I am trying to make a simple assembly with a caster wheel, mounting plate and an angle iron for the leg.
I can't figure out how to insert a plane that is tangent with the bottom of the wheel. I inserted the above caster In the assembly as the first part. It shows as fixed, However, it seems to be sitting up above the xy plane. I want to measure from the 'floor' up a certain distance to mate another part, but can't figure out how to create or select the 'floor' plane.
Thanks, Andy
You can right click on the caster part and set it to float. And then can mate as required.
For creating tangent plane, simply select the circular face. For setting the position, select another face/plane as second reference.
Still not getting anywhere. I started with a new assembly and added the caster. The origin is in the center of the caster. I want a plane that represents the floor, allowing me to make measurements and place other parts relative to the floor. I'm not sure how mate would help, since at this point I've only got one part.
If I try to insert reference geometry, I always get the error "Current combination of references and constraints is invalid." It sure would be helpful if it said why its invalid.
Also, it seems bizarre to me that the Y axis is the vertical axis, I would have expected it to be Z. Here is what I am trying to do:
Thanks for your help, Andy
RMB on your part in the feature manager and select Float. The lower case 'f' next to the part name in the feature tree indicates that it is Fixed in place, so will not move with the mates you are trying to apply.
Cheers,
Anna
Anna,
I've got the float part, but then what do I do? Once I float it, I can move it around, and I can mate it to the origin in some arbitrary position.
How do I establish a plane tangent to the bottom of wheel?. Note that the wheel is curved in two dimensions; around the Z axis and around X axis. I just want to drop the origin straight down to the 'floor'. Such a simple operation and I've spent hours trying to accomplish it. Very frustrating.
Thanks,
Andy
Can you attach the file here and Ic an quickly make a video for you.
After clicking reply, click on use advanced editor (top right corner of reply box) and then you can see the option to attach in bottom right corner.
Deepak,
There is no option for Advanced editing. I downloaded it from here: McMaster-Carr
You should see links for different "Stem thread size" and select 3/4-10. That link will lead you to a detailed info page, with a download option half way down on the right.
Thank you so much for your help. Now I know what my dad must feel like when he calls up to ask me about some bewildering thing on his computer.
Regards,
Andy
For some weird reasons, McMaster Carr don't allow me to login or download the files. So I'm requesting you to upload the file. Please click on reply to this post and then you would see the advanced editor option in right top corner of reply box:
Andrew,
I haven't figured out videos yet (What do people use that shows the cursor in the final video?), but I was able to download the part in question and create a screen shot.
You have the getting the part to Float in the assembly figured out. Next either coincident mate the part right and front planes to the assembly right and front planes, or, if you want the wheel to swivel around the stem in the assembly, mate the temporary axis of the stem to the right and front assembly planes. Then select the assembly top plane and the surface of the wheel and add a tangent mate. I think that's what you're looking for.
Also, note that the Use Advanced Editor which Deepak shows, does not look the least bit "clickable", but it is. The whole "Use Advanced Editor" thing causes more confusion than anything else on this forum, but I have given up all hope that it will ever get fixed.
Erik,
Thanks. That did the trick. Now I understand the mating to other planes. Still so many things to learn You, Deepak and Anna got me over the hump.
I'm making cart that is going to hold a 400lbs granite surface plate, plus up 300lbs of machinery on top of it. The granite is very flat, about 0.0002 inches across the surface. I'm going to use to restore flatness of machinery surfaces that slide across each other. My ultimate aim is to it restore my 1964 Bridgeport milling machine, as well as other equipment around my home shop. I could have done this much faster with pencil and paper, but figured the cart was a good exercise with Solidworks. I'm a mentor with our high school robotics team, where the juniors and seniors can run circles around me with Solidworks, Hopefully I'll catch up! Thanks again. Andy
I use a fair amount of McMaster parts in my assemblies and actually buy their parts, GREAT SERVICE and worth the few extra cents here and there. Delivery is most often the next day with regular UPS charges. For the wheel, I never change a part like this to fixed or float, it is what it is. But to get the tangent plane I would turn on temporary axis, check the diameter of the wheel (4") the select a flat face that I know is perpendicular to the axis and measure that. The apply a parallel offset plane to my known distance, you can see the results below. I do rename the plane (Wheel-Floor) so it is easier to find in the tree later and turn off axis display.
Bernie,
Thanks, now I have two ways to solve the problem. Our school orders quite a bit from McMaster-Carr. They can be a bit pricey, but as you said their service is good, and their website is pretty easy to navigate.
Thanks again,
Andy
Andrew,
I haven't figured out videos yet (What do people use that shows the cursor in the final video?), but I was able to download the part in question and create a screen shot.
You have the getting the part to Float in the assembly figured out. Next either coincident mate the part right and front planes to the assembly right and front planes, or, if you want the wheel to swivel around the stem in the assembly, mate the temporary axis of the stem to the right and front assembly planes. Then select the assembly top plane and the surface of the wheel and add a tangent mate. I think that's what you're looking for.
Also, note that the Use Advanced Editor which Deepak shows, does not look the least bit "clickable", but it is. The whole "Use Advanced Editor" thing causes more confusion than anything else on this forum, but I have given up all hope that it will ever get fixed.