Computer Modeling

[Jared Haehnel]

I PM'ed this to Ant but then I realized that this could help out others as well.

Ant uses Interactive Physics to draw up some nice designs. Its all animated and though he hasn't posted it I am sure he can get some numbers out of it to figure out how well it will preform. So, aside from flash animation, I was wondering if any one else knew of a good modeling programs that wil alow me to design my spud guns and BBMG's with accuracy and also get some accurate numbers.

I'm not sure all then varibles you can plug into Interactive Physics or the numbers you can get out of it. But here some I things I would like to do...

Have a complete working model on the computer that I can play around with figures like, spring compression wieghts, pressure, projectile wieght and what ever else I might need in a BBMG or spud gun design.

Recive numbers including, muzzel vilocity, pressure drop, heat dissipation rate, figure out drag on an object, barrel friction.

Its a heck of alot easier to design and play around with it on the computer then on paper and if you can run a visual simulation of it going through the motions even better. Inter acitve physics is around $250 at amazon.com and I'm not sure if I want to blow my money on that or if there is something better to save up for... Idealy under $500

The problem is I don't know how to do most of the math yet. I'm learning it but as y'all might know it can be a bit slow. I understand the concepts just not the math. It sucks.

[Necrosis]

Solidworks is the only answer.

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/product ... tware.html

99-199 dollar for the student version, allthough I do not know if you can apply for that.
If not, the commercial version costs like.. several..thousand..


*edit*
solidworks comes with strength calculations and even a flow simulator.
The learning curve resembles a concrete wall, though.

[Jared Haehnel]

I could apply...but for just 24 months of use it kind of sucks...

[CS]

Don't tell me you pay for music... (Hint - Torrents)

While I am not familiar with the mentioned "Interactive Physics", I am familiar with SolidWorks. I've used SolidWorks, and I can say it is virtually limitless. However given your simple scenarios, SolidWorks may be a unnecessary complication. You will spend a lot of your time learning, modeling, and entering values.

As Necrosis said, SolidWorks is pretty hard to learn. Learning the uber basics isn't that hard, however where I run into problems is the middle ground stuff. Because everyone that writes about it is either a beginner, or a expert at a firm. Again I have no idea about this Interactive Physics program, but I'd bet it would be easier for you to work with.

[the cats in the bag]

you can use google sketch up to make designs. but it doesn't offer interactive physics. on the plus side it is free!

[bigbob12345]

Im sure you could always download it for free Im not saying that it will be legal

[Ragnarok]

I have the full commercial version of Solid Works, with the upgraded tool kit - and unlike some people, I didn't download it illegally.
It's not the latest version (couple of years old), but it still has a lot of functionality.

Still normally, I prefer to do sketches if I actually need to record a design, or for a "simulation" just throw a load of numbers at Excel. Or I just use my head - My brain came pre-installed with some design software.

[rcman50166]

Well I don't have any of these fancy programs but I am in the middle of taking A.P. Physics so I do all of my own math and "rendering". It is all going to my major in Mechanical Engineering.

[potatoflinger]

Well, for the numbers you could always use GGDT, but if you want a simple, easy to use design program, Google Sketchup is the easiest to use out of the ones I've found, although it is next to useless for animations and things of that nature.

[Jared Haehnel]

Thanks for the advice...I'll look into it.

What kind of things can I model in Solid Works? Things I would be interested in modeling would be, gas blow back not only in spud guns but rifles, rocketry, motor vehicles, nuclear physics.... I've got a long list of things that I have sketched out on graph paper that I would love to model and run on a simulation to see if they would really work or if I can improve the design any.


Most of it I would never get around to building but saying that I have a design and could build it is often more satisfactory to me then to go through the work and expense of constructing what I design.

Admittedly my understanding of everything listed is limited but I'm learning and am willing to learn. As I am sure it will take time before I will be able to use the solid works or any program simulation program effectively but I'll learn something...I hope

[Antonio]

Hey nice to hear so many replies to this topic. This is what I said in my email reply: Hey,
If I were you I would not buy it for 250$. Its way too much. It is a usefull program, but it doesnt simulate airpressure or anything and it sometimes tends to crash when you make it too complicated. It only works in the 2d plane. In my animations I used an actuator to move the hammer, the rest did behave like it would in real life. Yes airfriction, and surface friction can be used. I only use the program to make a simple approximation for my design thoughts and its a bit easier then making a gif animation. As it doesnt simulate airpressure I wouldnt buy it.

Ps I would buy a paintball gun instead. I am working on this model in excel, inorder to simulate blowback etc. Using this I can find the exact mass of the hammer and spring constants that need to be used.

I think Ragnarok is boasting a bit with his programs etc. Even if you have solidworks for example you have to know the physics behind whats going on. Not that I doubt rags knowledge lol> he is prob following some engineering course (like me where he gets it all from. What Jared wants is a simple program which does the phy for you. I have been looking for this for a while but cant find any. Thats why I started working on my own calcs in excel as I said. If I finish this one you can get find the exact shape/construction for a blowback gun (spyder type). My problem at the moment is finding how much air it uses per shot, and as the hammer is dynamic it opens multiple times in about 0.05 sec. This means the it isnt that easy to decide the dwell time. Ragnarok do you have any knowledge or experience with this? It would be nice to think about it with multiple brains''. If you need some info about my project just send me a msg or something

[Jared Haehnel]

Jared wants is a simple program which does the phy for you

For right now he's right....that would be all I have the time to handle...Perhaps when I get through the next three years of college I'll be able to tackle the deluxe engineering programs. 8)

[Antonio]

Jared wants is a simple program which does the phy for you

For right now he's right....that would be all I have the time to handle...Perhaps when I get through the next three years of college I'll be able to tackle the deluxe engineering programs. 8)

why do you need programs anyways? You do calculations for a specific job or something. Its ganna take more time to write/use a program. Yeah, and btw programs are only made to make it easier if you do the same calculation over and over but then for slightly different objects''. So you to my oppion a program wont do for you. Using F=ma you can pretty far in simulation physics lol

[Jared Haehnel]

It would take time to input all the variables and model my own program. My dad writes all his modeling programs. I'm just looking for something that will allow me to watch everything happen on the computer. Yes I can figure out the basics with pen and paper and a calculator.
I end up doing a lot of research to figure out the variables to put into the equations but some of the math is too complicated right now for me to do and get accurate results. I suppose if I sat down and learned everything it would make things easier so call this an easy way out if you want...
Sketching things out on a graphing paper has become kind of a hobby I figured it would be a lot of fun to be able to see if some of the things I sketch would work...