Any Solidworks Gurus here?

[kvom]

I am attempting to model the Joys Valve engine I'm building, mainly to educate myself in SW. All is well until I get to the valve gear. When I model the rocker slides in a sub assembly, I can move the sliders and the mated valve link easily.

However, when I add the subassembly to the engine assembly, everything appears to be locked other than I can move/rotate the entire rocker assembly as a single unit.

 

[mu38&Bg#]

In the top assembly, right click the sub assembly > configure> select flexible.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

It's a trick!!! If you want to animate them in the assembly, then you have to import the individual parts and mate them in the assembly. When you drop a sub assembly into an assembly, it acts as a single part.

 

[mu38&Bg#]

Brian, try the above.

 

[vederstein]

Be a bit cautious of flexible assemblies. Make sure everything you don't want movable is entirely locked down. This includes fasteners and pins where usually a concentric and face mate are all that's necessary.

I've had multiple instances where my SW assembly "blew up" because of a non-fully constrained part or a linkage that goes over center.

...Ved.

 

[kvom]

Worked a charm! Thanks dieselpilot.

 

[mu38&Bg#]

Ved, yes that is true, but I haven't run into an instance where those same issues wouldn't be a problem in real life. In the early days of SW it was more of a problem, now you have limit mates which make it easier to prevent some of those problems.

Greg

 

[Charles Lamont]

If I might be permitted to barge in with a suplementary, is it possible to get Solidworks on an home shop budget? Alternatively I could truthfully claim use by a charity.

 

[Brian Rupnow]

Chuck Fellows said he can get it for $20 or some ridiculously low amount because he is a vet.

 

[kvom]

I got my copy as a USA veteran, It's the student version, but full function. Apparently I'll need to renew it each year for the same $20.