24 Replies Latest reply on May 11, 2017 4:42 PM by Max Crittenden

SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 2:50 PM

I just installed and started using SW 2016. I want to create a cylindrical mate between this hub and shaft. But the system says it can't be done. It says they are separated by so many millimeters, but I can easily drag one part to the other so that they appear concentric. There are no conflicting constraints -- SW will allow me to make the surfaces parallel, which they were anyway before I opened them in 2016.

What is this BS? I can't use 2016 if it won't do such a simple operation.

mate problem.JPG 63.3 KB

Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

John Stoltzfus May 11, 2017 2:53 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Show us your list of mates for those parts, there is another mate interfering and or the parts were not built off of any of the three main planes or planes that are parallel.. Don't worry - it's just a simple thing..
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 3:01 PM (in response to John Stoltzfus)
  
  Sorry, I don't buy that. I've had this problem before, but rarely. 24 hours ago the assembly was mated perfectly (in SW 2015). I just deleted a bushing that was carrying the concentric connection between the two parts and tried to mate them directly, and it won't go. I even put the bushing back in just now, and it won't go.
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
  - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
    
    John Stoltzfus May 11, 2017 3:21 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
    
    Well I'm not trying to sell something just trying to take a wild guess without being able to fully diagnose the problem. Andy Sanders gave the right answer to try now, suppress each mate and then start at the top and unsuppress each one, if there are issues they'll show up close to the bottom of the mate feature tree..
    
    Like Show 0 Likes(0)
    
    Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  David Nelson May 11, 2017 3:58 PM (in response to John Stoltzfus)
  
  I do that all the time and have to go back and find what mate is stopping me.
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Dan Pihlaja May 11, 2017 2:59 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

I am using SW 2015 and this happens to me sometimes....generally when my Computer is loaded up and I have a lot of stuff going on at the same time.

Just drag it as close as you can and try again and you shouldn't have a problem.

I agree that there should be a fix to this, but I am not totally sure what the problem is.
Like Show 1 Likes(1)

Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 3:03 PM (in response to Dan Pihlaja)
  
  Tried that. No joy.
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
  - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
    
    Dan Pihlaja May 11, 2017 3:08 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
    
    OK, show the two temporary axes, and make them coincident......then delete the constraint and put in the concentric.
    
    Like Show 2 Likes(2)
    
    Actions
    - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
      
      Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 3:29 PM (in response to Dan Pihlaja)
      
      I tried that. It wouldn't let me do that either. Now working on suppressing and unsurpressing other mates one by one. Holding SW's hand in other words, because it's not brave enough or smart enough to work things out by itself.
      
      Like Show 1 Likes(1)
      
      Actions
      - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
        
        John Stoltzfus May 11, 2017 3:33 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
        
        Don't want to be a Richard Noggin - but I'd sure love to see your model from start to finish.. I have used 1997 version of SW and that's something we could easily do then and my mating is still pretty good, gettin older but it's still all there....
        
        Like Show 0 Likes(0)
        
        Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Andy Sanders May 11, 2017 3:08 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

I would try troubleshooting by suppressing all other mates to this part then try adding the concentric mate and see what happens.
Like Show 3 Likes(3)

Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Anna Wood May 11, 2017 3:21 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Post your models.... Impossible for us to guess what your problem is from a picture.
Like Show 2 Likes(2)

Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 3:47 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Thanks everyone for the advice. Somehow I got it to work by combing through all the mates one by one. As best I can tell, I had a coincident mate between the flat surfaces of two keyways that were of slightly different dimensions, so that it conflicted with the concentric mate. When I changed that coincident mate to parallel, the conflict went away.

SW is off the hook this time.
Like Show 1 Likes(1)

Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  John Stoltzfus May 11, 2017 3:49 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
  
  I said it'll be simple - isn't that right
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
  - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
    
    Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 4:02 PM (in response to John Stoltzfus)
    
    But I have had many situations, including the higher-level assembly that this model is part of, where I change the configuration of one part or subassembly and most of the mates go bad. I have to suppress and then unsuppress them and it's OK again. SW just can't work it out on its own.
    
    Like Show 0 Likes(0)
    
    Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Dan Pihlaja May 11, 2017 3:49 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
  
  So technically then John Stoltzfus's answer was correct.
  
  I will admit that sometimes I have an issue where it will say that it can't mate it even when the part has no mates.....but in every situation so far, moving it closer has fixed the problem.
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Andy Sanders May 11, 2017 3:54 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
  
  I don't think this is anything new. I remember many moons ago starting in SW running into the situation a bunch of times where some surface is .001 inch off where it should be. Then you try to force a mate and SW gets upset about that .001 and refuses to let you do it. It may have been a surface that was .01 degree off planar and it squawked about that.
  
  Like Show 1 Likes(1)
  
  Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Steve Calvert May 11, 2017 4:11 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
  
  So, user error?
  
  Steve C
  
  Like Show 0 Likes(0)
  
  Actions
  - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
    
    Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 4:36 PM (in response to Steve Calvert)
    
    Apparently. Mea culpa.
    
    Like Show 1 Likes(1)
    
    Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

John Stoltzfus May 11, 2017 4:07 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Anytime there are issues in either mates or even prior to that in the part files, if it's a challenge to find an error - always suppress the entire tree or a portion from here down and then unsuppress one by one till the issue pops up.
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

John Frahm May 11, 2017 4:20 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Slight tangent but related to the topic. I always run my Dimension Units out to 8 places. I often run into sloppy work of a part being at .X0000001 and Solidowrks wanted to see .X0000000 in order to say parts are cylindrical....
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions
Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem

Bernie Daraz May 11, 2017 4:33 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)

Can you drag the part?
Like Show 0 Likes(0)

Actions
- Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
  
  Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 4:36 PM (in response to Bernie Daraz)
  
  Yes, but it's solved now. See other replies to replies.
  
  Like Show 0 Likes(0)
  
  Actions
  - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
    
    Bernie Daraz May 11, 2017 4:39 PM (in response to Max Crittenden)
    
    Then mark the answer correct to save others from looking.
    
    Like Show 0 Likes(0)
    
    Actions
    - Re: SW 2016 won't allow a mate that should be no problem
      
      Max Crittenden May 11, 2017 4:42 PM (in response to Bernie Daraz)
      
      Sorry. Usually I do. But I also usually read the other replies before I post my own, in case it would be redundant.
      
      Like Show 0 Likes(0)
      
      Actions

Go to original post