Tutorials, training, and best practices for designing and analyzing with Open Vehicle Sketch Pad
Users should be aware of the difference between the component build axis (usually the Hinge X-axis) and the rotation axis. The Hinge rotation axis may be selected under the Orient tab from the X, Y, or Z Hinge axes. Think of the hinge axis as choosing a roll (X), pitch (Y), or yaw (Z).
Controlling Hinge motion is performed by changing the values under the Motion tab in the Hinge component window. For both translation and rotation, the current displacement or angle may be set along with maximum and minimum values for each. Clicking the Max/Min buttons will set the corresponding value to the current angle or displacement. Clicking the Range button will set the minimum and maximum travel of the slider range to the listed min/max settings. This way, you can move through the entire motion envelope using one drag of the slider.
The Hinge component enables multiple types of connections that are analogous to mechanical components in the real-world. For example, pure translation is akin to a slider while pure rotation is similar to a pin. A combination of translation and rotation would be similar to a cylinder connection. This video describes how to implement these types of connections in your model.
The Hinge is a versatile OpenVSP component that enables multiple connection types within your model. Far more than a clever Blank, the Hinge facilitates both translation and rotation about an axis that may be described using XForm rotations, vectors, offsets, or surface references. Furthermore, multiple Hinges may be linked together or even programmed using Advanced Links to create complex kinematics within your parametric geometry. This video will provide an introduction to the Hinge component and describe a few of its functions.
A single or multiple Blank components may be used to perform complex rotations or transformations within your model. A single Blank may be used to perform a combination of X, Y, and Z axis rotations in a single component. However, you should note that the Blank will apply these rotations in the order X first, then Y, then Z. This is done intentionally so that you can always alter the angles without losing track of how you got there. If you want to perform multiple rotations about different axes in intermediate frames, then using multiple Blanks is the way to go.