Assembly programing possibly with macros

[gritmonkey]

I am a graduate working at Aston University for a lecturer. Using solidworks we are putting together a parts library of 'fischer technik' equipment. Fischer technik is a modelling tool similar in style to Technic Lego. The library has now been completed. Students will model using solidworks so that they can test their ideas. When satisfied they will build the physical models and see if their ideas worked.
Now the intent is to create an environment in which the parts from the library can be easily assembled. For a solidworks user this is easy enough to use face mates, however to someone who has never used solidworks it is not so simple. We would like to somehow create an intuitive assembly environment within solidworks. The idea is that the parts cannot be assembled wrongly. The physical parts can only be assembled in the way that they are intended to. Obviously Solidworks will allow mistakes to be made in assemblies. If I can somehow programme how the parts are allowed to mate with each other then it will be easier for students to assemble and will resrict the scope for mistakes. I thought that this might be possible by writing macros but did not know where to start. I can get help with programming but wondered if anyone had ever done anything like this and if anyone would know how to go about acheiving this.
Any help is appreciated. I understand that my plans may be quite ambitious.
regards
Jim

 

[BBJT]

WOW!

One way you could make it more intuitive is add mate referneces to the parts. This will allow you to mate the parts automatically when they are dragged into the assembly. BBJT CSWP

 

[BBJT]

I should have said mate refernces should get you half way there. You could put a mate reference(concentric and coincident) on the female male end of a lego. When you drag and drop it on the male end of the lego in the assembly you would get those two mates. Now all you would need to do is add a parralel, angle, or another concentric mate. BBJT CSWP

 

[DennisD]

Jim,

Would it be possible to get access to these Fischer Technic models you are creating? (I'd love it for me and my kids.) Perhaps if we could access them we'd be in a better position to help solve your problem.

- - -DennisD