How do I use mate connectors created in part studio?

bdubu

Be forewarned. New Onshape user here with potentially stupid questions... I have two parts created in the part studio -- a drawer front and a drawer handle. Although these can be assembled using mate connectors created during assembly, it sounds like the preferred method is to add a mate connector to each part while in the part studio and then use these to connect the two parts while in assembly. Is that correct? If so, how do I use these pre-created mate connectors during assembly? I'm aware that the more preferred method would be to create the two parts in the part studio in relation to one another so that when brought into the assembly, they're already oriented properly but I've already created the two parts (plus many others) and I'd prefer to avoid having to "transform" them all if possible. So, how exactly do I use these pre-created mate connectors in assembly? They're both visible in assembly but I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do to make them actually connect.

brucebartlett

Normally you should be able to mate using the face geometry and the auto created mate connectors that come up as you hover over the face, hold down shift to lock focus to a face as you hover if the nodes are jumping to an unwanted face.  I generally only use the Part Studio mate connectors when I want to mate a part and it does not have face geometry the that can be used easily.

See example in this picture, I added a between mate connector on this clevis in the part studio as this most obvious place to mate and can not be done off the face geometry without an offset on the mate .offset. 

bdubu

Thanks Bruce. I suspect where I'm getting confused is that I'm assuming that mate connectors added in the part studio can be utilized in a separate assembly tab (which apparently isn't the case). Regardless, I'm going to continue with my original approach and just make use of the offset as you suggest. Thanks!

bdubu

For the benefit of others, I think I now grasp how this is supposed to be done. I hadn't fully realized the distinction between mate connector and the various other mate entities. Though I suspected that it was used differently according to how it is separated from the other mate entities in the GUI, I still didn't know how mate connectors were supposed to be used. I now realize that you can add a mate connector to a part as an entirely separate operation from later "fastening" that part to an assembly and that the connector then becomes one of the connection points chosen during the fastening operation. For whatever reason, this was never obvious to me. All that remains as far as I'm concerned is to learn how to hide the mate connectors themselves as they show like beacons in the night in my final assemblies. What do I need to do so that these don't show?

Edit: Nevermind that last question. I see that you just need to "drill down" in the final assembly's part list to locate where these connectors are referenced and then click to hide em.

NeilCooke

You can also press K and J on the keyboard to hide mates and mate connectors. 

bdubu

Thanks Neil. I'll give that a try. You guys have been a great help!