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The long established ADAMS dynamic analysis engine is available as a fully integrated third party module for SolidWorks, Solid Edge and Mechanical Desktop.
The product line-up has been revamped to include three variants.
The base product Simply Motion extends the core CAD assembly modeller functionality to include animations and dynamic interference checking and is provided as part of the Solid Edge package.
The middle version, Motion, adds functionality such as contacts in order to simulate models containing cams, gears, latches, chains, and belts plus the ability to plot performance information.
The flagship Motion Professional enables results such as reaction forces and moments to be generated that can be automatically transferred to other structural analysis applications.
Motion specific features are accessed from within the host modeller through the IntelliMotion Browser.
Avoiding the need to learn a different interface or the need to export geometry to another package encourages experimentation with multiple design iterations.
Once the parts have been modelled the workflow is essentially adding constraints, applying forces, running the simulation and analysing the results.
In the 2001 release a Motion model can be created with a single click using native assembly modeller constraints.
As additional components are constrained in the assembly, Dynamic Designer defines them as moving or grounded parts although this can also be achieved manually.