1. Mate Types in SolidWorks
Adapted From SolidWorks 2014 in 5 hours
SDC publications

2. Mates Types in SolidWorks
3 categories of mates types in SolidWorks:
Standard
Advanced
Mechanical

3. Coincident mate.
Locates the selected faces, edges, points or planes so they use the same infinite line/plane.
A Coincident mate positions two vertices for contact.

4. Example: Coincident mate:
positions two vertices for contact.
Note: The Icon feedback symbol in SolidWorks for a Face, Edge, vertex, etc.

5. Parallel mate: Locates selected items to lie in parallel planes
Allows only translation and rotation that keeps the selected items parallel.
Copyright Planchard 2013

6. Perpendicular mate
Locates selected items at a 90 deg angle to each other.
allows both translation & rotation of one part with respect to another.

7. Tangent mate Places selected items tangent to each other.
At least one selected item must be either a conical, cylindrical, spherical face.

8. Concentric mate
Locates selected items so they can share the same center point.
Note: sometimes we want to prevent rotation in a concentric mate (e.g. putting a cam on a shaft).
Just check “Lock Rotation” option in the mate property manager.

9. Locates selected items with specified distance between them.
Distance mate
Locates selected items with specified distance between them.
Use drop-down arrow box or enter dist value directly.

10. Advanced mates Distance mate (Limit mate).
allow components to move within a range of values for distance and angle.
Distance. Locates the selected items with a specified distance between them.
Angle. Locates the selected items at the specified angle to each other.

11. Locates selected items at specified angle to each other.
Angle mate
Locates selected items at specified angle to each other.
Use drop-down arrow box or enter angle value directly.

12. Cam Hinge Gear Mechanical Mates Others Slot Rack & Pinion Screw
Universal Joint

13. Mechanical mates
Cam mate. Forces plane, cylinder, or point to be tangent or coincident to a series of tangent extruded faces.
Create Cam profile from lines, arcs, and splines that are tangent and form a closed loop.
SW: a type of tangent or coincident mate.
mate cylinder, plane, or point to series of tangent extruded faces (like on a cam).
Figure: 3 followers stay in contact with cam as it rotates.

14. Cam mate eg
Cam mate:
Cam profile MUST be a series of TANGENT extruded faces that form a closed loop.
Cam Profile Can Be:
Lines
Arcs
Splines
Cam follower: portion to be mated must be
Cylindrical face
Planar face
Vertex 14

15. Hinge mate Limits movement between 2 components to 1 rotational dof.
Equiv to Concentric + Coincident. (can also limit angular movement between components).
Use simple amt: box & shaft for “live” eg of Hinge

16. Gear mate
Make 2 components rotate relative to each other, around selected axes.
establish gear type relations between components without making components physically mesh.
Align components before adding Mechanical gear mate.
Can simulate BELT
separate gears spatially and
select Reverse to change direction of rotation of output gear.

17. Gear & pulley examples
Adapted from Lego site

18. Pulleys at an angle – change rotation direction
Compound belt drivers
Pulleys at an angle – change rotation direction
- driver gear at 90 deg to follower.
direction of rotation changes 90 deg when driver is turned.
This eg also shows a gearing down arrangement - driver pulley < follower.