Point to Curve (PTCV)

A point to curve joint consists of a fixed point on one body sliding on a curve that is fixed on a second body. The point is not allowed to lift off the curve. The curve on the second body should be a 3D curve and needs to be specified using a MotionView curve (which is a reference entity).

In order to completely specify a point to curve joint, the following entities must be created first:
  • A 2D or a 3D reference curve entity created using the Curves panel.
  • A marker that belongs to Body 2 of the joint and is located appropriately so that the curves entity can be meaningfully described as belonging to the coordinate system of the reference marker.

  1. If the Advanced Joint panel is not currently displayed, select the desired advanced joint by clicking on it in the Project Browser or in the modeling window.
    The Advanced Joint panel is automatically displayed.
  2. From the Connectivity tab, click Body 1 and pick a body from the modeling window, or double-click Body 1 to open the Model Tree (from which the desired body can be selected).
    Note: In the MotionSolve solver mode, Body 2 is automatically selected based on the body that the reference marker is attached to.

    In the ADAMS solver mode, this body can be selected explicitly.

  3. Click the Point collector and select the point of the PTCV joint from the modeling window (or pick the point from the Model Tree).
    This will be the point that belongs to Body 1 and lies on the curve to be used for the joint.
  4. Click the Curve collector and select the curve to be used for the joint from the modeling window (or pick the curve from the Model Tree).
  5. Click the Ref Marker collector and select the curve reference marker that belongs to Body 2.
    The Body 2 field will now automatically display the body to which the reference marker belongs.
  6. Click the Initial Conditions tab.
  7. Activate the User Initial Condition Marker check box and select the desired marker using the Marker collector.
    The default initial condition marker for the joint is the reference marker that is specified in the Connectivity tab.
  8. Activate the Use XYZ check box and enter the initial position values into the X, Y, and Z fields to specify an initial position for the point.
    Note: These values will supersede those specified by the Point collector in the Connectivity tab.
  9. Activate the Use velocity check box and enter a value to specify the initial velocity for the joint.
    By default, this marker is set to the joint reference marker that belongs to Body 2.