A Powerful Simulation Suite for Mechanical Drive Systems

Evaluate and manage the complex interactions relating to motion, structures, actuation, and controls to better optimize product designs for performance, safety, and comfort.

Build functional virtual prototypes of machinery components and systems early in the design cycle, so you can perform a series of virtual tests before committing to building a physical prototype. With this new solution, machinery manufacturers will reduce the number of prototypes, decrease the design cycle and meet their functional specifications in less time.

Adams Machinery is fully incorporated inside the Adams View environment. It contains multiple modeling productivity modules which enable users to create common machinery components much more rapidly than with generic standard Adams View model construction functionality alone.

Ease of Use

Adams ribbon-style interface and model browser makes it easy for even novice users to create complete, accurate mechanical models. A core package (Adams View, Adams Solver, and Adams PostProcessor) allows you to import geometry from most major CAD systems or to build a solid model of the mechanical system from scratch. You build a system the same way you build a physical system – by creating and assembling parts, connecting them with joints and driving them with motion generators and forces.

High Productivity

Adams Machinery enables users to create some common machinery components more efficiently by guiding users in pre-processing via automation of activities like geometry creation, subsystem connections, etc. It also assists users in post-processing by providing automated plotting and reporting for commonly desired output channels.

Modules

Gears Module

The Gears module is designed for engineers who need to predict the impact of the design and behavior of gear pairs, such as Gear ratio, backlash prediction, on the overall system performance.

• Choose the gear type with the selection of Spur Gear (Internal/External), Helical Gear (Internal/External), Bevel Gear (Straight and Spiral), Hypoid Gear, Worm Gear and Rack & Pinion Gear
• Apply Contact modeling method to study the backlash based on actual working centre distance and tooth thickness
• Create the planetary gear set by using the planetary gear wizard
• Generate the gear-specific output in the post-processor
• Use automated model parameterization as reference to perform design exploration

Belts Module

The Belts module is designed for engineers who need to predict the impact of the design and dynamic behavior of pulley-belt systems, such as transmission ratio, tension and load prediction, compliance studies, or belt dynamics, on the overall system performance.

• Choose the belt type with the selection of Poly-V Grooved belt, Trapezoidal Toothed belt and Smooth belt
• Apply 2D Links modeling method to calculate the contact forces between the segments and pulleys when the axis of rotation is parallel to one of the global axes
• Use Geometry settings to define the location and geometric parameters of your pulleys
• Apply tensioner pulley to the belt system to take up the extra slack and control the routing of the belt
• Use actuation wizard to apply force or motion to any pulley in the belt system

Chains Module

The Chains module is designed for engineers who need to predict the impact of the design and behavior of chain systems, such as drive ratio, tension, contact forces or chain dynamics, on the overall system performance.

The detailed fidelity options include:

• Choose the chain type with the selection of roller chain and silent chain
• Apply 2D Links modeling method to calculate the contact forces between the links and sprockets when the axis of rotation is parallel to one of the global axes
• Apply Linear, Non-linear or Advanced compliance to the roller chain
• Apply Pivot, Translational or Fixed guides to the chain system
• Use actuation wizard to apply force or motion to any sprocket in the chain system

Bearings Module

This module is for engineers who need to predict the impact of the design and behavior of rolling-element bearings on overall system performance. This includes an accurate representation of the bearing stiffness, sensitive to internal dimensions, offsets, misalignments, and clearances.

• Choose from 14 different rolling-element bearing types
• Look up bearing parameter values from a library of over 24,000 off-the-shelf bearings and/or input values directly
• Calculate bearing reaction forces, optionally leveraging a nonlinear stiffness response from embedded technology delivered by KISSsoft, an MSC Software partner
• Select from over 120 oil- and grease-based bearing lubricants
• Predict the bearing service life (under the specified simulation conditions) based on industry standards sensitive to the loading, lubrication, speed, and bearing geometry

Cable Module

This module is designed for engineers to easily model and analyze cable based transmission systems. Module highlights are as follows.

• Precisely compute the cable vibration and cable tension
• Predict the load history of pulleys to perform fatigue analysis
• Analyze the impact of cable slippage on system load performance
• Study the effect of cable compliance on the system output speed
• Study the winching effects in terms of the addition and removal of cable length from the system
• Define the pulley properties in terms of dimensions, contact parameters and materials
• Define the preloading, density, Young’s Modulus, stiffness coefficient and damping coefficient to get the accurate cable outputs

Electric Motors Module

The new Adams Machinery Electric Motor Module enables engineers to represent electric motors with more sophistication and ease than via simple kinematic motions or via potentially complicated self-authored torque functions or subroutines.

• Choose different modeling method for different applications
• Select from DDC (Shunt or Series), DC Brushless, Stepper and AC Synchronous motors using analytical method
• Apply external method by which the motor torque is defined by either Easy5 or MATLAB Simulink
• Calculate necessary motor sizing
• Predict impact of motor torque on system
• Perform precise position control
• Get a realistic drive signal for the rest of the machine components

Cam Module

The new Adams Machinery Cam module contains features to aid the creation of cam-follower systems. These systems may comprise various combinations of cam shapes, follower motions, follower arrangements and follower geometry.

• Create cam model much faster than before
• Make mechanism motion and cam profile design changes more easily
• Choose different cam shapes: disk, cylindrical (barrel) and single sided grooved
• Generate cam profile using existing follower motion
• Create a follower motion that is either time based or cam angle based
• Optimize the motion function to minimize or maximize acceleration or jerk in a more automated way.

"The Adams model has subsequently been used to perform an extensive parameter study to find the root cause and solutions to the observed gear resonance.”

- Christina Exner Manager

Achates Power