Tutorial KinematicSkeleton

Introduction
This tutorial is about how to set up a simple 2D mechanism and attach 3D objects, mainly with the tools from the external Assembly3 Workbench.

This tutorial does not use the skeleton sketch principle. See notes for reasons.

Instead we will use PartDesign Bodies containing only one  Sketch each, to build a 2D mechanism, a multi sketch skeleton.

The dimensions and the colours as well are taken from the SolveSpace tutorial which is referred to on the Assembly3 GitHub page Create-Skeleton-Sketch.

Multi sketch skeleton
This so called multi sketch skeleton consists of several individual Bodies and an  Assembly container. To be able to attach further objects each body is put into a separate Assembly container.

2D Body objects
The bodies or rather their contours that are used with this assembly:
 * A base plate (green)
 * A crank (blue)
 * Two movable plates (red and grey)
 * Four connecting rods (white, yellow, purple, and brown)



The geometry can deviate from the real part's shape, except the position of the joint defining geometry.

Parent Assembly
To fix or control the positions of all bodies we need an Assembly object. It adds an assembly branch to the Tree View.
 * Press the button to create an Assembly branch in the Tree View.

Sub-Assemblies
Repeat above action to create an Assembly object for each Body and drag the Body into its Parts container. Then fix the Body to its Assembly:
 * 1) Activate the Assembly object (double-click).
 * 2) Select a circle/arc belonging the Body object.
 * 3) Press the  button to fix the Body in its sub-assembly.

The Crank-Assembly e.g. should look like this:



Assembly tree
In the Tree view drag all sub-assembly branches into the Parts container of the parent Assembly object.



Now they are ready to get arranged.

Fixed base plate
At first we need a fixed part. To fix the Base completely we would usually select a face, but in this case a circle will do as well.
 * 1) Select a circle of the Base.
 * 2) Press the  button to fix the Base.



Joints
For hinge-like joints we select one circle of each sketch and use the Plane Coincidence constraint. It does not only set both Element's XY planes coplanar, but set their Z axes colinear, too.
 * 1) Select a circle of each object to connect.
 * 2) Press the  button.

Base - UpperPlate joint


Previously created joints are represented by their constraint representations (red).

Upper Plate - Rod 1 joint
The last link in a kinematic chain connects two Elements with their Z directions already defined and a Point on line constraint is all we need.
 * 1) Select a circle of each object to connect.
 * 2) Press the  button.



If there are 3 joints in line (those belonging to Crank and Rod 1), the solver might fail to rearrange the objects. In such case we need to help the solver and tilt one object (e.g. the Crank) manually using the Axial move tool.

Upper Plate - Rod 2 joint
Another kinematic (sub-)chain starts with Plane Coincidence constraints.



Lower Plate - Rod 3 joint
And this kinematic (sub-)chain ends with a Point on line constraint, too.



To connect both kinematic sub-chains we use Rod 4 with a Plane Coincidence constraint on one end and a  Point on line constraint on the other.

Actuator
Since Assembly3 doesn't provide any means to control kinematic assemblies, we need external assistance such as this kinematic controller. To use this controller we need to mark one constraint's label with the suffix to make it a driving constraint. It may be separated by a or  for clarity, as the controller will only check if the label ends with.

Thus the Base-Crank joint will be labeled.

Finished skeleton
The finished kinematic assembly with deactivated representation of Elements and Constraints should look like this:





Attaching 3D geometry
Coming soon...