Using 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.

Controlling Component Motion

To control component motion with curve mates:

  1. Mate the component to a curve.
  2. Drag the component along the curve.

Making Camera-based Animations

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.

Creating Single Entity Curves

To create single entity curves from multiple entities, use Fit Spline in 2D or 3D sketches to create a single entity curve. 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 might vary from the intended motion.

To address this issue, 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.

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

To create an animation by mating assemblies to curve mates:

  1. Open an assembly and create a 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 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 Component Vertex , and select the vertex to mate from a point on the assembly.
    3. Click Path Selection, click SelectionManager, and select the path for the mate.
  6. Click .
    This mate keeps the assembly tracking along the curve.
    No mate Coincident mate to 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 specify the distance the car travels from the start point. For example, use 100 inches.
  13. Click Play to view the animation.
    Video: Mate to Curve Animation