I am having a problem with a mate reference in an assmemlyand want to know if there is a limit to the number of levels deep amate reference will work.
1. I created an assembly called "Wheel.sldasm". Within thisassembly I created a mate reference called "MountWheel". The matereference uses reference geometry only (planes, axis, etc).
2. I created a part called "BrakeDrum.sldprt". Within this part icreated a mate reference called "MountWheel". This mate referencealso uses reference geometry to define the mate.
3. I create an assembly using the "BrakeDrum.sldprt". I insert the"Wheel.sldasm" and it snaps into place and adds the mate with noproblem.
4. I create an assembly called "Axle" thats uses the "BrakeDrum"part as a component. If I attempt to insert the "Wheel.sldasm" atthis level, it also works as expected and snaps into position andadds the defined mates with no problem.
5. I create an assembley called "Suspension" that uses the "Axle"as a sub assembly. If I insert the "Wheel" assm into this assembly,its still snaps into position and adds the mates correctly.
6. I create an assembly called "Frame" that uses the assembly"Suspension" as a sub-assembly. This is were I begin to see aproblem. If I attempt to insert the "Wheel" into this assembly and"hover" over the "BrakeDrum", it does not want to snap to thecorrect location. Instead the "Wheel" snaps to a fixed locationaway from where it should be. If I move mouse pointer to another"BrakeDrum" on the assembly, the wheel snaps to a same fixedlocation relative to the first.
If I then go back and open up the "Suspension" assembly, andattempt to insert a "wheel" into that assembly, the mate referencebahaves as it did in the "Frame" assembly and snaps to an incorrectlocation. If I close out and restart SW and open the "suspension"assm and insert a wheel...all is normal and works as expected.
The named mate reference "MountWheel" is only used in the"BrakeDrum" part and "Wheel" assembly. The "Wheel" assembly and itscomponents have no other mate references.
So...Is there a limit to the number of levels deep a mate referencewill search in the tree?
If not, any reason why this should not work? Any suggestionsappreciated.
John H
OK, I have an official answer for the VAR...this is a SWproblem...the work around is to add the mates manually! (thisstinks) I did some checking and noticed that if I add the componentmanually, the mate name starts at Coincident1, Coincident2,Concentric1, etc. If I add the mate using the named mate reference,the mate is added using the syntax Coincident11, Coincident12,Concentric11 and the newly created mates show to be vaild, eventhough the component did not snap to the correct position. Afterchecking the mate dialog box, it appears that SW is leaving out themiddle section of the mate selections path name. Upon attemping toinsert another component, the mate fires an error and changes toPlane ? **Invalid** because the path is incorrect. This onlyappears to occur when the mate reference attempts to traversethrough a feature tree that is 4 levels deep. I may try to insertmay mate reference into one of the hight level assemblys and see ifthat works.SolidworksGeneral
1. I created an assembly called "Wheel.sldasm". Within thisassembly I created a mate reference called "MountWheel". The matereference uses reference geometry only (planes, axis, etc).
2. I created a part called "BrakeDrum.sldprt". Within this part icreated a mate reference called "MountWheel". This mate referencealso uses reference geometry to define the mate.
3. I create an assembly using the "BrakeDrum.sldprt". I insert the"Wheel.sldasm" and it snaps into place and adds the mate with noproblem.
4. I create an assembly called "Axle" thats uses the "BrakeDrum"part as a component. If I attempt to insert the "Wheel.sldasm" atthis level, it also works as expected and snaps into position andadds the defined mates with no problem.
5. I create an assembley called "Suspension" that uses the "Axle"as a sub assembly. If I insert the "Wheel" assm into this assembly,its still snaps into position and adds the mates correctly.
6. I create an assembly called "Frame" that uses the assembly"Suspension" as a sub-assembly. This is were I begin to see aproblem. If I attempt to insert the "Wheel" into this assembly and"hover" over the "BrakeDrum", it does not want to snap to thecorrect location. Instead the "Wheel" snaps to a fixed locationaway from where it should be. If I move mouse pointer to another"BrakeDrum" on the assembly, the wheel snaps to a same fixedlocation relative to the first.
If I then go back and open up the "Suspension" assembly, andattempt to insert a "wheel" into that assembly, the mate referencebahaves as it did in the "Frame" assembly and snaps to an incorrectlocation. If I close out and restart SW and open the "suspension"assm and insert a wheel...all is normal and works as expected.
The named mate reference "MountWheel" is only used in the"BrakeDrum" part and "Wheel" assembly. The "Wheel" assembly and itscomponents have no other mate references.
So...Is there a limit to the number of levels deep a mate referencewill search in the tree?
If not, any reason why this should not work? Any suggestionsappreciated.
John H
OK, I have an official answer for the VAR...this is a SWproblem...the work around is to add the mates manually! (thisstinks) I did some checking and noticed that if I add the componentmanually, the mate name starts at Coincident1, Coincident2,Concentric1, etc. If I add the mate using the named mate reference,the mate is added using the syntax Coincident11, Coincident12,Concentric11 and the newly created mates show to be vaild, eventhough the component did not snap to the correct position. Afterchecking the mate dialog box, it appears that SW is leaving out themiddle section of the mate selections path name. Upon attemping toinsert another component, the mate fires an error and changes toPlane ? **Invalid** because the path is incorrect. This onlyappears to occur when the mate reference attempts to traversethrough a feature tree that is 4 levels deep. I may try to insertmay mate reference into one of the hight level assemblys and see ifthat works.SolidworksGeneral
