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Motion · Lesson 1: Animate an assembly

Animation Wizard, MotionManager, linear motor, in-context spring and cable winding driven by equations.

Lesson goal

Create assembly animations, including with parts that deform.

▶

3 videos

✎

1 exercise

Beginner

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Prerequisite: Assemblies learning path

1. Watch the videos

Dassault Systèmes videos hosted on MySolidWorks: they open in a new tab and a free account is enough. Watch them in order.

Introduction to AnimationsVideo 1▶Introduction to AnimationsUse the Animation Wizard and the MotionManager to rotate, explode and collapse an assembly.↗ Animating a SpringVideo 2▶Animating a SpringModel a spring as an in-context sweep and stretch it with a linear motor.↗ Winding a Cable Off a ReelVideo 3▶Winding a Cable Off a ReelModel a cable with a helix and a sweep, drive it with equations and vary a mate over time.↗

2. Key takeaways

1

The MotionManager opens below the graphics area: its timeline holds the keys for each component.

2

The Animation Wizard creates a rotation, explode or collapse of the assembly in a few clicks.

3

A linear motor moves a component; a spring modeled in context then follows the motion.

4

A rebuild error on an in-context part carries over to the animation: fix the model before calculating.

Tip

For a part that changes shape over time, drive its geometry with a dimension or a mate that you vary in the MotionManager: this is the cable-on-a-reel method.

3. Do the exercise

On a simple cylinder (body, rod, return spring):

  • create an explode animation with the Animation Wizard
  • model the spring as a sweep in the context of the assembly
  • add a linear motor on the rod to compress and then release the spring
✓To check: During the animation, the spring compresses and extends with the rod, without any rebuild error.

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