Chapter 17
Using Assembly Tools
SolidWorks assemblies enable you to take advantage of several tools in addition to the standard and best known functionality. The tools covered in this chapter are general tools that have wide application throughout assembly topics.
Placing Parts without Mates
Assembly mates are great tools, but they aren't the only tools for placing parts in an assembly. Sometimes, you might need to place parts without applying a mate, such as when you are setting up an animation and the mate would prevent the animation from working correctly. You might also want to place a part and allow motion of the part it is placed relative to while making sure the part itself remains stationary.
In a perfect world, assembly mates are well controlled and easy to understand. But in reality, sometimes things happen that...
