Why doesn't this Align operation work?

Why doesn't this Align operation work?

RogerInHawaii
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Message 1 of 5

Why doesn't this Align operation work?

RogerInHawaii
Collaborator
Collaborator

I'm trying to perform an align operation between a flat end of one body with a flat surface of another body. I can bring up the Align tool dialog, select the two surfaces on the bodies, which results in the first body actually being moved to the correct target position, but when I hit the OK button on the Align dialog the first body just pops back to its prior location instead of staying where it had been aligned with the other body.

No error message is generated.

Here's the two bodies: I want to align the right flat surface of the blue body with the interior surface of the groove in the grey body.
The Two Bodies.jpg

 


 I bring up the Align dialog and for the first body I select the flat surface right at the bottom of the curvature on the blue body.

Selected position on blue body.jpg

 For the target position I select a corresponding position on the interior flat surface of one of the grooves on the grey body. It happens to be the third groove from the top, but the problem exists no matter which target groove I select. Note that the shape of the curve in the target groove is the same shape as the curve on the blue body, so they SHOULD align just fine.
Selected position on bgrey body.jpg

 


When I finish selecting the target position (but BEFORE hitting the OK button on the Align dialog) the blue body is indeed moved and aligned as desired, with the flat end of the blue body aligning properly with the flat end of the target groove. The blue body is NOT intended to occupy the entire groove. It's only intended to align with the target flat surface inside the groove. So, so far so good.

Initially Aligned.jpg

 


HOWEVER, as soon as I hit the OK button the Blue body zooms back to its original position. It does NOT STAY where it had been properly positioned within the groove.

Hit the OK button.jpg

 

 No error message is generated. The Align operation just fails. It SEEMED to be fine with the selections I made. It seemed to position it correctly. But, nope. It acts as if the Align never happened, even though the Align icon appears in the timeline.

 

I would attach the design file in case anyone wants to give it a try, but the design file is too big.

So, WHAT HAPPENED? What might I be doing wrong? Why does it APPEAR to accept the selections I made and APPEAR to move it as I need it to, but when I commit to the Align operation by hitting the OK button it just seems to ignore it and doesn't tell me WHY it didn't work?

Any insight would be appreciated.

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Replies (4)
Message 2 of 5

TheCADWhisperer
Consultant
Consultant

@RogerInHawaii 

Can you File>Export your *.f3d file to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

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Message 3 of 5

RogerInHawaii
Collaborator
Collaborator

The file is over the 71MB limit for attached files.

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Message 4 of 5

jhackney1972
Consultant
Consultant
Accepted solution

Try aligning faces only. When you select the first point, on the blue piece, select the face but not a point on that face and do the same on the other body and see what you get. If it works you can repeat using the other mating surface(s).  Animated GIF will show what I mea

 

Animated.gif

John Hackney, Retired
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Message 5 of 5

RogerInHawaii
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Collaborator

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll give that a try.

 

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