Who can help with mechanical animation???

[betts]

I need to show the movement in an assembly of plastic parts with a metal insert also. The plastic parts have snaps and wings that flex over other parts. I would like to show spring action also, or rebound if you will.

 

Does anyone know of software to help with this? Of course free ware would be great, but if its not outrageous I am ok with paying for it. Since this is not my thing, so to speak (dog and pony shows) I would entertain paying someone else to do it, but it would require a confidentiality agreement, so not real practical. This is not something we see as a frequent need in the future, so I am looking for some "one time help".

[Yogesh K. Raman]

u can do this with Solidworks, its not free I know.

[mayday]

Pro-e

I have mechanics on my system. im just not real good at using it yet. I have done some simple stuff but multi moving parts are over my head still

[BernieT]

Have you tried a Google search for 'animation software'? I just tried it and there was more info then I knew what to do with.

[betts]

Thanks Bernie I will go that route, but I thought maybe someone here had done some before.

 

Maybe I should send Dave Thompson an email since he seems to know a lot about animation.

[betts]

Oh, and no solidworks or pro-e, but we have solid edge. Problem is it won't do as much as we need, only part of it.

[Mike Mattera - TFM]

You know Mastercam (the Swiss Army Knife of Cam) has a Chook called Animate.dll

 

Just draw your pics in the views you want to show the motion. i.e. draw the part in the various positions to be displayed. Save each file in a sequential name pic1.mc9 pic2.mc9 etc...

 

It's not like a real animation application, but for a "quickie" It can get your point across.

 

Mike Mattera

[Fred @ Slate Industries]

I could do it as a .GIF file

You couldnt stop it anywhere you wanted to though

you set the time each frame hangs there and then save the whole thing.

 

What I would need is a picture of each sequence

of your assembely as it functions.

Basically the same as Mikes idea but

anyone anywhere could view it.

I would do it for free.

 

Tony

[betts]

Thanks Tony I might take you up on that.

 

I will have to get a series of pics. How would you want them, jpeg, bmp,other?

[Fred @ Slate Industries]

.bmp would be fine

I will email you my Home Email address.

we can take it from there.

 

Tony