SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 13: Getting More from Mates ........................................................................................

Mate workflow

If you make a lot of mates, it is important to have an efficient rhythm when working with the

interface. Assuming you have the Mate PropertyManager already active, the most efficient way to

use the Mate interface is as follows:

1. Click the first entity.


2. Click the second entity.


3. Click OK on the right mouse button (RMB) cursor icon to accept the default.

Or, if the automatic default mate type is not the mate that you want to apply, select it
from the popup list, which is shown in Figure 13.2.

FIGURE 13.2

The Mate selection popup list

4. Click the green check mark icon from the popup list.


5. Repeat Steps 1 to 4.


6. After the last mate, press Esc, the green check mark icon, or the red X icon from
   either the PropertyManager or the confirmation corner in the upper-right corner of
   the graphics area.

View and model positioning

Sometimes you will have to rotate the model to achieve the correct view in order to select faces or

edges. There are also times when you will want to pre-position so that the model snaps into the

correct position automatically. You can rotate individual parts in an assembly by clicking and

dragging with the RMB. (Dragging the RMB over a part rotates that part). You rotate the view by

dragging with the middle mouse button, or MMB. You can move parts by dragging them with the

left mouse button, or LMB. You can pan the view by pressing Ctrl and dragging with the MMB.

When you drag a part with the LMB while the Mate PropertyManager is active, SolidWorks does

not add the selected entity to the Mate Selections list.

To summarize these actions:

l To rotate an individual component in an assembly, click and drag with the RMB.

l (^) To move an individual component in an assembly, drag with the LMB.
l To rotate an assembly view, drag with the MMB.
l (^) To pan an assembly view, Ctrl+drag with the MMB.