What is a "root-level mate connector"?

StephenG

I came across the term "root-level mate connector" in the Help PDF section on Assemblies, Assembling Immediately (page 401).

They appear to be mate connectors created in a Part Studio in a special way and have unique behavior relative to inserting components into assemblies. Also, it appears a part can have multiple "explicitly-defined root level mate connectors". 

The behavior is well documented but I am clueless as to how to create a "root-level mate connector".  

Jake_Rosenfeld

@StephenG

The documentation here is just referring to Mate Connectors created in the part studio.  You can create these with the mate connector feature:
https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/mateconnector.htm

I will report this internally as it appears to be inconsistent wording.

Jake_Rosenfeld

@StephenG

The documentation here is just referring to Mate Connectors created in the part studio.  You can create these with the mate connector feature:
https://cad.onshape.com/help/Content/mateconnector.htm

I will report this internally as it appears to be inconsistent wording.

StephenG

I was reviewing Mate Connector documentation because of a statement Phillip Thomas (@philip_thomas) made in his Aug 8, 2018 Blog: Onshape Assemblies for SOLIDWORKS users:

“With [a mate connector] you can move, orient and mate any part (including any linear or rotational offsets) as well as teach parts how to automatically mate when added to an assembly…”

I was intrigued by the notion of being able to "teach parts how to automatically mate".  I thought the "teaching magic" might be related to creating a "root level mate connector" mentioned in the documentation. In reality a "root level mate connector" is nothing more than a mate connector created in a Part Studio associated to a part(s) that becomes part of the part instance; there is no magic that "teaches" parts to automatically mate.

Having a Mate Connector created in a part studio can facilitate creating a "Fastened Mate" during the instancing process but it is hardly automatic. 

NeilCooke

@StephenG have you tried it with Snap Mode turned on?

StephenG

Yes, I am fully aware the effect "Snap Mode" has during the process of inserting an instance that contains Mate Connectors (MC).

I still hold the view the mating process is not automatic with Snap Mode on. Essentially, the value of "Snap Mode" during inserting an instance just streamlines the process of creating fastened mates by making a few assumptions:

1) You want to create a "Fastened Mate". (Although one can change the mate type later.) 
2) The thing being instanced has 1 or more MCs. (Being able to cycle through the choice of MC to use is nice.)
3) One of the MCs on the instance is the geometry you want to create the mate with.  

If the above three assumptions are valid for what you are trying to accomplish, wonderful; the effort to create fastened mates is significantly reduced, but it is not automated according to my definition of automation. A more accurate description is: greatly facilitates/speeds the creation of fastened mates.

If you are after automation may I suggest you leverage the name of the MC to create a condition were MC's can be "automatically" matched by their name during the instancing process. Use the <Ctrl> key to resolve ambiguity when more than one match exists. Maybe it would be worthwhile to added an optional "Mate Label" info to a MC separate from its "Name" info dedicated to support automated mating.

Personally, I doubt I would ever use a fully automated assembly mating capability. But it would be great feature for one of those sales presentation demos to management. Management types like to see that kind of stuff; the engineers that do the work know to be sceptical of automated design processes.  

Comment: The key press to cycle through valid geometry selections is the grave accent key, yet it is the <Ctrl> key during Insert Instance with Snap Mode on. Shouldn't the key press used be the same?