Bifurcation in Assembly Mates
Bifurcation in Assembly Mates
(OP)
This is one most people have experienced but didn't know what to call
it.
When using cam mates it is possible have two solutions to the mate when
a dimension driving the cam mate changes. For example, imagine that the
cam track consists of an equilateral triangle with rounded vertices. A
part is driven around the track by a distance mate from one of the
vertices to a point mated to the track. As the distance mate is changed
the point will move away from the vertex assuming the mate dimension is
being increased. The driven point will eventuall reach the next vertex.
At some point it will move arount the adjacent vertex and end up on the
base of the equilateral triangle opposite the driving vertex. At this
point there will be two solutions for the distance mate. If you are
jumping from a previous configuration along one of the sides of the
triangle adjacent to the vertex the point will pick the solution that
is closer to last position in the previous configuration.
To avoid this it is important to approach a location capable of
bifurcation in small steps.
it.
When using cam mates it is possible have two solutions to the mate when
a dimension driving the cam mate changes. For example, imagine that the
cam track consists of an equilateral triangle with rounded vertices. A
part is driven around the track by a distance mate from one of the
vertices to a point mated to the track. As the distance mate is changed
the point will move away from the vertex assuming the mate dimension is
being increased. The driven point will eventuall reach the next vertex.
At some point it will move arount the adjacent vertex and end up on the
base of the equilateral triangle opposite the driving vertex. At this
point there will be two solutions for the distance mate. If you are
jumping from a previous configuration along one of the sides of the
triangle adjacent to the vertex the point will pick the solution that
is closer to last position in the previous configuration.
To avoid this it is important to approach a location capable of
bifurcation in small steps.





