Data export from Inspire and co-simulation with Twin Activate

Deo
Deo Altair Community Member
edited November 2023 in Community Q&A

In Inspire Motion, I have selected my motors and actuators as "displacement" type. I use "run motion analysis", and go to "solver settings", then "export". When it comes to "input/output signals", I am only given the option of "force" for input signal. The inspire motion model runs on inputs of "displacement", which runs ok in inspire motion.  Can I have input signal type as "displacement" as well when exporting the motion data?

Answers

  • Scott Ziemba_21777
    Scott Ziemba_21777
    Altair Employee
    edited November 2023

    Hello Deo,

    Inspire Motion does not currently support Displacement, Speed or Acceleration as Input signals for co-simulation, only forces.  But I will explain the current behavior and why you see Force and Torque.

    By default, a Displacement or Speed motor or actuator that has the "Use Controller" option selected is actually using a force function in the math solver. Here is a blog article that discusses this in more detail:     Difference Between a Controlled and Non-Controlled Motor or Actuator in Inspire Motion.  The force function uses parameters of the controller to attempt to maintain the desired Displacement or Speed defined by the user.

    image

    When Input signals are defined for motors and actuators that have the "Use Controller" option selected, they will appear as Torque or Force inputs,  not Displacement or Speed.  If you export the co-simulation file to Twin Activate, and enter 0 for "Override Inspire Motion Controller", the Twin Activate co-sim will use the same input(s) IM uses when solving the motion analysis inside Inspire (i.e. force-based Displacement and Speed inputs).  Change the override to 1 and then it will use the "Command Signal" where you hook up the controller designed in Twin Activate and plug it into the IM model.  The third component of the input that reads just either "Force" or "Torque" can be disregarded.  It is simply a reference (i.e. the desired speed of the controlled-based motion input).  It is the same as plotting the Desired vs. Actual displacement for a controlled-based motor or actuator inside Inspire Motion.

    Look for additional supported kinematic input signals in the future.

    Regards,

    Scott