I am trying to create a smart component, containing (2) nuts, (2) flat washers and a roller. I am building a roller conveyer. I want to coincident the roller assembly onto the legs of a (2) channels, there are (69) rollers required. I tried to make smart the shaft diameter and a hole in the channel leg a concentric mate and one of the faces on the washer to be coincident to the channel leg.
Does anyone have a suggestion? I have attached the components.
I don't have any real experience making smart components, but it strikes me from your description that patterning would be a more efficient way of putting in 69 rollers.
The holes in the channel are patterened. I didn't pattern the roller assemblies because I want to have the rollers roll in a simulation with a gravity constraint.
Hello James
You need create configuration the diameter of roller_shaft.
But if You dont have different diameter of hole, beter is creat assembly with roller, roller_ shaft, flat washer, and nut.
Creat Mate reference, and add to assembly with roller tables.
In this case there is only one size shaft, the purpose of this assembly is just an exercise in studying the SW environment. (Maybe, later I’ll practice with a DT in this conveyor assemble, but that is for another study.) Now, I have created a sub-assembly of the roller. It consist of the roller, the shaft, and (2) nuts and bolts. Then created a mate reference in the roller sub-assy, to the shaft and the washer face, but they were not translated when they were inserted into the new assembly. I have used the smart mates, after the roller sub-assy was inserted, I selected the shaft and used the ALT key and dragged to a hole in the channel for a coincident mate. The selected the face of the washer with the ALT key selected the face of the channel for a coincident mate. I was hoping that I could insert the sub-assy with one action by selecting a hole while inserting the sub-assy instead of having to do (2) mates per sub-assy. (69 times in this case)
Multiple Mate mode may help you: http://help.solidworks.com/2011/English/solidworks/sldworks/legacyhelp/sldworks/assem_1/hidd_new_add_mate.htm
The (2) DOC when I tried to open them I got a message : "It appears you're not allowed to view what you requested. You might contact your administrator if you think this is a mistake." What were the title of the DOC? Maybe I con open them directly in the SW document folder
they are videos by Richard Doyle from SolidWorks on the forum so you won't be able to open them from your computer.
I understand that you need to have all objects independent.
So another option may be useful for you.
This is a "Copy with Mates"
In this case concetric mate leave as is, and coincident select repeate.
Click on a hole where you want the next component, and press enter. and go to the next hole
Tomasz, This looks promising. I will try that tomorrow.
Thanks
Excellent Tomasz, It worked like a charm. This is what I was looking for. Thanks very much!
I understand that you need to have all objects independent.
So another option may be useful for you.
This is a "Copy with Mates"
In this case concetric mate leave as is, and coincident select repeate.
Click on a hole where you want the next component, and press enter. and go to the next hole