MCD Knowledge Base

Pick a topic area on the left, or jump straight into one of the sections below. Each article links back to its original Siemens Support Center source page.

Getting Started

Concept model overview — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Concept model overview
Detailed model overview — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Detailed model overview
Introduction to Mechatronics Concept Designer — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Introduction to Mechatronics Concept Designer
Mechatronics Concept Designer Resource bar — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Mechatronics Concept Designer Resource bar
Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer
Systems engineering models overview — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Systems engineering models overview
Virtual commissioning overview — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Virtual commissioning overview

Internal Electric Motor & Drives

Create a speed control actuator — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Actuators
Force/Torque Control — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Actuators
Override a speed parameter for a motor instance — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Actuators
Speed Control — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Actuators
Speed Control dialog box — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Actuators

Logic Blocks & Sequencing

Convert an operation to sequential function logic — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Convert an operation to sequential function logic
Create a time-based operation — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Create a time-based operation
Create an event-based operation — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Create an event-based operation
Defining time-based and event-based behaviors — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Defining time-based and event-based behaviors
Export PLCopen XML — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Export PLCopen XML
Operation — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Operation
Operation dialog box — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Operation > Operation dialog box
Pause a simulation on an event — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Pause a simulation on an event
Sequence Editor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Convert an operation to sequential function logic > Sequence Editor
Sequence Editor shortcut menu commands and functionality — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Sequence Editor > Sequence Editor shortcut menu commands and functionality

Materials, Forces & Environment

Change Material — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Change Material
Collision Material — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Collision Material
Dynamic Material — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Dynamic Material
Force/Torque Control — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Force/Torque Control
Object Sink — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Categories in a system > Object Sink
Object Source — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Categories in a system > Object Source
Spring Damper — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Spring Damper

Mechanisms & Kinematics

Adopt Assembly Constraints or Joints and Couplers — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Reusing objects and kinematics > Adopt Assembly Constraints or Joints and Couplers
Basic Joint — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Basic Joint
Chain Joint — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Chain Joint
Control the force or torque of a joint — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Control the force or torque of a joint
Curve-Following Joints — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Basic Joint > Point on Curve Joint / Curve on Curve Joint
Joint Jogger — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Joint Jogger
Point on Curve Kinematics Chain — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Point on Curve Kinematics Chain
Spring Joints and Limit Joints — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Angular Spring Joint / Angular Limit Joint
Virtual Axis — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Creating joints > Virtual Axis

Physics & Collision

Bond Zone — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Categories in a system > Bond Zone
Collision Body — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Collision Body
Physics Navigator — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physics Navigator
Prevent Collision — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Categories in a system > Prevent Collision
Rigid Body — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Rigid Body
Transport Surface — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning physical properties > Physical properties > Categories in a system > Transport Surface

PLC & Controller Integration (SCE, TIA, run-time)

Configure a PLCSIM Adv instance — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Configuring PLCSIM Adv signals > Configure a PLCSIM Adv instance
Configuring OPC UA signals — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Configuring OPC UA signals
Configuring PLCSIM Adv signals — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Configuring PLCSIM Adv signals
Export an operation to a PLCopen XML file and convert it to sequential function logic — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Assigning, changing, and controlling properties > Creating time-based and event-based behaviors > Export an operation to a PLCopen XML file and convert it to sequential function logic
Export electrical devices to SIMIT — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT > Export electrical devices to SIMIT
Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT
Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT dialog box — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT > Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT dialog box
Importing and exporting signals — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Importing and exporting signals

Requirements, Functions & Logical (Teamcenter Sync)

Add a Local Resource Library from Teamcenter to the Reuse Library — Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Reuse Library Management > Add a Local Resource Library from Teamcenter to the Reuse Library
Classify a logical in Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Classify a logical in Teamcenter Integration for Designcenter NX
Create a function — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model > Create a function
Create a logical — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Create a logical
Create a requirement — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Defining design requirements > Create a requirement
Create a reusable component in Teamcenter — Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Create a reusable component in Teamcenter
Creating a functional model — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model
Creating a logical model — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model
Defining design requirements — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Defining design requirements
Dependency and the Dependency panel — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Dependency
Function dialog box — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model > Function dialog box
Function shortcut commands — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model > Function shortcut commands
Hide the functional structure — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model > Hide the functional structure
Import a function from Teamcenter — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a functional model > Import a function from Teamcenter
Import a logical from Teamcenter — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Import a logical from Teamcenter
Import a requirement from Teamcenter — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Defining design requirements > Import a requirement from Teamcenter
Logical dialog box — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Logical dialog box
Logical index and letter code management — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Logical index and letter code management
Logical shortcut commands — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Logical shortcut commands
Mapping logical blocks to physical/concept model objects — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Creating a logical model > Mapping logicals to physical/concept model objects
Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer — Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer
Replace concept model geometries with detailed geometries — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Transferring Physics Definition from Concept Model to Detailed Model
Requirement dialog box — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Defining design requirements > Requirement dialog box
Requirements shortcut commands — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Defining design requirements > Requirements shortcut commands
Resolving conflicting physics objects when replacing components — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Transferring Physics Definition from Concept Model to Detailed Model > Resolving conflicting physics objects when replacing components
Reusing knowledge-enabled components in Teamcenter — Modularity and reuse with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Reusing knowledge-enabled components in Teamcenter
System Navigator — Creating and managing systems engineering models > System Navigator
System Navigator with Teamcenter Integration commands — Creating and managing systems engineering models > System Navigator > System Navigator with Teamcenter Integration commands
Systems engineering models workflow — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Systems engineering models overview > Systems engineering models workflow
Systems engineering models workflow — Creating and managing systems engineering models
Transferring physics definitions from a concept to a detailed model — Creating and managing systems engineering models > Transferring Physics Definition from Concept Model to Detailed Model

Sensors & Actuators

Accelerometer — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors > Accelerometer
Adding sensors — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors
Collision Sensor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors > Collision Sensor
Distance Sensor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors > Distance Sensor
Hydraulic Actuator — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding actuators > Hydraulic Actuator
Inverse Kinematics — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding actuators > Inverse Kinematics
Pneumatic Actuator — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding actuators > Pneumatic Actuator
Position Control — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding actuators > Position Control
Position Sensor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors > Position Sensor
Speed Control — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding actuators > Speed Control
Velocity Sensor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Creating motion and sensors > Adding sensors > Velocity Sensor

Signals & Connections

Create Signals from Operations — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Signal Adapter > Create Signals from Operations
Disconnecting external connections in Mechatronics Concept Designer — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Disconnecting external connections in Mechatronics Concept Designer
Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Export Sensors and Actuators to SIMIT
Importing and exporting signal mapping connections — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Signal Mapping > Importing and exporting signal mapping connections
Importing and exporting signals — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Importing and exporting signals
Signal — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Signal Adapter > Signal
Symbol Table — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Software integration capabilities > External signaling > Signal Adapter > Symbol Table

Simulation Sequencer & Run Control

Defining time-based and event-based behaviors — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Sequence Editor
Monitor — Running simulations and monitoring values > Monitor
Recording, replaying, and exporting simulations — Running simulations and monitoring values
Sequence Editor — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Sequence Editor
Sequence Editor shortcut menu commands and functionality — Working with Mechatronics Concept Designer > Sequence Editor
Simulation commands — Running simulations and monitoring values

Visualization & HMI

Animated Camera — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Animated Camera
Capture Arrangement — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Capture Arrangement
Creating photorealistic animations from MCD simulations — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Creating photorealistic animations from MCD simulations
Export Extended Reality File — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Export Extended Reality File
Export to Teamcenter Visualization — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Export to Teamcenter Visualization
Graph — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Graph
Kanban — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Kanban
Monitor — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Monitor
Observe Variables — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Observe Variables
Runtime Inspector — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Runtime Inspector
Simulation Analysis Tool — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Simulation Analysis Tool
Snap Shot — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Snap Shot
Viewing parameters and signals in graphs during a simulation — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Viewing parameters and signals in graphs during a simulation
Vision Camera — Mechatronics Concept Designer > Running simulations and monitoring values > Vision Camera