Rotation of non-circular components in motion study

[heritagesurf7]

I'm trying to animate an underwater camera that travels by rotating tread, kind of like tank wheels/tread. I was wondering if anyone had any idea how to animate this using motors in Motion Study. I know they have a rotational motor, but it isn't a circular structure. I need the tread to keep it's shape, six inch flat on top and bottom with half circles on each side, while the tread turns.

 

[heritagesurf7]

uploaded a picture just to get a better idea

 

[KirbyWan]

SolidWorks does not do deformable material very well. If you redid the tread as a chain where it could follow the circut of the track without changing shape you might get it to work. BTW I've never done a motion study so I'm just guessing here.

-Kirby

Kirby Wilkerson

Remember, first define the problem, then solve it.

 

[JMirisola]

You might get some help from this blog post:

http://gabijack.com/2010/07/animating-a-chain-animacion-de-una-cadena/

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Design Manager/Senior Designer
M9 Defense
My Blog