Is "lock" a satisfactory mating option?

[steinmini]

I'm building a project with a lot of odd shaped components conflicting regular mating options with their natural shapes (round tubes with square laser cut segments etc) and since I'm using the same part files I need to provide for laser cutting (no fillets, chamfers or angled, machine cuts allowed) my assembly falls apart when I'm moving the assembly segment that should move in real life. I know I could build a partial assembly and save it as a single part, but I would prefer to have one assembly created from "real" parts and sub assemblies. I'm on a tight schedule and this is quite frustrating. Most of the connections I can't weld within SW because the fitting isn't perfect enough for the SW but is normal and easy in real life. I already spent way too much time trying to design each part and to position every piece to it's proper position, but it's still way too fragile to make an animation... I'm attaching an image of one part of the assembly to show that the parts I have to use are not really usable with most f the mates... So, I was thinking that maybe the "lock" mate would help once the two parts are properly positioned. As the final result, I have to be able to move the frame section and the front and rear suspension should move within given constraints (I have no problems with those)

 

[Gurjjeet]

In my books that should be a single part(Anything welded together should be a PART by itself)

But if you have already created individual parts & placed them in position then "Lock" is perfectly okay for me.

 

[handleman]

You can create sketches or reference geometry (planes, axes, etc) in your parts for mating. That can help keep everything parametric. Lock mate is not a good idea IMHO if you are doing concept designs that need to be flexible for changes, which appears to be what you are doing.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[AnnaWood]

Create a new helper assembly that you will use only for your animation.

Bring your parts into this assembly and set up your mates, etc just for the animation.

Most times mating for your build and mating for animation are not compatible. Separate the activities with two assembly files.

Cheers,


Anna Wood
Core i7 EE965, FirePro V8700, 12 Gb RAM, OCZ Vertex 120 Gb SSD, Dell 3008WFP 30" Monitor
SW2010 SP2.1, Windows 7 x64

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[steinmini]

Thanks for the responses. I thought of both creating assemblies on a smaller scale of complexity and save several (to be welded) parts as a single part, and saving the same "sub assemblies" separately in a separate folder, in case there will be a revision or change. Components which will be joined into one part irreversibly would be used as independent parts within the animated assembly and since I created all the parts separately I will have a part file and a drawing for every single piece anyway.

The only problem (and is not related to SW) is that I got four, max five days to convert a doodle on a paper I received on Friday into a completely defined final product. Of course, the hand made drawing is completely useless being out of proportion/order and the limitations of how the parts should interact would not allow such an arrangement of parts. But I guess that often engineers and "wannabe designers" don't see the same thing from the same point of view.

Once again, thanks to all for the responses, these confirm my reasoning.

 

[TheTick]

Try making a skeleton sketch at the top level of the assembly. Then you can position parts w.r.t. the assembly intent, not just according to their features.

 

[steinmini]

I'm no long time expert with SWX, but I think I just did what TheTick suggested
The assembly went smooth with just a few added construction lines, axes and two helping reference planes. Now it seems everything is where it should be and saved as a single part, I can move on with the rest of the work that's waiting to be done. Attached image clearly shows the "skeleton" which helped in the process. Even though a bit late, thanks