Glossary

A device for controlling movement in another device. In Dynamic Simulation, actuator is used as a synonym for a spring/damper/jack joint.

An add-on to the Autodesk Inventor Part and Sheet Metal environments. It enables users to analyze the stress and frequency responses of mechanical part designs.

ANSYS Workbench products, a line of products separate from Autodesk Inventor. Importing data from Autodesk Inventor Simulation into ANSYS Workbench products enables users to perform more complex analyses.

A collection of components which are rigid in their motion with respect to one another.

The graphical hierarchy showing relationships among geometric elements in parts, assemblies, and drawings. Icons represent sketches, features, constraints, or attributes for each model. Objects are shown in the browser in the order in which they were created. Objects may also be edited, renamed, added, deleted, copied, and moved to a different location in the browser.

The component selected second during joint creation. In a hierarchical design relationship, a child element is dependent on another (parent) element.

The ratio defining the force that resists the motion of 1 body in relation to another body in contact with it. This value depends upon the material in both bodies. Represent most coefficients of friction with values from 0 to 1. In Autodesk Inventor, you can represent coefficients of friction that take into account humidity, aging, and other factors with values from 1 to 2.

A process that converts mate and insert constraints added in the assembly environment to the appropriate standard joint or joints.

In Dynamic Simulation, the environment that enables you to modify your model.

In Dynamic Simulation, a plot of a series of values. You can define curves in the Input Grapher to represent values that vary over the simulation. The Output Grapher can show results as curves in the graph window. In addition, you can use existing results and other parameters to define new curves in the Output Grapher. Compare to other parts of Autodesk Inventor, where a curve is defined as a single 2D geometric entity, such as a linear edge, a sketched arc, and so on.

The value defining the force applied to a mechanism to progressively reduce the speed of vibration or oscillation. Damping is also used to describe a force that slows the movement of a component or mechanism.

In a spring, compression or extension. A spring exerts a force only if it is deformed. The direction of the force depends upon whether the spring is compressed or extended.

The types of movement possible for a mechanism. This value is the sum of all the degrees of freedom minus the constraints.

The force that resists the motion of one body in relation to another body in contact with it in the absence of any lubricant between the two bodies.

An action that causes a body to accelerate. It could be a push, pull, lift, or twist. The acceleration of the body is proportional to the vector sum of all forces acting on it.

In a spring, the length at which the spring exerts no force.

The force that resists the motion of 1 body in relation to another body in contact with it.

The part of the Input Grapher dialog box that shows curves that plot selected input variables. Do not confuse with graph window, which is part of the Output Grapher, or graphics window, which is the main display area of Autodesk Inventor and Inventor Simulation.

The part of the Output Grapher dialog box that shows curves that plot selected output variables. Do not confuse with graph region, which is part of the Input Grapher, or graphics window, which is the main display area of Autodesk Inventor and Inventor Simulation.

Fixed. A grounded component is fully constrained, that is, has 0 degrees of freedom. Every assembly must have at least one grounded component. The first component placed in an assembly file is grounded automatically, although the ground can later be deleted and relocated.

In Dynamic Simulation, a component with 0 degrees of freedom. Every assembly must have at least one grounded component, but may have more. By default, Inventor assigns 0 degrees of freedom to the first part created or added to an assembly, making it a grounded part.

A link between 2 rigid components, such as parts or subassemblies. A joint applies force from the first component on the second component.

The coordinate system added on the components when a joint is created. Joint coordinate systems are used to define motions and efforts in the joint.

A group containing at least 1 kinematic loop beginning from a grounded part. A kinematic chain can contain any number of kinematic loops. An open kinematic chain is linked to a component only at its beginning. A closed kinematic chain is linked to a component at its end as well as its beginning.

A series of components linked by joints. An open loop is attached to a component at only one end. A closed loop is attached to a component at both ends.

The component selected first during joint creation. In a hierarchical design relationship, a parent component has other elements (child elements) dependent upon it.

In Dynamic Simulation, a combination of constraints that remove more degrees of freedom than the object contains. Movement of a mechanism with redundant constraints can be simulated, but the efforts in the joints are not unique because the equations of motions do not have unique solutions.

A coefficient used to compute the normal force that a material exerts to resist deformation or to return to its original conformation after deformation. Restitution retains kinetic energy in a mechanism. Coefficients of restitution are between 0 (no rebound) and 1 (no damping).

A constraint linking two components, at least one of which has a curving face (that is, a cylinder, a sphere, a cone, or a ruled spline) and the other has either a curving or a planar face, such that the first component rolls with respect to the second component. You apply a rolling constraint when you create rolling joints.

In Dynamic Simulation, a process by which the mathematical relationships between various parts of mechanisms are used to emulate or predict physical relationships and their effects.

Resistance of an elastic body to deformation when a force is applied. In a spring, stiffness acts to return it to its original configuration.

A 2D definition of forms and shapes or an object in 3D that defines area without volume.

A constraint linking two components, at least one with a curving face (that is, a cylinder, a sphere, a cone, or a ruled spline) and the other with either a curving or a planar face, such that a curve of the first component is tangent to the face of the second component. You can apply a tangency constraint when you create sliding joints and certain types of rolling joints.

A division of the Output Grapher dialog box that shows the time steps from a simulation along with the values of the selected variable or variables.

An arrow that represents a force, a torque, a velocity, or an acceleration in the graphics window. The length of the vector is a function of the magnitude of the entity. The arrow tip shows the direction of entity application.

The X, Y, and Z elements that define a vector.