Abstract
Several software products exist in order to support engineers during the mechanism design process. The software “Mechanism Developer” (abbr. MechDev) is one of these products. MechDev provides many functionalities concerning the kinematic and kinetostatic analysis of mechanisms based on revolute, prismatic as well as cam joints. This paper will introduce the software MechDev and will outline these functionalities. Furthermore, it will name the advantages of MechDev compared to other software products. In order to give an impression of the functionality of the software, this paper also includes a special use case. This use case describes a cam mechanism with a prismatic roller-follower. In order to optimize the transmission angle of the cam mechanism, the cam is actuated by a servo drive. To mathematically model the angular input of the servo drive, Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) are described and applied. Thus, a nearly arbitrary input function can be described by few parameters.
Highlights
Due to the advances in computer technology, the computer has been integrated as a tool in the everyday work of engineers
University has a long tradition regarding the analysis, synthesis and design of planar, spherical and spatial mechanisms [4]. Based on this knowledge and experience, the IGMR started the development of a new mechanism design software called “Mechanism Developer” (MechDev)
MechDev is based on the model-view-controller (MVC) architecture, which is especially recommended for user interactive systems [6]
Summary
Due to the advances in computer technology, the computer has been integrated as a tool in the everyday work of engineers. General engineering tools such as computer aided design software (i.e., SolidWorks [10] or Autodesk Inventor [11]), as well as multibody dynamics simulation software (i.e., Adams [12]), can be used to analyze different kind of mechanism These powerful tools provide functionalities to consider detailed properties of the mechanism such as friction, physical properties of the material etc. Software products such as SAM [13] or ASOM [14] provide functionality for the kinematic and kinetostatic analysis, synthesis and optimization of planar mechanisms based on revolute, prismatic and gear joints, but they do not cover cam mechanisms Other products such as OPTIMUS MOTUS [15] or GENESYS [2,16] provide powerful methods in mechanism theory and support cam mechanisms. This will include information about how boundary conditions of such splines can be realized
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