Degrees of Freedom

The potential motion of a mechanism model. Connections act as constraints on the motion of rigid bodies relative to each other, thus reducing the mechanism's total possible degrees of freedom. Every unconstrained rigid body has six degrees of freedom, three translational and three rotational.

Dragging

Using the mouse to grab and manually simulate a mechanism's movement.

Event

An associative relationship between animation elements.

Ground body

A rigid body in a mechanism that does not move. Other rigid bodies move with respect to the ground body.

Key Frame Sequence

A series of snapshots that show the position and orientation of parts or assemblies over a period of time.

Placement Constraint

An entity in an assembly that places a component and that limits the movement of the component in the assembly.

Playback

The ability to record and replay the motion of an analysis run.

Predefined Connection Set

Defines which placement constraints are used to place a component in the model and restricts the motion of rigid bodies relative to each other, thus reducing the assembly's total possible degrees of freedom (DOF). Also defines the kind of motion a component can have within the mechanism.

Rigid body

The basic component of a mechanism model. A rigid body is a group of parts that are rigidly controlled, with no degrees of freedom within the group.

Servo Motor

A servo motor causes a specific type of motion to occur between two rigid bodies in a single degree of freedom

UCS (User Coordinate System)

A coordinate system chosen by the user to act as a frame of reference for the direction of the position, acceleration, or velocity vector.

WCS (World Coordinate System)

A fixed (global) coordinate system that defines the geometric properties of all the components and rigid bodies in an assembly.