Techniques for Fixing Mate Problems

Many over defined and redundant mate problems can be solved by working through the steps below.

1. Use MateXpert to identify and automatically fix simple problems. Even if MateXpert cannot fix the problem, it often narrows down the problem by identifying which mates are directly involved in the problem.
2. In the FeatureManager design tree, look for red error symbols in the Mates folder.

   The red error symbol indicates a mate is trying to move a component to a position to which it cannot move, due to other mates or because the component is fixed.

   1. If the red mate reflects your design intent (meaning that you want to keep this mate), suppress the other mates on the component (using View Mates to find them), to allow the red mate to solve. This step lets you see the other mates on the component that need attention.
   2. After you suppress conflicting mates, drag the component to see which degrees of freedom are available. This shows you which mates can be added or unsuppressed without conflict.
   3. Temporarily suppress unrelated components. This suppresses the corresponding mates and further narrows down the problem.
   4. Look for fixed components that should not be fixed. Float these components.
   You can also use mate callouts and View Mate Errors to help identify and resolve mating problems. You can click Force Mate in the callout of a red mate to force the mate to solve, thus breaking another mate. You can perform iterations of forcing mates to help you discover the problem mate.

3. If no red error symbols appear, there is generally a redundant distance or angle mate, or a component is fixed which should not be. Use the same procedures in Step 2, but focus on distance and angle mates, or fixed components.

   Example: Fixing Redundant Distance Mates

4. Mates that should logically work occasionally fail to solve themselves.
   Any time mates should work but do not, report the case to your reseller or SolidWorks.
   Try these actions, which sometimes fix the problem:

   • Drag a component to snap it into place.
   • Suppress and unsuppress the affected mates.
   • If the components are far from their correct positions, suppress some of their mates, move the components closer to their correct positions, then unsuppress the mates.
   Adhering to the Best Practices for Mates can greatly reduce the number of mate errors.