Intro to CAD-3.3 Step 6

mark_hefner

Hi everyone! I need a bit of help with Unit 3, Lesson 3-Building Blocks. Step-6 is not working as described in the lesson. Has anyone had problems with this? Thanks for your help.
-Mark

Naomi_E

Hi Mark, 

Would you mind describing what is happening? Is this an issue with Snap Mode or part generation? 

Naomi

dave_sartory

@mark_hefner I'm wondering if this is the problem you're running into that someone just helped me with. Short version, the mate connectors created much farther back in the tutorials don't carry over to the assembly, which makes auto-snap fail, and even without snap it's not an inferable mate because of the brick shapes.  Another user explained it and the fix was really easy but doesn't match the tutorial.
 https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/23277/custom-mate-connectors-not-coming-over-to-assembly#latest

@Naomi_E, I actually just headed over here to find out if there's a good/correct place to submit tweaks needed to the EDU curriculum.  There are SO many great tutorials in Onshape but a number of them have details that have changed over time as the software updates (owner entity defaults, interference detection changing menus, little details usually in tool popup boxes).

If there's a good place for such things, let me know - I absolutely love having Onshape in the classroom and would be happy to submit things I find.

mark_hefner

Hi Naomi and Dave,

Thanks for your replies.

@Naomi_E , This is a Snap Mode issue. After much trial and error, I have figured it out. Although, I don't think my solution was what was intended, but it does work.

I left click the mate I want to move to the target mate, which is part of the part fixed to an origin point. At the same time as holding down the left mouse button, I click and hold the right mouse button to rotate my view. Then I use my other hand to roll the mouse wheel to zoom out and adjust my view again, still holding the right mouse button before zooming back into my target mate connector and releasing the left mouse button to "snap" the mates together. In all, I use 3 fingers on the mouse. I feel like an Onshape Ninja when I do this. The fastened mate is easier to use.

@dave_sartory, it does snap into place but the target mate is constantly moving around the x, y and z axis on the mate connector. When you get close to your target mate connector you are either on the correct flat surface or you "twitch" off of it and end up on the side of the brick. Maybe they need something similar to when you are placing hardware in bolt holes and you press "shift" to lock it into place. This is why I think the fastened mate works best.

Thank you both for your replies. I'm the only one teaching this in my school and it's good to connect with others who understand what I am going through.

Have a great week!

Mark

kate_leipold_rit

In the block creation, when you create the mate connector - you need to make the part the owner, not the sketch.  And then later when you do the linear pattern you need to reapply features. 

Naomi_E

Thanks everyone for the helpful replies! We are currently working through the update to this curriculum as the product has evolved so fast that some features are a bit out of date. This update to the mate connector owner is causing a lot of frustration. It is a high priority to get published soon. Thanks for helping! 

@dave_sartory If you have helpful feedback on the curriculum, you can send it to curriculum-success@ptc.com or send me a message. Expect to see an updated curriculum by the end of the school year. 

Best, 
Naomi