Reference Constraints

General Principles

Reference constraints can be used to define positioning points to a part or assembly to relocate it in another part or assembly. This feature speeds up the relocating of frequently used parts and your own components.
  • You can enter several reference constraints - a set of constraints.
  • A maximum of three constraints can be defined for one set of constraints.
  • The constraint set codes must be the same in both parts to be relocated.
  • The constraints inside the constraint sets have a mutual order.
  • The type of constraint and the associated element are defined for the constraints. If necessary, also detailed information related to the constraint, for example side or dimension.

See Define the Reference Constraints for a Part

Add a Part With a Constraint Set

The addition of a part or subassembly to the assembly is otherwise normal, but the part may be semi-automatically adjusted depending on the location to be specified.

Same set in target as in part that is imported:
  • The part is placed in the position defined by the constraint set.
  • Depending on the constraint of the set and its options, for example direction: Default, Parallel, Antiparallel, there may be two valid positions.
Target does not have a preselected constraint set:
  • If a part is added to the assembly and a part without a constraint set is specified, the program recognizes the element under the cursor and its shape and tries to create a constraint according to the constraint set.
    • This way, for example, the bearing can be placed on the shaft without having to make a constraint set for the shaft.

Limitation

When a part or subassembly containing a constraint set is added to the assembly, the constraints of the set become constraints of the assembly and are no longer available for the next part to be added.
  • This means that "you cannot add the same lego block controlled by a constraint set multiple times on top of each other", as that would require the part to have two constraint sets with the same name.
    • There must not be two constraint sets with the same name in a part, because then the program would not be able to deduce which constraint set is used.

Ignore the effect of the constraint set when adding a part

Hold down the Alt key if you want the program to not use the constraint sets in the part or assembly you are adding.