NX Mechatronics Concept Designer

NX Mechatronics Concept Designer

The Mechatronics Concept Designer is a simulation extension based on the Siemens NX CAD platform. It allows controlling and interacting with your CAD model using sensors and actuators. To externally access those values (Parameters), you have to define and link them to Signals, which than can be written and read using a shared memory connection (SHM).

For a more detailed description how to animate your CAD or create signals please refer to the help file of NX MCD.

Connecting NX MCD to the Automation Connect tool

For connecting NX MCD to the Automation Connect tool, you first have to create your control-signals in MCD. After creating those, you can export them as a text-file using right-click on your selected signals (in the physics-navigator in MCD) and select Export to SIMIT:

Figure 32: Exporting signals from MCD

This file then can be imported in the Automation Connect tool. For this, switch to the NX MCD tab, press the Load button and select your exported file. Afterwards the tool will add the required variables and create a shared memory (SHM) connection. If necessary, the default ID-name CONNECTOR can be changed before loading the text-file:

Figure 33: Importing MCD signals in the Automation Connect tool

Importing MCD signals in the Automation Connect tool

MCD signals

As soon as the SHM is created you can connect MCD. For this you have to create a Signal Mapping in MCD, select SHM as type and enter the selected ID (default: CONNECTOR) as SHM Name. Now all signals will map according to their names:

Figure 34: Mapping MCD and Automation Connect signals

Mapping MCD and Automation Connect signals

After this you can start and stop your MCD simulation. Remember that MCD has a client-role in this connection, meaning that you have to first start the Automation Connect SHM-connection before starting your MCD simulation.