What workbench to use for assembies?

Discussion about the development of the Assembly workbench.
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LawnDart
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What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by LawnDart »

Need help figuring out the crazy assembly workbench maze of options available. Have tried for days to get an assembly started and failed with everything it try. I don't know what workbench to use and can't figure out the ones I try. I want to make parts and be able to constrain them using surfaces, datum axis, or planes. Being able to add features in the assembly would also be best. Being able to make a singe hole thru 2 or 3 parts so they line up even if changes are made.

Trying to make mechanical assemblies that are screwed or bolted together. No moving parts so I don’t need animation. Working on home and volunteer projects now. Things like tool racks, simple small bridges for hiking trials, shade frames, ect.

I used Pro/Engineer for 20 years and have a personal copy that is very old now.

I spent most of my time on Assemby3 but could never get it to link/import a part into the assembly. I have watched videos and they all seam to show that you have to have an assembly for parts already made to be able to use assembly 3.

Thanks
dan-miel
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by dan-miel »

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm I want to make parts and be able to constrain them using surfaces, datum axis, or planes.
I have only used A2+ but this is the way I use it. I use the Part Design work bench to create the parts then A2+ to assemble them. The warning is that A2+ strips all axis and planes from the parts so you can only use surfaces to constrain.
LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm Being able to add features in the assembly would also be best. Being able to make a singe hole thru 2 or 3 parts so they line up even if changes are made.
At present the constraints use the name of the part features to “glue” the parts together. Modifying the part often changes the names of the features and messes up the constraints when you update the assembly. A3 or A4 does not have this problem.
I remember trying to add features in the assembly but I don’t remember how that turned out. I’m guessing that the added features/holes were not created in the part file so creating prints was hampered.
LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm No moving parts so I don’t need animation.
Animation is very slow. If you did want it A3 or A4 is better.
LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm I used Pro/Engineer for 20 years
It has been 25 years since I used Pro Engineer but I remember using a lot of mouse clicking to execute a command. A2+ also uses a lot of mouse clicking.
LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm I have watched videos and they all seam to show that you have to have an assembly for parts already made to be able to use assembly 3.
A3 and A4 are designed to create parts in the assembly file although you can import them. This eliminates the feature naming problem mentioned earlier, and their animation is better. I’m not sure how their bill of materials or the drawings work.

All that said, after using SolidWorks for the last 20 years, A2+ was the closes to SolidWorks and easiest for me to learn.

I hope this helps
Dan Miel
user1234
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by user1234 »

None, just linking in an other file and place it properly, with expressions when dynamic.

Greetings
user1234
LawnDart
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by LawnDart »

dan-miel wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 6:27 pm
LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm I want to make parts and be able to constrain them using surfaces, datum axis, or planes.
I have only used A2+ but this is the way I use it. I use the Part Design work bench to create the parts then A2+ to assemble them. The warning is that A2+ strips all axis and planes from the parts so you can only use surfaces to constrain.

I hope this helps
Dan Miel
Removing axis and planes makes A2+ worthless. How are you suppose to put a bolt thru a hole without an axis to center it. The hole will be bigger than the bolt so if you use a surfaces it won't be centered. How would you center one item on top of another if they are different sizes.
dan-miel
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by dan-miel »

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 8:01 pm Removing axis and planes makes A2+ worthless. How are you suppose to put a bolt thru a hole without an axis to center it. The hole will be bigger than the bolt so if you use a surfaces it won't be centered. How would you center one item on top of another if they are different sizes.
When you select two circular surfaces, such as the outside of the bolt then the insde of the bolt hole, then the circular constraint wil center the two surfaces around to each other.
Dan
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jpg87
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by jpg87 »

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm I want to make parts and be able to constrain them using surfaces, datum axis, or planes.
I really like working with Assembly 3, but that's just me. I have written some web pages to help using this tool :
http://help-freecad-jpg87.fr/02_ass_ind.php

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm Trying to make mechanical assemblies that are screwed or bolted together. No moving parts so I don’t need animation.
For assemblies of static parts, you can do without Assembly 3 (with master sketches for example) but it is not an obligation :
http://help-freecad-jpg87.fr/015_pi_astucesPdN.php

http://help-freecad-jpg87.fr/050_excomment_ind.php

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm Being able to make a singe hole thru 2 or 3 parts so they line up even if changes are made.
http://help-freecad-jpg87.fr/025c5_ass_ ... eption.php
My website : http://help-freecad-jpg87.fr updated 2023/11/06
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thomas-neemann
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by thomas-neemann »

LawnDart wrote: Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:32 pm ... No moving parts so I don’t need animation. ...
I would do it this way


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBfam_m3bP8

phpBB [video]




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szA6GLk_MuE

phpBB [video]



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da6dSij05tY

phpBB [video]
Gruß Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Neemann

https://www.youtube.com/@thomasneemann5 ... ry=freecad
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Zolko
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by Zolko »

thomas-neemann wrote: Wed Aug 17, 2022 4:01 pm
phpBB [video]
is such an assembly parametric ? Meaning that if you place a part by snapping one of its points to another point, and then later you move the reference point, does the part follow ?
try the Assembly4 workbench for FreCAD — tutorials here and here
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thomas-neemann
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Re: What workbench to use for assembies?

Post by thomas-neemann »

Zolko wrote: Wed Aug 17, 2022 5:23 pm ...
if you move the assembled parts in here,
Bildschirmfoto_2022-08-17_19-29-50.png
Bildschirmfoto_2022-08-17_19-29-50.png (1.65 KiB) Viewed 1134 times
you can move it together
Gruß Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Neemann

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