1. MEASUREMENTS, DISPLACEMENT FUNCTIONS AND CAD GEOMETRY
SECTION 13
MEASUREMENTS, DISPLACEMENT FUNCTIONS AND CAD GEOMETRY

2. What is in this Section Taking Measurements Displacement Functions
Importing CAD-Based Geometry

3. Taking Measurements Point-to-point measures
Measure kinematic characteristics of one point relative to another point, such as the relative velocity or acceleration.
To define them, you specify:
Characteristic (displacement, velocity, or acceleration)
To-point marker location (I marker)
From-point marker location (J marker, default is global origin)
Represent coordinates in marker coordinate system (R marker, default is GCS)
Component to return (x, y, z, or magnitude)
Adams/View uses displacement, velocity, or acceleration functions.

4. Taking Measurements (Cont.)
Function measures
Lets you evaluate arbitrary, user-defined expressions of interest during solution runtime, such as:
Flow rate
Aerodynamic pressure
Stress
You can create them in the Function Builder.
Unlike other measures, function measures let you specify plotting attributes.
In this module, you will use a point-to-point measure to create the wheel height measurement and a function measure
to create the toe angle measure
Demonstrate:
Create a Point-to-Point measure. To Point and From Point boxes in the dialog box are of different colors, because you
must fill in the white boxes, while the gray boxes are optional. In blank gray boxes, Adams/View uses defaults.
Create a function measure. Display the Function Builder instead of a dialog box when you create a function measure.
Explain the plot attributes section and the function menus in the Function Builder.

5. Displacement Functions
For translational displacement, return scalar portions of vector components (measurements are taken to I, from J, resolved in R’s CS), as shown on the next slide.
For rotational displacement, return angles associated with a particular rotation sequence.

6. Displacement Functions (Cont.)
Example:
Explain that the displacement function is the same as a point-to-point measure, but because it is a function you can use
it as part of another function.
In this module, you use a displacement function to create the toe angle measure.

7. Importing CAD-Based Geometry
Explain how geometry is used in Adams/View when interfacing with CAD packages.
Explain the two methods shown here.
The only difference between the two methods is that CAD geometry is used in the design validation method but not in
the conceptual design method.
CAD geometry is only graphics; it does not affect the results of the simulation.

8. Importing CAD-Based Geometry (Cont.)
Supported File Formats
Stereolithography (*.stl) and render (*.slp) files - Polygonal representation of surfaces.
Shell (*.shl) files - Geometry representations. Adams specific.
Wavefront (*.obj) files - Set of output files that contain a description of the model graphics and motion data.
CAD Files – Requires Adams/Exchange. Import and export the following geometry formats: STEP, IGES, DXF, DWG, Parasolid.
CAD Assemblies (Adams 2011 and onwards) – Requires CAD Interoperability. Import native CAD files from Pro/E, Catia v5, Solidworks, and other systems.
Note: Adams/Exchange and CAD Interoperability are optional modules for Adams/View that are available from MSC

9. Importing CAD-Based Geometry (Cont.)
Recommendation for CAD File formats
For CAD systems based on the Parasolid kernel, there are many benefits to transferring geometry in Parasolid files. Adams/View creates solid bodies from the Parasolid information that allows for further Boolean operations as well as the selection of geometric features such as the center of a circle.
Parasolid files can be imported as either a single Adams part or as an assembly (separate parts)
If the geometry is to be used for visualization only, simpler formats such as Render and Stereolithography are good choices
If the geometry will be used with solid contacts then Parasolids are the best choice. STEP and IGES solids of individual parts also work well (see KB , “Using Imported STEP files for a 3D Solid-to-Solid Contact Analysis”). Solid contacts will work with shells as long as the bodies are properly closed.
For comparison of CAD file formats and recommendations for exporting CAD data please refer to the online Help.