Hello, I have an assembly with rotational joints model using a pipe and an O-shape open cylinder. The joints rotated but after I imported the assembly into another one, they don't turn anymore. I know that I should go to the properties and change the setting to flexible using the procedure described in:
2012 SOLIDWORKS Help - Flexible Sub-Assemblies
However, that option is dimmed. It can not be chosen. Any advice on what to do? Thanks.
Thanks Deepak. What do you mean? How do I know if I am changing the component properties of sub assembly and not its parts?
Did you clicked on part in graphics area or sub assembly in the feature tree to go to component properties to select the flexible option?
To make a sub-assembly flexible:
- Right-click a sub-assembly in the FeatureManager design tree and select Component Properties.The Component Properties dialog box appears.
- Under Solve as, select Flexible, then click OK.
In the FeatureManager design tree, the icon changes toto indicate that the sub-assembly is flexible.
Thanks Deepak. I have tried to select a part/sub-assembly/component by right-clicking a sub-assembly in the FeatureManager design tree. The flexible option is also dimmed.
Peter are you doing this:
If Yes and still have issue then please report to your VAR OR upload files here to check.
Hi Deepak, I think I did what you just mentioned. I will double check as I don't have SW with me now.
I deleted that sub-assembly, made some constraint changes and imported into the big assembly. This time, SW allowed the flexible option to be checked. However, even after I checked this option, the same part still cannot be rotated. Know what is happening?
I have a related question. Supposing that I have a pipe rotating within an open ended cylinder or you can say it the other way, which constraint type should I use? Click on the surface of both the pipe and the cylinder and choose concentrated or use whatever the first option is on the list.
Would depend on what kind of rotation/movement you looking for.
Just rotation on a 3D plane. Imagine something like a bearing and a shaft. In my case, there is no small balls in bearing.
You could apply coincident mate between points to get the swivel movement.
Something like
Thank you Deepak. This is useful in another work.
Sorry for my poor description. The type of rotational movement is like a roll of toilet paper rolling about the longitudinal axis of a rod. In this case:
1. Should I use coincident or concentrate? Will the results be actually the same?
2. Shall I click on:
a) Any of the two open inner circular edges of the toilet paper roll and any of the two circular ends of the rod? or
b) Just the outer cylindrical surface of the toilet paper roll and the outer cylindrical surface of the rod?
Will the results of a) and b) be actually the same?
Concentric on the shafts of the two objects. Done with one mate, cleanly.
Thanks. In this case, what is the different between concentric vs. coincident on the shafts of the two objects?
Concentric mates circular features so they can rotate about an axis, circular face. Coincident 'locks' two entities together, flat faces, vertices, edges.
You can pick circular surfaces and add concentric and pick edges, faces, temporary axis, etc. and mate them as coincident.
Make sure you are changing the component properties of sub assembly and not its parts.