Using SOLIDWORKS Motion to Setup the Perfect Disc Golf Shot

SOLIDWORKS Motion is a powerful software to help users visualize the motion of a design. This tool provides a graphical simulation that analyzes the impact of forces such as springs, dampers, gravity, and friction.

Anything that moves can be simulated in SOLIDWORKS Motion, just like a disc flying towards a basket! In today’s example, a motion study is developed to help understand how a disc golf shot may need to be adjusted to make it into the basket.

Problem Overview

A disc is thrown towards the basket, but what can users do to be confident that the disc will hit the basket? In this problem, the distance that the disc travels is driven by the linear velocity and the angle at which the disc is launched.

The initial setup of the problem involves the disc landing short of the basket, so the linear velocity and launch angle will be adjusted within a range to determine the best parameters for hitting the basket when the disc is launched. The basket is considered to be “hit” when the disc is within the range specified for a sensor set up in the basket assembly.

Setting Up The Motion Analysis

The setup of this motion analysis was simplified for this study. The assembly was mated in place before forces were added to the design. SOLIDWORKS Motion allows users to add elements to simulate the behavior of a motor, spring, damper, force, torque, and gravity.

Gravity was added in the negative Y direction in this study. Users can also define contacts between components and the friction between them. In this example, a contact was defined between the disc and the ground, as well as with the tree behind the basket. This allowed the disc to bounce off the ground and tree when a collision was detected between the components.

The SOLIDWORKS Motion study defined for the disc golf putt

A sketch is used to insert a line that is used as the reference direction for the linear velocity. Angular velocity can also be defined. Initially, the disc is set to launch at a linear velocity of 14 m/s and an angular velocity of 1500 RPM, both of which are values that a pro disc golfer should be able to achieve. Finally, plots and graphs are created to display the required results. The disc uses a plot to trace the path traveled and a graph to track the linear displacement between the disc and the sensor in the basket.

Design Study Optimization

Once a motion analysis has been calculated, the parameters of the study can be adjusted to find a desired outcome. Variables are set to provide a range of values for the study to analyze and can be input from many different parameters. Constraints tell the study what parameters need to be maintained throughout each scenario. Goals can be applied so that the study knows how the problem is to be optimized. Constraints and goals are both defined using sensors.

Design study parameters for the putt

For the disc, the launch angle varied between 24-27 degrees in increments of 1 degree at a time. The initial launch speed of 14 m/s was clearly not sufficient, so the study began testing at 15 m/s through 17 m/s, at an increment of 1 m/s. When setting up a design study, it is best not to exceed 20 scenarios for the sake of time.

Results For A Perfect Shot

As the design study completes the simulation of each scenario, color-coded feedback is provided to help users quickly see which scenarios pass or fail. These results can be saved to a Microsoft Excel document if needed.

The design study that was set up shows that launch angle is less significant than the launch speed. Of the twelve scenarios tested, the best result was scenario seven. This found that at 26 degrees and at 16 m/s, the disc was able to come within 0.06843 meters of the target.

Results from the SOLIDWORKS Motion design study

The design study scenario selected has its parameters pushed to the motion analysis tab. In the motion analysis, users can alter the speed at which the simulation is playing or scroll through the timeline to see what is happening in a study at each moment.  Animations can be saved, and structural simulations can be created using motion loads.

Disc position from scenario seven

Moving Beyond Disc Golf for Motion Studies

SOLIDWORKS Motion allows users to validate motion and forces in a virtual environment before a design is manufactured in the real world. The earlier in the design process that a problem is found, the easier it is to resolve with less effort. With SOLIDWORKS Motion, different inputs are entered to make sure studies are set up as accurately as possible when compared to the real-world environment.

To learn more about using SOLIDWORKS Motion in your design workflow, click here.