Limit Mates in an assembly

I've made an assembly (mechanical actuator - jack screw) and added a minimum and maximum limit mate to a component. I then inserted that assembly into my overall assembly and mated a component to the top of the jack. I would assume that I would be able to move the attached component up and down the jack and have the part stop at the limits. However, it says that the parts are fully defined, when the degrees of freedom should allow the part to be raised and lowered within the limits of the jack.

Might anyone know why I cannot move my part up and down when I try to drag it?

Thanks,

Relz

Reply to
Relz
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Is the jack screw sub-assy "flexible" ??

Reply to
Michael

Hi Relz,

Did you change the properties of the subassembly to "Flexible"?

If not, right click on the subassembly from the feature manager and pick the component properties. Select "Flexible" in the solve as portion.

Jim

Relz wrote:

Reply to
Jim

That was it! Thanks a lot guys.

Now the problem I am having is that on top of 2 of my jacks is a beam. The tops of the jacks will be on the same plane and when I try to mate the top of each jack with the beam, it says the mate on the second jack "is over defining the assembly". I just want one of the jacks to "tag along" with the other one. Any suggestions?

Reply to
Relz

It sounds like you are maybe on SW2004, and it has the limitation of allowing only one flexible assy per config of the sub. So, you need to create another config of the jack and then set your second one to this config and make it flexible also.

Another way to do this, is if you don't really need the ability to drag it up & down, create 2 configs of the jack - up & down - and then create 2 configs of the upper assy - up & down. Flexible subs sometimes cause flakiness, as in patterns in flexible subs don't always properly go along for the ride.

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

That's good advice Wayne. Especially if you don't need to move the parts dynamically.

Reply to
Jim

I am on Solidworks 2005. I brought in another jack assembly and I can work them independently of each other. Maybe I'll just leave one jack in the down position and use the other one to actually ride along with the upper assy. I just can't understand why it won't allow both jacks to be tied together by the upper assy.

Relz

Reply to
Relz

I've found that limit mates on flexible subs can cause mate errors in this type os situation, at least in 2004 haven't used 2005 in anger yet.

Try creating a second configuration for you second jack and suppress the limit mate.

AC

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AC

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