Align two parts

kevin_mcquown

I have two different cubes of different sizes.  Each is a separate part in the same part studio.  How to I align the corner of the smaller cube directly on top of a corner on the bigger cube?

andrew_troup

The best (or simplest) approach in a part studio is to model the bodies in the locations you require from the start.

To do this in your example, you would start a sketch on one face of the bigger cube, and locate the first corner of the sketched square coincident with the existing corner of the bigger cube.

If you cannot do this, you could use "Transform" to translate the smaller cube to the desired position, but this would require either working from measurements (not very satisfactory) or (preferably) creating Mate Connectors, one whose "parent" is the bigger cube, and the other the smaller.

See help for "Transform by Mate Connectors" 
https://cad.onshape.com/help/#transform.htm?TocPath=Modeling%20in%20Onshape|Part%20Studio|Feature%20Tools|_____16

philip_thomas

Transform by line/points and then selecting the two corners works too.

andrew_troup

@philip_thomas 's suggestion would serve the OP's purpose nicely, provided he has no need to reorient the small cube.
A second transform would be necessary if he did.

The Mate Connector method is quite muscular, because the reorientation options are nicely editable, enabling the user to simply flip through the possibilities. But there is also clear merit in the "Transform by line/points" approach, and I was wrong, and gave a misleading description, in dismissing it.

kevin_mcquown

Thanks everyone, I'll give that a try and great advice!