Mate Error Message can be Erroneous

When an attempt is made, for example, to mate two components to have parallel faces set coincident, SolidWorks may present the user with an "error" message such as: "Planar faces are not coincident. Separation distance is 0.0806163mm."

Unfortunately, although the message is factual, it is NOT complete and is potentially misleading, since the root cause is unidentified.

The reason the mate is not possible stems from the fixed conditions of the components within the assembly. By floating one of them, the mate can be applied without difficulty.

The enhancement, therefore, is for the mate function to provide more detail in its messages, so that the user can, for example, be reminded of the limitation(s) created by a pre-existing FIXED condition. Although the Feature Manager shows fixed status with (f) before the component's name, this is not always immediately obvious when the component (selected from the viewport) happens to be far down in the sub-assembly tree.

Note: This, for example, is really no different from the notice provided by the current messages which refer to a new mate as overdefining due to the existing (fixed by mates) relationships.

Perhaps the selected face (or other entity) of the fixed component could be flagged within the Mate Selections Dialog Box in a way to show the immovable condition. This would serve to remind the user of the need to restore floatation in order to achieve mate success.

If you agree with this sort of enhancement, please put in a request to SolidWorks.

Per O. Hoel

Reply to
POH
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After SW 2006 I have found on occasion that I get the same error message you have mention above. but errouniously. At least on of the parallel surfaces is not fixed and is theoretically able to accept a coincident constraint. However, to make a coincident mate I have to first make a distant mate then change the distant to "0" then it will allow a coincident mate. It can all be done before accepting the mate but it does add a few extra key stokes to the operation.

Marty

Reply to
Marty

We've seen the same false error message with SW06. We can often get the parts to mate by just moving them closer. Your method is probably faster and definitely more reliable.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

Reply to
Jerry Steiger

"POH" a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

I have it randomly on SW04, the cure I found is supress and unsupress (?). Happens when switching configs, very rare.

My .01 Eu JM

Reply to
Jean Marc

I have seen this also, only since 2006. I have been able to get around this behaviour by suppressing any one of the existing mates to the offending part, this snaps the part into position, then unsuppressing the mate again. The mates then all behave normally with no errors. Strange. PJ.

Reply to
PJ

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