*SurfaceToSurfaceJoint()

Creates a surface-to-surface high-pair joint with three rotational degrees of freedom and two translational degrees of freedom.

Syntax

*SurfaceToSurfaceJoint(sfsf_name, "sfsf_label", 
                                             body_1, 
                                             body_2, 
                                             surface_1, 
                                             surface_2, 
                                             ref_marker_1, 
                                             ref_marker_2, 
                                             [icm_1], 
                                             [icm_2], 
                                             [ALLOW_COMPLIANCE])

Arguments

sfsf_name: The variable name of the surface-to-surface joint.; Data type: varname
sfsf_label: The label of the surface-to-surface joint.; Data type: label
body_1: The first body constrained by the surface-to-surface joint.; Data type: Body
body_2: The second body constrained by the surface-to-surface joint.; Data type: Body
surface_1: The surface on body_1 that is constrained to the surface on body_2.; Data type: Surface
surface_2: The surface on body_2 which is constrained to the point on body_1.; Data type: Surface
ref_marker_1: Reference marker to which surface 1 data is defined.; Data type: Marker
ref_marker_2: Reference marker to which surface 2 data is defined.; Data type: Marker
icm_1: An optional argument for the reference marker of the initial condition information for the point of contact on the surface of body 1. If not used, the initial condition information is with respect to the reference marker.; Data type: Marker
icm_2: An optional argument for the reference marker of the initial condition information for the point of contact on the surface of body 2. If not used, initial condition information is with respect to the reference marker.; Data type: Marker
ALLOW_COMPLIANCE: An optional argument that indicates the joint can be made compliant.

Example

*BeginMDL( the_model, "Example SurfaceToSurfaceJoint" )
 *Marker( mrk_0, "Ref marker for surface 1" )
 *Marker( mrk_1, "Ref marker for surface 2" )
 *Marker( mrk_2, "ICM marker 1" )
 *Marker( mrk_3, "ICM marker 2" )
 *Body( bd_0, "First Body" )
 *Body( bd_1, "Second Body" )
 *Surface( surf_1, "Surface on body 1", UOPEN, VOPEN )
 *Surface( surf_2, "Surface on body 2", UOPEN, VOPEN )
 
 *SurfaceToSurfaceJoint( sfsf_0, "sfsf", bd_0, bd_1, surf_1, surf_2, mrk_0, mrk_1, mrk_2, mrk_3 )
*EndMDL()

Context

*BeginMdl()

*DefineAnalysis()

*DefineSystem()

Properties

Table 1.
Property	Returns Data Type	Description
b1	Body	The first body constrained by the surface-to-surface joint.
b2	Body	The second body constrained by the surface-to-surface joint.
i	Marker	The "I" marker in the case of a compliant joint.
icm_1	Marker	The optional reference marker for the initial conditions of the point of contact on surface 1.
icm_2	Marker	The optional reference marker for the initial conditions of the point of contact on surface 2.
ic_use_xyz_1	boolean	Denotes if the displacement initial conditions are to be used for the point of contact on surface 1 (TRUE or FALSE).
ic_use_xyz_2	boolean	Denotes if the displacement initial conditions are to be used for the point of contact on surface 2 (TRUE or FALSE).
ic_x_disp_1	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm x direction on surface 1. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
ic_x_disp_2	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm x direction on surface 2. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
ic_y_disp_1	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm y direction on surface 1. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
ic_y_disp_2	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm y direction on surface 2. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
ic_z_disp_1	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm z direction on surface 1. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
ic_z_disp_2	real	The value of the initial displacement of the point of contact in the icm z direction on surface 2. This is applied during the assembly phase of the solver.
id	integer	The solver input deck identification number.
id_string	string	The ID represented as a string.
isbush	boolean	See ^Comments^ below.
label	string	The descriptive label of the surface-to-surface joint.
j	Marker	The "j" marker in the case of a compliant joint.
jfloat	Marker	The floating marker on body two.
joint_i	Marker	The "I" marker for the non-compliant joint.
joint_j	Marker	The "j" marker for the non-compliant joint.
note	string	The note on the entity.
num	integer	The unique identification number within MDL.
rm1	Marker	The reference marker of surface 1.
rm2	Marker	The reference marker of surface 2.
state	boolean	Control state (TRUE or FALSE). This parameter is read only and cannot be directly changed by the user (see ^_user_state^).
surf1	Surface	The surface on body_1 which is constrained to body_2.
surf2	Surface	The surface on body_2 which is constrained to body_1.
type	string	The unique joint type.
user_state	boolean	The state that can be set by the user (TRUE or FALSE).
varname	string	The variable name of the surface-to-surface joint.

Comments

The surface-to-surface joint provides five degrees of freedom: three rotational at the instantaneous point of contact and two translational DOFs.

The ALLOW_COMPLIANCE argument is optional. When it is included, it indicates that the joint can be made compliant. In compliant mode, such a joint acts as a bushing.

The "isbush" property is valid only for joints that can be made compliant. When "isbush" is set to FALSE, the joint acts like a kinematic joint (in noncompliant mode). When "isbush" is set to TRUE, the joint acts like a bushing (in compliant mode).

When the compliant option in a system is switched to "non-compliant", all the joints in the system act as kinematic joints. However, when the system option is switched to "compliant", only the joints that are created with an ALLOW_COMPLIANCE flag act as bushings. The rest of the joints continue to behave as kinematic joints.