Motion Simulation (alternatives to Nastran?)

[Gaspar]

Motion Simulation (alternatives to Nastran?)

Hello all,

We design custom machinery so we would like to see how our mechanisms will work before building them.

We are not currently qualified to buy Visual Nastran from Alibre. I took a look at their web page and the prices are scary.

Do you know of any alternative? We want simple animation of a few elements, no FEA.

Thanks in advance!

 

[MilesH]

If you could translate STEP to 3D DXF, then this might be worth a look, for 'proof of concept':
http://www.cadsm.com/cadsm/

Miles

 

[Gaspar]

Thanks a 1000 Miles.

Have you used this software? I bumbed into it on a Google search just before posting here. I will give it a try.

 

[moyesboy]

but how do you translate to 3D dxf?
I can get my 3D pocbs as 3D dxf but I can't do anything with them except look at them in autocadLT.
Any way to translate from 3d DXF to step or iges?

 

[Gaspar]

Doesn't ACad LT export to SAT? Try "acisout" on the command line.

 

[moyesboy]

Not autocad LT, its 3D capabilities are cramped.

 

[MilesH]

I haven't tried it, yet. Just discovered it this week. I've looked at all the videos, that's all. The modeling is really basic, but the kinematics looks pretty impressive.

The Rhino evaluation will get you from Alibre to DXF and back, well, 25 times, anyway.

Also, the ACIS enabled versions of Intellicad will import SAT and export to DXF.

 

[Gaspar]

Thanks Miles!

 

[MilesH]

Just in case any of you haven't come across this amazing resource:
http://wayback.archive-it.org/2566/20180418122029/http:/kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/

Edited 4th Sept. 2018 to update link.

 

[rbrian]

Re:

Just in case any of you haven't come across this amazing resource: http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/index.php

Incredible! And - all before 'Computers' Miles - Thanks for that Nugget!

 

[MilesH]

A few more, here: http://www.museum.kyoto-u.ac.jp/index_e.htm

Click on; Collections/Technological History/Dept. of Mech. Eng.....

Miles

 

[Gaspar]

Re:

Just in case any of you haven't come across this amazing resource: http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/index.php

Its beautiful Miles! Thanks a lot