1. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

2. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Basic Assembly
Constraints & Concepts
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

3. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Assembly constraints are parameters that define the geometric relationships between components in a CAD assembly. These constraints include:
Mate/Flush
Angle
Tangent
Insert
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

4. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
A component floating in space has six degrees of freedom:
3 rotations around the X, Y, and Z axes.
3 translations along the X, Y, and Z axes.
Degrees of freedom are systematically removed in an assembly until only the desired components are allowed to move.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

5. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Mate Constraint
Constrains two faces, edges, points, or axis together.
The red arrows represent normal vectors and point towards each other.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

6. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Flush Constraint
Constrains two faces or work features together.
Normal vectors will point in the same direction.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

7. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Angle Constraint
Constrains two faces or edges at an angle to one another.
Normal vectors parallel to each other equal 0° angle.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

8. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Insert Constraint
Constrains a cylinder flush into a hole.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

9. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Tangent Constraint
Constrains a curved surface to a plane or another curved surface.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

10. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Base Component
The first component placed in an assembly should be a fundamental part or sub-assembly, such as a frame or base plate, on which the rest of the assembly is built.
The first component in an assembly file sets the orientation of all subsequent parts and subassemblies.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

11. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Grounded Component
When the first component is placed in the assembly, its origin is coincident and aligned with the assembly coordinate origin.
All degrees of freedom are removed from the first component.
The base component will be grounded and should be left that way.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

12. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Patterning Component
This function duplicates one or more components and arranges the resulting occurrences in a circular or rectangular pattern.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

13. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Replace Component
In the design process, one often needs to replace one or more components in an assembly.
The new component is placed in the same location as the original component, but assembly constraints may be deleted in the process.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

14. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Editing Components
When you double click on a component, you will exit the assembly environment and enter the part environment. The other components in the assembly will become translucent.
When you are finished editing the part, you will exit the part environment and return to the assembly environment.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007

15. Basic Assembly Constraints and Concepts
Introduction to Engineering Design TM
Unit 2 – Lesson 2.3 – Advanced Modeling Skills
Subassemblies
A group of components that are constrained to act as one component in a larger assembly.
Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Copyright 2007