Mates: Mechanical Mates

The Mechanical tab of the Mate window holds mates that act like a machine part: Hinge, Slot, Gear, Rack and Pinion, Screw, Linear Coupler, Universal Joint, Cam and Path.

Click a name for its own page: Hinge, Slot, Gear, Rack and Pinion, Screw, Linear Coupler, Universal Joint, Cam and Path.

Step by Step

1. Open an assembly with at least two components and click Mate.
2. Click the Mechanical tab.
3. Click the entities the mate needs. Each shows in Mate Selections with its role, for example Slot face, Pin, First gear or Nut.
4. Click the lit mate button, set the ratio or value if the mate has one, and click the green check. Close the window with the X or Esc.

Hinge

A Concentric plus a Coincident in one step, leaving one turn free. Pick the two axes (round faces, circular edges or axes that share a center line), then one flat face on each component that touch. Tick Specify angle limits to also pick two angle selections and set a Maximum and Minimum.

Slot

Pick a Slot face and a Pin. The constraint is Free, Center in slot, Distance along slot or Percent along slot.

Gear

Under Gear Ratio, set the First gear and Second gear values (for example tooth counts). Pick a round face, circular edge or axis on each of two components. Tick Reverse to turn the same way, as a gear inside a ring does.

A Gear mate ties the turns of the two gears and holds no position. Also mate each gear to its shaft (Concentric or Hinge).

For a planet gear, pick a third axis on the carrier (the arm that holds the planet and turns about the sun's axis). The gears then turn relative to the carrier, so a planet rolls round the sun or inside a fixed ring as the carrier turns. Without a carrier, a planet meshed with a fixed ring locks the solve. See Gear for a planetary set step by step.

Rack and Pinion

Pick a round face, circular edge or axis for the pinion and a straight edge for the rack. The edge must run across the pinion's axis. Type Rack travel for one turn (above 0 and at most 1,000,000 mm). Reverse flips the direction.

Screw

Put the nut and screw on one line. Type the Distance for one turn (above 0 and at most 1,000,000 mm). Tick Reverse for a left-hand thread. The tree shows text such as "Screw1 (1.5 mm a turn, left hand)".

Linear Coupler

Pick a straight edge or a round face on each of two components (at least one must be a straight edge). Under Distance Ratio set First distance and Second distance. The tree shows "LinearCoupler1 (1:2.5, reverse)".

Universal Joint

Pick an Input shaft and an Output shaft. Their axes must meet at one point and be bent at most 60 degrees. There is no value. Each shaft needs its own bearing mate, a Hinge or a Concentric.

Path

Pick a Point (a corner, a circular edge or a ball) and one to three Path edges on another component that join end to end. The constraint is Free, Distance along path or Percent along path, with a Path position slider, Keep orientation (Free or Follow path) and Reverse.

Cam

Pick the flat face of the cam plate (its outline is the cam shape), then the follower on another component: a corner, a ball (a round face shaped like a sphere), or the round face or circular edge of a roller. They show as Cam and Follower. The follower stays touching the outline as the cam turns. There is no value. Give the cam its own Hinge and the follower its own track.