Extension spring that can expand assembly and retract

[Anonymous]

How can I create a spring between the blue stand offs that will allow the channel to expand to fit a object that's intaked by the wheel and retract to it original position when there is no object

[JDMather]

The easy way to do this is with a Spring Force in Dynamic Simulation.

Attach your assembly here if you can’t figure it out.

[JDMather]

...or

if you merely want to Animate, then create a spring with length as User Parameter and then Animate Parameter.

[Anonymous]

The assembly is called wheel_intake, in the end it is going to be exported to Autodesk Synthesis as a robot to be simulated and programed, so I don't know what method of springs you outlined would be suitable for this instance. Thanks!

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

I have never used the software that you reference but I think you are correct that springs or spring forces are not going to work in that software.

On the other side of the coin, while Inventor Dynamic Simulation can return the physics results - the computations are very expensive (read slow) that makes it difficult to work with.  And it is an advanced topic.

[Anonymous]

Wow, Thank You so much. I was able to add springs and I used a motion constraint to link the sprockets. But can you send me that assembly in case I mess up in the future. Thanks again