Using Mates in Animations

You can use mates to restrict motion between components for motion studies. You can set the values for distance and angle mates, and change these values for different points in an animation. For example, you can add an angle mate to restrict the position of a component to 30°. You can use a motion study to animate the value of the mate from 15° to 45° over a period of time so the component moves accordingly.

To create an animation using distance or angle mates:

1. Select a motion study tab.

2. Drag the time bar along the timeline to set the duration of the animation sequence.

3. Expand the Mates folder in the MotionManager design tree.

4. Double-click a mate to change its value.

5. Click Calculate (MotionManager toolbar).

The animation displays component movement.

  In the video, the assembly includes three instances of the same sub-assembly. Each instance of the knob returns to the starting position at a different speed, indicating that you can control each instance of the sub-assembly.

Mates to Curves

You can control component motion in an animation by mating the component to a single entity curve, using coincident mates, or to a multiple entity curve, using path mates.

You can also use a curve to define camera-based walk-through animations.

To control component motion with curve mates:

1. Mate the component to a curve.

2. Drag the component along the curve.

To make a camera-based walk-through animation:

1. Attach the camera position or target point directly to the curve.

2. Animate using the camera property key points.

To create single entity curves from multiple entities:

Use Fit Spline in 2D or 3D sketches to create a single entity curve from multiple entities. Fit Spline can also join discontinuous entities.

Using Curve Mates with Animation

An animation study uses linear interpolation to compute the motion transformation between two points. If you mate a component to a curve, the computed motion may vary from the intended motion.

To address this problem, do one of the following:

• Use a distance mate, which measures the distance along the curve instead of using linear interpolation. Use the distance value to define the new position.

• Add intermediate key points to refine the motion

To create an animation by mating assemblies to curve mates:

Mating a car assembly to a curve to display the motion of the car driving around traffic cones

1. Open an assembly and create curve for the assembly to track.

2. On the Motion Study 1 tab, set the  time bar to 00:00:00.

3. Click Mate (Assembly toolbar) or Insert, Mate.

4. In the Mate PropertyManager, if you use a single entity curve in Step 1:

1. Under Mate Selections, click in Entities to Mate and select the curve and a point on the assembly.

2. Select Coincident for the mate type.

5. In the Mate PropertyManager, if you use a multiple entity curve in Step 1:

1. Select Path Mate under Advanced Mates.

2. Under Mate Selections:

• Click in Component Vertex and select the vertex to mate from a point on the assembly.

• Click in Path Selection, click SelectionManager, and select the path for the mate.

6. Click .

This mate keeps the assembly tracking along the curve.

7. Click Mate .

8. Select the curve and select the rear of the assembly.

9. Add a Distance   mate as close to 0 as possible. This mate controls the distance the assembly moves from the start point of the curve.

10. Click .

11. Drag the time bar to the end time. For example, use 00:00:10.

12. Edit the distance mate to set the distance the car travels from the start point. For example, use 100 inches.

13. Click Play to view the animation.

Related Topics

• Path Mates in Motion Studies

• Specifying Mate Location

• Motion Study-specific Mates