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Mating errors everywhere, AGAIN!

Question asked by Jacob Murray on May 2, 2016
Latest reply on Oct 11, 2016 by James Hernández

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For some unknown reason, when I work on an assembly and save it, then reopen it, I am getting what seems like random mating errors. My assembly is all over the place and it is saying no solution found. I don't know why this is happening. Even if I over defined the assembly by adding two similar mates, or if I made two conflicting mates, I don't understand why all the unrelated mates would suddenly fall apart. I have been through each mate over and over to try and find it, and tried using Mate Xpert but I really don't know what is going on. I was hoping someone with a bit more experience may be able to have a look at the assembly for me and tell me what I am doing wrong, or why this is happening.

The file is Solidworks 2016 Mate problem.zip - Google Drive

Any help would be really appreicated

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Jim Moses May 2, 2016 6:27 AM
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Hi,

I have seen this in the past, if you are using parts with a few configurations, sometimes it causes SW to get confused, try "ctrl-q" (force rebuild) after you reopen and see if the errors go away, also I have had when using flexible assemblies, some times you need to change the configuration to Rigid and then back to Flexible

Also if you are using a PDM system some of the read-only files may be causing issues.

I know its not a fix, but it seems to correct the issues for the session I am working on certain assemblies
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John Stoltzfus May 2, 2016 12:42 PM
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Mating issues can be a tough nut to crack -

When I see a file like you describe I suppress every item in the feature tree and one by one unsuppress each item starting from the top and work down. That is the easiest way to pinpoint any issue. Do you have the box checked that's highlighted below??

Like Jim Moses mentioned, you may be kicking errors by using a part with a lot of configurations, and a hammering of the ctrl Q, might be the only way to clean it up temporarily.
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David Sloop May 2, 2016 3:29 PM
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I avoid using tangency mates. Solidworks doesn't seem to handle them well. It will flip over on you frequently.
Concentric mates will also, occasionally, but not as often.
I work my way up thru mates in the model tree suppressing broken mates, until suddenly a bunch fix themselves. Often it will be a concentric or tangency mate that flipped over on me, and caused a bunch of others to fail.
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- Jim Sculley @ David Sloop on May 2, 2016 3:50 PM
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  David Sloop wrote:
  
  I avoid using tangency mates. Solidworks doesn't seem to handle them well. It will flip over on you frequently.
  Ditto for angle mates. Completely unreliable.
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  - Alin Vargatu @ Jim Sculley on May 2, 2016 4:01 PM
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    Jim Sculley wrote:
    
    David Sloop wrote:
    
    I avoid using tangency mates. Solidworks doesn't seem to handle them well. It will flip over on you frequently.
    Ditto for angle mates. Completely unreliable.
    I actually found the angle mates to be very reliable starting with SW2015.
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    - Jim Sculley @ Alin Vargatu on May 3, 2016 8:09 AM
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      If only this were true. I just had an assembly show the angle mate problem last week. It would arbitrarily flip back and forth. I tend to see it more when the mate is inside a flexible subassembly.
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      - Alin Vargatu @ Jim Sculley on May 3, 2016 9:28 AM
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        Jim Sculley wrote:
        
        If only this were true. I just had an assembly show the angle mate problem last week. It would arbitrarily flip back and forth. I tend to see it more when the mate is inside a flexible subassembly.
        Jim, are you using the new functionality for grounding your reference quadrant?
        That is what stops flipping starting with SW2015.
        
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        Craig Schultz @ Alin Vargatu on May 3, 2016 9:37 AM
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        Learn something new every day. Thanks Alin
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        Alin Vargatu @ Craig Schultz on May 3, 2016 9:53 AM
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        No problem Craig. So far I am very pleased with the huge enhancements added in the mating area by SOLIDWORKS, starting with SW 2014.
        
        For example, I very seldom use the old math limit mates. Nowadays, I use as much as possible the new geometric limit mates. Guess what? No more flipping.
        
        The people who state they do not see any value in upgrading their SW seat need to take an update training in order to become fully aware of how much the software improved in the last 4 releases. The difference in functionality between SW 2016 and SW 2012 is huge.
        
        For mating, the difference in functionality between SW 2016 and 2015 is immense. Looking forward to play with the new mates in 2017.
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Alin Vargatu May 2, 2016 4:03 PM
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Jacob Murray wrote:

For some unknown reason, when I work on an assembly and save it, then reopen it, I am getting what seems like random mating errors. My assembly is all over the place and it is saying no solution found. I don't know why this is happening. Even if I over defined the assembly by adding two similar mates, or if I made two conflicting mates, I don't understand why all the unrelated mates would suddenly fall apart. I have been through each mate over and over to try and find it, and tried using Mate Xpert but I really don't know what is going on. I was hoping someone with a bit more experience may be able to have a look at the assembly for me and tell me what I am doing wrong, or why this is happening.

The file is Solidworks 2016 Mate problem.zip - Google Drive

Any help would be really appreicated
Which file should we open? There are 3 top level assemblies in that zip file.
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Jacob Murray May 7, 2016 9:22 AM
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Guys I can't seem to get anywhere with this, and it is currently costing our company thousands of dollars because we can't send the designs off. I can't find what is wrong with it. Once I get something right on one of the configs, the others one go all over the place. Would someone be willing to do fix it for me for a few hundred? We can transfer through PayPal if you want. I just need this fixed.
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- Alin Vargatu @ Jacob Murray on May 7, 2016 9:31 AM
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  Which file should be fixed?
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  - Jacob Murray @ Alin Vargatu on May 7, 2016 10:46 AM
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    Hi Alin,
    
    I have a few configurations, and they all need fixing unfortunately. The mates seems random, sometimes I'll redo an existing mate, and then delete it and everything is okay once again. Other times I need to suppress and suppress components and then rebuild. But they don't always work and are just temporary. It's like Solidworks has a mind of it's own.
    
    If you want to have a crack here is the latest version !DLP ASSEMBLY.zip - Google Drive . Happy to pay if you can fix it all, however the parts in the pack n go file are from many different folders on my computer so I won't be able to download the fixed file. I'll have to follow whatever you did click for click to fix it on my end.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Jacob
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    - Alin Vargatu @ Jacob Murray on May 8, 2016 11:33 PM
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      First thing I would suggest is getting rid of the lock mates. They are horrible with configurations.
      
      I did that and all mates resolved, but none of the components is fully defined. Which one should be the main reference?
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James Hernández Oct 11, 2016 5:34 PM
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Jacob, I have to agree with you. SW2016 seems to be the worst version I've ever used when it comes to reconciling mates (I've been using SW since 98 plus). We are currently re-mating five assemblies and re-doing the related drawings because SW can't reconcile simple mates (we have a double torsion spring with a single axis to axis mate and it won't translate or rotate). I wish there was some way to know what was fundamentally changed in the software so we could work around the problems (is there some new setting that is gumming up the works?). By the way, were you ever able to come to a solution?
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Mating errors everywhere, AGAIN!

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