Are all the sheet metal bodies rigid grouped by default?

[prdevadathk3]

I'm designing a CNC. It has a linear rail(a) rigid joined on a sheet metal frame(b).I want a different sheet metal body created in the same design (same rules)(c) to be attached to the moving "guide"(d) of the linear rail.

When i try to make a joint, it's resulting in conflict. When i suppressed the joint b/w rail and the frame (a&b) It works fine, but the rail moves out of place. It looks as if all the sheet metal bodies created in a design are rigid grouped by default?!

Is that the case? What am i missing? any solutions?

[HughesTooling]

I see what you mean. That doesn't seem right. I've attached an example file to save support some time replicating this. @jeff_strater  is this intended behaviour or am I missing something as well?

Mark

[jeff_strater]

@HughesTooling - I'm not sure I get it yet.  What I see in your model is two components.  The first Rigid joint binds those two components rigidly together, and remove all relative degrees of freedom between the two.  If you try to create a second rigid joint between those same two components, I would expect an error to result.  Here is a screencast showing that behavior with two regular components.  Am I missing something?

[HughesTooling]

Sorry, I thought the first joint was between the document origin and the first component. Pretty sure I hid the second component when creating the first joint so not sure how the joint ended up between the 2 components. Just tried again and think I only hid the body and the joint command makes the second component's origin visible.

You can see here the document origin is on but the joint is created to the second component's origin even though it hidden in the browser. My mistake, guess @prdevadathk3  will need to share his model as well.

Thanks Mark

[prdevadathk3]

The rail is rigid joined to the sheet metal frame. I can't click and drag the sheet metal body i want to join to the moving guide. Nothing in the design is grounded. The sheet metal part i wanted to join was created in the same design as the frame.With the same rules. I can't select the sheet metal body first to join. i had to select the rail guide. 

The "joint" dialogue box and error messages are not visible in the screen capture (done using windows game mode) But, you can see the warning inn the timeline.

It looks like all the sheet metal bodies created in a design is rigid grouped by default. 

@jeff_strater 

[HughesTooling]

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It looks like all the sheet metal bodies created in a design is rigid grouped by default. 

@jeff_strater 

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Are you using a separate sheet metal component for each part\body? If all bodies are in the same component then they can only have a single joint.

Mark

[TrippyLighting]

@prdevadathk3 please share your model!

Export as .f3d and attach to the next post.

[prdevadathk3]

But i can't convert a sheet metal body to a component right? This is what i get when i try.

[TrippyLighting]

Share your model!

[prdevadathk3]

Unfortunately, this design is for a client. He's not happy with me sharing the cad model. I have signed NDAs for this. (I got permission for sharing pics/ vids in this forum to troubleshoot)

But i can design off a similar assembly to replicate this issue. I'll share that shortly.

[jeff_strater]

I think @HughesTooling 's question is the critical one - do you have a separate component for each sheet metal component?  If all the bodies are in one  component, they will be rigidly joined by definition.  I can assure you that you can create and join separate sheet metal components - they are not all rigidly grouped together.

[prdevadathk3]

Here you go!

Try rigid joining the small sheet metal body ("Extruder mount") to the rail block ("MGN12Hblock")

Both of the sheet metal bodies are created in the same design with the same rules.

This issue gets solved when i insert a sheet metal body from a different design into the design. But i want to design the sheet metal body in the main assembly design so i can design it easily around other components.

[prdevadathk3]

But how can i convert a sheet metal body into a component?

when i right click (on the body in the design tree) > create components from bodies , i get this error message ( see attached. notice the browser tree. )

I searched on google but didn't find a solution.

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

This is the difference between  bodies and components.  You cannot create joints between bodies, only between components.  And yes, if a component (even the root component) has more than one bodies, those bodies will all move together.  You will need to create separate components for "Frame plate" and "Extruder mount"

[prdevadathk3 · Accepted solution]

Thank you. Found the solution!

First, i have to create a new sheet metal component before i use the flange command. (create > new component)

That was the key. I'm totally new to sheet metal. thanks for the help!