Mate Controller PropertyManager

In the Mate Controller PropertyManager, you can show and save the positions of assembly components at various mate values and degrees of freedom. You can create simple animations between those positions.

To open this PropertyManager, do one of the following:

  • Click Mate Controller (Assembly toolbar).
  • Click Insert > Mate Controller.

Mates

  Mates Lists the mates that you select to control. Supported mate types:
  • Angle
  • Distance
  • LimitAngle
  • LimitDistance
  • PathMate (Distance Along Path, Percent Along Path)
  • Slot (Distance Along Slot, Percent Along Slot)
  • Width (Dimension, Percent)
Collect All Supported Mates Automatically adds all supported mates to the Mates list.
Move Up Moves the selected mate up or down in the list. The order of mates in the list affects the order of position changes in animations.
Move Down

Mates Positions

Add Position Adds a new position based on the current values for the mates.
Update Position Updates the current position to include changes you have made to the mate values.
Reset Position Undoes changes you have made to the mate values in the current position.

Use this if you change mate values and then decide you do not want to update the current position or add a new position.
Delete Position Removes the current position.
Reorder Positions Changes the order of the positions.

In the Reorder Positions dialog box, select a position, and click Move Up or Move Down.
Make All Mates Driven Toggles the driving/driven state of the all the mates.
Add Configuration Creates a configuration from a position.
Make This Mate Driven Toggles the driving/driven state of an individual mate.
Driving The value in the mate box drives the position of components in the graphics area.
Driven The value in the mate box is driven by the position you drag components to in the graphics area.

Animation

  Position State Lists the positions in the order they appear in the animation.
  Time Lists the duration to move from the previous position.
  All Positions Includes all the positions in the animation.
  Select Positions Includes only the positions that you select in the animation.
Calculate Animation Calculates the current animation. If you alter the positions or animation parameters, you must recalculate the animation before replaying it.
Play Plays the animation. Use after the animation has been calculated.
Stop Stops the animation.
Playback Mode: Normal Plays from beginning to end once.
Playback Mode: Reciprocate Continuously plays, beginning to end, end to beginning, beginning to end, until you click Stop .
Playback Mode: Loop Continuously plays, beginning to end, beginning to end, until you click Stop .
Export Animation Saves the animation to an .avi or other file type.