Assembling according to a coordinate sys

[aeromatrix]

Hello,

In Solidworks, is there a way to bring parts with a coordinate system into an assembly with a coordinate system and assemble the parts by mating their coordinate system to the assemblies coordinate system?

 

[ctopher]

I have never tried that. Curious why would you want to, more detail?

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Wow ... are you into coordinated swimming?

All parts & assemblies have default planes & origins which form the basis of the default coordinate system. Any plane or face can be mated to any other plane or face. Usually 3 mates are required to fully define a component in place.

Are you talking about user defined coordinate systems?


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[aeromatrix]

I want to export the assembly as an iges file so that I can use it as an input file for fea. I have several brackets that I want to analyze, but I don't want to analyze the component that they are holding. I plan to use a mass element. So I basically want to place the brackets in space according to a coordinate system. I've tried to use the offset plan and place the brackets, but when I export them into an iges file they are being positioned according to their origin.

 

[Heckler]

The only way I know is to model the part with respect to its location in the assembly but eventhen I'm not sure if it will work. Why do you want to do it this way? Wouldn't you just be able to set up the load case in the FEA program to duplicate is as assembled position? What FEA program are you using?

Best Regards,

Heckler

Do you trust your intuition or go with the flow?

 

[EvanBasalik]

Are you saying these parts are body-centered? In other words, the parts are in space where they are in the assembly?

If so, mate Front part - front assy, right part - right assy, top part - top assy.

Evan T. Basalik, MCSD
--------------------------------
It's all about prioritization...

 

[aeromatrix]

In Proe I usually position the parts according to a coordinate system. I can easily mate the coordinate systems in the assembly and the parts are in their proper position. Then when I export the assembly as an iges they are in their proper position. In Solidworks I'm unable to mate coordinate systems as far as I know. Even so, I can position the parts where I want them in the assembly, but when I export the assembly to an iges all the parts origins mate up. So the parts are no longer where I want them.

 

[aeromatrix]

What I can do is treat the origin of each part as the coordinate center then offset my parts from there. Then when I go into the assembly mode I just have to mate the Front, Top, and Right datum planes. The parts will be where I want them and all the origins will be lined up. So when I export the assembly, the iges will line up the origins which are already lined up in the assembly.

But, this only works if I created the part. Otherwise I have to do alot of work to get the part where I want it. Where with a coordinate system I can place that in the part and assemble the parts by mating the their coordinate systems.

 

[TheTick]

When I was using Pro/E, I used CSYS mates. Very handy, especially when modeilling in-position. I wish SW had it.