SolidWorks Mates

This video provides a straightforward overview of using Mates in SolidWorks assemblies, focusing on the most common and essential mate types [00:00]. The instructor advocates for selecting faces over edges or points when creating mates, as this is the most efficient method to lock down a component's six degrees of freedom [03:14]. The tutorial demonstrates how to use the Mate Alignment button to control the orientation of components and covers key mate types: Coincident (flush), Concentric (for holes and cylinders), and Angle mates [00:56, 04:44]. Finally, it shows a specialized example of using edge-to-edge mates to assemble complex, multi-sided shapes like a pyramid from thin components [08:16]. Video Chapters [00:00] Introduction to SolidWorks Mates [00:33] The most efficient method: Mating by Faces (Coincident/Flush) [00:56] Using Mate Alignment to control component direction (aligned vs. anti-aligned) [03:00] Mating Cylinders using the Concentric constraint [04:25] Adding a Distance to a Coincident mate (Offset) [04:44] Using Parallel and Angle mates to control rotation [06:00] What happens when Edges or Points are used for mating (less control) [06:47] Mating using Internal Planes (Center Planes) of the parts [08:16] A specialized use case: Mating multiple Edges to assemble complex sheet metal shapes (Pyramid example) [10:15] Tip: Making parts temporarily thicker to easily select edges, then changing the gauge back