Joints workflow at fillets

[DanielZhuk]

Hi!

I would like to make a simple joint between two parts: the middle of one side, and the middle of the other side. 

However, one of the two parts has a fillet which prevents me from selecting the edge of the part (it stops before the fillet).

Correct point selected to use for a joint

Not possible to select point above the fillet. Instead, it selects the point on the edge of the fillet.

How can make the parts both align in the middle of their edge, and let their sides be pressed against each other?

Kind regards,

Dan

[DanielZhuk]

I just found out about the 'measure' function in the 3-point menu next to the area where you fill in your offset value when aligning the joints. That helped me a lot to measure the needed offset from the edge of the fillet to the edge of the part.

An additional question I have now is not possible for me to solve with the 'measure' tool as for my understanding.

I'm trying to have the cube be from a certain offset length to the top of the DIN rail, but cannot select the middle of the DIN rail top due to the hole (so I selected the middle of the vertical DIN rail instead. How do I go about this challenge of making it set from a certain distance to the top instead of the middle?

Kind regards,

Daniel

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Please share a f3d file and name the points for the connection in a screenshot.

günther

[jeff_strater]

you will probably be able to get the location and orientation using Joint Origin.  Using the Joint command creates "implicit joint origins" in the process of the command, but not all workflows are available in that process.  So, using Joint Origin gives you more control.  Here is a simple screencast that illustrates one approach on simple components:

[DanielZhuk]

Dear John,

Thank you very much for your help and for the small video. 

The joint origin indeed might be a way to solve the challenge regarding the DIN rail.

(I have used 'measure' for the first problem instead regarding the two blocks, since it should not only be flush to the left side, but also to the front)

Kind regards,

Daniel

[g-andresen]

Hi,

so you can compensate the fillet

günther

[DanielZhuk]

Dear Guenther,

Of course. Attached the example 3D file regarding the DIN rail as well as an illustration:

I am attempting to join the two parts together an manipulate the two shown offsets (1 and 2) between point A on the DIN rail, and point B on the block. Point C is the one I currently jointed to. 

In short: be able to set a distance from the top to the bottom, while maintaining an offset from the front of the inner part of the DIN rial. 

[chrisplyler]

Remember that you can also create Joint locations on sketched elements (points, ends and midpoints of lines, etc). So you can create appropriate sketching within each Component, project in a bit of usable references (edges, faces, existing points or whatever) from the geometry, add any necessary points or whatever, make sure those sketches are visible when you go to create your Joint, and then use them for your Joint locations selections as required.

In your first example, re. fillets...if you had a sketch with hard corners, you may be able to turn on that sketch's visibility, and just use the hard corner in the sketch as your Joint location selection.

[DanielZhuk]

Hi Chris,

Great, that's right! Thank you for the tip. That could be a useful method too, indeed! 🙂

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Watch the screencast and try to use reference planes the way I do.
Manual input of the value is required only for the edge distance (y).
You can simplify the process if you define  origins for each element to be positioned on the rail and insert the parts incl. origin.

günther

[DanielZhuk]

Hi Günther,

Thank you very much for your help and the screencast! (How did you make the visibility toggle eye bright blue? I like it.)

During the step where you manually input the distance from the edge of the DIN rail to the object (-45), it instead went back 45mm not from the edge, but from the original snapping point. What do you suggest to do to make it go back -45mm from the edge? What would the best work flow be? (sketch + point, new extra joint origin, something else?) 

Kind regards,

Daniel

[shahriarsifat1802164]

Hi,
One thing I want to add that is, after selecting the joining face you can move or rotate the component that is not supposed to be fixed.
Thank you.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

1. eye symbol

insert attached file !

2.

a) the change to -45 mm had to do with the fact that I had ignored the positive direction of the blue arrow and had initially entered +50 instead of the required - 50 mm.

b) for this case you neither need additional origins nor do you have to use sketches.

günther

[DanielZhuk]

Hi Günther! 

Nice, love the custom eye! I now added it to my own UI as well, thank you. 🙂

Regarding the -45: What I meant was not the direction, but that we now have an offset of 45mm from the edge of the slot (point B) instead of 45mm from the edge of the rail itself (point C), because now that offset is 45mm (AB) + 13.250mm (BC) = 58.250mm (AC). If you look closely in my last screenshot from your screenrecording, you can see that the -45mm starts at the edge of the slot instead of the edge of the rail.  

Do I understand correctly that extra geometry is needed for the workflow if I want, for example, to set a distance of -45 from the edge of the rail (point A to point C), instead of from the edge of the slot (point A to point B)? If so, what kind would you use? (extra joint origin, extra sketch + point, something else..)

Kind regards,

Daniël

[chrisplyler]

IN @g-andresen 's video, you can observe that he clicks on the bottom of the slot to set the Joint's position on the rail. So of course the 45mm offset is from that position.

If you want to set it from the end of the rail, you'll need to click on the end of the rail when you set the position. In order to do that you may have to:

1. Instead of using the center...use one of the bend corners, and when you chose the position on the breaker, choose the corresponding corner instead of the center also. OR...

2. Create something that can be clicked on in the rail Component, that's in the right place. This can be a Joint Origin, or simply a sketch point. Either one can serve the purpose.

[g-andresen]

Hi, 

no problem > just create an origin 

günther

[g-andresen · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Here is another screencast on the topic.
For more universal use, I created a rail with Joint Origin driven by user parameter.
This makes it very easy to populate the rail and vary the edge distances.
The EDIT in PLACE option is also helpful.

günther

[DanielZhuk]

Absolutely wonderful! I have learned a lot from this! 

Thank you for your help, Günther! 

Kind regards,

Daniel

[DanielZhuk]

Thank you all for your help! Lots of interesting methods and tips that all lead to the solution!

[g-andresen]

Hi,

I am glad if the hints help you.
Even if I have already indicated it above, I once again give the recommendation to set joint origins. This is especially for parts that do not have direct predefined joint positions (e.g. because of fillets and chamfers).

günther