About This Guide
Using This Guide
Ways to Get Help Online
For Further Help and Feedback
Opening SimMechanics Demos
Typographical Conventions
Mechanical Units
Mechanical Conventions and Abbreviations
Right-Hand Rule Is Assumed
Vector Multiplication
Common Abbreviations
Glossary Terms
Introducing SimMechanics
Welcome to SimMechanics
SimMechanics and Physical Modeling
What's in This Chapter
Related Products
Requirements for SimMechanics
Other Related Products
Running a Demo Model
What This Demo Illustrates
Opening the Model
Starting the Demo
Modifying the Model
What Can You Do with SimMechanics?
Modeling Machines with SimMechanics
Bodies, Coordinate Systems, Joints, and Constraints
Sensors, Actuators, and Force Elements
Simulating Mechanical Motion
Visualizing and Animating Machines
Building and Visualizing Simple Machines
Introducing the SimMechanics Block Libraries
Viewing the Blocks
Creating SimMechanics Models
Essential Steps to Build a Model
Essential Steps to Configure and Run a Model
Building a Simple Pendulum
The World Coordinate System and Gravity
Configuring a Ground Block
Configuring a Body Block
Configuring a Joint Block
Adding Sensors and Starting the Simulation
Visualizing a Simple Pendulum
Representing the Bodies
Visualizing with Handle Graphics
Visualizing with Virtual Reality
A Four Bar Mechanism
Configuring the Mechanical Environment Settings
Setting Up the Block Diagram
Configuring the Ground and Joint Blocks
Configuring the Body Blocks
Sensing Motion and Running the Model
Examples
Understanding Mechanical Concepts
Representing Body Positions and Orientations
Reference Frames and Coordinate Systems
Relating Moving Coordinate Systems
Observing Motion in Different Coordinate Systems
Observing a Translating, Rotating Rigid Body
How SimMechanics Represents Body Rotations
Kinematics and the Machine State
Summary of Technical Vocabulary
Modeling Mechanical Systems
Modeling Machines
About SimMechanics Models
Creating a SimMechanics Model
Connecting SimMechanics Blocks
Interfacing SimMechanics Blocks to Simulink Blocks
Setting SimMechanics Block Properties at the Command Line
Creating SimMechanics Subsystems
Creating Custom SimMechanics Blocks with Masks
Modeling Bodies
Modeling Grounds
Modeling Finite Rigid Bodies
Working with Body Coordinate Systems
Modeling Joints
About Joints
Creating a Joint
Modeling with Massless Connectors
Modeling with Disassembled Joints
Cutting Closed Loops
Modeling Constraints and Drivers
Directionality of Constraints and Drivers
Solving Constraints
Restrictions on Using Constraint and Driver Blocks
Constraint Example: Gear Constraint
Driver Example: Using the Angle Driver
Modeling Actuators
Actuating a Body
Varying a Body's Mass and Inertia Tensor
Actuating a Joint
Actuating a Driver
Specifying Initial Positions and Velocities
Modeling Force Elements
Inserting a Linear Force Between Bodies
Inserting a Linear Force or Torque Through a Joint
Customizing Force Elements with Sensor-Actuator Feedback
Modeling Sensors
Sensing Body Motions
Sensing Joint Motions and Forces
Sensing Constraint Reaction Forces
Checking Model Validity
Checking Schematic Topology
Counting Degrees of Freedom
Running Mechanical Models
Choosing Simulation Options
Choosing an ODE Solver
Choosing an Analysis Mode
Setting Assembly Tolerances
Choosing a Constraint Solver
Mechanical Environment Settings Dialog Box
Parameters Pane
Constraints Pane
Linearization Pane
Visualization Pane
How SimMechanics Works
Model Validation
Machine Initialization
Force Analysis and Motion Integration
Stiction Mode Iteration
Troubleshooting Simulation Errors
Data Validation Errors
Ground and Body Geometry Errors
Joint Geometry Errors
Block Connection and Topology Errors
Motion Singularity and Inconsistency Errors
Analysis Mode Errors
Generating Code
Using Code-Related Products and Features
How SimMechanics Code Generation Differs from Simulink
Limitations
Restrictions with Generated Code
Visualizing and Animating Machines
Choosing Visualization Options in SimMechanics
Uses of the SimMechanics Visualization Tools
Setting Up Static and Dynamic Visualization
Rendering Body Shapes in SimMechanics
Choosing the Body Shape
Equivalent Ellipsoids
Convex Hulls
Viewing Machines with Handle Graphics
Using the Standard Handle Graphics Controls
Interpreting the Special SimMechanics Symbols
Using Special SimMechanics Functions
Highlighting Bodies and Body Blocks
Changing How the Machine Is Displayed
Changing Perspective and Window Size
Controlling the Simulation from the Window
Recording and Playing Animations
Saving and Recalling Display Settings
Summary of the SimMechanics Toolbar
Viewing Machines in Virtual Reality
Interpreting Special Virtual Reality Symbols
Changing the Observer's Viewpoint
Learning More About Virtual Reality Toolbox
Creating Custom Machine Visualizations
Creating Virtual Worlds for SimMechanics Models
Interfacing SimMechanics with Virtual Worlds
Case Studies
Finding Forces from Motions
Closed-Loop Example: Four-Bar System
Open-Topology Example: Double Pendulum
Trimming SimMechanics Models
Unconstrained Example: Spring-Loaded Double Pendulum
Constrained Example: Four-Bar System
Linearizing SimMechanics Models
Model Linearization Example: Double Pendulum
Blocks - By Category
Creating Bodies and Grounds
Creating Joints
Constraining and Driving Motion
Actuating and Sensing Motion
Applying Force Elements
Additional Useful Blocks
Blocks - Alphabetical List
Commands - Alphabetical List
Glossary
Selected Bibliography
Printable Documentation (PDF)
Product Page