Creating a joint between two components containing sub-components

[LogicSpeaks]

Greetings,

I'm not sure if I have the concept of joints and their functionality confused, but here we go:

I have a cable carrier I've designed.  Component 1 = Female link (Right), and component 2 = Male link (left).  The Male and Female links have four sub-components = 4 parts.

None of the parts in either the Female or Male components have been joined using rigid joints.  What do I do in order to join both of these links without having this happen below: 

Originally, I went step by step, grounding 1 sub-component, then added a joint step-by-step, over and over, 1 part at a time.  Is it possible to have the joints already defined per "link" (female to Male to female... etc) without having the above happen?  I tried using rigid groups and that doesn't seem to help me do this.

Is it possible to treat each component that has sub-components as just 1 component when adding a joint between the two components (with sub-components).

I'm wondering if I'm approaching the concept of "joints" correctly.  The only way I can think of each component doing what I want is if each of the sub-components were actually bodies within the Female and Male links instead of being separate components.  Is that the only way it would work?

I hope this makes sense. 

Thanks!

[TrippyLighting]

If the links or to be more precise the component in each link are modeled in place, you can simply right click for example on the Female Link assembly and select "rigid group" and keep the "Include child components" selected.

when you OK the operation all components in that assembly have been assembled to the Female Link. Do the same with the Male Link. Ground one component either in the link yo want to have remain stationary.

Then you can use a joint to assemble the one link to the other.

If that is not clear then please share your design.

[LogicSpeaks]

What do you mean by "component in each link are modeled in place?" 

I tried creating a rigid group for each, and then applying a joint after grounding one sub-component.  It still just applies the joint to one object rather than to the rigid groups.

I've sent you a private message with the link/pass.  Also I've never shared a file like this before, so please let me know if this is how you meant it to be shared.  Still rather new to the system, so apologies if there is another way to share the file.

Also, thanks again for your assistance!

[LogicSpeaks]

I sent you the wrong file: Pass in your private messages.

Here is the new one, same pass: http://a360.co/2riAXtA

[TrippyLighting]

I need to be able to download the file.

[LogicSpeaks]

Hi, 

Sorry bout that, I didn't realize.

It should be downloadable now:

http://a360.co/2riAXtA

[LogicSpeaks]

Hi again,

By chance, were you able to take a look at the file? 

I went through this tutorial - and I can't seem to find anything I'm doing differently that would prevent me from being able to create a joint between two rigid groups.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GUID-32FE78F9-B39A-49CF-A027-6A166C5147B7

I feel like I'm missing something.  

Thank You again!

[TrippyLighting]

Well,before w get to the assembly problems, that are yo going to do about all the warnings that occurred when you deleted references ?

You've got 8 of those in this small design alone.

It looks like you used imported geometry. There are so many things in this design wrong, it's easier for me to to create a screencast ow to do this right from scratch.

[LogicSpeaks]

I copied all of the designs from my old design.  I didn't realize that you have to keep the sketches and that they're entirely tied to it.  I'm not quite getting the entire idea of how the timeline works.  Looks like I need to go over the timeline again.

In terms of the design.  I get that it has warnings, but I have tried what you explained above with a 100% new design, with no warnings at all, and it still didn't let me add a "joint" between two rigid groups.  So I guess I'm at a loss.

I of course, appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks for spending the time.

[LogicSpeaks]

Hey Trippylighting,

I've fixed all the errors:  Here is the link, no pass, downloadable: http://a360.co/2s2MJvG

The items are inserted links of the components from other files.  Would you need those separately or will this do?  

Thanks in advance

[LogicSpeaks · Accepted solution]

Never mind I figured it out. Couldn't have done it without nstevelmans here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/design-validate-document/joints-vs-rigid-group/td-p/6708611