About Ball Joints

A ball joint defines a fixed center of rotation for a surface; the center of rotation cannot move, but the surface is free to rotate about this center.

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Applying Ball Joints

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A ball joint definition consists of two components:

  • the restrained surface (defined by the selected model face); and
  • the center of rotation (defined by the location of the robot).

True ball joint connections are common in many applications, but ball joints in DesignSight can also be used to approximate other flexible connections such as hinges or pin joints. A surface restrained by a ball joint may deform during a simulation, but only according to the rotational directions defined by the joint center.

In the example below, the two rods connected to the bottom of the central steering knuckle are free to rotate as the steering mechanism twists the wheel. Therefore, ball joints would be used in DesignSight to represent this connection.