Animate belt and tensioner pulley

[mech5328]

Hello. I want to ask how can i create an animation in IV 2014  that shows a tensioner pulley moves a belt.

Is there that possiblity in Iv 2014? 

I know only to show the motion of a belt and pulleys but i don t know how the part of a belt i have created can be flexible.(like the video below)

[JDMather]

Attach your assembly here.

[mech5328]

Hello jd master

In the stp i send, i want to make an animation in which the central pulley which makes a circular motion, to change the shape of the belt.

i don t know the way to do something like this in inventor. Maybe with parametres, or in a dynamic simulation environment.

i want the other two pulleys following the belt and one other tensioner pulley which i will put in the other corner of my belt.

Thank you

[wimann]

While I appreciate the step file, I'm unable to use your step file for much more than showing me what you're trying to do. It's not too challenging. You could do one of two things:

1. Project the gear geometry and use it to define the belt then drive a constraint to move the gear (make sure that Drive Adaptivity is activated).

2. Use Inventor Studio. Create a paramter (likely in the belt itself) that locates the center of the gear and use that location plus the gear dia to define the belt. Then Animate that parameter in Inventor Studio.

Those are a couple of very brief explanations, but the information is out there if you look for it. Otherwise, if you think you'd like to pursue either of these but are unsure of how to do so, feel free to ask. I'm happy to help.

EDIT: I've attached a part I made real quick that shows how you could use parameters. In my example, angle is the parameter you would manipulate. Go under the ribbon to Manage, then in the iLogic section, select "iLogic Browser". Activate the "Forms" tab and click "Form 1". This form allows you to manipulate the angle and see how the part will change.

[Mark.Downes]

Hi winmann,

A very nice elegantly simple solution.

I have a completely different scenario in mind for a presentation coming up soon, but will "emulate this format"

(ok, blatantly copy your idea - ha ha).

thanks

Mark

Inventor 2014

[admaiora]

Nice Will!

[mech5328]

Thank you Wimann. your example was nice but i need a little help more.

How will i have the lenght of my belt constant by using parametres and change the shape. I want to bend my belt and at the same time to reduce the radius of one arc, so as the total length remains constant.

After that how can i pass that parametric part in an assembly, putting constraints and create an animation by driving that constraints.

I have problems with adaptivity.

[wimann]

Well it depends on which radius you want to have change so that your belt length is constant.

Could you reply and attach an example? Maybe with some text in the file so I can see what you're trying to do. I'm certain it is possible.

My example would work better with inventor studio, though it wouldn't take much to make it work for a driven constraint. I tend to prefer studio so that I can manipulate more than one item at a time and also so that I can control more movement from one part file. I also think you achieve higher quality but nevertheless, animating driven constraints is still an option.

The trick is going to be expanding the Drive Constraint dialog and checking "Drive Adaptivity". This will make sure that the part updates as the gear moves.

Then you have the issue of the belt going from flat to straight. I originally did this by switching between two sweeps using iLogic based on the difference of two reference dimensions. Driving constraints, it seems, will not run my rule so instead I made another user parameter that finds the difference between the two ref dims and set the properties of the two sweeps so that they will suppress based on that difference. Woo! Lots of words. Okay, so, continuing.

Next, if you want your belt length to remain constaint, pick a "gear" in your layout sketch to change size. I did the bottom one cause it has the most room to start large and end small (if that makes sense). This part gets challenging. It's tough to come up with an equation for the radius to solve itself based on the change in length along the top chord. Ultimately, there is no absolute equation that I've found so far. So I just assumed a value for belt length and solved for the "starting radius", then, since I know how far down the tension pully pushes, I used the lowest position to determine what the radius needs to be to get a reasonable total length.

I'm in 2015 now so I'm not sure if you'll be able to open the file so, if it helps:

[mech5328]

Wimann, i attached an ipt. i work on inventor 14. i can' t open your files but you will be able to open my file.

i have created a part with 2 parameters, i put this in inventor studio and i animated it and the result is close to that i want.

But i want to animate an assembly and i don t know how?

i want to put teeth on my belt and rotate 4 gears, one of them will be a tensioner pulley which will do 2 motions.

i succeeded the motion of the part but i don t know how to combine this motion (from the parameters) with motions from constraints.

 i want the upper chord always follow the small circle

Thank you

[mcguirejames98]

First of all i would like to appreciate your efforts which you did. Its really great idea to make something automated. But in that case i would like to suggest if you want to do more better in this area you must should take the professional advice which can guide you better in your field and you can make it in the better way.