MATING IN ASSEMBLY VS IN PART FILE

[toycept]

I'll often bring various parts that were created separately into an assembly file and save the file as a part file to wind up with a single part . I realize you can bring parts into a part file to build the part from various other parts... but preferred the assembly method more because I found it easier use the mating features (at the assembly level) rather than the move command (at the part level).

However I just realized at the part level when you insert a part you also have the option to "mate" the parts ... just like in an assembly. Didn't know this option existed (amazing what you can find out by reading all the options in
the window) before and I'm wondering, does one mating scenerio have a benefit over the other....(whether to mate at the part level or mate at the assembly level and save the final assembly as a part)... if all that makes sense.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[rfus]

Your endgoal sounds like you want multi-body parts (not going to ask why). If this is so, the benefit of using the insert part method is that the inserted part will maintain in-context (denoted by the arrow) relations, and will update if you edit this inserted part. When you save an assembly out as a multi-body part you are killing all the the parts feature tree's and turning them into 'dumb' solids (although, if you no longer need the features that created the parts this is a good way to limit sizes).

Note that you are only given standard mates, and not advanced mates, using the constraints tab when inserting a part into a part.

RFUS