Motion

Overview of Motion
A motion generator dictates the movement of a part as a function of time. It supplies whatever force is
required to make the part satisfy the motion. For example, a translational joint motion prescribes that a
joint on a part move at 10 mm/second in the z direction. You can apply the motion to either idealized
joints or between a pair of parts.

Types of Motion
Adams/View provides you with the following types of motion:
• Joint Motion - Prescribes translational or rotational motion on a translational, revolute, or
cylindrical joint. Each joint motion removes one degree of freedom (DOF) from your model.
Joint motions are very easy to create, but they limit you to motions that are applied to the above
listed joints and movements in only one direction or rotation.
• Point Motion - Prescribes the movement between two parts. When you create a point motion,
you specify the direction along which the motion occurs. You can impose a point motion on any
type of idealized joint, such as a spherical or cylindrical.
Point motions enable you to build complex movements into your model without having to add
joints or invisible parts. For example, you can represent the movement along an arc, of a ship in
the ocean, or a robot’s arm.
For more on point motions, see About Creating Point Motions.

Defining the Motion Magnitude

You can define motion as acceleration, displacement, or velocity over time. By default, Adams/View
creates a motion that moves at a constant velocity over time. When you create a motion, you can define
its magnitude by entering one of the following:
• Translational or rotational speed - As you create a motion, you can specify the translational or
rotational speed of the motion. By default, you enter the rotational speed in number of degrees
per second and the translational speed in length units per time unit (for example, number of
inches per second).
When Adams/View creates the motion, it uses the value you enter as the motion function. It also
converts the rotational motion speed to radians. When you modify the motion, you can change
the value or enter a function expression or a user-written subroutine as explained next.
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Motion

• Function expression - You can use Adams/View function expressions to specify the exact
movement applied to a joint as a function of time. For example, using function expressions you
can define a motion function that holds the joint in a fixed position, as well as one that moves the
joint with the required force to produce a constant velocity. To learn more about function
expressions, see Function Builder and Adams/View Function Builder online help.

Note: If you make your function a function of displacements or forces, Adams/View issues an
error and stops execution. These types of functions contain a VARVAL (function that
returns variable name), and although a VARVAL is allowed in the function, Adams/View
issues a warning. The motion function containing the VARVAL will not give correct
velocities, accelerations, or reaction forces in a joint, and may have trouble converging to
a solution.

• Parameters to be passed to a user-written subroutine - You can create a much more complex
motion by creating a MOTSUB User-written subroutine and entering the values to be passed to
the subroutine to determine the motion. For more on creating subroutines and passing values to
them, see the Subroutines section of the Adams/Solver help.

Tips on Creating Motions

The following are some tips for creating motions:
• The motions that you assign determine the initial displacements and velocities of your model.
For any joint that has a motion applied to it, do not specify initial conditions that act in the same
direction as the motion. If you specify initial conditions for both the joint and the motion,
Adams/Solver uses the motion conditions and ignores the initial conditions you specified for the
joint.
• You can define a zero motion with respect to time, which is the same as locking two parts
together.
• If any motion generates nonzero initial part accelerations, Adams/Solver may not produce
reliable accelerations and velocities for the first two or three internal Integration steps of a
Dynamic simulation. Adams/Solver automatically corrects for this; therefore, the values it returns
at the first output step are accurate. A sensor, however, that depends on the accelerations or
reaction forces due to this motion may trip unexpectedly before the first Output step, even
though the solution appears correct when the sensor is removed. If this occurs, you should
modify the initial conditions set for the motion so that the initial accelerations are zero.
• If you defined the motion using velocity and acceleration, you cannot set a dynamic simulation
so that it uses the ABAM integrator. For more on controlling your simulation, see Solver Settings
- Dynamic.
• Adams/Solver cannot perform a kinematic simulation on a zero-DOF model containing motions
whose function expressions are specified as velocity or acceleration. You’ll need to perform a
dynamic simulation instead.
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Motion

DOF Removed by Motion

The following lists the motions that can be applied to the axes of parts. It places the general point motion
in all fields of the table because a general point motion can apply motion to none, any, or all axes of a part.

Applying Joint Motion

Creating Joint Motion

When you create a Joint motion, Adams/View creates a motion at the specified joint. It defines the motion
as a constant velocity over time based on a speed value that you can enter. The speed value can be a
numerical value, function expression, or User-written subroutine.
Learn about:
• Tips on Creating Motions
• Defining the Motion Magnitude
• DOF Removed by Motion

To create a joint motion:

1. From the Joint palette or Motion tool stack, select the joint motion tool representing the motion
that you want to create. Select either:
• to create a translational motion.
• to create a rotational motion.
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Motion

2. In the settings container, specify the speed of the motion in displacement units per second. By
default, Adams/View creates a rotational motion with a speed of 30 degrees per second and a
translational motion with a speed of 10 millimeters per second.
To enter a function expression or user-written subroutine, right-click the Speed text box, point to
Parameterize, and then select Expression Builder to display the Adams/View Function Builder.
For information on using the Function Builder, see Function Builder and Adams/View Function
Builder online help.
3. Use the left mouse button to select the joint on the screen to which the motion will be applied.

Modifying Joint Motion

You can change several properties about a Joint motion after you create it. The properties include:
• Joint to which the motion is applied.
• Motion direction, either rotational or translational.
• Motion definition, including how the motion magnitude is defined (displacement, velocity, or
acceleration) and the function that defines its magnitude. You can enter a numerical value,
function expression, or User-written subroutine for the magnitude (MOTSUB). For more
information on MOTSUB, see Subroutines section of the Adams/Solver help.
• Initial conditions for displacement and velocity. Adams/View uses the initial conditions during
an Initial conditions simulation, which it runs before it runs a simulation of your model. You can
specify the following initial conditions:
• Initial displacement that defines the translation of the first part, in units of length or angles,
relative to the second part. You can set initial displacement on any joint motion whose
magnitude is defined as velocity or acceleration.
• Initial velocity that defines the velocity of the first part with respect to the second part, in units
of length or angles per unit of time. You can set initial velocity on any joint motion whose
magnitude is defined as acceleration.

Note: You can also modify joint properties using the Table Editor.

To modify a joint motion:

1. Display the Joint Motion dialog box as explained in Accessing Modify Dialog Boxes.
2. If desired, in the Joint text box, change the joint to which the motion is applied. The Joint Type
text box automatically updates to the selected type of joint.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
3. Set Direction to the desired motion direction (rotational or translational). You can select only
translational motion for a translational or cylindrical joint. You can select only rotational motion
for a revolute or cylindrical joint.
4. Set Define Using to how you will define the motion.
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Motion

If you selected Function, enter the following in the Function (time) text box that appears:
• Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in radians.)
• Function expression:
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the More tool
to display the Adams/View Function Builder. For information on using the Function Builder,
see Function Builder and Adams/View Function Builder online help.
If you selected Subroutine, enter the parameters to be passed to a User-written subroutine
MOTSUB and its ID or you can specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine in
the Routine text box. For more on subroutines, see the Subroutines section of the Adams/Solver
online help. Learn about specifying your own routine with ROUTINE Argument.
5. Set Type to Displacement, Velocity, or Acceleration to specify how motion magnitude is
defined.
6. In the Displacement IC or Velocity IC text boxes, enter the initial conditions for displacement
or velocity. The text boxes that appear depend on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.

Applying Point Motion

About Point Motion

There are two types of Point Motion that you can create:
• Single point motion - Prescribes the motion of two parts along or around one axis.
• General point motion - Prescribes the motion of two parts along or around the three axes (six
degrees of freedom (DOF)).

When you create a point motion, you specify the parts to which the motion is to be applied and the
location and orientation of the motion. Adams/View creates markers on each part at the location of the
motion. The marker that Adams/View creates on the first part you select is called the moving point. It
moves or rotates relative to the marker on the second part, called the reference point. The z-axis of the
reference point defines the positive direction using the right-hand rule.
When you create a point motion, Adams/View creates a motion at the specified location.
• For a single point motion, Adams/View defines the motion as a constant velocity over time,
based on a speed value that you can enter. The speed value can be a numerical value, function
expression, or User-written subroutine, as explained in Defining the Motion Magnitude.
By default, Adams creates the point motion around or along the z-axis. You specify the direction
of the z-axis when you create the single point motion. You can change the axis around or along
which the motion is applied.
• For a general point motion, Adams/View creates a motion around or along all six coordinates of
the markers created on the selected parts. It does not define the magnitude of the motion. You’ll
need to modify the motion to define its magnitude.
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Motion

Creating Point Motions Using the Motion Tools

Learn about applying point motion as you modify joints in Imposing Point Motion on a Joint.

To create a point motion:

1. From the Joint palette, select the tool representing the type of point motion that you want to create.
Select either:
• to create a single point motion.

• to create a general point motion.

2. In the settings container, specify the following:
How you want the motion applied to parts. You can select the following:
• 1 Location - Lets you select the location of the motion and have Adams/View determine the
two parts to which it should be applied. Adams/View selects the parts closest to the motion
location. If there is only one part near the motion, Adams/View connects the motion to that
part and ground.
• 2 Bodies - 1 Location - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to which the motion is to be
applied and the location of the motion.
• 2 Bodies - 2 Locations - Lets you explicitly select the two parts to which the motion is to be
applied and the location of the motion on each part. You should use this option if you are
working in exploded view. For more on exploded view, see Initial Conditions Tool.
For more on the effects of these options, see Connecting Constraints to Parts.
How you want the motion oriented. You can select:
• Normal to Grid - Lets you orient the motion along the current working grid, if it is displayed,
or normal to the screen.
• Pick Geometry Feature - Lets you orient the motion along a direction vector on a feature in
your model, such as the face of a part.
3. If you are creating a single point motion, set Characteristic to the direction of the motion, and
then enter the speed of the motion in the Speed text box.
4. If you selected to explicitly select the parts to which the motion is to be applied, select each part
using the left mouse button.
5. Place the cursor where you want the motion to be located and click the left mouse button. If you
selected to specify its location on each part, place the cursor on the second location, and click the
left mouse button.
6. If you selected to orient the joint along a direction vector on a feature, move the cursor around in
your model to display an arrow showing the direction in which you want the motion oriented.
When the direction vector shows the correct orientation, click the left mouse button.
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Motion

Modifying Single Point Motion

The following procedure explains how to modify a single Point Motion defined between two parts.

Note: You can also modify point motion using the Table Editor.

To modify a single point motion:

1. Display the modify motion dialog box as explained in Accessing Modify Dialog Boxes.
The Point Motion dialog box appears.
2. If desired, in the Moving Point and Reference Point text boxes, change the markers that define
the location and orientation of the motion on the parts.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
3. Set Type to how you want to define the magnitude of motion:
If you selected Function, enter the following in the Function (time) text box that appears:
• Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in radians.)
• Function expression
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the More tool
to display the Adams/View Function Builder. For information on using the Function Builder,
see Function Builder and Adams/View Function Builder online help.
• If you selected Subroutine, enter the parameters to be passed to a user-written subroutine and
its ID.
4. Set Type to Displacement, Velocity, or Acceleration to specify how motion magnitude is
defined.
5. In the Displacement IC or Velocity IC text boxes, enter the initial conditions for displacement
or velocity.
• Initial displacement defines the translation of the first part in units of length relative to the
second part. You can set displacements on any point motion whose magnitude is defined as
velocity or acceleration.
• Initial velocity defines the velocity of the first part with respect to the second part in units of
length per unit of time. You can set initial velocity on any point motion whose magnitude is
defined as acceleration.

Modifying General Point Motion

The following procedure explains how to modify a general Point Motion defined between two parts.

Note: You can also modify point motion using the Table Editor.
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Motion

To modify a general point motion:

1. Display the modify motion dialog box as explained in Accessing Modify Dialog Boxes.
The Impose Motion(s) dialog box appears.
2. If desired, in the Moving Point and Reference Point text boxes, change the markers that define
the location and orientation of the motion on the parts. Learn about moving and reference points.
Tips on Entering Object Names in Text Boxes.
3. Set Type to how you want to define the magnitude of motion.
4. Enter the following in the F(time) text boxes. The text boxes that appear depend on how the
magnitude of the motion is defined.
• Numerical value (For rotational motion, specify the magnitude in radians.)
• Function expression
• Parameters to be passed to a User-written subroutine MOTSUB or you can specify an
alternative library and name for the user subroutine in the Routine text box. See the
Subroutines section of the Adams/Solver online help. Learn about specifying your own routine
with ROUTINE Argument.
To enter a function expression, next to the Function (time) text box, select the More tool
to display the Function Builder.
5. In the Disp. IC or Velo. IC text boxes, enter the initial conditions for displacement or velocity.
The text boxes that appear depend on how the magnitude of the motion is defined.
• Initial displacement defines the translation of the first part in units of length relative to the
second part. You can set displacements on any point motion whose magnitude is defined as
velocity or acceleration.
• Initial velocity defines the velocity of the first part with respect to the second part in units of
length per unit of time. You can set initial velocity on any point motion whose magnitude is
defined as acceleration.