Joining two components together

[Anonymous]

I need your help.  I have been reviewing Joining two components together, and I suspect that this is what I need, but I cannot get it to work for me and I have spent several hours on this. 

A simplified version of what I want to do is to attach two components, a rectangle to a sphere.  (What I really want to do is attach a rectangle to a component made from a flattened quadball.)

Jesse said,

In order to affix a joint origin to side of the cylinder, first make a Construct plane, specifically a Tangent plane to the side of the cylinder where desired.  Then define a sketch on that plane, and go to Sketch > Project / Include > Intersect, click on the cylinder, and a purple line will be created indicating where the very top of the cylinder kiss touches the sketch plane.  Create a point coincident with that line.  Exit the sketch and use that point to define your second joint origin when creating the rigid joint. 

According to Laughingcreek to make a tangent plane:

The "plane tangent to face at point" will work on any surface.  Pick the face, then pick the point.  The point doesn't have to be on the surface, but it makes the most sense to me if it is. 

You do have to have a point though.  You can either place one along existing geometry, like an edge, or project one to the surface from another sketch using "project to surface."

1. If the plane is tangent to the sphere, where and what kind of sketch should we put onto the plane?
2. Do you click on it before you go to Sketch>Project/Include>Intersect?
3. The menu say geometry and selection filter (specified entity or bodies). What goes where?
4. If the plane is tangent to the sphere, where will the purple line be?

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

Here is one approach.  I suspect that there is a better way to do this.  But, this works:

Jeff

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

This looks great Jeff.  I carefully copied all the steps in your video and will start by repeating everything to make sure I understand it all.  My ultimate goal is to attach a handle to this thing.  I have made a handle with rotating joints.  After I have mastered what you did, I will try using a rectangle instead of a circle on the plane to attach a (smaller) rectangle plane with more contact between the two parts.  I know that I could move the plane and kind of smash it into the round thing, but it's sloppy and with problems with angles.  Anyway, your solution seems very nice and I am pleased.

[Anonymous]

I cannot find the purple line to click on.  I viewed the video several times and all of a sudden it appears in the video, but not as I am recreating it.  Why is this?

[jeff_strater]

Hi @Anonymous,

Sorry if the video was not clear.

Are you referring to this purple line?:

That was generated with the Project Intersect command:

If not, can you be a bit more specific about what is not clear in the video?

thanks,

Jeff

[Anonymous]

Yes, that purple line.  I wrote down everything that you did (took about 30 minutes to keep reruning you video).  I do not get that purple line.  Any ideas?

I appreciate your help.  

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

About 30 sec into the video, a new sketch is created on the origin plane he clicked on, 

then Project > Intersect > body,

clicked on the quadball and creates the purple line in the new sketch.

Might help....

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

Sorry that the video was rushed.  I never know how to strike a good balance between going fast enough so people don't get bored, and glossing over details, versus going too slow and wasting peoples' time.

Here is a different video that hopefully explains just that part a bit more clearly:

[Anonymous]

YES!  Thank you!

[Anonymous]

This works!  I do realize that it is difficult to know just how much information is needed, and I appreciate your circling back to keep helping me.  You are a good teacher, and I appreciate  your help!