Recording a Track

To simulate various assemblies and other aspects of manufacturing, you can record tracks for your products to move through space. You can either create the track for a scenario or for an operation.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Open a manufacturing simulation in 3D Simulation.
See Also
Track Authoring Context Toolbar
Track Authoring Dialog Box

Select Objects to Move with Tracks

You can select multiple objects to move with tracks.

Before you begin: Open a simulation, and from the Simulation section of the action bar, click New Track. The Track Authoring context toolbar appears.
  1. On the 3D geometry, select the products you want to move.

    In some cases, you may not be certain that you have precisely selected the products that you want to move. For example, if you want to be sure that you have selected an entire subassembly, and not only one of its constituent parts, then press F3 to see the tree. You can select the products directly on the tree. You can use the Ctrl and Shift keys to help with your selections.

  2. If the Moving Objects panel is not already available, click Moving Objects .

    By default, this panel is not available. You can specify the option in the Me > Preferences > App Preferences > Simulation > Manufacturing Process Documentation > Assembly Evaluation > Track tab so that it is always available.

    The Moving Objects panel appears.
  3. Select several products and verify the selected objects in the window.


  4. Clear selected objects by clicking them in the tree, the panel, or the 3D geometry.

Once you have selected the objects for the track, you can begin to record trajectory points.

Create a Track

You can create tracks within a scenario.

  1. From the Simulation section of the action bar, click New Track .
    The Track Authoring context toolbar appears.
  2. Select Snap Anchor in the context toolbar and define the anchor position before authoring the Track.
  3. Select the product to move.
    The Robot snaps on to the product you selected (if you selected several products, the Robot is attached to the first one you selected). The context toolbar proposes a set of commands for Track authoring and the Experience Player appears.

    The Track Authoring dialog box can be accessed by clicking Track Authoring at the right edge of the work area.

  4. Select the Track Properties tab in the Track Authoring dialog box.
    The Number of Moving Objects area indicates the number of products you have selected.
  5. Select the method for determining how long the object takes to traverse the track.
    • Specify a total Time (the default option).
    • Specify a Speed.
  6. On the product, move the Robot and click Record at each position.


    The trajectory line has one color (blue, by default) when you have recorded it, and another (green, by default) when you have moved the product but not yet recorded it.

  7. Select a trajectory point you have created.
    The product moves from the most recently created point to the selected point.

  8. Click Modify and move the Robot to all the trajectory point positions, then click Modify again.
    The track is modified.

  9. Select a trajectory point you have created.
    The product moves from the most recently created point to the selected point.
  10. Click Delete .
    The trajectory point is deleted, and the track is modified.
  11. When you have recorded the track, click OK in the Track Authoring dialog box.
    The track is created and represented as a thumbnail in the Excitations panel.

Note: If you decide to cancel the track, the objects selected to be moved in the track are located at the anchor position.

Create a Track for an Operation

You can create a track in an operation in workplan mode.

Note: You can also create tracks for operations using the Gantt chart.

Before you begin: Open your content in workplan mode.
  1. Press F3 to display the tree.
  2. Right-click the operation to which you want to add the track and select Switch to Behavior.
    The behaviors associated with the operation appear.
  3. Right-click the behavior on which you want the track created and select Create Track.
    The Track Authoring context toolbar appears.

    The products implemented by the operation and the resources implementing the operation are automatically selected.

    Notes:
    • Either all or none of the implemented products are managed by the track. Select an implemented product to clear all of them.
    • If a track is defined with implemented products as moving objects, the track simulation always moves all the implemented objects defined on the operation, even if the implement products are modified by the operation.
    • You can select products and implemented resources to remove or to add to the selected objects for the track.
    • Only the implemented resources you select when you create the track are defined as moving objects for this track. Additional implemented resources defined on the operation are not taken into account for track simulation.
    • Edit the track to add or remove the implemented resources for the existing track.
    • Depending on the options specify in Me > Preferences > App Preferences > Simulation > Manufacturing Process Documentation > Assembly Evaluation > Track tab, the part position for the track is specified relative to the positions of the other objects in the operation or relative to the object's design position.

  4. Click Moving Objects .
    The Moving Objects panel appears.

    The available products and resources are those implemented by the operations before the current operation. The selected products and resources are those implemented by the operation.

  5. If required, select available products, select the right arrow, and click Close in the Moving Objects panel.
  6. Move the Robot and click Record at each position until you have created a track.
  7. Click OK to finish recording the track.
    The track is created under the operation.

Reverse the Direction of a Track

You can reverse the direction of a track.

To reverse the trajectory of a track, you can:

  • Select the Automatically Reverse Track after creation option in the Me > Preferences > App Preferences > Simulation > Manufacturing Process Documentation > Assembly Evaluation > Track tab. When the option is selected, all the tracks are automatically reversed as soon as the track authoring is completed.
  • Click the arrow displayed on the track. This arrow reverse the track direction every time it is clicked. This can be done during or outside track authoring.
  • Right-click the track and select Reverse Track. This can be done outside track authoring.

  1. In the Excitations panel, right-click the thumbnail of an existing track and select Reverse Track.
    The track direction is reversed.
  2. Click the track and select Play from the Compass to observe the altered direction.
    Note: You can return the track to its original direction by repeating this task.