Mechanical Systems Experience Database Design Import

Considerations

You should take the following considerations into account:

Import of Mechanisms

The following items in a CATIA V5 mechanism are not imported to 3DEXPERIENCE:

• Distance, speed, and interference analyses
• Sensors
• Simulations created in DMU Kinematics Simulator

For a V5 joint that contains no V5 assembly constraints, axis systems are created in the engineering connection to replace the original geometries used in the V5 joint.

For a V5 U joint based on two lines (non-associative) or two axis-systems (associative), two axis systems are created in the engineering connection to replace the original geometries used in the V5 joint. But if there is an equivalent set of V5 constraints (coincidence and angle) in V6, axis systems are not generated, which makes the V6 U joint associative and geometrical modifications are supported.

Import of Joints with Driven Kinematic Commands

If you import a V5 kinematic joint driven by a command in the 3DEXPERIENCE, no geometry is associated as support for that command.

As a consequence, a new constraint is created for the joint. The constraint supports are computed, based on existing geometries from the model.

This additional constraint is created for the following joint types:

• Revolute
• Prismatic
• Cylindrical
• Screw
• Gear
• Rack
• Cable

Depending on the degrees of freedom of the imported joint, an additional constraint is created and defined.

Joint Degrees of Freedom	Additional Constraint	Mode	Preferences	First Support	Second Support	Third Support
Translation	Offset	Controlled	Above, Same	Computed plane, normal to the first edge.	Computed plane, normal to the second edge.	—
Rotation	Hinge	Controlled	Sector1	Computed plane including the first edge (axis).	Computed plane including the second edge (axis).	Edge (corresponding to the first edge).

Notes:

• In the Engineering Connection Definition dialog box, you can specify the constraint value, lower value, and upper value, but the constraint mode, preferences, and supports are defined by default and cannot be edited.
• Computed supports are not highlighted in the tree or in the 3D area.

Screw Joints - Deleting Constraints

If you import a V5 Screw joint and delete the Hinge constraint, the Coincidence and Offset constraints are automatically deleted.

Structure Diagrams - V5 vs 3DEXPERIENCE

In CATIA V5, the components of a kinematics simulation are collected under the Product node in the tree; in 3DEXPERIENCE a kinematics simulation is a separate object that refers to a product, a mechanism representation, and simulation specifications (excitations, probes, and scenarios).

If a V5 product includes a mechanism definition, it is imported into 3DEXPERIENCE as a product with an associated mechanism representation.

V5 Tree Elements	3DEXPERIENCE Tree Elements
Product	Product
Constraints	Mechanism
Applications	Joints Commands
Mechanism	Engineering connections
Joints Commands Laws

If the V5 mechanism includes laws that are used to drive a simulation of the mechanism, a simulation object is created in 3DEXPERIENCE; the mechanism is imported as the Model in the simulation, while the laws are imported as Excitations in the simulation scenario (as described in the table above).

Warning: If a law is deactivated in the V5 model, it will not be imported into 3DEXPERIENCE.

V5 Tree elements	3DEXPERIENCE tree elements
Product	Simulation
Constraints	Model
Applications	Product Mechanism Joints Commands Engineering Connections
Mechanism	Scenario
Joints Commands Laws	Excitations Scenario Relations