Kinematic mechanism in IRONCAD

If you are interested in getting a kinematic movement/mechanism on models, it is required in IRONCAD, just like in all other 3D software*, that you place locked relationships in the form of constraints between the models. This is not something you spend time on in everyday work**, but is required to get movements in this way.

We have developed a number of exercises that show how to do this. First out is a simple exercise with four parties that is already ready to test via a "Tutorial" and ready-made models in a catalog that you already have on your computer.

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Crank Mechanism exercise

In this video, you will first test a finished model, then assemble it and add constraints between the parts, before finally driving it with an animation.

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Excavator arm

We have also produced a short series of four episodes using the parts of an excavator arm as an example.

Download the sample model here.

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Excavator arm with Constraints 1/4

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Excavator arm with Constraints 2/4

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Excavator arm with Constraints 3/4

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Excavator arm with Constraints 4/4

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Positioning Constraints - learn more at IronCAD Academy, Commands.

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Mechanism Mode - learn more at IronCAD Academy, Commands.

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*For those who may wonder how these rules are defined, IRONCAD uses a software component from Siemens D-Cubed 3D Dimensional Constraint Manager (3D DCM), which is the same as used in several other well-known 3D CAD systems, such as SolidEdge and SolidWorks. The same applies to the sketch constraints, which are based on Siemens D-Cubed 2D DCM.

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**One of several reasons why everyday work goes so much faster in IRONCAD compared to traditional 3D CAD systems is that we "do not have to" place, think about and administer relationships and locking in the form of constraints between objects in order for the CAD system itself to work in a predictable way and "as intended". But to be able to test mechanisms in the form of kinematic movements between the 3D models, these relationships/constraints are required.

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