Creating and managing systems engineering models > Transferring Physics Definition from Concept Model to Detailed Model

Transferring physics definitions from a concept to a detailed model

In a concept model, machine behavior is defined by physics objects that are assigned to rough geometries. At some point in the design process, you must use the Replace Component command to replace rough geometries with detailed geometries. When you use this command in Mechatronics Concept Designer, the Replacement Assistant dialog box appears and lets you transfer physics definitions from the rough geometries to the detailed geometries.

What the Replacement Assistant does

The Replacement Assistant dialog box lets you easily identify replaceable physics objects and child objects that can be mapped automatically. For example, you do not need to manually map a speed control actuator if you define the joint to which the actuator is assigned — the actuator follows the joint mapping. You can use the Auto Mapping folder to view objects that can be mapped automatically based on the replacement objects you select.

Note: If physics objects of the components being replaced are referenced in the parent assembly, these references are automatically mapped to the replacement components after the replacement occurs. This is the closest the doc set gets to describing "conflict resolution" for concept↔detailed geometry swaps — the mapping is handled by the tool automatically rather than through a manual conflict-resolution UI.

Dynamic information handling

Dynamic information includes mass properties and collision shape properties. When you replace a concept model with a detailed model, the behavior depends on how the dynamic information is set:

Automatic — the values are updated according to the new (detailed) geometry.
User defined — the values are copied as-is from the rough geometry to the new (detailed) geometry.

You can also use the Replace Component command to:

Transfer test values to empty rigid bodies.
Update empty rigid bodies with detailed geometry.

Where to find it

Mechatronics Concept Designer → Replace Component command.

Transferring physics definitions from a concept to a detailed model

What the Replacement Assistant does

Dynamic information handling

Where to find it

Related documentation