5 Replies Latest reply on Jul 6, 2015 9:57 AM by Frank Phelps

Trouble with Mates in 2015

Frank Phelps Jul 2, 2015 4:25 PM

First off let me say I am importing Altium STEP files and I have had crazy little things happen before that make it hard to use certain mates but never to this extreme extent. I am mating two PCB boards together. I can use one mate to align the mounting holes of the PCB to the stand off PEMS of the other. After that when I try to align another set of wholes to straighten out the board it simple tells me it cant do it and how far apart from mating they are. Even though they should automatically mate up as has happened in previous editions. When trying a work around and aligning the planes of the two models the same thing happens. It tells me it cant do it and the angle difference that they are currently apart. Has anyone else experienced these problems with 2015? Thanks in advance for the insight.

Re: Trouble with Mates in 2015

Alin Vargatu Jul 2, 2015 4:31 PM (in response to Frank Phelps)

Are the hole drilled normal or parallel to the planes you want to make coincident?
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- Re: Trouble with Mates in 2015
  
  Frank Phelps Jul 2, 2015 4:38 PM (in response to Alin Vargatu)
  
  Normal to.
  
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  - Re: Trouble with Mates in 2015
    
    Alin Vargatu Jul 2, 2015 6:34 PM (in response to Frank Phelps)
    
    Are you sure they are perfectly normal to?
    
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Re: Trouble with Mates in 2015

Ian McLean Jul 2, 2015 5:19 PM (in response to Frank Phelps)

Yeah, I have seen the same problem importing from Altium.
Perhaps some kind of accuracy issue.
When you measure distances on imported PCBs, frequently it will be something like 12.00000001 or 11.99999999 mm, and perhaps there is the same problem with angles of faces not being quite 90deg.
(Of course, you are assuming your PCB designer has the holes in exactly the right position:) ).
Best to use a parallel mate to an edge to align the PCB, in my experience if your parallel mate is to a face or plane, 9 times out of 10 it will not work.
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Re: Trouble with Mates in 2015

Frank Phelps Jul 6, 2015 9:57 AM (in response to Frank Phelps)

Thanks everyone.
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