1. Mating (Phase 1) Quick Start
KeyCreator 9.0

2. Mating Quick Start Mating Quick Start Basics Mating Types
Using Mating With Constraints
Workflow
Editing
Updating

3. Mating Quick Start
This document was written to give users a quick start for using KeyCreator’s Mating tools
This only covers the quick basics & is not a replacement for training
KeyCreator’s direct modeling approach uniqueness also applies to its mating tools.
Mating can be applied to part references in assemblies, solids, surfaces, composites, fasteners objects & wireframe geometry
Mating can used on any combination of the above mentioned geometry types
This document is based on current Phase 1 Mating functionality

4. Basics The mating functions are found under Transform>Mating
Mating updating is a single pass solver
Mating is unidirectional
Child always moves to meet mating constraint of parent
Geometric changes to parent or child should keep mating constraint relationship as long as associativity can be maintained. (Similar to dimensioning)
All positions & edges selected are associative – choose carefully (Correct center? Correct edge? From correct solid?)

5. Basics
A Mating constraint appears as a “label” & is its own unique entity type – Mate
Deleting a Mate entity does not delete constrained geometry
Deleting mated/constrained geometry does not delete Mate entity
It may be empty & unattached
Mate entities can be edited via GENERIC EDIT
Limited editing in Phase1

6. Basics
Using the “SKIP” button during mating “label”/entity positioning, skips creating a mate entity & constraint
Behaves like a simple transform function
After an Assemblies>Edit Part or Edit in Context
Use Assemblies>Edit>Update Reference
Mating relationships are automatically updated but a single pass “solver” may require manual updating
Use Transform>Mating>Update

7. Basics
The Mating entities are placed on the active construction plane (CP)
The Mating entities are placed on the active Level
Use levels to control the display of the mating entities

8. Mating Types There are 7 mating types:
Position
Arc
Face
Axis
Axial Translation
Axial Rotation
Axial Translation & Rotation
They all have a COPY form of the function
We will look at the first four listed

9. Mating Types Position Mate
Used to position/constrain the XYZ of the child’s selected base point to the parent’s XYZ selected base point
No orientation is taken into account

10. Mating Types
Arc Mate
Used to position/constrain the center of the child’s selected arc to the parent’s center selected arc
The child is also oriented so both arcs are concentric & lie in same plane

11. Mating Types
Face Mate
Used to position/constrain the child’s selected planar face to the parent’s selected planar face
The child is also oriented/rotated by a selected base point to orient to a parent’s selected base point while both faces mate

12. Mating Types
Axis Mate
Used to align/constrain the child’s selected axis to the parent’s selected axis
The child is also offset along the axis by a selected base point/height to position along parent’s selected referenced axis of selected location

13. Using Mating Constraints
Workflow
We will go through 2 examples
Arc Mate (most flexible & easiest)
Axis Mate
The exact prompts will vary slightly depending on the type selected

14. Using Mating Constraints
Arc Mate Workflow
Select the child, children and/or geometries to be mated with this mate type
Select the child’s circular edge/arc to be used by the mate
Select the parent’s circular edge/arc to be mate to

15. Using Mating Constraints
Arc Mate Workflow
Select the any of the options to orient the child as required
ROTANG – Select a preset angle or value
ROTPOS – Select a postion to define orientation
REV – Toggle to reverse/flip child around
DONE – Select when desired orientation is reached

16. Using Mating Constraints
Arc Mate Workflow
Place body of the Mate Entity “label” or use “SKIP” to use function just as a simple transform (no constraint)
Gets placed on active CPL & level

17. Using Mating Constraints
Arc Mate Workflow
After placing the Mate Entity “label” or SKIP you are brought to the last dialog option
Select DONE!

18. Using Mating Constraints
Axis Mate Workflow
We will be using the previous Arc Mate example to illustrate what happens to grandchildren
Select the child, children and/or geometries to be mated with this mate type (note: Do not pick already mated nut)
Select the child’s logical location of axis to be used by the mate (here an arc center)
Select the desired axis to be used by screen pick or prompt

19. Using Mating Constraints
Axis Mate Workflow
Select the parents’s logical location of axis to be mated to (here an arc center)
Select the location/height along the parent’s axis
Notice the nut became a grandchild to the parent & moved too
Sometimes you will need to UPDATE the mate manually

20. Using Mating Constraints
Axis Mate Workflow
Place the Mate Entity “label” as before
Finish the axis mate as in earlier arc mate

21. Using Mating Constraints
Editing Mates
Phase 1 has limited editing
Use GENERIC MOVE to move MateEntity “Label” position
Use GENERIC EDIT on the Mate Entity

22. Using Mating Constraints
Editing Mates
No logic checking is performed on what is added or removed from the Mate
A Mate Entity can be empty
Add children/geometry to be used with this Mate
Show/Highlight children
Change text of Mate Entity “label”
Remove children/geometry to be used from this Mate

23. Using Mating Constraints
Updating
Mates should update automatically
Child always moves to meet mating constraint of parent
Geometric changes to children & parents should reflect in mating
Follows similar associativity rules as dimensioning

24. Using Mating Constraints
Updating
Because we use a single pass solver & we do not know the order of the updates:
We can have incomplete update
Parts are not visually located correctly
Part references were not updated yet
Its recommended to use the manual Transform>Mating>Update

25. Using Mating Constraints
Updating
If using part references, first use Assemblies>Edit>Update Reference
If the manual Transform>Mating>Update using All Dsp>All did not complete as expected
Update mates one at a time