SolidWorks Motion Tutorial 2018

Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SOLIDWORKS 2018 SOLIDWORKS Motion Tutorial Page 1
In this tutorial, we will learn the basics of performing motion analysis using SOLIDWORKS Motion.
Although the tutorial can be completed by anyone with a basic knowledge of SOLIDWORKS parts and
assemblies, we have provided enough detail so that students with an understanding of the physics of
mechanics will be able to relate the results to those obtained by hand calculations.
We will be looking at three different analyses:
1. Rotation of a wheel, in which we will learn how to set up a motion analysis and see the effects of
changing the mass moment of inertia on angular acceleration.
2. Four-bar linkage, in which we will see how plotting a quantity such as acceleration over a
mechanism’s full range of motion allows us to identify the extreme values of the quantity.
3. Roller on a ramp, in which the effects of friction and contacts between parts will be evaluated.
1. Rotation of a Wheel
Begin by creating the three part models detailed below, or by downloading the parts from the book’s
website. The eight-hole pattern on each wheel is added to help visualization of the rotation of the part.
COMPONENTS FOR WHEEL ROTATION MOTION ANALYSIS
WHEEL 1 WHEEL 2 BASE
All dimensions are inches
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.
If you downloaded the part files, the materials for the

parts are defined. If you created them yourself, then for
each part, define the material by right-clicking
“Material” in the FeatureManager and selecting “Edit
Material.” The Material Editor will appear, as shown
here. Select “Alloy Steel” from the list of steels in the
SOLIDWORKS materials library. Click Apply and then
Close.
To begin, we will analyze a simple model of a wheel

subjected to a torque. From Newton’s Second Law, we
know that the sum of the forces acting on a body equals
the mass of the body times the acceleration of the body,
or
Σ F=ma(1)
The above equation applies to bodies undergoing linear acceleration. For rotating bodies, Newton’s
Second Law can be written as:
Σ M G =I G α (2)
Where ∑ M G is the sum of the moments about an axis passing through the body’s center of mass, I G is
the mass moment of inertia of the body about that axis, and α is the angular acceleration of the body.
The moment of inertia about an axis is defined as:
I =∫ m r 2 dV (3)
where r is the radial distance from the axis. For simple shapes, the moment of inertia is relatively easy
to calculate, as formulas for I of basic shapes are tabulated in many reference books. However, for
more complex components, calculation of I can be difficult. SOLIDWORKS allows mass properties,
including moments of inertia, to be determined easily.
Open the part “Wheel 1.” From the main menu, select Tools: Evaluate: Mass Properties.
The mass properties of the wheel are reported in the pop-up box. For this part, the mass is 15.29
pounds, and the moment of inertia about the z-axis (labeled as “Lzz” in SOLIDWORKS) is 105.36 lb∙in 2.
Note that if you centered the part about the origin, then the properties, labeled “Taken at the center of
mass and aligned with the output coordinate system” will be identical to those labeled “Principal
moments... taken at the center of mass.” Note that the units of mass used are actually pounds-mass
(lbm), that is, a part that weighs one pound has a mass of one pound-mass. When we make our
calculations later, we will have to convert our values so that we use units of mass that are consistent
with the other units that we are using.
Close the Mass Properties window. Open the part “Wheel 2.” From the main menu, select Tools:
Evaluate: Mass Properties.
Note that although the mass of 15.45 lbm is almost the same as that of Wheel 1, Wheel 2’s moment of
inertia is 146.54 lb∙in2, which is almost 40% greater than that of Wheel 1. The reason for the difference
is that more material in Wheel 2 is placed near the outer rim. In the definition of the moment of inertia
shown as Eqn. 3, the contribution of each particle of mass on the value ofI depends on its distance from
the axis squared. Therefore, adding mass near the outer rim of the wheel greatly increases its moment
of inertia.
Open a new assembly. Insert the component “Base.”
Since the first component inserted into an assembly is fixed, it is logical to insert the component
representing the stationary component (the “frame” or “ground” component) first.
Insert the part “Wheel 1” into the assembly. Select the Mate Tool.
Add a concentric mate between the center hole of the wheel and the
hole in the base. Be sure to select the cylindrical faces for the mate
and not edges. Add a coincident mate between the back face of the
wheel and the front face of the base.
(Rotated to show mated position of wheel)
You should now be able to click and drag the wheel, with rotation about the axis of the mated holes the
only motion allowed by the mates. The addition of these two mates has added a revolute joint to the
assembly. A revolute joint is similar to a hinge in that it allows only one degree of freedom.
Click on the “Motion Study 1” tab near the lower left corner, which opens the MotionManager across
the lower portion of the screen.
The Motion Manager can be used to create simulations of various complexities:
 Animation allows the simulation of the motion when virtual motors are applied to drive one or
more of the components at specified velocities,
 Basic Motion allows the addition of gravity and springs, as well as contact between components,
to the model, and
 Motion Analysis (SOLIDWORKS Motion) allows for the calculation of velocities, accelerations, and
forces for components during the motion. It also allows for forces to be applied to the model.
The first two options are always available in SOLIDWORKS. SOLIDWORKS Motion is an add-in program,
and must be activated before it can be used.
From the main menu, choose Tools: Add-Ins. In the list of available add-ins, click the check box beside
SOLIDWORKS Motion to activate it. Click OK.
Select Motion Analysis from the simulation options pull-down menu. Select the Force Tool.
We will apply a torque (moment) to the wheel. We will set the torque to have a constant value of 5
in∙lb, and will apply it for a duration of two seconds.
In the Force PropertyManager, select Torque and then click on the front face of the wheel.
Note that the arrow shows that the torque will be applied in the counterclockwise direction relative to
the Z-axis (we say that this torque’s direction is +Z). The arrows directly below the face selection box
can be used to reverse the direction of the torque, if desired.
Scroll down in the Force PropertyManager and set the value to

5 lbfin. Scroll back to the top of the PropertyManager and click
the check mark to apply the torque.
In the MotionManager, click and drag the diamond-shaped icon (termed a “key”) from the default five
seconds to the desired two seconds (00:00:02). Select the Motion Study Properties Tool, and change
the calculation rate from the default of 25 to 100 frames per second. Click the check mark.
Using a larger number of frames per second will result in smoother plots, but will require more
calculation time. For this simple analysis, increasing the rate to 100 per second will not significantly
increase
Click the Calculator Icon to perform the simulation.
The animation of the simulation can be played back without

repeating the calculations by clicking the Play from Start key. The
speed of the playback can be controlled from the pull-down menu
beside the Play controls.
As noted earlier, SOLIDWORKS Motion provides quantitative

analysis results in addition to qualitative animations of motion
models. We will create plots of the angular acceleration and angular velocity of the wheel.
Select the Results and Plots Tool. In the PropertyManager, use the pull-down menus to select
Displacement/Velocity/Acceleration: Angular Acceleration: Z Component. Click on the front face of
the wheel, and click the check mark.
plot will be created of the angular acceleration versus time. The plot can be dragged around the screen
and resized. It can also be edited by right-clicking the plot entity to be modified, similar to the editing of
a Microsoft Excel plot.
We see that the acceleration is a constant value, about 1050 degrees per second squared. Since the
applied torque is constant, it makes sense that the angular acceleration is also constant. We can check
the value with hand calculations. Note that while we can perform very complex analyses with
SOLIDWORKS Motion, checking a model by applying simple loads or motions and checking results by
hand is good practice and can prevent many errors.
We earlier found the mass moment of inertia to be 105.36 lb∙in 2. Since the pound is actually a unit of
force, not mass, we need to convert weight to mass by dividing by the gravitational acceleration (
W =mg¿. Since we are using inches as our units of length, we will use a value of 386.1 in/s 2:
105.36lb ∙¿ 2
I= =0.2729lb ∙∈∙ s 2 (4 )
¿
386.1 2
s
Since the torque is equal to the mass moment of inertia times the angular acceleration (Equation 2), we
can find the angular acceleration as:
T 5 ∈∙ lb rad
α= = =18.323 2 (5)
I 0.2729 lb ∙∈∙ s2
s
Notice that the non-dimensional quantity “radians” appears in our answer. Since we want our answer in
terms of degrees, we must make one more conversion:
rad 180 deg deg

α =18.323
s2 (
π rad s )
=1050 2 (6)
This value agrees with our SOLIDWORKS Motion result.
Select the Results and Plots Tool. In the PropertyManager, use the pull-down menus to select
Displacement/Velocity/Acceleration: Angular Velocity: Z Component. Click on the front face of the
wheel, and click the check mark. Resize and move the plot so that both plots can be seen, and format
the plot as desired.
As expected, since the acceleration is constant, the velocity increases linearly. The velocity at the end of
two seconds is seen to be about 2100 degrees per second. This result can be verified with a simple hand
calculation:
deg deg
(
ω=αt = 1050
s 2 )
( 2 s )=2100
s
(7)
Often, the angular velocity is expressed in revolutions per minute (rpm), commonly denoted by the
symbol N:
deg
(
N= 2100
s )( 3601 revdeg )( 1min
60 s
)=350 rpm(8)
We will now experiment with variations of the simulation.
Move the plots out of the way, but do not close them. Click and drag the key at the top of the
simulation tree from 2 seconds to four, so that the simulation will now last for four seconds. Place the
cursor on the line corresponding to the applied torque (Torque1) at the 2-second mark. (If desired,
you can click the + and signs at the right end of the timeline to scale the timeline.) Right-click and
select Off.
Right-click
here
A new key will be placed at that location. The torque will now be applied for two seconds, but the
simulation will continue for the four seconds.
Press the Calculator icon to perform the simulation.
The plots will be automatically updated. Note that the angular acceleration now drops to zero at two
seconds, while the angular velocity will be constant after two seconds. Since there is no friction in the
model, the wheel will continue to spin at a constant velocity without any torque applied.
In the previous simulations, the torque was applied as a constant value. That means that the change of
the acceleration relative to time (commonly referred to as “jerk”) is infinite at time = 0 and at time = 2
seconds. A more realistic approximation is to assume that the torque builds up over some period of
time, and also ramps down gradually. For example, we will assume that it takes two seconds to reach
the full value of torque and two seconds to ramp down.
Right-click the key added to the torque at time = 2 seconds and delete it. Move the key defining the
duration of the simulation to six seconds. Move the time bar back to zero. Right-click on Torque1 and
select Edit Feature.
Scroll down in the PropertyManager, and select Segments as the type of Force Function. Enter the
three rows as shown here, with Cubic as the Segment Type.
Two graphs are displayed: the torque as a function of time and the derivative of the torque. You can
experiment with different segment types to see how they affect the torque, but the cubic curve will
work fine for this example.
Click OK and then the check mark to apply the torque. Calculate the simulation.
Note that the angular acceleration curve is smooth, and peaks at 1050 deg/s 2. At the end of the six
seconds, the wheel will be turning at about 4,200 deg/s (700 rpm).
Now let’s see the effect of replacing the Wheel 1 component with Wheel 2, which has a higher mass
moment of inertia (146.54 lb∙in2 as compared to 105.36 lb∙in2 for Wheel 1).
Of course, we could start with a new assembly, but it is easier to replace
the component in the existing assembly. This will allow us to retain most of
the assembly mates and simulation entities.
Click the Model tab at the bottom of the screen. Right-click on Wheel 1 in
the FeatureManager. From the menu, select Replace Components.
Browse to find Wheel 2. In the PropertyManager, click the check mark to
accept the replacement of faces in the existing mates with those of the
new part. Click the check mark to make the replacement.
If you receive an error message regarding the plots, click Close. This error will be corrected when the
torque is applied to the new wheel’s face.
Click the check mark to re-apply the mates to the new wheel.
Depending on how you modeled the parts, it is possible that errors will be encountered when the
program attempts to re-apply the mates. If this happens, close the error messages, delete both mates,
and apply new mates manually.
Switch to the Motion Study. Move the Timebar slider back to zero and
right-click the torque. Select Edit Feature and click on the front face of
the wheel to define the direction. Calculate the simulation.
Note that the maximum angular acceleration is about 755 deg/s 2, which is significantly less that of the
simulation with the earlier wheel. This value can be verified from the ratio:
α2 I1
= (9)
α1 I2
I1 105.36 deg deg

α 2= α=
I 2 1 146.54 (
1050 2 =755 2 (10)
s s )
2. Four-Bar Linkage
In this exercise, we will model a 4-bar linkage similar to that of Chapter 11 of the text. In the text, we
were able to qualitatively simulate the motion of the simulation when driven by a constant-speed
motor. In this exercise, we will add a force and also explore more of the quantitative analysis tools
available with SOLIDWORKS Motion.
Connector
Crank
Rocker
Frame
Download or construct the components of the linkage shown below, and assemble them as detailed in
Chapter 11 of the text. The material should be Alloy Steel for all of the parts. The Frame link should be
placed in the assembly first, so that it is the fixed link.
You should be able to click and drag the Crank link around a full 360 degree rotation.
Note that the Connector link has three holes. The motion of the third hole can follow many paths,
depending on the geometry of the links and the position of the hole.
FRAME ROCKER
CRANK CONNECTOR
All dimensions are inches. All parts have thickness of .25
Before beginning the simulation, we will set the links to a precise orientation. This will allow us to
compare our results to hand calculations more easily.
Add a perpendicular mate between the two faces shown here.
Expand the Mates group of the FeatureManager, and right-click

on the perpendicular mate just added. Select Suppress.
The perpendicular mate aligns the crank link at a precise location. However, we want the crank to be
able to rotate, so we have suppressed the mate. We could have deleted the mate, but if we need to re-
align the crank later, we can simply unsuppress the mate rather than recreating it.
Switch to the Front View. Zoom out so that the view looks similar to the one shown here.
The MotionManager uses the last view/zoom of the model as the starting view for the simulation.
Make sure that the SOLIDWORKS Motion add-in is active. Click the Motion
Study tab.
Set the type of analysis to Motion Analysis. Select the Motor icon. Click on
the front face of the Crank to apply the motor. In the PropertyManager, set
the velocity to 60 rpm, and click the check mark.
Click and drag the simulation key from the default five
seconds to one second (0:00:01).
Since we set the motor’s velocity to 60 rpm, a one-

second simulation will include one full revolution of the
Crank.
Click the Motion Study Properties Tool. Under the SOLIDWORKS Motion
tab, set the number of frames to 100 (frames per second), and click the
check mark.
This setting will produce a smooth simulation.
Press the Calculator icon to run the simulation. Click the Results and Plots Tools. In the Property-
Manager, set the type of the result to Displacement/ Velocity/Acceleration: Trace Path. Click on the
edge of the open hole of the Connector.
Play back the simulation to see the open hole’s path over the full revolution of the Crank. If desired,
you can add paths for the other two joints that undergo motion.
We will now add a force to the open hole.
Move the time bar back to zero. Select the Force Tool. In the PropertyManager, the highlighted box
prompts you for the location of the force. Click on the edge of the open hole, and the force will be
applied at the center of the hole.
The direction box is now highlighted. Rotate and zoom in so that you can select the top face of the
Frame part. The force will be applied normal to this force. By default, the force acts upwards.
Click the arrows to reverse the direction of the force, so that it is now directed downward.
Scroll down in the PropertyManager and set the magnitude

of the force to 20 pounds. Click the check mark to apply the
force.
Calculate the simulation.
We will now plot the torque of the motor that is required to produce the 60-rpm motion with the 20-lb
load applied.
Select Results and Plots. In the PropertyManager, specify Forces:

Motor Torque: Z Component. Click on the RotaryMotor1 in the
MotionManager to select it, and click the check mark in the
PropertyManager.
Note that the applied torque peaks at about 51 in∙lb. At t = 0, the torque
appears to be about -30 in∙lb (the negative signs indicates the direction is
about the –Z axis, or clockwise when viewed from the Front View). In
order to get a more exact value, we can export the numerical values to a
CSV (comma-separated values) file that can be read in Word or Excel.
Right-click in the graph and choose Export CSV. Save the file to a
convenient location, and open it in Excel.
At time = 0, we see that the motor torque is -29.2

in∙lb.
Hand calculations for a static analysis of the

mechanism are attached, which show a value of -29.4
in∙lb.
It is important when comparing these values to

recognize the assumptions that are present in the
hand calculations:
1. The weights of the members were not included in the forces, and
2. The accelerations of the members were neglected.
The first assumption is common in machine design, as the weights of the members are usually small in
comparison to the applied loads. In civil engineering, this is usually not the case, as the weights of
structures such as building and bridges are often greater than the applied forces. The second
assumption will be valid only if the accelerations are relatively low. In our case, the angular velocity of
the crank (60 rpm, or one revolution per second) produces accelerations in the members that are small
enough to be ignored.
Let’s see the effects of the first assumption by adding gravity to the simulation.
Click on the Gravity icon. In the PropertyManager, select Y as the direction. There will be an arrow
pointing down in the lower right corner of the graphics area, showing that the direction is correct.
Click the check mark. Run the simulation.
The torque plot is almost unchanged, with the peak torque increasing by only about one in∙lb.
Therefore, omitting gravity had very little effect on the calculations.
Now we will increase the velocity of the motor to see the effect of the members’ accelerations on the
torque.
Drag the key at the end of the top bar in the MotionManager from 1 second to 0.1 second. Use the
Zoom to Fit or Zoom In Tool in the lower right corner of the MotionManager to spread out the time
line, if desired.
Drag the slider bar showing the time within the simulation back to zero.
This is an important step before editing existing model items, as changes

can be applied at different time steps. Because we want the motor’s
speed to be changed from the beginning of the simulation, it is important
to set the simulation time at zero.
Right-click on the RotaryMotor in the MotionManager and select

Edit Feature. In the PropertyManager, set the speed to 600 rpm.
Click the check mark.
Since a full revolution will occur in only 0.1 seconds, we need to

increase the frame rate of the simulation to achieve a smooth plot.
Select the Motion Study Properties.

In the PropertyManager, set the
SOLIDWORKS Motion frame rate to
1000 frames/second. Click the check
mark.
Run the simulation. Click No if you receive a message asking if you want
to increase the simulation time.
The peak torque has increased from 51

to 180 in∙lb, demonstrating that as the
speed is increased, the accelerations of
the members are the critical factors
affecting the torque.
You can verify this conclusion further

by suppressing both gravity and the
applied 20-lb load and repeating the
simulation. The peak torque is
decreased only from 180 to 151 in∙lb,
even with no external loads applied.
To perform hand calculations with the accelerations included, it is necessary to first perform a kinematic
analysis to determine the translational and angular accelerations of the members. You can then draw
free body diagrams of the three moving members and apply three equations of motion to each:
Σ F x =ma x Σ F y =m a y Σ ( M G ) z=( I G ) Z α Z
The result is nine equations that must be solved simultaneously to find the nine unknown quantities (the
applied torque and the two components of force at each of the four pin joints).
The results apply to only a single point in time. This is a major advantage of using a simulation program
such as SOLIDWORKS Motion: since it is not evident at what point in the motion that the forces are
maximized, our analysis evaluates the forces over the complete range of the mechanism’s motion and
allows us to identify the critical configuration.
3. Roller on a Ramp
In this exercise, we will add contact between two bodies, and experiment with friction between the
bodies. We will begin by creating two new parts – a ramp and a roller (skip these steps if you have
downloaded the parts).
Open a new part. In the Front Plane, sketch and dimension the triangle shown here.
Origin
Extrude the triangle using the midplane option, with a thickness of 1.2 inches.
In the Top Plane, using the Corner

Rectangle Tool, draw a rectangle.
Add a midpoint relation between the
left edge of the rectangle and the
origin. Add the two dimensions
shown, and extrude the rectangle
down 0.5 inches.
Modify the material/appearance as desired (shown here as

Pine). Save this part with the name “Ramp”.
Open a new part. Sketch and dimension a

one-inch diameter circle in the Front Plane.
Extrude the circle with the midplane
option, to a total thickness of one inch. Set
the material of the part as PVC Rigid.
Modify the color of the part as desired
(overriding the default color of the
material selected).
Open a new sketch on the front face of the cylinder.

Add and dimension the circles and lines as shown here
(the part is shown in wireframe mode for clarity). The
two diagonal lines are symmetric about the vertical
centerline.
Extrude a cut with the Through All option, with the sketch contours shown selected. If desired, change
the color of the cut feature.
Create a circular pattern of the extruded cut features, with five

equally-spaced cuts. Save the part with the name “Roller”.
Open a new assembly. Insert the ramp first, and place it at the origin of the assembly. Insert the
Roller.
Add two mates between the ramp and the roller. Mate the Front Planes of both parts, and add a
tangent mate between the cylindrical surface of the roller and the surface of the ramp.
The best way to set the correct height of the roller on the ramp is to
add a mate defining the position of the axis of the roller.
From the Heads-Up View Toolbar, select View: Temporary Axes.
This command turns on the display of axes that are associated with
cylindrical features.
Add a distance mate between the roller’s axis and the flat
surface at the bottom of the ramp. Set the distance as 6.5
inches.
Since the radius of the roller is 0.5

inches, the axis will be 0.5 inches
above the flat surface when the
surface of the roller contacts that
surface. Therefore, the vertical
distance traveled by the roller will
be 6.0 inches. Also, note that the
distance travelled down the ramp
will be 12 inches (6 inches divided
by the sine of the ramp angle, 30
degrees).
Turn off the temporary axis display. Switch to the Motion Study. Select Motion Analysis as the type of
analysis. Add gravity in the -y-direction.
Select the Contact Tool. In the PropertyManager, you will be

prompted to select the bodies for which contact can occur. Click on
each of the two parts. Clear the check boxes labeled “Material” and
“Friction.” Leave the other properties as their defaults.
We will add friction later, but our initial simulation will be easier to verify without friction. In the Elastic
Properties section, note that the default is set as “Impact,” with several other properties (stiffness,
exponent, etc.) specified. At each time step, the program will check for interference between the
selected bodies. If there is interference, then the specified parameters define a non-linear spring that
acts to push the bodies apart. Contacts add considerable complexity to a simulation. If the time steps
are too large, then the contact may not be recognized and the bodies will be allowed to pass through
each other, or a numerical error may result.
Select the Motion Studies Property Tool. Set the frame rate to 500 and check the box labeled “Use
Precise Contact.” Click the check mark.
For some simulations, it may be necessary to lower the solution tolerance in order to get the simulation
to run. For this example, the default tolerance should be fine.
The mates that we added between the parts to precisely locate the roller on the ramp will prevent
motion of the roller. Rather than delete these mates, we can suppress them in the MotionManager.
Right-click on each of the mates in the MotionManager and select Suppress. Run the simulation.
You will see that the roller reaches the bottom of the ramp quickly.
Change the duration of the simulation to 0.5 seconds, and run the simulation again. Create a plot of
the magnitude of the linear velocity of the roller vs. time.
The roller reaches the bottom of the ramp in about 0.35 seconds, and the velocity at the bottom of the
ramp is about 68 in/s. These values agree with those calculated in the attachment at the end of this
document.
Now let’s add friction.
Move the timeline of the simulation back to zero. Right-click on the contact in the MotionManager
tree, and select Edit Feature. Check the “Friction” box, and set the kinetic coefficient of friction ( μk ¿to
0.25. Check the “Static Friction” box and set the static coefficient ( μs ¿to 0.25 as well. You can leave
the velocities ( v k and v s) unchanged. Calculate the simulation.
The resulting velocity plot shows the velocity at the bottom of the ramp to be about 54 in/s. This value
agrees with that of the calculations shown in the attachment. To confirm that the roller is not slipping,
we can trace the position of a single point on the roller.
Select the Results and Plots Tool. Define the plot as

Displacement/ Velocity/Acceleration: Trace Path. Click
on a point near the outer rim of the roller (not on a face,
but on a single point). Click the check mark.
The trace path shows sharp cusps where the point’s

velocity approaches zero (it will not become exactly zero
unless the point is on the outer surface of the roller). For comparison, repeat the analysis with a lower
friction coefficient.
Change the friction coefficients to 0.15 and recalculate the simulation.
This time, the trace paths shows smooth curves when the point is near the ramp’s surface, indicating
that sliding and rolling are taking place simultaneously.
The velocity of the roller at the bottom of the ramp is about 58 in/s, a value between those of the no-
friction sliding and the no-slip rolling cases.
In the attachment, it is shown that the coefficient of friction require to prevent slipping is about 0.21.
It is interesting to note that the friction coefficient to prevent slipping and the time required to reach the
bottom of the ramp are both functions of the ratio of the moment of inertia to the mass of the roller. (A
parameter called the radius of gyration is defined as the square root of the mass moment of inertia
divided by the mass, and is a function only of the part’s geometry.) You can confirm this by changing the
material of the roller and seeing that the results of the simulation are unchanged. However, if you
change the geometry of the roller (the easiest way is by suppressing the cut-out regions), then the
results will change.
ATTACHMENT: VERIFICATION CALCULATIONS
STATIC ANALYSIS OF FOUR-BAR LINKAGE SUBJECTED TO 20-LB APPLIED FORCE
Free-body diagram of Connector:
C
20 lb
B
CD
Bx
By
A D
Note that member CD is a 2-force member, and so the force at the end is aligned along the member’s
axis.
Apply equilibrium equations:
Σ M B=¿
228.5∈∙ lb
CD=
5.993∈¿=38.13 lb ¿
Σ F x =B x −( 38.13 lb ) cos (75.09 ° )=0
Bx =9.812lb
Σ F y =B y −( 38.13lb ) sin ( 75.09° )−20lb=0
B y =−16.85 lb
Free body diagram of Crank:
By
Bx
T
Ax
Ay
Note that Bx and By are shown in opposite directions as in Connector FBD.
Sum moments about A:
Σ M A =T + ¿
T =−¿
ROLLER CALCULATIONS
No Friction:
Free-body diagram:
N
Σ F x =W sin β=m ax
Σ F y =N −W cos β=0
Where β is the ramp angle (30 degrees)
Since the weight is equal the mass m times the gravitational acceleration g, the acceleration in the x-
direction a x will be:
a x =g sin β
The acceleration is integrated with respect to time to find the velocity in the x-direction:
v x =∫ g sin β d t=g sin β t + v xo

Where v xo is the initial velocity in the x-direction. The velocity is integrated to find the distance travelled
in the x-direction:
g
x=∫ (g sin β t+¿ v xo )d t = sin β t 2 + v xo t + x 0 ¿
2
Where x 0 is the initial position. If we measure x from the starting position, then x 0 is zero. If the block is
initially at rest, then v xo is also zero. In our simulation, the block will slide a distance of 12 inches before
contacting the bottom of the ramp (see the figure on page 23).
Knowing the distance travelled in the x-direction, and entering the numerical values of g as 386.1 in/s2
and of sin β as 0.5 (sin of 30o), we can find the time it takes the block to slide to the bottom:
386.1 ¿/s 2 ( ) 2
12∈¿ 0.5 t
2
or
t=0.353 s
Substituting this value into Equation 4, we find the velocity at the bottom of the ramp:
v x =386.1 ¿2 ( 0.5 )( 0.353 s ) =68.1 ¿

s s
This velocity can also be found by equating the potential energy when the roller is at the top of the ramp
(height above the datum equals 6 inches) to the kinetic energy when the roller is at the bottom of the
ramp:
1
mgh= m v x2
2
v x =√ 2 gh= 2(386.1 ¿2 ) ¿ ¿
√ s
Friction Included:
Free-Body Diagram:
W
y
N
While the roller without friction slides and can be treated as a particle, the roller with friction
experiences rigid-body rotation. The equations of equilibrium are:
Σ F x =W sin β−f =m ax
Σ F y =N −W cos β=0
Σ M c =f r=I C α
α
If there is no slipping, then the relative velocity of the roller C
relative to the ramp is zero at the point where the two
O
bodies are in contact (point O). Since the ramp is stationary, this leads to the observation that the
velocity of point O is also zero.
Since point O is the center of rotation of the roller, the tangential acceleration of the center of the roller
( a x ) can be written as:
a x =r α
Substituting this expression into the first equilibrium equation and solving for the friction force,
f =W sin β−mr α
Substituting this expression into the third equilibrium equation and solving for the angular acceleration
α,
( W sin β−mr α ) r=I o α
W¿
α =W ¿ ¿
The mass and the moment of intertia I C can be obtained from SOLIDWORKS. For the roller, the values
are:
m=0. 017163 lb
I C =0.002515 lb ∙ ¿2
Since pounds are units of weight, not mass, they quantities above must be divided by g to obtain the
quantities in consistent units:
2
0. 017163lb −5 lb ∙ s
m= =4.4453 X 10
386.1∈¿ s 2 ¿
0.002515lb ∙¿ 2 −6 2
I C= 2
=6.5139 X 10 lb ∙∈∙ s
386.1∈¿ s
The value of the angular acceleration can now be found:
α =W ¿ ¿
Therefore, the linear acceleration in the x-direction is:
a x =r α=¿
Integrating to obtain the velocity and position at any time:
v x =∫ a x d t=a x t+ v xo =121.7 ¿2 t
s
1
x=∫ (a x t+ ¿ v xo)d t= a x t 2+ v xo t + x 0=60.85 ¿2 t 2 ¿
2 s
For the roller to travel 12 inches in the x-direction, the time required is
¿
√
t= 12∈
60.85 ¿/ s2
=0.444 s ¿
And the velocity at the bottom of the ramp is:
v x =121. 7 ¿2 ( 0.444 s )=54.0 ¿

s s
We can also calculate the friction force:
f =W sin β−mr α =0. 017163lb ¿
From the second equilibrium equation, the normal force is:
N=W cos β=0. 017163 lb ¿
Since the maximum friction force is the coefficient of friction μ times the normal force, the coefficient of
friction must be at least:
0.00318 lb
μmin = =0.21
0.1486 lb
This is the minimum coefficient of friction required for the roller to roll without slipping.

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Introduction to Solid Modeling Using SOLIDWORKS 2018 SOLIDWORKS Motion Tutorial Page 1

We will be looking at three different analyses:

COMPONENTS FOR WHEEL ROTATION MOTION ANALYSIS

WHEEL 1 WHEEL 2 BASE

All dimensions are inches

If you downloaded the part files, the materials for the

To begin, we will analyze a simple model of a wheel

Open a new assembly. Insert the component “Base.”

(Rotated to show mated position of wheel)

The Motion Manager can be used to create simulations of various complexities:

Scroll down in the Force PropertyManager and set the value to

Click the Calculator Icon to perform the simulation.

The animation of the simulation can be played back without

As noted earlier, SOLIDWORKS Motion provides quantitative

rad 180 deg deg

This value agrees with our SOLIDWORKS Motion result.

Press the Calculator icon to perform the simulation.

I1 105.36 deg deg

All dimensions are inches. All parts have thickness of .25

Add a perpendicular mate between the two faces shown here.

Expand the Mates group of the FeatureManager, and right-click

Since we set the motor’s velocity to 60 rpm, a one-

This setting will produce a smooth simulation.

We will now add a force to the open hole.

Scroll down in the PropertyManager and set the magnitude

Calculate the simulation.

Select Results and Plots. In the PropertyManager, specify Forces:

At time = 0, we see that the motor torque is -29.2

Hand calculations for a static analysis of the

It is important when comparing these values to

This is an important step before editing existing model items, as changes

Right-click on the RotaryMotor in the MotionManager and select

Since a full revolution will occur in only 0.1 seconds, we need to

Select the Motion Study Properties.

The peak torque has increased from 51

You can verify this conclusion further

In the Top Plane, using the Corner

Modify the material/appearance as desired (shown here as

Open a new part. Sketch and dimension a

Open a new sketch on the front face of the cylinder.

Create a circular pattern of the extruded cut features, with five

From the Heads-Up View Toolbar, select View: Temporary Axes.

Since the radius of the roller is 0.5

Select the Contact Tool. In the PropertyManager, you will be

Now let’s add friction.

Select the Results and Plots Tool. Define the plot as

The trace path shows sharp cusps where the point’s

Change the friction coefficients to 0.15 and recalculate the simulation.

ATTACHMENT: VERIFICATION CALCULATIONS

STATIC ANALYSIS OF FOUR-BAR LINKAGE SUBJECTED TO 20-LB APPLIED FORCE

Free-body diagram of Connector:

Apply equilibrium equations:

Σ F x =B x −( 38.13 lb ) cos (75.09 ° )=0

Σ F y =B y −( 38.13lb ) sin ( 75.09° )−20lb=0

Free body diagram of Crank:

Sum moments about A:

Where β is the ramp angle (30 degrees)

v x =∫ g sin β d t=g sin β t + v xo

v x =386.1 ¿2 ( 0.5 )( 0.353 s ) =68.1 ¿