What's new

Assembly constraints

GordonL

Member
I am new to this program. I am using the trial version of Alibre atom3D. I have made several parts and wanted to try assembling these parts. I have looked at several tutorials and they all show applying assembly constraints. The problem is that the constraints menu does not appear on the tool bar. The videos all show a different toolbar than I have. How do I get it to appear? I am sure that I am missing a step someplace but I don't know where.

Also wondering if once I get an assembly am I going to be able to animate or rotate parts within the assembly or is this limited to the more expensive program?
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
Are you working in an assembly workspace? The New Constraint button is at left hand end of Assembly Ribbon.

See page 180 onwards of this Atom3D assembly tutorial https://www.alibre.com/AlibreDownloads/Manuals/Atom3D_ExerciseManual_v24.pdf

You may be looking at some old videos - the assembly constraint interface has changed a bit not so long ago.


Animation - depends quite what you mean - you can drag items on screen, and they'll move as allowed by the applied constraints.
 

GordonL

Member
I will keep looking for how to get the constraint menu.

By animation I am wanting to check movement to make sure that there is no interference. I design and build small model engines and I want to assemble the parts and turn the crankshaft to make sure that the piston does not hit the head etc.
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
The PDF I linked shows how to access assembly constraints.

Yes, you can assemble an engine then turn the crank - do note though, gear/pulley constraints are only supported in Expert. The Tangent constraint is limited to single faces, so can only simulate very simple cams.
 

GordonL

Member
OK Thanks. I did get it. The problem was the new interface where I had to click new constraint. I was looking for the list as shown in the videos.
 
Top