MateXpert
MateXpert is a tool that allows
you to identify mating problems in an assembly. You can examine the details
of mates that are not satisfied, and identify groups of mates which over
define the assembly. See also Xperts
Overview.
You can also use mate
callouts and View
Mate Errors to help identify and resolve mating problems.
Versions of the software after SolidWorks 2001 may find a mating error
that went undetected in earlier versions of SolidWorks. These are primarily
conflicts
between mates and in-context features. Remember that when this
error occurs, it is important to understand that the mate problem is not
a new one. It existed in earlier versions of SolidWorks but was not detected
by the software. MateXpert can
help you identify these errors.
The following icons indicate
errors or warnings in an assembly:
|
Error Icon |
Description |
|
|
Indicates an error in the model. This icon
appears on the document name at the top of the FeatureManager design tree
and on the component that contains the error. When it appears on the Mates  folder, it indicates
that one or more mates are not satisfied. |
|
|
Indicates a warning in the model. This icon
appears on the document name at the top of the FeatureManager design tree
and on the component that contains the feature that issued the warning.
When it appears on the Mates folder, it indicates that all the mates are satisfied, but
one or more mates are over defined. |
See What's Wrong for
more information on identifying errors and warnings in parts and assemblies.
To identify mate status:
In the FeatureManager design
tree, click 
to expand the Mates
folder. The following error icons appear beside the mate
icons and indicate the status of the mates. See the procedure
below to diagnose the mating problem.
|
Error Icon |
Mate Status |
|
(None) |
Satisfied. |
|
|
Not Satisfied. |
|
|
Satisfied, but over defines the assembly. |
To diagnose mating problems:
Click Tools,
MateXpert, or right-click the
assembly, Mates folder, or any
mate in the Mates folder, and
select MateXpert.
-
In the PropertyManager, under Analyze
Problem, click Diagnose.
One or more subsets of mates with problems appear. In the graphics
area, components that are not related to the current subset become transparent.
A message appears with information on the mating problem.
-
Under Not Satisfied Mates,
click a mate.
The entities in the unsolved mate are highlighted in the graphics
area. A message tells you the distance or angle by which the mated entities
are currently misaligned.
Mates that appear under both Analyze
Problem and Not Satisfied Mates
appear in bold.
Right-click
a mate in the PropertyManager and select:
If a mate is dangling, you can suppress
or edit it here, or close the PropertyManager and use Replace Mate Entities
to fix it.
Click 
.
MateXpert
analyzes only one Mates
folder at a time. Sub-assembly Mate
folders are not included in the analysis of a top-level assembly Mates folder. You can analyze the Mates folder in any sub-assembly separately.
Related Topics
Conflicting
Mates
Design
Errors and Mating
Mates
to Dangling Geometry
Mating
Conflicts to Avoid