixtures, Shells, Contact

Material

Material of single-body or multi-body parts

Motion

Study properties, Motors, Springs and Dampers, Contact
Value Shows the numeric value of the parameter.
Comment Shows descriptive information about the parameter.
Linked Shows an asterisk *, when the parameter is linked to a component.

Properties

Value Type a numeric value of the parameter
Expression Select to type an expression that defines the parameter. You can use a combination of operators, mathematical functions, constants or previously defined parameters to define an expression.
The units of the expression must be compatible with the defined parameter. For example, if you defined p = 50 psi, and A = 5 cm2, then you can properly define a force F = 3*P*A. It is not correct to define F with dimensionally incorrect terms such as A, 5*A2 , P, P2 , or P/A.
Units Select the units for the numeric value of the parameter. List of available units is filtered according to the selected feature.
Comment (optional) Type additional descriptive information about the parameter.

References

Item Selection Select a feature from the Simulation or Motion tree to link to the parameter. You can select more than one feature of the same type to link to one parameter.
You can also link similar features from different studies to one parameter. For example, you can link one parameter to the magnitude of Force 1 in study 1 and also the magnitude of Force 2 in study 2.

For a material parameter, select the bodies (from single-body or multi-body parts) whose material will be set as a variable in a design study.
Component Link Filters the available components according to the selected feature in the Simulation or Motion tree. Select the desired component from the list to link to the parameter.

List of Operators and Functions

The following table lists the functions and operators that you can use in parameter expressions.

Symbol Description Example
+ Add 3+4=7
- Subtract 9-4=5
* Multiply by 3*6=18
/ Divide by 9/2=4.5
^ Raise to power of 4^5=1024
\ Integer divide by 9\2=4
SQR Square root SQR(64)=8
() Prioritizes evaluation of an expression 5*(1+2)=15
! Factorial

5!=120

Fact(5)=5x4x3x2x1=120

% Percentage 25%=0.25
MIN Minimum value MIN(1,2,4,5,7)=1
MAX Maximum value MAX(3,8)=8
SIN Sine SIN(pi)=0
COS Cosine COS(pi)=-1
TAN Tangent TAN(pi)=0
ASIN Arc Sine ASIN(1)=1.570796
ACOS Arc Cosine ACOS(-1)=3.141593
ATAN Arc Tangent ATAN(0)=0
SEC Secant SEC(0)=1
CSC Cosecant CSC(1)=1.188395
COT Cotangent COT(1)=0.642093
ABS Absolute value ABS(-8)=8
EXP e to the power of EXP(3)=20.0855
EXP2 2 to the power of EXP2(3)=8
EXP10 10 to the power of EXP10(3)=1000
LOG Natural logarithm LOG(16)=2.77259
LOG2 Log base 2 LOG2(8)=3
LOG10 Log base 10 LOG10(1000)=3
  • The trigonometric examples in the above table assume that "pi" has been defined as a parameter.
  • Functions and operators are not case sensitive.