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.

community-knowledge

Case Study: High-Speed Spindle Digital Twin Using Multibody NX MCD — Community Knowledge > Case Studies
Case Study: Hybrid Virtual Commissioning of a Robotic Manipulator with Machine Vision — Community Knowledge > Case Studies
Case Study: Material Sorting Digital Twin Built on NX MCD + TIA Portal — Community Knowledge > Case Studies
Case Study: Tronrud Engineering Packaging Machine (Industry Example) — Community Knowledge > Case Studies
MCD Version History Notes and Broader Industry Context — Community Knowledge > Version Differences
Mechatronic Concept Modeling Best Practices (Practitioner Sources) — Community Knowledge > Modeling Best Practices
Signal Mapping and OPC UA / PLCSIM Advanced Integration Notes — Community Knowledge > Virtual Commissioning
SIMIT / PLCSIM Advanced Timing and Synchronization Modes — Community Knowledge > SIMIT and TIA Portal Integration
Virtual Commissioning Pitfalls and Gotchas (Practitioner Reports) — Community Knowledge > Virtual Commissioning

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