How do I make my joined components move together?

[tjtalma]

I have a Z axis for a CNC. I am joining the four bearings blocks to the mount plate. I then make a slide joint on one of the bearing blocks. When I animate this joint I would expect the entire group to move together. 

I have tried making these into a rigid group but still only the one bearing block moves. I can only get them to move as a group if I eliminate the joints positioning the parts together. But when I do this nothing is in position, and the components are floating in space.

How do I accurately position my components, and make them move as one?

I have attached my model.

[TrippyLighting]

Roll the timeline back to right after the creation of the first component, then ground that component or, if this is to be used (inserted) in another assembly, then create an as-built rigid joint between the Mounting Plate and the Top/Root level  component/origin.

[davebYYPCU]

Sounds like Animate Joint is working correctly.

You should try Animate Model before pulling your hair out.

Can Check the File Later in the day if necessary.

Might help....

[tjtalma]

I guess I'm missing something here. When I ground a part it is in the wrong position (Floating in space where I created it). When I move it I have a hard time positioning it relative to the other parts.

I thought a joint was for making a rigid connection between 2 components (which is what I want). In my final assembly I will have a plate, 8 screws, and 4 bearing blocks. I am importing the screws from McMaster-Carr. None of these are aligned at time of creation. Unless I spend hours trying to line all these up by eye I can't make a group of components move together? This doesn't seem right. All the examples I find are for 2 components relative to each other. I will have around 150 when I am done. I would like to be able to animate it because I am adding sensors, and need to figure out where material needs to be removed for clearance. Then once modified test my modifications.

So there is no way to create a bearing block, join it to a plate (like it would be if screwed in to position), copy the bearing block 3 more times and repeat the joining process, then animate the entire group?

I was planning to animate the ballscrew also because there will be clearance issues there as well, but I imagine that's even more difficult!

I have found assemblies where all of the parts are off the shelf, it must have taken weeks to line all that up!

I have seen so many models where this is completed I can't believe they are eyeballing all of these parts! it seems like there has to be a better way. 

[tjtalma]

When I run animate model only the one bearing block moves, it ignores the ridged joint between the block and the plate, thus the other 3 blocks and plate do not move.

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

Looking at your assembly if would seem you only need to decide on a component to ground and you are all set.  I choose the linear bearing mounting plate and then as mentioned, animated the model, all works fine.

[tjtalma]

I was able to reproduce this following your video, Thank you!

But what I don't understand is why grounding that one plate fixed this? Could you explain why it works that way?

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

The video will explain the why the grounding works.  To have motion, in any Fusion 360 assembly, you normally have to have one component grounded in relation to the model origin.  If you activate your model top level origin, you will find you are not building your assembly in relation to it but this can be corrected if desired.  After the mounting plate is grounded, the Rigid group holds your bearing plate and bear blocks together and the Slider joint between one bearing block and the matching rail holds the assembly together and gives you the motion you need.

I have a feeling you will encounter some issues when you try to get the linear screw to animate so do not hesitate to come back to the Forum if you do.

[TrippyLighting]

Dude! Do you even read my replies?

[tjtalma]

I appreciate your reply and did try your suggested solution. But when I rolled the timeline back to when I created the part and grounded it, other changes were broken. Then when I advanced to the end of the timeline, parts were all over the place in my drawing and nothing was lined up. The rigid group containing the bearing and plates was maintained, and did move together, but since none of them were in the correct position it didn't help.

I'm pretty sure I did something wrong, which is why your solution did not work for me.

[TrippyLighting]

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@tjtalma wrote:

I'm pretty sure I did something wrong, which is why your solution did not work for me.

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I almost NEVER post solutions that I did not test beforehand!

If you did something wrong, perhaps you need to figure out what you did wrong.

Repeating steps without understanding the reason for the steps is where your problem is! Until you actually no just follow steps but understand the reason behind them we'll have to keep feeding you fish.

If you take that assembly with the grounded component and insert it into another assembly, say the whole machine, It'll float again. I suggested to create a as-built rigid joint ( a rigid group would work as well) and I explain that in this tutorial:

Let me know if that works for you.