Example: Auto-Fill for Reference Entity

This example shows what to do when Auto-Fill for Reference Entity fails for an angle mate.

In this example, there are two components to mate together with an angle mate. You want to add a reference entity so that the mate does not flip unexpectedly the next time you open the assembly.

  1. Click Mate .
  2. In the PropertyManager, on the Standard tab, for Entities to Mate , select the faces shown.
  3. Under Mate Type, select Angle and enter 40.
  4. Click Auto Fill Reference Entity .
    An error message appears. The software cannot find a reference entity because the components are not aligned.
  5. Click .
  6. Click Mate .
  7. In the PropertyManager, on the Standard tab, for Entities to Mate , select the faces shown.
  8. Under Mate Type, select Concentric .
  9. Click .
    The PropertyManager stays open. The concentric mate aligns the components so that the software can detect a reference entity.
  10. For Mate Selections, select the faces shown.
  11. Under Mate Type, select Angle and enter 40.
  12. Click Auto Fill Reference Entity .
    The software automatically selects a reference entity and the dimension selector appears in the graphics area.
  13. Select the quadrant to place the angle dimension.
The two components that make up the angle mate do not need to be mated directly. For example, in the following image, 1 and 2 represent parallel mates between the angle mate components and the green rod. When you create an angle mate between the yellow and red components, you can use Auto Fill Reference Entity or manually select any of the cylindrical faces as the reference entity.