Controls Toolkit in ADAMS/View

GUI Familiarity Level Required: Lower

Estimated Time Required: 15 minutes

MSC.ADAMS 2005 r2
1
Topics Covered
In this tutorial you will learn how to:

1. Use Controls Toolkit

2. Create an input-signal block
3. Create a summing-junction block
4. Create a gain block
5. Modify torque function

You will need to download “Lift_Mechanism_start.cmd” to be able to begin this tutorial

If you have any difficulties, import the “Lift_Mechanism_complete.cmd” file and proceed from pg 14

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Control Toolkit in ADAMS/View Problem

This example provides a simple introduction to the Controls Toolkit that is integrated into ADAMS/View. This
example closely follows the process outlined in the 'Using the Control Toolkit' section of the ADAMS/View
guide. Model consists of two moving parts, one imposed motion, and one single-component torque.

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What You Should Accomplish

If you are successful you should end up with a working

ADAMS model which illustrates an implied torque in a
boom and bucket mechanism rotating about a single point.

4
Getting Started

First, lets get familiar with what the model is made up of. There are two parts, Boom & Bucket.
Boom - is constrained to the ground with a Revolute Joint and a Joint Motion that makes it oscillate.
Bucket - is constrained to the Boom with a Revolute Joint. There is also a TORQUE between the Bucket
and the Boom that has a magnitude of 0 right now. This is where we will be giving the output of our controls
blocks.
Notice as you run a simulation the Boom rotates according to the function on the joint motion, while the
Bucket just randomly oscillates. We are going to use the Controls Toolkit to keep the bucket at a horizontal
orientation with respect to the ground.
Our Controls Block Diagram will look like this:

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Importing a command file (.cmd)
a. Select Import a file radio button
b. Click OK

b
File Import window will open
c. Right-click File To Read text field, select Browse
d. Locate saved file Lift_Mechanism_start.cmd
e. Click Open
f. Click OK

d
c

e
f
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Creating Input-Signal Block
a. Click Build menu  Controls Toolkit  Standard Control Blocks
b. Click input-signal block tool
c. Enter .Lift_Mechanism.theta_desired in Name text field
d. Enter 0.0 in Function text field
e. Click Apply

e
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Creating Input-Signal Block
a. Click input-signal block tool again
b. Enter .Lift_Mechanism.theta_actual in Name text field
c. Click button
d. Select Displacement from pull down arrow
e. Click Angle about Z
f. Click Assist

d f
c

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Creating Input-Signal Block
a. Right-click in To Marker text field click Marker 
Browse
b. Click Torq_I_mar  Click OK
c. Right-click in To Marker text field click Marker 
Browse
d. Click ref_mar  Click OK
e. Click Apply

a
b
c
d
e

9
Creating Input-Signal Block
a. Make sure the Define a runtime function text field reads
AZ(Torq_I_mar, ref_mar)
b. Click OK
c. Click Apply

b c

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Create a Summing-Junction Block
a. Click summing-junction block tool
b. Enter .Lift_Mechanism.theta_sum
c. Right-click in Input 1 text field, select controls_input  Guesses  theta_desired
d. Right-click in Input 2 text field, select controls_input  Guesses  theta_actual
e. Click Apply

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Create a Gain Block
a. Click gain block tool
b. Enter .Lift_Mechanism.theta_gain
c. Right-click in Input text field, select controls_input  Guesses  theta_sum
d. Enter 1e9 in the Gain text field
e. Click OK

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Modify Torque Function
a. Right click on torque icon, select Torque: TORQUE  Modify
b. Click button next to Function text field

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Modify Torque Function

b e

a. Select Measure from Getting Object Data pull down arrow

b. Right click in text field, select Runtime_Measure  Guesses
 theta_gain
c. Click Insert Object Name
d. The name of the measure should appear in the editor above
e. Click OK
f. Click OK

f
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Verify
a. Right click information button, click verify
b. Make sure there are no redundant constraints
and only 1 Degree of Freedom
c. Click Close

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Run Simulation
a. Click Simulation tool
b. Select Duration from pull down menu
c. Enter 2 in duration text field
d. Select Steps from pull down menu
a
e. Enter 100 in steps text field
f. Click Play button

b
The Bucket should remain horizontal with
c
respect to the ground as the Boom rotates.
d
e

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Model

This is what your screen should look like when

your model is complete

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Topics Covered
In this tutorial, you learned how to:

1. Use Controls Toolkit

2. Create an input-signal block
3. Create a summing-junction block
4. Create a gain block
5. Modify torque function

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Best Practices
• Check Standard Control Block to see if they are set correctly
• Check function input data to see if they are set correctly
• Check that the function tracks the Angle about Z between the two markers
• Make sure the torque function is set correctly

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