How to Update the Path Mate Motor Speed in a SOLIDWORKS Motion Analysis

After defining a path mate motor with constant speed for an object in a SOLIDWORKS motion analysis, you need to calculate the motion study. As a result, the object will travel along the path mate with a constant speed (v) during the specified time (t). The travel distance can be simply calculated through x = v . t. However, if you decide to change the value of your path mate speed and recalculate the motion study, you will realize that the travel distance may not be the value that you expect according to the equation of  x = v . t.

How to Update the Path Mate Motor Speed

In this example, a path mate motor with constant speed of 10 mm/s is defined for the blue sphere, in order to travel inside of a cylinder. The motion study is run for 5 seconds as shown in the figure below:

Motion Analysis Defined

Accordingly and as expected, the sphere travels for a distance of x = 10 * 5 = 50 mm, as shown in the figure below.

Distance Travelled

Now, you decide to update the speed of the path mate motor to 20 mm/s for the same time period of 5 seconds. If you recalculate the motion study and measure the travel distance, you will find the sphere did not travel for 100 mm (20 * 5) as you expected.

Update the Motion Study

The distance the sphere traveled is 75.18 mm in this case, which is not acceptable!

Distance Travelled

In order to reset the previous motion study calculations and to have the correct travelled distance for the sphere, you simply need to drag the key property (blue diamond shape) of the path mate motor to the zero second mark as shown below.

Drag the key property for the path mate

To the zero second mark

Then, recalculate the motion study. As a result, the sphere travels 100 mm as expected.

Recalculate the Motion Study

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