From the ‘Hebelwerk’ to the signed confirmation.
All in one model: the forces are derived from the motion, the calculations from the forces, and the report from the calculations. Nothing is typed out.
Drawing and Kinematics
Articulated chains comprising links, joints, fixed and loose bearings, and single-sided supports. Joints are mounted on links and can be guided along tracks. Multiple drives can operate simultaneously, such as cylinders, cranks or motors. In addition: path curves, limit positions, transmission angles, moment poles, the determination of the equilibrium position with an indication of whether it is stable or unstable, and a time simulation that calculates speed based on oil volume and piston area rather than an estimated figure.
Loads, forces and clear span
Point loads, constant, triangular and trapezoidal loads, external moments, rotating forces, springs, dampers and cables with pulleys. Free-body diagrams for a single member or for an entire subsystem. For each reference point, a moment table showing the lever arm and the contribution of each force, so that not only the result is given, but also the reasoning behind it. The equilibrium check is performed automatically and confirms that the sum is indeed zero.
Evidence
Buckling according to Euler and Tetmajer; bending and stress in members; hinge pins; sliding bushings; welded joints; bolted connections in accordance with VDI 2230 Part 1; shafts in accordance with DIN 743; springs in accordance with DIN EN 13906 Part 1, gear wheels in accordance with DIN 3990 Method C, fatigue strength with characteristic values in accordance with the FKM guideline. Each verification specifies its own limitations in a table with two columns: what is covered and what is not.
Lay out
Cylinders with piston and rod diameters, pressure, oil volume, stroke time and buckling resistance throughout the entire stroke. Electric actuators as their counterparts. A hydraulic circuit in accordance with ISO 1219, comprising a pump, pressure limit, valve, pipe, accumulator and hydraulic motor, which calculates the pressure loss and the system pressure. Belt drives from a catalogue featuring 41 profiles, complete with source references, as well as chains, racks and articulated shafts with cross, wide-angle or rigid sides. Materials with their origins specified for each of the 34 lines, so that no one has to guess where a parameter comes from.
Workspace and optimiser
The workspace cycles through all combinations of the actuators and colours each pose according to the capacity of the weakest actuator. Tapping a field displays the model in that position; pressing a button actually moves it there. The optimiser searches for better joint positions and limb lengths within a range that you set yourself – for each control variable, either only upwards or only downwards. There are twelve objectives to choose from, ranging from the lowest drive force through to uniform torque, installation space, reach and resistance to buckling. It provides up to three differently configured solutions and indicates if it finds fewer. The application of a solution can be undone.
What comes out
A calculation report for printing, including a drawing, title block, revision mark and signature field; in the Business version, with company details in the header of each page. An Excel workbook with pre-defined formulas, in which entries can be amended and Excel recalculates automatically. Bill of materials and measurement series as CSV files. Centre lines and components as DXF files organised into layers, plus a series of positions for the design. An animation of the movement for quotations. Image as PNG or SVG.