9/9/2019 Siemens Documentation: Creating Cranks

Creating Cranks

The Kinematics Editor enables you to define cranks using a simple wizard. Cranks are mechanisms with closed kinematic loops consisting of one independent joint, multiple dependent
joints, and four (typically) links that are joined in a kinematic loop. Process Simulate supports the following crank types:

Four-bar linkage: A crank consisting of four links and four rotational joints, only one of which is independent (also known as a RRRR).

Slider: A crank consisting of three rotational joints and one prismatic joint, for example, a pneumatic piston.

RRRR - 4–bar linkage with four rotational joints (no prismatic joint).

Sliders - Consisting of one prismatic joint and three rotational joints. There are three slider configurations, differing in the relative positions of their input (driving) joint and fixed
link. They are known as:
RPRR - Slider.

PRRR - Slider.

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RRRP - Slider.

Three Points - Consists of one prismatic joint and six rotational joints (known as three points because there are three points on the fixed link). An RPRR slider drives an
RRRR 4–bar linkage crank.

Create cranks using a wizard that takes you step by step through the process, including selecting the type of crank to be defined, the coordinates of each crank joint, and the entities
associated with the links of the crank. Cranks include the following links:

Fixed - A link that is not moved by the joints of the crank being defined. (It may, however, be moved by a joint defined in a different kinematic structure, including another crank.)
Input - A link moved by an independent joint.
Coupler and Output - Links with dependent joints that complete the kinematic structure (the three points crank has three coupler joints).

To create a crank:

1. In the Kinematics Editor, click The Create Crank wizard is displayed.

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2. Click the icon for the desired crank type and click Next, or double-click the icon. The Crank Joints page is displayed.

3. You can set values for the joints sequentially (RPRR is used as an example):
a. Initially, the Fixed-Input joint is active. Pick a point or object in the Graphic Viewer or an object in the Object Tree, or enter X, Y, and Z coordinates directly into the fields. The
selected coordinates are recorded in the Joint Coordinates area on the right. The Coupler-Output joint becomes active.
b. Pick a point or object. The coordinates are recorded and the Output joint becomes active.
c. Pick a point or object. The coordinates are recorded.
Alternatively, you can click any joint in the crank diagram to set its values. The selected joint is displayed in green.
After setting values for any joint, that joint is displayed in black in the crank diagram.
The crank guiding lines are shown in blue in the Graphic Viewer and the joints are represented by blue + (plus) symbols.

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4. In some cases, it may be necessary to align the crank in the plane of the parts the crank is designed to move. To assist you in doing this, you can click Optional custom plane and
pick a surface (or frame). The plane is displayed in the Graphic Viewer.

All the joint coordinates are projected on to this plane and the updated values are used to create the crank. However, the joint values displayed in the wizard remain unchanged,
thus, if you wish to choose a different plane, you will not be required to redefine these values.
The crank guide lines in the following figure are neither in the plane of the brown part nor in that of the blue one.

However, the following figure shows that after setting the optional custom plane to be the plane of the brown part, the crank guide lines are all in the plane of the brown part.

The yellow line in the following zoomed-in figure indicates the gap between the selected point for the crank and its projected point on the custom plane.

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5. If in error you selected joint coordinates that are not all on the same plane (the Next button remains disabled), you can click Adjust point to the plane defined by other
points to move one of the points to the plane defined by the others (not relevant to slider cranks).

Additionally, if the joints of any crank lie on a straight line, the system issues an error message.
6. Click Next. The Prismatic Joint Offset page is displayed (for a 4–bar linkage crank, this step of the wizard is omitted).

7. If you wish to offset the prismatic joint, set With offset.

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An offset is required if the prismatic axis of the slider does not lie directly on the line connecting the slider’s first two joints. For example, in the case of an RPRR slider, the fixed joint
and the output coupler joint.

Configure From and To offsets for the prismatic axis.

8. Click Next. The associate links page is displayed.

9. To associate links with simulated objects, select each link in the crank diagram in turn and click one of the following to define the link.
Link Elements - Select one or more entities that make up the link in the Graphic Viewer or Object Tree. The selections are displayed in the Link Elements: table.

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Existing Link- Select a link previously defined for a different kinematic chain (or specially defined for this kinematic chain prior to launching the wizard) from the dropdown list.
This option is used when defining the same object as a link in two different cranks.

10. Click Finish. The Kinematics Editor displays the links and joints of the new crank.

The Kinematics Editor adds a dummy link to complete the loop of the kinematic structure. If you select a dependent joint and open the Joint Dependency Editor, you can view the
formulas created by the system to automatically operate the joint.

© 2017 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.

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