I have modeled a flat belt within an assembly . The belt stays with the rollers when I drag the components of the conveyor. Is there a way to model the in-context belt with a fixed length so the pulleys adjust on a slide tensioner rather than the belt length changing?
Yes - You will need to apply the dimensions to the belt length and have that control your tensioner...
I'd convert your belt sketch to spline so you can have a fix length
Is a fit spline the tool used to set a length parameter? What options do I need to select?
I tried to use the fix option for the spline, then the belt no longer moves with the in-context on rebuild.
What I would suggest is if you want to control the conveyor length and or take up (tension) length by the overall belt length, then you need to control the belt with dimensions and then all the other components, conveyor length and tensioner layout would need to come off of the belt dimensions or belt sketch etc...
If this is the case then I would definitely do a Top Down Design approach using a Skeleton Sketch Part (SSP)
How would the spline react to changes, would you overlay the spline on top of another driving sketch? Maybe to much SSP on the brain..
John,
I tried to use a fixed length spline to overlay the arc length but it's hard to drag around and the movement is limited to a certain angle
Sorry. Fixed length doesn't work with the converted spline (I thought it does )
Here is a work around - see att. file - which needs extra sketch to drive it
Edit: it's easy to drag the the dark line in the belt length than the arc segments - see att. video clip
Can this be done with a closed "Belt" while maintaining a fixed belt length and still being able to drag the circles around?
Yes, what showing on the sketch is where the idler roller for tensioner - the rest is the fixed rollers which the length between them never change as the 4 corner circles on the sketch
Nice, I now understand. Thank- you.
You're welcome
When I enter a dimension for my segmented line representing the belt length, it returns as unsolvable Is this because its in-context to the conveyor model? Is there a setting to allow for multiple in-context relations?
Do you mind to share your belt sketch layout here?
I have attached the file of the belt. Note that it is no longer In-Context.
The sketch is fully constrained (fixed) - How you adjust the belt tensioner roller?
Please see the below image: is it location for the tensioner roller?
No that is not the tensioner. See the Image for more detail of the Conveyor.
Please see the att. file
I recommend using the Belt/Chain feature to do what you want.
The Belt/Chain feature worked exactly as needed. Allowing the belt length to drive the position of the Tensioner. I was unaware of this feature. Thanks for the tip.
Yes, what showing on the sketch is where the idler roller for tensioner - the rest is the fixed rollers which the length between them never change as the 4 corner circles on the sketch