Mate with floating offset

[onefjef]

New to Inventor..
Is there a way to create a mate constraint with a "floating" offset? I want to make one face parallel with another but I want to be able to drag them afterward.

 

[rollupswx]

Sure, if you only have one mate there will still be several degrees of freedom (including to sliding translational DOF)left.
You should be able to get about any motion you need in an assembly.

 

[onefjef]

Thanks for the help rollupswx but what I meant was can you create a mate without specifying the offset value? For example: I have two spherical bodies with a flat top on each. I want to make the flats parallel to each other but I want to be able to drag them closer or further apart.

I hate to compare but in Solid Edge this is called a "Planar Align" with the floating offset switch set.

Jef

 

[rollupswx]

Yes, of course you can. In Inventor it is called Mate. You have a choice of mate face-to-face or flush.
If you can't figure it out attach your assembly here.

 

[onefjef]

I must be missing something. I have used the mate constraint many times. I do understand face to face or flush. I also understand you can specify an offset value between faces. What I want to know is when you have that mate constraint is there a way to "drag" the faces closer or further apart without modifying the offset value? I can send an attachment of my example assembly but I don't think it will help me explain what I want to do when I use my mouse and pick and drag one of the bodies. I'm trying to move the faces normal to their mating constraint where this offset value will be changing dynamically. I'm not at my work computer but when I do return I will check to see if I'm missing a setting.

I do apologize for any confusion and do appreciate the help.

 

[mcgyvr]

You would not use a mate contraint.. You would use an angle constraint in this case... And maybe a mate constraint for the center axis of the 2 cylindrical objects too.

 

[onefjef]

Ahhh yes.

Angle constraint is what I want. Angle constraint with directed vectors at 180 deg. Thanks a bunch mcgyvr!

Jef