Constraints and Joints

Mastering the use of the Constraint and Joint tools to create functional assembly
relationships is an important part of learning to create assemblies in the Autodesk
Inventor program.
If you use assembly relationships improperly, you can create a nightmare of broken
and/or redundant relationships, preventing assemblies from functioning properly.
Degrees of Freedom- DOF

Initially each component within an assembly fle possesses six degrees of freedom.
To make the degrees of freedom visible use the View tab and click the Degrees Of
Freedom button. As constraints are applied to your component, the DOF triad will
change to show only the remaining DOF.

Aanalyze the degrees of freedom for the complete assembly

Button is located in the Productivity panel drop-down list on the Assemble tab.

Dialog box

If you select Animate Freedom at the bottom of the dialog box and then select a
component in the list, it will move to show the DOF.
How the Constrain Tool Works
In general practice, the function of constraints follows real-world assembly techniques
where fasteners, adhesives, and welds attach one component to another.

seven basic types of constraints

Mate constraints - position components face to face or adjacent to one another.

Angle constraints position two components at a specifed angle to defne a pivot point.
Tangent constraints position two components to contact at a point of tangency.

Insert constraints are a combination of a face-to-face Mate constraint between planar

faces and a Mate constraint between the axes of the two components.
Symmetry constraints position two components symmetrically to both sides of a
selected plane or planar face. The Symmetry constraint is typically used in conjunction
with other assembly relationships.
Rotation constraints allow one component to rotate based on the selection of a
second Component.
Transitional constraints specify the relationship between a cylindrical component and
a contiguous set of faces on another component, such as a cam in a slot.

How the Joint Tool Works

six basic types of joints. Also, an Automatic option.

Automatic joints create either a Rigid, Rotational, Cylindrical, or Ball joint,

depending on the geometry of the selections.

Rigid joints position a component in place and remove all degrees of freedom.
This joint type is used for glued, welded, or bolted joints that do not move.

Rotational joints position a component in place and create one rotational

degree of freedom. This joint type is used for hinged joints and levers, and it can
be created with a specified limit value.

Cylindrical joints position a component in place and create one translational

and one rotational degree of freedom. This joint type is used for creating a joint
between a shaft and a hole, for example, and can be created with a specifed limit
value.

Ball joints position a component in place and create three rotational degrees of
freedom. This joint type is used for socket and ball joint type joints and can be
created with a specified limit value.

Slider joints position a component in place and create one translational degree
of freedom. This joint type is used for hinged joints, levers, and so on, and it can
be created with a specifed limit value.

Planar joints position a component in place and create two translational and one
rotational degree of freedom perpendicular to the planar face. This joint type is
used when one object will move along a planar surface such as a conveyor, and
it can be created with a specified limit value.

Using constraints.
The Mate Constraint-

Within the Place Constraint dialog box, you have three check boxes:

Pick Part First This check box, indicated by the small red cube, is useful when parts
are partially obscured or are positioned in such a way that clicking a face or edge is
diffcult.
Predict Offset And Orientation This button measures the distance between the
selected faces, allowing you to eyeball a part placement and then retrieve the distance.
If the check box is not selected, a default of 0 is entered for the offset.
Show Preview This check box, eyeglasses icon, controls whether the selected
components will adjust position or orientation so you can review the constraint before
clicking the Apply button.
zoom in is very useful if selection is difficult
To adjust the constraint selection, click the Selection 2 button in the Place Constraint
dialog box. This removes the previous selection (the circular face) and allows you to
reselect the mating face.
Finally
Click Apply to place the Mate constraint on the two parts.

Editing and Deleting Constraints

Using the Select Other tool

The Angle Constraint

The Angle constraint permits three solutions within this constraint type. The solutions
are Directed Angle, Undirected Angle, and Explicit Reference Vector.
The Directed Angle solution the right-hand rule, meaning the angle rotation will
function in a counterclockwise direction.
The Tangent Constraint results in faces, planes, cylinders, spheres, and cones coming
in contact at a point of tangency. Inside and outside.
The Insert Constraint -is probably the best choice for inserting fasteners and other
cylindrical objects into holes or for constraining any parts where circular or cylindrical
geometries are to be constrained to one another.
The Symmetry Constraint positions two components symmetrically to each side of a
plane or planar face.

The Rotation Constraint a simple Rotation constraint, first place two components
constrained around their axes. Neither component should be grounded; instead, they
should be constrained to allow rotation around the axes. The Rotation constraint applies
a Forward or Reverse solution to the two components, along with a ratio that will
determine rotation speeds, as shown in Figure .

The Rotation-Translation Constraint

Transitional Constraints allow the movement of an under constrained component

along a path in a separate part. To create the constraint, you first select a moving face
on the under constrained component. Then you select a transitional face or edge on a
fully constrained.

Additional Constrain Tools and Options

Using the Assemble Tool to Place Constraints
The Assemble tool allows you to move a component into place and place a constraint
based on the selected geometry. This tool is designed to select a component and then
fully constrain it. When using the Assemble tool, you select the component you want to
move into place first, and then you select the component you want to constrain to.
Because of this, you can constrain only one component at a time with this tool. To
constrain a second component, you must click the OK button to exit the Assemble tool
and then select the Assemble button again, or right-click and select Repeat Assemble.

Constraint Sets
Constraint sets allow you to constrain two components together using their
user coordinate systems (UCSs). You define the UCS in the part or
subassembly file first and then place constraints on the coordinate system
planes and axes rather than the component geometry.

Constraint Limits
Constraint limits allow you to define minimum and maximum constraint values so
components can move freely within the limits but not beyond them.

Driving Relationships
It is often desirable to simulate motion by driving a relationship through a beginning
position and an ending position to confirm the intent of the design. In general, Offset
and Angle constraints may be selected to drive components within an assembly. To
accomplish this, simply right-click the desired constraint and select Drive (as shown in
Figure)

Dri
ving a constraint