Had an interesting problem today and was wondering if there was a way the problem could have been identified with Solidworks.
We built a frame out of 2x2 steel tubing, lots of vertical and angle bracing, lots of different levels. We also made a plate that would be bolted into the frame. The entire project was designed by our customer, we were supplied with drawings and some step files. I imported the step files into Solidworks and "built" it using Structural Members. Everything came out great till we tried to insert the plate into the frame. No matter how we tilted the plate, we could not get it to fit into the frame. There was an area it would fit in, but because of interference with various tubes, we couldn't get it tilted into position.
Since I had both the frame and the plate as Solidworks Models, is there a way I could have checked to see if the plate could be positioned inside the frame. I did use mates and positioned the plate properly on the frame. But I didn't know anyway that I could check to see if the plate could be manipulated in such a way that would allow it to be inserted into the frame in it's proper position.
Thanks for any help,
I don't know of an automatic way -
but perhaps you could have turned on Collision Detection and try to Move/Rotate the part into position by eye and trial and error (pretty much what you did with the real part).