assembly question??

[faceless]

How is everyone? I am fairly new to solidworks 08. I am beginning to work on using equations to drive my assemblies. I created an assembly where I mated three tubes in the form of an "H". I was able to use an equation to define the width and was able to change the length of the horizontal piece by using this equation.
I then had to create a different assembly where I had to close off that "H" to make it look like two squares.
Is there a way that I can link the equations in my first assembly so I can use them in my second assembly?
Here are the equations that I used in my first assembly
"unit width" = x
"horizontal piece" = "unit width" - "verticals"

Here are the proposed equations for the second assembly
"unit width"=x
"top horizontal piece" = "horizontal piece"
"Bottom horizontal piece" ="horizontal piece"

When I used the second set of equations, I got the following response --> "Horizontal piece is a driven dimension and can't be changed by an equation".

would anyone be able to give any info as to how to solve this problem?

 

[Theophilus]

Sounds almost like a homework assignment. Is this for school?



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people who value security over freedom will soon find they have neither.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Ignoring the equation question for now, have you looked at using the Weldments function (instead of an assembly) to create the H frame?

An equation could be used to control the centre of the H and when subsequently adding the closing pieces to create the two squares, the 'linking' would be automatic.

 

[JMirisola]

Take it one step further and look at DriveWorksXpress...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP, Certified DriveWorks AE

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

 

[faceless]

thanks for the info. and no it isnt a homework assignment.

 

[Theophilus]

If using the Weldment feature, would midpoint or other relations work for keeping center distances?



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

A people who value security over freedom will soon find they have neither.