Configuring Motor Changes in a Motion Study

With SOLIDWORKS Simulation® Professional added in, you can use a Motion Analysis study to calculate the motion of an assembly that incorporates event-based motion control.

Event-based motion studies are defined with a set of motion actions resulting from triggering events. Create an event-based motion study when you do not know the exact time sequence for element changes. You can obtain the time sequence for element changes by calculating an event-based motion study.

For example, in a manufacturing process that includes components moving along a conveyor belt, motors turn on or change according to component position along the belt. However, since you do not know the exact time at which a component reaches a position before calculating the motion, you cannot determine the time to change the motor value. Without knowing the exact times to turn on or change a motor, you cannot create a time-based motion study. However, you can use an event-based motion study to model the conveyor assembly motion.

For the conveyor belt model, you can:
  • Define proximity sensors to monitor component position.
  • Define triggers based on sensor values.
  • Define constant speed or servo motors for the model.
  • Define actions that turn on or change motor values when triggered by sensors or according to a schedule.
Before specifying a motor action in response to a trigger in an event-based motion study:
  1. In an event-based Motion Study, enter the task name and description and set up the task trigger. For example, define a proximity sensor trigger, which triggers an action based on component position.
  2. Define the motor you intend to assign to the task action. For example, define a displacement servo motor.

To define a task action that changes a motor value in response to a task trigger:

  1. In the task row, double-click the text in the Feature column.
  2. In the Feature dialog box, select a constant speed or servo motor from the Motors list.
    You can select more than one feature as long as you assign the same action to each feature.
  3. Click OK.
  4. Click the Action column for the task and select Change.
  5. For Value, enter the value of the motor at the end of the action.
    The units depend on the motor type.
    For example, to move a component 120 mm with a displacement servo motor, enter 120mm.
  6. For Duration, enter the time for the task action.
    For example, enter 2s.
  7. Click the Profile column for the task and select a profile for the motor function.
    The motor values during the action depend on the profile and on the motor values at the start and end of the action.
    For example, select Linear , which results in a straight line displacement trajectory for a displacement servo motor.
You can use a similar procedure to change constant torque or force values during motion.