Joints—Creo Ansys Simulation
A joint is a type of connection or junction at which usually two bodies are joined together in a way that restricts some degrees of freedom (DOFS) while leaving others free. For a joint, one reference is considered the stationary reference, while the other is considered the mobile or moving reference. The mobile and stationary references of the joint must be on two different bodies.
Joints can also be defined as “grounded”. In this case the joint connects the mobile reference to a fixed location in space (In a way this restricts some DOFs while leaving others free). The stationary references are fixed in space, that is they have all DOFs fixed.
Properties of a joint are defined as a joint behavior and can be applied to more than one joint. Joint behavior is characterized by the rotational and translational degrees of freedom of the mobile reference of the joint, as fixed or free with reference to the stationary one. When you create a joint you must also define a joint behavior, use a previously defined joint behavior, or use one of the system-defined joint behaviors.
The system creates a default joint coordinate system that is used for both the stationary and the mobile references of the joint. You can change the coordinate system of either or both the references. In case of a general joint behavior, you must create and select the coordinate system for each reference as the software does not automatically create the coordinate system in this case.
To Define a Joint
1. Open the model for which you want to create a joint. Launch Creo Ansys Simulation.
2. Click > 
Joint. The Joint Definition dialog box opens.
Joint. The Joint Definition dialog box opens.3. Specify a name for the joint, or use the default name. Note that the default name of the joint changes according to the selected joint behavior. For example, if you select the predefined slot joint behavior, the default name of your joint is Slot Joint 1.
Optionally, click the color swatch adjacent to the Name box to change the color of the icon, the distribution, and the text displayed for the joint.
4. Select a vertex, edge, curve, surface, or more than one coplanar surface, colinear edge, or vertex on the stationary body. Your selection is displayed in the Stationary collector.
Click 
to ground the stationary reference of the joint. This means that the stationary reference is fixed or constrained in all directions. The option acts as a toggle button which when selected has a gray background 
and when not selected has a white background .
to ground the stationary reference of the joint. This means that the stationary reference is fixed or constrained in all directions. The option acts as a toggle button which when selected has a gray background and when not selected has a white background .5. Select a vertex, edge, curve, surface, or more than one coplanar surface, colinear edge, or vertex on the mobile body. Your selections are displayed in the Mobile collector.
6. This step is optional. Click + next to Initial coordinate systems. When you select any of the predefined joint behaviors, the coordinate system is the system created joint coordinate system. To change the coordinate system for either or both references select a coordinate system from the Graphics Window or the Model Tree. The selected coordinate system is displayed in the respective Coordinate system collector.
 | When you define a general joint you must select the coordinate system for both references. (A default is not provided.) |
Click 
to revert to using the default coordinate system of the model.
to revert to using the default coordinate system of the model.7. Select a predefined joint behavior from the Joint behavior list, or click Create new from the list to create a new joint behavior.
Click 
to edit a user-defined general type of joint behavior.
to edit a user-defined general type of joint behavior.| | The button is only active when you select a general user-defined joint behavior. |
8. Click OK to create the joint and save it.