Couplers
Creating Couplers
When you create a coupler, you can only create a two-joint coupler. You select the driver joint, the joint to which the second joint is coupled, and the coupled joint, the joint that follows the driver joint. To specify the relationship between the driver and the coupled joint or to create a three-joint coupler, you modify the coupler.
To create a coupler:
. 2. Select the driver joint to which the second joint is coupled.
3. Select the coupled joint that follows the driver joint.
Modifying Couplers
When you modify a coupler joint, you can:
■Set the number of joints being coupled together.
■Change the joints being coupled together.
■Select which joint is the driver joint and which are the coupled joints.
■Specify the relationship between the joints as linear or nonlinear.
■If you specify a linear relationship, enter scales for the coupled joints.
■If you specify a nonlinear relationship, enter the parameters to be passed to a User-written subroutine COUSUB, COUXX, COUXX2 or you can also specify an alternative library and name for the user subroutine. See the Subroutines section of the Adams Solver online help. Learn about specifying your own routine with ROUTINE Argument.
■You can also modify coupler properties using the Table Editor.
To modify a coupler joint:
1. Display the Modify Coupler dialog box as explained in Accessing Modify Dialog Boxes.
The Modify Coupler dialog box appears. The options in the dialog box change depending on whether the coupler joint couples two or three joints and whether or not it is linear or nonlinear.
2. Select whether or not you want a three-joint coupler or a two-joint coupler and the relationship between the joints:
♦By Displacements
♦By Scale
♦User Defined
3. If desired, in the Driver and Coupled text boxes, change the joints to be coupled and, then set Freedom Type to their type. If you have any cylindrical joints, you can specify either translational or rotational displacement. Translational joints always have translational displacements. Revolute joints always have rotational displacements.
4. Do the following depending on the relationship set up for the coupler:
■If the coupler is linear, enter a scale for the second and third coupled joints. The scales are r2 and r3 in the following equation:
delta1 + r2 * delta2 + r3 * delta3 =0
If the joint displacement is rotational, its corresponding delta in the equation above is in radians.
■If the coupler is nonlinear, in the User-Written Subroutine Parameters text box, specify the user parameters to be passed to a user-written subroutine or specify a routine other than the standard in the Routine text box. See the Subroutines section of the Adams Solver online help. Learn about specifying another routine with ROUTINE Argument.