Constant Velocity

A constant velocity joint is a two degree-of-freedom constraint. It constrains the rotation of a body (Body 1) about a specified axis to be equal to the rotation of the other body (Body 2) connected by the joint. The axis of rotation is the Z axes of the markers defined on the connecting user-defined bodies. Constant velocity joints are widely used in drive shafts of vehicles with independent suspension.

1. If the Joints panel is not currently displayed, select the desired joint by clicking on it in the Project Browser or in the modeling window.
   The Joints panel is automatically displayed.
2. From the Connectivity tab, click Body 1 and pick a body from the modeling window, or double-click Body 1 to open the Model Tree (from which the desired body can be selected).
   Note: If the selected joint is a pair entity, first distinguish between the Left and Right tabs in the panel, and then edit the properties. When defining a pair joint, use pair entities for Body, Origin, etc.
3. Similarly, click Body 2 and select the desired body from the modeling window (or use the Model Tree).
4. Click the Point collector (under Origin) and select a point from the modeling window, or double click the Point collector to open the Model Tree (from which the desired point can be selected).
5. Specify each axis.
   • Point - Select a point which lies along the shaft axis in the modeling window or double-click the Point button and choose a point from the Model Tree.
   • Vector - Select a vector which defines the direction of orientation of the shaft axis. If the alignment axis for the joint is along any of the global axes, then the global x, y, or z axis can be selected by clicking on the desired axis in the modeling window (or by double-clicking the Vector button and browsing through the Model Tree).