New user desperately trying to align components along a curve

[Anonymous]

Hello! 

Pretty **** new at trying to make this all work, so bear with me and apologies ahead of time.

I may have done this all in a completely ridiculous manner 😕

The problem I have is attaching a long length of components smoothly and easily around the inner edge of a large curve.

The components are roller chain segments, straight off the virtual shelves of McMaster with attachment tab links every foot. Everything is joined as a rotational joint (naturally!) and I just want to pull it to the curve to calculate the exact required length, (as opposed to 30 odd feet) any half links required and to simulate the model. (it's chain drive for a 12' disk)

Basically, any time I manually pull a tab to the curve everything else drifts, and sometimes wildly. I grounded the first tab, but otherwise feel like I'm making no progress!

Is there a way to do this?! 

Please help!

Yvette

Tabs and drive chain along edgeJoints everywhere

[etfrench]

Is 12' the pitch line of the disk?  If not what is the actual pitch line? 

The precise number of links is the circumference of the pitch line divided by the roller chain pitch assuming the roller chain forms a circle.

I don't think you can animate roller chain in Fusion 360, but you can animate the sprocket.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

With just the one picture to go by, I think you are doing it the hard way.

With the chain permanently attached to the green ring, the chain won't be moving, so does not need any revolute joints.  When created can be a rigid group.

if it were me, I would place a taged link, and one ordinary link onto the ring, then pattern a set of links up to the next tagged link, (circular pattern may be easier than the Pattern on a path)

Eg, place taged link set with rigid Joint, with its bolt hole onto the ring bolt hole.

place one ordinary link set, rigid to the common pivot pin.

pattern the ordinary link, say nine times, pin to pin, making a set of ten.

then pattern the set of ten, enough times to make it around the green ring, 

Might be easier said than done.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the suggestions!. 

I basically sorted it for a visual projection using the pattern tool. Fairly slow going but effective enough - I definitely don't/didn't need the length of chain to be full of functioning joints, especially since it functions as a stationary component. 

I think I'm still approaching modelling a little too literally. 

However large thanks!