Note: an updated version of this post can be found here.
I recently ran into these weird mates in SolidWorks when I was using virtual parts. Then suddenly, the mates stopped appearing, and I blamed the computer for that. As usual, this wasn’t a piece of software acting inconsistently, it once again was a user action that triggered the change in behavior. I couldn’t find much info about the InPlace mates online, so I decided to document it myself.
What are InPlace mates?
InPlace mates are a special kind of Coincident mates that are only created when you work in an assembly with virtual parts. They mate a virtual part in all directions to an existing part, without fixing the parts in space. They are created automatically without any input from the user. You also can’t edit them, they can only be deleted. That’s why I see them as a placeholder, they exist until you replace them with proper mates.
Continue reading “Solidworks InPlace mates”