Disk - MapleSim Help
For the best experience, we recommend viewing online help using Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Online Help

All Products    Maple    MapleSim


Disk

Rigid disk

Description

Connections

Parameters

Equations

Examples

 

Description

The Disk component models a homogeneous disk-like rigid body along a given axis with a predefined density. Based on the properties, i.e., axial unit vector, radius, and density, the center of mass, total mass, and moments of inertia are calculated for this rigid body. Although Disk and Cylinder components share similarities, Disk is preferred when length/thickness is insignificant compared to radius.

Connections

Name

Description

Modelica ID

frame__a

Center of disk

frame_a

frame__c n

An array of additional frames on the circular cross section containing the center of mass

frame_c[n]

Parameters

Name

Default

Units

Description

Modelica ID

e__axis

1,0,0

 

Axial unit vector

e_axis

R

1

m

Disk radius

R

R__i

0

m

Disk inner radius

R_i

T

0.1

m

Disk thickness

T

Select density

Steel 7860 (kg/m^3)

 

Select a predefined material density

selectDensity

ρ

1000

kgm3

Disk user-defined material density

customDensity

Use additional frames

false

 

True means additional frames can be added

addFrames

R__add

R

m

Each value defines the radial distance of an additional frame to frame_a

R_add[:]

θ__add

[0]

rad

Each value defines the angle of rotation of an additional frame around the axial vector

theta_add[:]

Use initial conditions

false

 

True means parameters for specifying initial conditions for frame_a are enabled. Refer to: Rigid Body

useICs

Show visualization

true

 

True means the disk geometry is visible in the 3-D playback

visualization

Transparent

false

 

True means the geometry is transparent in the 3-D playback

transparent

Color

 

Disk color in the 3-D playback

color

Equations

The arrays R__add  and θ__add should have the same length. Each additional frame is defined by rotating frame_a around the axial vector an angle θ__add i and then translating along the reference axis by L__add i. The reference axis is the next local axis after the e_axis (e.g., if e_axis is y, the reference axis is z). Figure 1 illustrates this process.

Figure 1: The axial unit vector (e_axis) for this disk is [0,1,0]. Additional frame was added by defining L__add = R2,R and θ__add =45,180 deg. Both of these frames lie on the plane defined by the normal vector of e_axis and passing through the center of mass.

 

Disk mass is calculated as

m=ρ πR2R__i2 T

where the disk material density, ρ, can be defined using the "Select density" parameter. This parameter lets the user either enter a value or select among predefined material densities.

Figure 2: Different options for the "Select density" parameter

 

Assuming the default direction of 1,0,0 for the e_axis, the moments of inertia expressed from the center of mass frame (frame_a) are

I__xx=12 mR2+R__i2

I__yy=112 m3R2+R__i2+T 2

I__zz=I__yy

The right-hand side of these equations will interchange if another axial unit vector is specified.

Examples

Spinning Top

Figure 3 shows the layout of a model that uses a spherical joint, a Cylinder, and a Disk to simulate the precession of a spinning top. A snapshot of the 3-D playback is shown in Figure 4. This example also shows how the Cylinder and Disk components differ in modeling different rigid body geometries.

Figure 3: Model layout

Figure 4: 3-D playback snapshot

 

Slider-Crank Mechanism

In this example, a Disk and three Cylinder components are connected with revolute and prismatic joints, as shown in Figure 5, to model a slider-crank mechanism. This model is similar to the one discussed in the Cylinder help page with the difference of using a Disk with an additional frame as the crank rather than a cylindrical rod.

Using Disk and Cylinder components facilitates modeling by automatically calculating mass and moments of inertia and also results in realistic visualization in the 3-D playback window, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 5: Model layout

Figure 6: 3-D playback snapshot

See Also

Machine Elements

Multibody