So far you have learned how to create independent parts, and in this chapter I will show you how you can make a whole out of them. This can be achieved in the so-called assembly mode because special functions are available in it that allow you to combine special elements and create complex assemblies.
To that end, I have already prepared four elements that are currently displayed in separate frames. For a better insight into individual details, it is enough to click on the appropriate button (Maximize) to enlarge the current display, and I could achieve the same effect by selecting some of the items in the Window menu. If you want to show all the elements again at the same time, simply select the Tile Horizontally option and the program will automatically divide the desktop and reduce their display.
Since I have prepared all the elements of the future assembly, I am expected to declare one of them as the base (Base of Assembly), the base on which all other parts will be added later. In the explosion, a part that is not moving, for example the engine block, is chosen as the basis, and moving parts such as pistons and valves are added later. For this purpose, I will use the part located in the upper right corner, because it represents the whole to which the other elements should be added.
To show you what it looks like, I’ll first zoom in on its frame and then take the opportunity to show it from different angles. As you can see, there are holes and grooves on it that match the dimensions of the other elements, so there should be no problem with assembly.
To switch to the mode that enables the connection of different elements, it is necessary to start the Make Assembly from Part command from the File menu in order to be able to choose the appropriate template. At this moment, only the default template is available to me, so it won’t be difficult for me to choose it and continue with OK. A moment later, a new working environment (Assembly mode) will appear on the screen and the program will once again offer me the possibility to select the basic element. This will not be difficult for me, because all the currently active elements are shown on the left side, and the one that was active at the time of activation of Assembly mode will be at the top of the list, so I just need to confirm this choice and finally start the whole process.
As you can see, the program will automatically adjust the position of the initial element by equating its Origin point with the coordinate start of the future assembly, and this can be easily checked if you look for its base planes (Front, Top and Right Plane) in this list. In addition, this section also contains all the other characteristics of the basic element, so it will not be difficult for you to check what it is actually about.
If you pay attention to the content at the top of the screen, you will notice that two completely new sections – Assembly and Layout – are now available to you, and they include a whole range of new functions. Of course, at any time you can return to Sketch mode or one of the standard modes, but for assembly you will need the functions found in the Assembly section.
To show you what I have achieved so far, I will return to the mode that allows me to see all the selected elements at the same time, and since one of these frames contains a part that I have already used, I can close it in one move and focus all my attention to the future assembly.
Since it is shown in the upper left corner, I can go ahead and transfer all the other parts to the base frame. This can be achieved by simply dragging, and sometimes it is easier to “grab” the basic component from the list and thus perform this task. I will transfer the remaining two elements in this way so that I can eventually enlarge this section and show what I have achieved so far.
Some users prefer to use File Explorer to select new elements, and this can be achieved by selecting the icon of the same name located on the left side of the screen. After that, it is necessary to select the desired file from the corresponding folder and thus complete the future assembly, while it does not have to be active at all.
Since I have already done that part of the work, I can go back to the model and check if all the elements are in their places. Since this is obviously not the case, it wouldn’t be bad if I somehow put them in the appropriate position, and it doesn’t have to be very precise. For this purpose, I will also use the right mouse button because it allows me to rotate the selected element and then move it to a new position. This means that the screw should be placed above this hole, and the ring washer facing this protruding part. Finally, I will place the purple tile so that it fits as well as possible into this groove and thus finish this part of the work. All this was just preparation for the phase that was yet to follow, which was the final assembly of the new element and its transformation into a single whole.
Before I show you how to do it, I would like to draw your attention to one detail, which is found in the description of the basic element. In question is this small letter ef and that is the information that tells me that this part of the scope is fixed and that it is not possible to move it. This can easily be checked on the assembly itself, and as you can see, the central element really cannot change its location. This suits me at the moment, although it is possible to select the Float option from the auxiliary menu by a simple selection (by pressing the right mouse button) and thus change the current status. Of course, I will not do that, because at the moment it suits me that this part remains motionless, unlike the other parts of the future assembly.