You can define a part component as flexible to drive the geometry
of flexible components by the assembly geometry.
For example, you model a spring in the context of an assembly where the
length of the spring is driven by an external reference in the assembly. You insert the
spring into a second assembly where the spring appears with an out-of-context reference.
You can use the Make Part Flexible
tool to remap the out-of-context
reference to the second assembly. As a result, the spring is driven by the second
assembly without affecting the nominal length of the spring.
You can use
Make Part Flexible
under the following conditions:
- A single part is selected.
- A part is in the top-level of the active assembly.
- A part has external references defined in the context of an
assembly that is not the active assembly.
The external
reference must be one of the following entity types:
| Arc or cylindrical
edges |
Partial cylindrical faces |
Sketch arcs or
circles |
| Axes |
Planar faces |
Sketch lines
(linear) |
| Cylindrical
faces |
Planes |
Sketch points |
| Linear edges |
Reference points |
Vertices |
The custom and configuration-specific properties of the flexible
component are the same as these properties in the component's nominal state. Properties
show the value from the nominal state. Select Use mass
property from rigid state to apply the mass properties of the component
in its rigid state to the activated flexible component.
The flexible component updates dynamically when an external reference
changes.
In the FeatureManager design tree, indicates flexible components.
To change a component from flexible to rigid, select the part and click
Make Part Rigid
in the context menu. The remapped
external references are deleted and the component returns to its nominal state.