Angular constraints

[crash_dummy]

I have a ball stud (spherical ball with a threaded stud attached that is in-line with the center of the sphere) in a socket.

1. Is it possible to do a vector constraint on the alignment of the stud centerline with the vector end point at the center of the sphere?
2. Is it possible to do an angular constraint of the ball stud about the UCS axes defined at the center of the sphere?

If I have an allen wrench attached to a sphere, how would I direct the "handle" of the allen wrench about the center of the sphere?

• Think of your hip socket and your thigh bone. 

I am using Inventor Pro 2012.

Thanks for your time.

[JDMather]

1. Yes

2. Yes

Attach your assembly here.

[crash_dummy]

Thanks for the reply.  Attached is the .iam.

I would like to be able to orientate the wrench handle axis relative to the mounting face of the socket at some angle and rotate the the wrench handle axis about the short leg axis of the wrench at some angle.

[Anonymous]

You need to attach the parts also.

[crash_dummy]

The wrench, ball and socket ipt's are attached.

Thanks.

[JDMather]

You should always have one Grounded part in an assembly -  I assume the Socket in this example.

You do not need the user-created Axis, and in any case, they are at the assembly level when they should be (if needed) at the part level.

The best way to constrain angles is between the part Origin planes or part and Assembly Origin planes.

[crash_dummy]

Thanks for the reply.

I turned off the grounding of the socket to move it to the origin and in my haste to model something, forgot to turn it back on.

When I try to use the varies planes for constraints, the new constraints cause conflicts with the original assembly constraints.

Example, using the assembly origin planes and the wrench planes causes conflicts with the wrench and ball constraints.  Then, miraculously, the conflicts disappear.  As the constraint angles are changed to position the part, the conflicts return.  Not to mention, the interaction of two angular constraints on the position of the wrench in relation to the socket (origin) causes the wrench positioning to be confusing.

It seems to me, if the wrench short leg axis could be pointed to a direction (vector from the origin) and then be able to rotate the wrench long axis about the wrench short axis, this would make it easier to adjust the two constraints to position the wrench.  The problem is, I don't know how to do that.

[JDMather]

Attach your new *.iam file here.

[crash_dummy]

The new iam is attached.

[JDMather]

I am kind of lost on what your design intent is - can you hand sketch what you are after?

1. I indicated earlier that you do not need the two assembly level Work Axis.  The fact that they are still there is confusing to me.

2. Since you have an assembly level feature drilling through the wrench and ball - these two parts should not have any relative DOF between each other.  You have an Insert, you also need a Mate between their workplanes to lock them in place.  (Do not use the assembly level feature in constraining.  It looks like you might have used the axis of the hole.)  (An alternative would be to Demote these two parts in a sub-assembly.

3. For the Angle constraints I would use Directed Angle or Explicit Reference Vector Angle.  (I have never figured out when/why to use an Undirected Angle.)

Edit:  Examining the assembly level feature (hole) I am confused about how/why you positioned as you did?

Did you try to place at a particular angle - or was this random?

The hole is not even going through the Wrench?

Edit 2:

Examining your earlier assembly - the hole did go through both parts and did not appear random placement.

I recommend you Demote these two parts to a sub-assembly and lock them together in position.  I assume there will be a pin of some type holding them together.  You don't really need it because you can use constraints - but I recommend you place the pin anyhow.

[crash_dummy]

Attached is a two view drawing.  I would be aiming the handle of the wrench.  A feature was added to help show what happens to the handle as the position changes.

Think what happens to your thigh bone relative to your hip socket as you stand up from a seated position.