NI and Solidworks offer prototyping tools
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National Instruments product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 13, 2009
National Instruments (NI) and Dassault Systemes Solidworks have announced their collaboration on a mechatronics tool that helps engineers to lower the cost and risk of motion-system design.
Connecting NI Labview graphical system design software and Solidworks 3D CAD software, the virtual-prototyping solution helps engineers and scientists to design, validate and visualise the real-world performance of machines and motion systems before incurring the costs of physical prototypes.
Because Labview is used for controlling the virtual prototype, engineers and scientists can deploy their graphical software to physical NI hardware with little to no change to the code.
Mechatronics-oriented design tools improve machine development by simulating the interaction between mechanical and electrical subsystems throughout the design process.
The ability to create virtual prototypes is a critical aspect of the mechatronics approach because it helps engineers and scientists explore machines before they are built.
Existing Solidworks CAD models can be connected to Labview, which automatically links the motor actuators and position sensors defined in the model.
Using the functions provided by the NI Softmotion for Solidworks, engineers and scientists can develop motion-control applications that include logic based on sensor feedback.
Design teams, customers and sales engineers then can use the virtual prototype to visualise realistic machine operations and analyse cycle time performance.
By using Labview and Solidworks, the mechanical dynamics of a machine, including mass and friction effects, as well as motor and mechanical actuator torque requirements, can be simulated before parts are specified.
Dr John White, chief engineer at NCR Corporation, said 'Labview controls the motion trajectories while Solidworks can be used to calculate the driving forces, power requirements and stresses.
'Together, these tools provide our engineers with the data needed for full design analysis.' The virtual prototyping solution also allows deployment of motion applications, validated using the Solidworks 3D CAD environment, to NI embedded control platforms such as the NI Compactrio programmable automation controller (PAC).
Because the application was developed in Labview, the same code used to create the virtual prototype can be deployed to physical NI hardware with little to no programming changes.
Additionally, engineers and scientists can use the NI 951x C Series drive interfaces to achieve direct connectivity to stepper and servo drives and motors from NI and third-party vendors.
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