& Construction
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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Most joint types have at least one degree of freedom. To properly model many mechanisms, this degree of freedom is not infinite in its range of motion. Learn how to allow for limited movement in a joint.
Tutorial resources
These downloadable resources will be used to complete this tutorial:
Transcript
00:03
Fusion includes several joint tools that offer flexibility when modeling mechanisms in an assembly.
00:09
You can use the Edit Motion Limits tool to set a range of motion for a joint and set the rest position of the associated components.
00:17
You can also lock a joint to prevent it from moving or suppress the application of a joint altogether.
00:24
This example uses an electrical enclosure assembly, where two joints are already applied.
00:30
Both are revolute, one on the locking lever and one on the cover.
00:35
If you select the cover component and move it, you see that it moves in the way that you would expect a hinged cover to move.
00:41
On the toolbar, click Revert to revert the position.
00:46
In the Browser, expand Joints.
00:51
Right-click Revolute 1 and you will see that there are several options for working with this joint.
00:56
You can drive the joint, which enables you to add motion to the joint.
01:01
Press Esc to cancel this tool.
01:04
You can also edit the joint and edit motion limits.
01:08
Selecting Edit Motion Limits and engaging a Minimum and Maximum limit enables you to establish the range of motion of the joint.
01:16
You can adjust the range values by either directly clicking and dragging the flag icons in the model
01:22
or by entering values directly into the dialog.
01:26
For example, in the Edit Motion Limits dialog, set the Minimum value to -40 degrees, and the Maximum to 30 degrees, and then click OK.
01:37
On the canvas, drag the component to see that it only moves through that range of motion.
01:42
When working with assemblies, this is a great way to represent more complex conditions without adding overhead computation.
01:50
In the Browser, right-click Revolute 2 and select Edit Motion Limits again to apply a range of motion to the second joint.
01:58
Select Minimum and Maximum, then set the Minimum to -90 and the Maximum to 0.
02:06
Select Rest, which sets the joint to a specified position any time you are not actively moving that component.
02:14
To have the cover revert to its closed position, set the Rest value to -90 degrees.
02:20
Click OK.
02:22
Now, when you move the cover and release it, it automatically snaps to its rest position.
02:28
Right-click Revolute 2 again to access additional tools.
02:32
For example, you can Lock the joint,
02:35
which overrides any range of motion that is built into the joint and prevents you from moving the component.
02:40
Or, right-click Revolute 1 to see that you can Suppress a joint, and the assembly acts as if the joint were never applied.
02:48
You can then Unsuppress the joint and Unlock the other joint to return to the normal function.
02:53
Keep in mind that Fusion informs you whenever the position is altered by adding the Position group to the toolbar.
03:00
Click Revert to set the component or components back to their original position,
03:05
or click Capture Position to add the newly captured position to the Timeline.
03:10
Using combinations of these tools and setting motion limits provides a high degree of flexibility when working with mechanisms in Fusion.
00:03
Fusion includes several joint tools that offer flexibility when modeling mechanisms in an assembly.
00:09
You can use the Edit Motion Limits tool to set a range of motion for a joint and set the rest position of the associated components.
00:17
You can also lock a joint to prevent it from moving or suppress the application of a joint altogether.
00:24
This example uses an electrical enclosure assembly, where two joints are already applied.
00:30
Both are revolute, one on the locking lever and one on the cover.
00:35
If you select the cover component and move it, you see that it moves in the way that you would expect a hinged cover to move.
00:41
On the toolbar, click Revert to revert the position.
00:46
In the Browser, expand Joints.
00:51
Right-click Revolute 1 and you will see that there are several options for working with this joint.
00:56
You can drive the joint, which enables you to add motion to the joint.
01:01
Press Esc to cancel this tool.
01:04
You can also edit the joint and edit motion limits.
01:08
Selecting Edit Motion Limits and engaging a Minimum and Maximum limit enables you to establish the range of motion of the joint.
01:16
You can adjust the range values by either directly clicking and dragging the flag icons in the model
01:22
or by entering values directly into the dialog.
01:26
For example, in the Edit Motion Limits dialog, set the Minimum value to -40 degrees, and the Maximum to 30 degrees, and then click OK.
01:37
On the canvas, drag the component to see that it only moves through that range of motion.
01:42
When working with assemblies, this is a great way to represent more complex conditions without adding overhead computation.
01:50
In the Browser, right-click Revolute 2 and select Edit Motion Limits again to apply a range of motion to the second joint.
01:58
Select Minimum and Maximum, then set the Minimum to -90 and the Maximum to 0.
02:06
Select Rest, which sets the joint to a specified position any time you are not actively moving that component.
02:14
To have the cover revert to its closed position, set the Rest value to -90 degrees.
02:20
Click OK.
02:22
Now, when you move the cover and release it, it automatically snaps to its rest position.
02:28
Right-click Revolute 2 again to access additional tools.
02:32
For example, you can Lock the joint,
02:35
which overrides any range of motion that is built into the joint and prevents you from moving the component.
02:40
Or, right-click Revolute 1 to see that you can Suppress a joint, and the assembly acts as if the joint were never applied.
02:48
You can then Unsuppress the joint and Unlock the other joint to return to the normal function.
02:53
Keep in mind that Fusion informs you whenever the position is altered by adding the Position group to the toolbar.
03:00
Click Revert to set the component or components back to their original position,
03:05
or click Capture Position to add the newly captured position to the Timeline.
03:10
Using combinations of these tools and setting motion limits provides a high degree of flexibility when working with mechanisms in Fusion.