Mates: Advanced Mates
Open the Advanced tab of the Mate window. The tab has five mates. Click a name for its own page.
| Mate | What it does |
|---|---|
| Width | Centers a tab between the two faces of a slot |
| Symmetric | Keeps two entities as mirror images across a plane |
| Profile Center | Centers two flat faces on each other |
| Distance Limit | Lets a part move within a range of distances |
| Angle Limit | Lets a part turn within a range of angles |
Step by Step
- Open an assembly with at least two components, then click Mate.
- Click the Advanced tab.
- Click the entities the mate needs, in order. Each shows in Mate Selections with its role, for example Slot face, Tab face or Symmetry plane. Two picks are enough for Profile Center and the limits, three for Symmetric, four for Width.
- Click the lit mate button. Buttons stay grey until the picks fit.
- Set the options (see the mate's page) and click the green check. Close the window with the X or Esc.
Width
Centers a tab between the two faces of a slot. Pick two Slot face entries and two Tab face entries. Width selections offers Centered, Free, Dimension and Percent. Dimension and Percent each give a value box.
Symmetric
Pick a Symmetry plane and two entities. They sit as mirror images across that plane.
Profile Center
Pick two flat faces and the centers of their outer profiles line up. Use Offset to shift them. Tick Lock rotation when the profile is a circle and you want to stop the spin.
Distance Limit and Angle Limit
These let a part move within a range. Pick the two entities, then type a Maximum and a Minimum (the Value box shows where they sit now). The part moves freely between them and stops at either end. Angle limits are in degrees.
Tips
- The Value box and the alignment options work as on the Standard tab.
- Make the part one mate leaves free, then add the mate that finishes it. The tree shows hints such as "free: 1 rotation" to tell you what is left.
Common Problems
- Every button is grey. The picks do not fit a mate on this tab. The status line says what is missing.
- "Width needs the two slot faces on one component and the two tab faces on another." Re-pick the four faces.