Remote constraint in the Simulation workspace

A Remote Constraint restricts the movement of the model from a point in space that is distant from the model. You define the target face(s) on the model, the degrees of freedom to fix, and the Anchor location, or the point in space, that is restricting the movement.

Remote constraints are useful when trying to model or simplify a more complex assembly. For example you might use a remote constraint to represent a remote ball joint without modeling the entire design.

Remote constraints are offered in all mechanical simulation studies except event simulation.

The effect of fixing different degrees of freedom

	(a) If you apply a remote constraint to one end of a beam, and fix all six degrees of freedom - Ux, Uy, Uz and Rx, Ry, and Rz, when you apply a load to the other end it behaves like a fixed constraint. The remote constraint fixes a node (think of it as a rigid body) to the face with rigid links. If the node does not displace nor rotate at all, you have in effect a completely rigid connection.
	(b) In this example, a fixed constraint is applied to one end of the beam. If you apply a remote constraint to the other end, and fix only the translational degrees of freedom; Ux, Uy and Uz, when you apply a load to the end face of the beam, the tip of the beam can both displace AND rotate. Notice that the face rotates so that it always points to the location of the remote constraint.
	(c) If, instead, you fix only the rotational degrees of freedom; Rx, Ry, and Rz, and apply a load to the end face of the beam, the tip displaces considerably more than when only the translational degrees of freedom are fixed. Notice that in this case the face always stays vertical.

Figure 1: Displacement result using (a) a remote constraint in which all 6 degrees of freedom are fixed, (b) a remote constraint with the translational degrees of freedom fixed, and (c) a remote constraint with the rotational degrees of freedom fixed.

The default setting for a remote constraint is fully constrained, which is analogous to applying a fixed constraint.