4 answers

• 
  William 12 months ago

  This is a great tutorial and it helped me to make a chain @
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiBGYdbBPHo

• 
  Greg Pavlik 12 months ago

  If I wanted to make a chain I would probably do it as a two part procedure. Part 1 as a part (ipt.) file of just one link of the chain. Then part 2 as a assembly (iam.) file composed of several of the ipt. parts. I'll have to give it a try and send you the results.

  Greg

• 
  Wes 11 months ago

  The best method I have seen for making a deck chain type chain is to create 1 link, then assemble them:
  Step 1) Create link
  Step 2) Put work points at the inside ends of the link for assembly purposes
  Step 3) Create a "surface part" that will serve as the chain path--it can be phantom in the BOM if needed
  Step 4) Assemble the links onto the path/planes and to each other via the work points created in step 2. Commonly, the links fall at something around a 35 degree angle naturally unless under tension, when they are probably closer to 90 degrees to each other.

  You could look at the CBliss iparts site: http://www.cbliss.com/inventor/Parts/Hardware/index.htm
  about half way down you will find a "naturally falling" chain that uses similar assembly method.

• 
  Nick 7 months ago

  You can pull this model apart 0.5T Chain Block to see how I did my one. It's just a chain which is constrained to a fixed path using patterned work points. It takes very little time to set up, but gives a model a nice finishing touch.
  I've attached a file which I found to be a really good tutorial on how to do it, which shows you much the same tips as Williams video.
  You can use this technique to layout any type of pattern you want. From drive chains, to lifting chains, modular belting, etc. etc.
  You just have to change the design parameters to suit your requirements.

  Attachments

  Moving_chain.pdf, 1.63 MB
  Download