IV Prof 2015 Icon Question

[braistme]

I'm really, really hoping this hasn't been posted elsewhere. I've attached a picture of what I'm seeing in my assembly explorer with my constraints, and I'm not sure if I've just never noticed the circle before or not. It's only showing up on a couple of the constraints - the only reason I noticed is because I'm having other issues with assembling parts (ungrounded, unconstrained parts not moving in the model space...?!) and I was looking for anomalies.

I've definitely tried looking around the interwebs for answers, and I'm coming up short. I'm by no means computer illiterate - just looking for some help from the pros!

Thanks much, in advance.

[ccamara01]

It's showing an iMate.  Which I know nothing about...

[blair · Accepted solution]

Yup, that's an I-Mate, the. If you are on IV2015 and I think even IV2014, there is a tool that displays sick contraints in the window. The "grey'd out" icon in the Relationship tab will be colored and active. This will display within the model window all sick/bad constraints.

[braistme]

blair, thanks for the clarification. Checked my sick constraints, but oddly enough, they weren't related to the i-mates! My assembly is more solid now, but I'm still at a loss as to what exactly my circled relationships are. If it helps, the icon I attached shows up when I highlight the circled relationship. It's just a flag, but I didn't know if that had more significance or not!

[ccamara01]

If you didn't catch it the first time I said it, or when Blair said it... the circled constraint is referring to an I-Mate.

[braistme]

I understood that it was an i-Mate, but blair was also talking about having sick constraints (and that didn't end up being an issue). I still didn't know if the i-Mates would cause any other issues with the assembly file as a whole, which leads me to believe my problems were created elsewhere. I-Mates wouldn't necessarily cause me to be unable to move ungrounded, unconstrained parts, correct?

[blair]

An iMate is a constraint that is place on a single IPT file and is stored in that IPT file. Items such as bolts/fastners are great candidates for iMates. You place i iMate contraint on the mating surface/edge of the bolt and both sides of the nut and washer. When you bring them into an IAM file and click on the item to drag it around the iMate will become high lighted. Holding down the "ALT" key will then activate it and simultaneously drag the item to a hole, it will then automatically mate to the edge of the hole.

[braistme]

Thanks so much, blair. I've used i-Mates quite a bit in the past, I didn't realize it created a circled icon. Regarding the assembly in its entirety, I'm still not sure what the issue was. I've done a lot of work in IV and never had parts seize up without reason. I'm in the middle of reassembly, so if it happens again I'll be sure to ask!