Mate connector defined based on a mate connector

monroe_weber_shirk

I am using instantiator to bring multiple part studios into a parent level part studio. I want to connect the incoming parts in very specific ways and have mate connectors defined on all parts for making the connections. However, I want to be able to rotate and change the elevation of parts in the parent studio. I don't want to transform the parts themselves because they leave behind all of their sketches and mate connectors like lost souls when I move an imported part. This problem stems from the fact that when using mate connectors the ability to rotate and translate is lost.

• Is there a another method to bring parts into a part studio and get them into the correct position that I should be using? I know one answer is assemblies, but I can't use assemblies for other reasons.
• Could mate connectors be allowed to be defined based on a mate connector? This way I could import one part, add a translation mate connector to a mate connector that is on the part, and then bring in a second part that would mate to the intermediate translation mate connector.

Ideas welcome!

konstantin_shiriazdanov

Since you using instantiator you can include mate connectors to the query of the bodies being instantiated and transform them together. Mate connector is a body, as well as sketches, and both of them can be trnsformed, if they are captured by the query.

monroe_weber_shirk

Thank you Konstantin. The good news is that there seem to be multiple strategies for solving this problem. I'm still exploring what will work best in our design approach.