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 animations between those positions.

You can use negative angle values in Mate Controller and Animation for LimitAngle mates. For Mate Controller, enter the negative value in the LimitAngle dimension field.

To open this PropertyManager:

  • 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

Move Down

 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.

Mates Positions

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

Use this option if you change mate values and then decide to not update the current position or add a 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 Changes the driving/driven state of all mates.
Add Configuration Creates a configuration from a position.
Make This Mate Driven Changes 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 that you drag components to in the graphics area.

Animation

  Position State Lists the positions in the order that they appear in the animation.
  Time Lists the duration to move from the previous position.
  All Positions Includes all 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 you replay it.
Play Plays the animation. Use after you calculate the animation.
Stop Stops the animation.
Playback Mode: Normal Plays from beginning to end one time.
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.