×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

(OP)
I have been able to create smart components with assemblies, but I would like to associate a feature with a component such as a fastener that includes a hole feature that will cut into any part it's mated to.  Is that possible?  If so, anyone have any suggestions?  I am able to create this smart component with the hole feature, but I can only mate it to the same part to create the hole.  I would like to be able to mate the smart component to several parts and get the same results.

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

Have you tried using "Mate references"?

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

(OP)
I don't think I explained my situation very well.  (Or I don't get the mate reference tool.)  It is my understanding that the mate reference tool is just creates 'smart mates' not necessarily an added feature such as a hole.

I'll try explaing my situation again:
My base part does not have a hole for the 'fastener' to fit into.  Once I mate that 'fastener' to my base part, I would like it to create a hole in the base part automatically.  So far I can only get this to work if the 'fastener' is a smart component and the base part is ALWAYS the same part.  Unfortunately my base part will not always be the same, hence the need for a smart component.  


Does that make any sense?

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

SW06 has Smart Components which does what you want.

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

(OP)
That is what I am working with.  I've been trying to define my Smart Component, but my problem is that evertime I add the Smart Component to a part it says it can not create the feature.  I think I might be setting up my Smart Component feature wrong.  Here's how I'm doing it:

-I insert a base part into an assembly.
-Insert the 'fastener' I want as the smart component.
-I create a feature (a hole) in the base part
-In the Smart Component window I have three windows:
  Smart Component = 'fastener'
  Component = none selected
  Features = hole feature

Is this the way you would do it?

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

I just tested this out and you can add more mate references to the part and those can be used when you bring the Smart component into the assembly. When you make the smart component it asks you to use features... I used the hole I mate the SC into. Then I broke the relationship when it prompted me too. Now i was able to insert the SC into a new assembly get it to mate to a prexisting hole or a face (added this as my secondary mate reference) and then I out the hole (feature) that I added when I was asked to put a feature into the smart component.

I hope this helps

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: Creating a Smart Component with a Feature

(OP)
It FINALLY worked!  Apparently you need to have mate references when adding a smart feature.

Thanks for the help!

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources