Add / Update Polyline

<< Click to Display Table of Contents >>

Navigation:  MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > 2.2 Mechanism-Editor > MD-Solids >

Add / Update Polyline

About Add Polyline

You can add a Polyline to a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair, only.

A Polyline is a sketch-element that is a copy of the shape of a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair.

When the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair is a “closed” shape, the Polyline is a closed sketch-loop*.

When a 2D-Cam is open or the Gear-Pair are gear-segments the Polyline is an “open” shape. You must add sketch-elements to complete a closed shape and sketch-loop.

You can add Profile/Extrusions to the closed sketch-loop to show 2D-Cams and Gear-Pairs as MD-Solids.


Update Polyline

The shape of the Polyline does not update if you edit a parameter that changes the shape of a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair. Therefore, the shape of the Profile will not update, also.

You must update the shape of the Polyline manually, by adding the Polyline to the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair again - see Update Polyline


To delete a Polyline

You must delete the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair before you can delete the Polyline.


Note:

We do not recommend that you add a Polyline to a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair, unless the model is near to complete.

It is a complex element that will increase the time to add and edit other elements.


Add Polyline

STEP 1: Put the MMA to Zero degrees

1.Press ALT+H or the Home key on your keyboard

STEP 2:Start the Add Polyline command:

MD-Icon-AddPolyline

1.Click MD-Solids menu > Add Polyline

OR

1.Click MD-Solids toolbar > Add Polyline

The Command-Manager has one selection-box.

Command-Manager

Command-Manager

STEP 3:Select a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair

To add a Polyline to a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair:

1.Click a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair in the graphics-area or Assembly-Tree

Add Polyline

Add Polyline

The 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair is in the Command-Manager selection-box.

2D-Cam element in the Selection-Box

2D-Cam element in the Selection-Box

STEP 4: Complete the command

1.Click OK-tiny-13-17 in the Command-Manager

If necessary:

2.Click Rebuild Now to make sure the Polyline is correct.

The Polyline is now a sketch-element in the Part that is a copy of the shape of the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair.


Update Polyline

To Update the shape of the Polyline to the new shape of a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair:

STEP 1: Put the MMA to Zero degrees

1.Press ALT+H or the Home key on your keyboard

STEP 2:Start the Add Polyline command:

MD-Icon-AddPolyline

1.Click MD-Solids menu > Add Polyline

OR

1.Click MD-Solids toolbar > Add Polyline

The Command-Manager has one selection-box.

Command-Manager

Command-Manager

STEP 3:Select the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair whose shape you want to update

1.Click the new shape of a 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair in the graphics-area or Assembly-Tree

Update Polyline

Update Polyline

The 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair is in the Command-Manager selection-box.

2D-Cam element in the Selection-Box

2D-Cam element in the Selection-Box

STEP 4: Complete the command

1.Click OK-tiny-13-17 in the Command-Manager

If necessary:

2.Click Rebuild Now to make sure the Polyline is correct.

The shape of the Polyline updates to the new shape of the 2D-Cam or Gear-Pair.