29/1/2017

AssemblyDesign|CATIATutor

(https://catiatutor.com/)

WEBSITENAVIGATION

Home(https://catiatutor.com) / Blog(https://catiatutor.com/)
CATIAHandbook(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/)AssemblyDesign(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/assemblydesign/) / AssemblyDesign

VideoLessonsCategories
Drafting(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/drafting/)
GettingStarted(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/gettingstarted2/)
PartDesign(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/partdesign/)
Sketcher(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/sketcher/)
SurfaceDesign(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/surfacedesign/)
WireframeDesign(https://catiatutor.com/listingcategory/wireframedesign/)

CATIAArticles
AssemblyDesign(https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign2/)
AssemblyDesign(https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign2/assemblydesignassemblydesign2/)
CATIAAutomation(https://catiatutor.com/catiaautomation/)
BasicConceptsofCAAV5(https://catiatutor.com/catiaautomation/basicconceptsofcaav5/)
CATIAHandbook(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/)
AssemblyDesign(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/assemblydesign/)
CLASSA(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/classa/)
Drafting(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/drafting/)
PartDesign(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/partdesign/)
Sketcher(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/sketcher/)
SurfaceDesign(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/surfacedesign/)
TipsandTricks(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/tipstricks/)
DMUV5(https://catiatutor.com/dmuv5/)
DMU(https://catiatutor.com/dmuv5/dmu/)
DrawingBasics(https://catiatutor.com/drawingbasics/)
TipsandTricks(https://catiatutor.com/tipsandtricks/)
TipsandTricks(https://catiatutor.com/tipsandtricks/tipsandtrickstipsandtricks/)

Forums
CAA(https://catiatutor.com/forums/forum/caa/)
CATIAV4(https://catiatutor.com/forums/forum/catiav4/)
CATIAV5(https://catiatutor.com/forums/forum/catiav5/)

LogIn
Username:
Password:
RememberMe
LogIn

AssemblyDesign

https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/

1/5

29/1/2017

AssemblyDesign|CATIATutor

AssemblyDesign
April5,2007
(https://api.addthis.com/oexchange/0.8/forward/facebook/offer?url=https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/&pubid=ra
53d6f43f4725e784&ct=1&title=AssemblyDesign&pco=tbxnj1.0) (https://api.addthis.com/oexchange/0.8/forward/twitter/offer?
url=https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/&pubid=ra53d6f43f4725e784&ct=1&title=AssemblyDesign&pco=tbxnj1.0)
(https://api.addthis.com/oexchange/0.8/forward/linkedin/offer?url=https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/&pubid=ra53d6f43f4725e784&ct=1&title=Assembly
Design&pco=tbxnj1.0) (https://api.addthis.com/oexchange/0.8/forward/google_plusone_share/offer?url=https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/&pubid=ra
53d6f43f4725e784&ct=1&title=AssemblyDesign&pco=tbxnj1.0)
AssemblyDesign(https://catiatutor.com/catiahandbook/assemblydesign/)

The Assembly Design used to create an assembly starting from scratch. Here is illustration of the several stages of creation you may encounter for an
assembly.
6.1CreatinganAssemblyDocument
This task will show you how to enter the Assembly Design workbench to create a new assembly from scratch. Select the Start > Mechanical Design >
Assembly Design command to launch the required workbench. The Assembly Design workbench is opened. You can see that Product1 is displayed in the
specification tree, indicating the building block of the assembly to be created. To create an assembly, you need products. The application uses the term
productorcomponenttoindicateassembliesorparts.Youcanusepartstocreateproducts.Thoseproductscaninturnbeusedtocreateotherproducts.
Theproductdocumentcontains:aspecificationtreetotheleftoftheapplicationwindow,specifictoolbarstotherightoftheapplicationwindow,anumberof
contextualcommandsavailableinthespecificationtreeandinthegeometry.Notethatthesecommandscanalsobeaccessedfromthemenubar.
6.2InsertingaComponents
6.2.1InsertingaNewComponent
Thistaskwillshowyouhowtoinsertacomponentintoanexistingassembly.Inthespecification
tree,selectProduct1andclicktheNewComponenticon

.ThestructureofyourassemblynowincludesProduct1(Product1.1).

6.2.2InsertingaNewProduct
Thistaskwillshowyouhowtoinsertaproductinanexistingassembly.Inthespecificationtree,
selectProduct1andclicktheNewProduct

icon.TheProduct2(Product2.1)iscreatedinthespecificationtree.

6.2.3InsertingaNewPart
Thistaskwillshowyouhowtoinsertanewpartinanexistingassembly.Inthespecificationtree,
selectProduct1andclicktheNewParticon

.Ifgeometryexistsintheassembly,theNewPart:OriginPointdialogboxisdisplayed,proposingtwooptionsto

locatethepart:ClickYestolocatethepartoriginpointonaselectedpoint,onanothercomponentforexample.ClickNotodefinetheoriginpointofa
componentbasedontheoriginpointoftheparentcomponent.
6.3DefiningaMultiInstantiation
Thistaskshowsyouhowtorepeatcomponentsasmanytimesasyouwishinthedirectionofyour
choice.Selectthecomponentyouwishtoinstantiate.ClicktheDefineMultiInstantiationicon.TheMultiInstantiationdialogboxisdisplayed,indicatingthe
nameofthecomponenttobeinstantiated.TheParametersoptionletsyouchoosebetweenthefollowingcategoriesofparameterstodefine:Instances&
Spacing,Instances&LengthandSpacing&Length.Todefinethedirectionofcreation,checkxaxis.Theapplicationpreviewsthelocationofthenew
components.ClickOKtocreatethecomponents.
6.4FastMultiInstantiation
ThistaskshowsyouhowtorepeatcomponentsusingtheparameterspreviouslysetintheMultiInstantiationcommand.YouwillusetheFastMultiInstantiation
commandtoquicklyrepeatthecomponentofyourchoice.Theoperationisverysimple.Selectthecomponentyouwishto
instantiate.ClicktheFastMultiInstantiationicon

.Theresultisimmediate.ThreecomponentsarecreatedaccordingtotheparametersdefinedintheMulti

Instantiationdialogbox.
6.5UsingAssemblyConstraints
Thissectiondescribesthenotionsandoperatingmodesyouwillneedtosetanduseconstraintsinyourassemblystructure.Constraintsallowyoutoposition
mechanicalcomponentscorrectlyinrelationtotheothercomponentsoftheassembly.Youjustneedtospecifythetypeofconstraintsyouwishtosetup
betweentwocomponents,andthesystemwillplacethecomponentsexactlythewayyouwant.Settingconstraintsisratheraneasytask.However,youshould
keepinmindthefollowing:Youcanapplyconstraintsonlybetweenthechildcomponentsoftheactivecomponent.Youcannotdefineconstraintsbetweentwo
geometricelementsbelongingtothesamecomponent.Youcannotapplyaconstraintbetweentwocomponentsbelongingtothesamesubassemblyifthis
subassemblyisnottheactivecomponent.Theactivecomponentisblueframed(defaultcolor)andunderlined.Doubleclickingactivatesit.Theselected
componentisorangeframed(defaultcolor).
6.5.1CreatingaCoincidenceConstraint
Coincidencetypeconstraintsareusedtoalignelements.Dependingontheselectedelements,you
mayobtainconcentricity,coaxialityorcoplanarity.ClicktheCoincidenceConstrainticonSelectthefacetobeconstrained.Selectthesecondfacetobe
constrained.Greenarrowsappearontheselectedfaces,indicatingorientations.TheConstraintPropertiesdialogboxthatappearsdisplaysthepropertiesof
theconstraint.Thecomponentsinvolvedandtheirstatusareindicated.Youcandefinetheorientationofthefacestobeconstrainedbychoosingoneofthese
options:Undefined(theapplicationfindsthebestsolution),Same,opposite.ClickOKtocreatethecoincidenceconstraint.Thisconstraintisaddedtothe
specificationtreetoo.

https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/

2/5

29/1/2017

AssemblyDesign|CATIATutor

6.5.2CreatingaContactConstraint
Contacttypeconstraintscanbecreatedbetweentwoplanarfaces(directedplanes).Clickthe
ContactConstrainticon

.Selectthefacestobeconstrained.Asthecontactconstraintiscreated,onecomponentismovedsoastoadoptitsnewposition.

Greengraphicsymbolsaredisplayedinthegeometryareatoindicatethatthisconstrainthasbeendefined.Thisconstraintisaddedtothespecificationtree.
6.5.3CreatinganOffsetConstraint
Whendefininganoffsetconstraintbetweentwocomponents,youneedtospecifyhowfaces
should be oriented. Click the Offset Constraint icon

. Select the faces to be constrained. The Constraint Properties dialog box that appears displays the

propertiesoftheconstraint.Thecomponentsinvolvedandtheirstatusareindicated.Youcandefinetheorientationofthefacestobeconstrainedbychoosing
oneoftheseoptions.ClickOKtocreatetheoffsetconstraint.
6.5.4CreatinganAngleConstraint
Angletypeconstraintsfallintothreecategories:Angle,Parallelism(anglevalueequalszero),Perpendicularity(anglevalueequals90degrees).Whensettingan
angleconstraint,youwillhave
to define an angle value. Click the Angle Constraint icon

. Select the faces to be constrained. The Constraint Properties dialog box is displayed with the

propertiesoftheselectedconstraintandthelistofavailableconstraints.KeeptheAngleoption.EnterangleintheAnglefieldandkeep
Sector1.Notethatfoursectorsareavailable:

.ClickOKtocreatetheangleconstraint.

6.5.5FixingaComponent
Fixingacomponentmeanspreventingthiscomponentfrommovingfromitsparentsduringtheupdateoperation.Therearetwowaysoffixingacomponent:by
fixingitspositionaccordingtothegeometricaloriginoftheassembly,whichmeanssettinganabsoluteposition.ThisoperationisreferredtoasFixinspace.
Byfixingitspositionaccordingtoothercomponents,whichmeanssettingarelativeposition.ThisoperationisreferredtoasFix.
FixinSpace:ClicktheFixicon

.Selectthecomponenttobefixed,thatisthelightbluecomponent.Theconstraintiscreated.Agreenanchorisdisplayed

inthegeometryareatoindicatethatthisconstrainthasbeendefined.Fix:Doubleclickthefixconstraintyouhavejustcreatedtoeditit.Inthedialogboxthat
appears,clickMoretoexpandthedialogbox.UnchecktheFixinspaceoptiontotheleftofthedialogbox.Thelocksymbolisnolongerdisplayedinthe
specificationtree,meaningthatthecomponentispositionedaccordingtotheothercomponentsonly.Movethefixedcomponent.ClickOKtoconfirm.Updatethe
assembly:nowthecomponentremainsatitslocation.
6.5.6FixingComponentsTogether
Thistaskconsistsinfixingtwocomponentstogether.TheFixTogethercommandattachesselectedelementstogether.Youcanselectasmanycomponentsas
youwish,buttheymustbelongtothe
activecomponent.ClicktheFixTogethericon

.Youcanselectthecomponentsinthespecificationtreeorinthegeometryarea.TheFixTogetherdialogbox

appears,displayingthelistofselectedcomponents.IntheNamefield,enteranewnameforthegroupofcomponentsyouwanttocreate.ClickOK.The
componentsareattachedtoeachother.Movingoneofthemmovestheotheronetoo.
6.5.7UsingtheQuickConstraintCommand
TheQuickConstraintcommandcreatesthefirstpossibleconstraintasspecifiedintheprioritylist.
DoubleclicktheQuickConstrainticon

.Selectthetwoentitiestobeconstrained.Thepossibleconstrainbetweenthesewillbeaccordingtolistspecifyingthe

orderofconstraintcreation:Surfacecontact,Coincidence,Offset,AngleandParallelism.Thefirstconstraintinthelistcannowbeset.Asurfacecontact
constraintiscreated&constraintisaddedtothespecificationtree.
6.5.8ChangingConstraints
Changingaconstraintmeansreplacingthetypeofthisconstraintbyanothertype.Thisoperationispossibledependingonthesupportingelements.Youcan
selectanyconstraints,notnecessarilyin
theactivecomponent.Selecttheconstrainttobechanged.ClicktheChangeConstrainticonTheChangeTypedialogboxthatappears,displaysallpossible
constraints.Selectthenewtypeofconstraint.ClickApplytopreviewtheconstraintinthespecificationtreeandthegeometry.ClickOKtovalidatetheoperation.

6.5.9DeactivatingorActivatingConstraints
Deactivatingoractivatingconstraintsmeansspecifyingiftheseconstraintsmustbetakenintoaccountduringupdatesornot.Selectanyactivatedconstraint.
Rightclick and select the Deactivate contextual command. The constraint is deactivated. The graphic symbol representing the deactivated constraint is now
displayedinwhite.RepeatstepandrightclicktoselecttheActivatecontextualcommandtoactivatetheselectedconstraint.
6.6UpdatinganAssembly
Updatinganassemblymeansupdatingitscomponentsaswellasitsconstraints.Theapplicationletsyouchoosebetweenupdatingthewholeassemblyorthe
componentsofyourchoice.Theconstraintsareinblack,indicatingtheyneedanupdate.Thedefaultcolorisblack,buttheapplicationallowsyoutoredefinethe
colorsyouwant.Todoso,refertoCustomizingConstraintAppearance.SelecttheTools>Optionscommand,thenexpandtheMechanicalDesignsectionto

https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/

3/5

29/1/2017

AssemblyDesign|CATIATutor

thelefttoaccessAssemblyDesignoptions.YoucanchoosebetweentwoupdatemodeswithintheAssemblyDesignworkbench:AutomaticorManual.Check
theManualoptionintheUpdate
frame.ClickOKtoconfirmandclosethedialogbox.ClicktheUpdateicon
toupdatethewholeassembly.Theassemblyisupdated.
6.7UsingaPartDesignPattern
ThistaskshowsyouhowtorepeatacomponentusingapatterncreatedinPartDesign.Selecttherectangularpatterninthetreeorinthegeometry.Control
clicktoselectthecomponenttobe
.TheInstantiationonapatterndialogboxisdisplayed,indicatingthenameofthepattern,thenumberofinstancestobecreated(forinformationonly)and
the name of the component to be repeated. There are two work modes: Using associativity with the geometry: the option Keep link with the pattern is on,
Usingnoassociativity:theoptionisoff.
Todefinethefirstinstanceofthecomponenttobeduplicated,threeoptionsareavailable:Reusetheoriginalcomponent,createanewinstance,cut&
pastetheoriginalcomponent.
ClickOKtorepeatthesecondcomponent.ThenewcomponentxxxonRectPattern.xxisdisplayedinthetree.AnentityAssemblyfeatureshasbeencreated
inthetree.ReusedRectangularPattern.1isdisplayedbelowthisentity.Ifyouusetheoptiongeneratedconstraints,theReuseConstraintssectiondisplays
theconstraintsdetectedforthecomponentandmakesalloriginalconstraintsavailableforselection:Youcandefinewhetheryouwishtoreproduceoneormore
originalconstraintswheninstantiatingthecomponent.
6.8MovingComponents
6.8.1ManipulatingComponents

6.8.2SnappingComponents
TheSnapcommandprojectsthegeometricelementofacomponentontoanothergeometricelementbelongingtothesameortoadifferentcomponent.Using
thiscommandisaconvenient
waytotranslateorrotatecomponents.Dependingontheselectedelements,youwillobtain
differentresults.
FirstElement

LastElement

Result

Selected

Selected

point

point

point

line

point

plane

line

line

line

plane

Thelineisprojectedontotheplane.

plane

line

Theplanepassesthroughtheline.

Identicalpoints.
Thepointisprojectedontotheline.
Thepointisprojectedontotheplane.
Bothlinesbecomecollinear.

6.8.3SmartMove
TheSmartMovecommandcombinestheManipulateandSnapcapabilities.Optionally,itcreatesconstraints.TheQuickConstraintframecontainsthelistofthe
constraints that can be set. This list displays these constraints in a hierarchical order and can be edited by using both arrows to right of the dialog box. The
applicationcreatesthefirstpossibleconstraintasspecifiedinthelistofconstraintshavingpriority.
6.9Sectioning
Thistaskyouwillcreatesectionplanes,orienttheplanewithrespecttotheabsoluteaxissystem,
invertthenormalvectoroftheplane.ClicktheSectioningicon.Thesectionplaneisautomaticallycreated.Theplaneiscreatedparalleltoabsolutecoordinates
Y, Z. The center of the plane is located at the center of the bounding sphere around the products in the selection you defined. Line segments visualized
representtheintersectionoftheplanewithallproductsintheselection.TheSectioningDefinitiondialogboxcontainsawidevarietyoftoolslettingyouposition,
moveandrotatethesectionplane.APreviewwindow,showingthegeneratedsection,alsoappears.3Dsectioncutscutawaythematerialfromtheplane.Click
theVolumeCuticonintheSectioningDefinitiondialogboxtoobtainasectioncut.Youcanpositionsectionplaneswithrespecttoageometricaltarget(aface,
edge,referenceplaneorcylinderaxis).Youcanviewthegeneratedsectioninaseparateviewer.
6.10AssemblyFeatures
Priortocreatingassemblyfeatures,keepinmindthefollowing.Youcancreateassemblyfeaturesonlybetweenthechildcomponentsoftheactiveproduct.The
activeproductatleastmustincludetwocomponents,whichinturnmustcontainonepartatleast.Youcannotcreateassemblyfeaturesbetweentwogeometric
elementsbelongingtothesamecomponent.Thedifferentassemblyfeaturesyoucancreateare:Split,Hole,Pocket,Remove,Add,PerformaSymmetry.
6.10.1AssemblySplit

https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/

4/5

29/1/2017

AssemblyDesign|CATIATutor

ThedialogboxthatappearswhenyouclickAssemblySplit,displaysthenamesaswellasthepathsofthepartsthatmaybeaffectedbythesplitaction.Move
thepartstothelistAffectedparts.Arrowsinthegeometryindicatetheportionofpartsthatwillbekeptaftersplitting.Ifthearrowspointinthewrongdirection,
clickthemtoreversethedirection.ClickOKtoconfirm.Toeditanassemblysplit,doubleclickAssemblySplit.Xinassemblyfeaturesavailableinhistorytree.
6.11CreatingScenes
Scenesenableyouto:workontheevolutionofanassemblyinaseparatewindowfromtheactualassemblyandtoimpartupdatestotheassemblyasyousee
fit.Saveacopyofanassemblyinaseparatewindow,workontheevolutionofthatassemblydirectlyontheassembly.Youcanmodifythefollowingattributes
either in the scene or in the assembly without the modifications being replicated in the other: the viewpoint, the graphical attributes of the components, the
showorhidestateofthecomponents,theactiveornotactivestateofthecomponents.Scenesareidentifiedbynameinthespecificationtreeandbya
graphicalrepresentationinthegeometryarea.
.TheEditScenedialogboxandascenerepresentationinthedocumentwindowaredisplayed.ClickOktoendthescenecreation.Youarenowinascene
window:Thebackgroundcolorturnstogreen.Scene1isidentifiedinthespecificationtree.Performtherequiredmodifications.Forinstancemodify:viewpoint,
graphicalattributes,shownoshow.Withinascene,clicktheResetselectedproductsicon
torepositionthecomponentsastheywereintheinitialproduct.
NotethatcolorattributesandtheshowhidespecificationarenottakenintoaccountwhenusingtheResetselectedproductsicon.ClicktheExitFromScene
icon
toswaptotheinitialwindow.DoubleclickScene1eitherinthespecificationtreeorinthegeometryareatoswaptothescenewindow.
6.12ExplodingaConstrainedAssembly
Thistaskshowshowtoexplodeanassemblytakingintoaccounttheassemblyconstraints.ThisExplodetypeisapplicableonlytospecificcases.Whenthe
assemblyisassignedcoincidence
constraints:axis/axis&plane/plane.ClicktheExplodeicon

.TheExplodedialogboxisdisplayed.WheelAssemblyisselectedbydefault,keeptheselection

asitis.TheDepthparameterletsyouchoosebetweenatotal(Alllevels)orpartial(Firstlevel)explodedview.KeepAlllevelssetbydefault.Settheexplode
type.3Disthedefaulttype.Keepit.ClickApplytoperformtheoperation.
6.13DetectingInterferences
Checkingforinterferencesisdoneintwosteps:Initialcomputation:detectsandidentifiesthedifferenttypesofinterference.Detailedcomputation:computesthe
graphicsrepresentationofinterferencesaswellastheminimumdistance.Twointerferencetypesareavailable:Contact+Clash,Clearance+Contact+Clash.
Resultsdifferdependingontheinterferencetypeselectedfortheanalysis.Fourcomputationtypesareavailable:Betweenallcomponents,Insideone
selection,Selectionagainstall,Betweentwoselections.ClickApplytocheckforinterferences.Aprogressbarisdisplayedlettingyoumonitorand,if
necessary,interrupt(Canceloption)thecalculation.TheCheckClashdialogboxexpandstoshowtheresults.Clash:redintersectioncurvesidentifyclashing
products.Contact:yellowtrianglesidentifyproductsincontact.Clearance:greentrianglesidentifyproductsseparatedbylessthanthespecifiedclearance
distance.
6.14CustomizingAssemblyDesign
6.14.1CustomizingAssemblyDesignSettings
ThistaskwillshowyouhowtocustomizeAssemblyDesignsettings.SelectTools>Options.ClicktheMechanicalDesigncategory,thentheAssemblyDesign
subcategory.TheGeneraltabappears,displayingthefollowingoptions:Update,Accesstogeometry,Movecomponents.
6.14.2CustomizingGeneralSettings
SelecttheTools>Optionscommand.ClicktheInfrastructurecategory,thenthePartInfrastructuresubcategory.TheGeneraltabappears,containingthree
categoriesofoptions:ExternalReferences,UpdateandDeleteOperation
6.14.3CustomizingAssemblyConstraints
SelectTools>Options.ClicktheMechanicalDesigncategory,thentheAssemblyDesignsubcategory.IntheConstraintstabthefollowingoptionsareavailable:
PasteComponents,ConstraintCreation,QuickConstraint.

Comments

pargoosaidonApril9,20168:30am:

verygoodfastreviewoffassemblyty

LeaveComment

secured

Copyright2014http://catiatutor.com

(https://twitter.com/catiatutor)
(https://www.facebook.com/caxtutor)

https://catiatutor.com/assemblydesign/

5/5