Parallel Face Joint between Components in Assembly

[kjav]

Hello. I came from SW a while back. I used parallel mates extensively in SW, but have struggled to do the same thing in Fusion.

I have 2 components in an assembly. I want a face on each component to be parallel to each other, but the two components don't touch each other, and the two components/faces are at a variable distance from each other.

This can be done with slider/planer joints, however, I cannot figure a way to do this without *also* locking in the distance between the parallel faces, which I don't want to do at this point. Just want them parallel.

For example, I can make the two faces a slider or planer, but then they slide directly against each other, making them co-planer, not parallel.

The other option is to define a joint origin some distance away from a face, or "between two faces", but that will cause the two planes to be locked to a specific distance from each other, which I don't want.

I basically want something like the Fusion "Align" command but make it sticky.

Any suggestions much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[davebYYPCU]

I would have thought the Offset dimension in the dialogue box will do that.

Might help...

[kjav]

The offset dimension I believe needs to be specified, which goes back to the original problem that it would lock the two faces a specific distance. I don't want to offset it to a specific value, as I want the part to float for now. I'm looking for a purely parallel constraint with no limitation on other movement.

[laughingcreek]

This isn't really the answer, because it's a convoluted workaround.  But you can achieve the behavior your describing like this-

-add a new component, which becomes an assembly in the next step (the helper assembly).

-to teh "helper assembly" add 2 more components (they can be copies of each other) called helper 1 and helper 1

-helper 1 and helper 2 get joined with a slider joint.

-helper 1 and component 1 get joined with a planer joint

-helper 2 and competent 2 get joined with a planer joint

attached is an example.  I put a sketch in the helper components to make it easier to see what's happening, but you don't actually need any geometry at all to make this work.

[kjav · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've found another way to work around the problem for now.

I found a link to this video in another discussion, I'll leave it here for anyone finding this thread later. As I come from SW like many, I tend to think about making a part, then bringing it into an assembly, then using parallel as a first constraint. But Fusion is intended to work differently in how assemblies are generated in the first place. This is a really good video I think should be mandatory viewing for anyone making anything with more than 2 parts. (Still doesn't cover the 'parallel issue' directly, but did help me work around the problem)
https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Fusion-360-Assemblies-Master-Class-2016#video

Thanks again.

[warrior_nerd]

Care to mention the workaround?

[vasiliy_klx450r]

Well, I do not know why this marked as a solution, because it is not indeed. Workaround is not published as well. A solution point for providing this is undeserved, I think. Concidering author is not replying to questions too. @kjav  

[TrippyLighting]

the tread answered the OP's question. If you have a particular problem, please create a new thread and post a model and a description of what you want to achieve and what the problems are.