Place components that have matching iMates

What's New: 2023

Use Place Component to insert components with matching iMates in an assembly. You can place multiple instances of the component.

When placing members of an iPart or iAssembly factory, iMates are matched according to how they are specified in the factory. One member can include iMates with no offset value, while another can be offset a specified amount.

Tip: At any time, you can right-click and select Use iMates to toggle off and on.

Match iMates automatically with the Interactively place with iMates or the Automatically generate iMates on place options

During component placement, you can automatically apply iMates. In the File Open dialog box, select either Interactively place with iMates or Automatically generate iMates on place. You can also use the Use iMates selection on the context menu. The first match is the first name in the matching list of the target component.

Note: The iMate definition properties must always match for the iMate definitions to match. iMate definitions with matching names and matching lists, but without matching properties, do not match.
Note: Matching lists do not prevent other iMates from matching once all iMates in the matching list are consumed. The matching list determines the order in which the iMates are consumed

All possible match names are attempted before Autodesk Inventor tries to match iMate properties without consideration for names and matching lists.

Open an assembly file that contains one or more components with iMates
On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Component panel Place . Browse to a component with one or more defined iMate constraints, and then select it
In the Open dialog box, there are two choices to place components with iMates. One method is to select Interactively place with iMates, and then click Open. The component is placed and matched to a corresponding iMate. The command does not stop and you can continue to place multiple instances by using various context menu choices. An iMate symbol for each successful match is shown in the browser.
A second method is to select Automatically generate iMates on place, and then click Open. The component is placed, all possible iMate solutions are applied, and the command finishes. An iMate symbol for each successful match is shown in the browser.
Note: If the component being placed does not automatically solve, the selected component is placed in the graphics window attached to the cursor. Click to place, right-click, and then select Done.

Repeat to select and place additional components with defined iMates. Ensure that each time, in the Open dialog box, Interactively place with iMates or Automatically generate iMates on place is selected.

Tip: When placing components with iMates automatically, it is possible for the part to place outside the current viewing area. To set the default window behavior to zoom in on the placed part automatically, use the Assembly application options.

Preview iMate solutions during placement

When placing a component using iMates, use the preview mode to cycle through iMates on the component and on the target component. You can accept or discard solutions as needed.

When the component is first previewed, it is transparent, to indicate that it is not yet placed in the assembly. Accept the iMate result to place the component. If the component has multiple iMate definitions, the component loses its transparency after the first iMate result is accepted. It does not mean that all iMate definitions on the component are matched.

  1. Open an assembly file that contains one or more components with iMates.
  2. On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Component panel Place . Browse to a component with one or more defined iMate constraints, and then select it. In the Open dialog box, select either Interactively place with iMates or Automatically generate iMates on place, and then click Open.
  3. When placing a component with iMates, click the mouse to accept the iMate pair previewed on the graphics window.
    • If no additional matches are possible, the component is placed and the next instance of the component is previewed.
    • If additional matches are possible, the component is constrained with the accepted match and previews the next match.
  4. Press Enter or right-click and select Done to place the component with the selected iMates.

Additional options for resolving iMates during placement are available. Use the shortcut key or right-click and select from the context menu:

Shortcut keys and Context menu options
CTRL+I
Use iMates switches off and on. If iMates are matched, discards all iMate matches and returns to regular Place Component.
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Place at all Matching iMates accepts any matches already accepted and generates matches for the remaining component iMate definitions and places the component. The next component instance is then previewed.
Spacebar
Skip remaining iMate results uses any accepted matches and places the component without evaluating any other solutions. The next component is then previewed.
CTRL + Enter
Generate remaining iMate results uses any accepted matches and generates other solutions. The next component is then previewed.
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Restart discards any accepted iMate matches and starts again to match iMates.
Right/Left arrow keys
Next or Previous Assembly iMate cycles forward and backward through the iMates on the assembly. The placed components previewed at the new location each time one of the items is selected.
Down/Up arrow keys
Next or Previous Component iMate cycles forward and backward through iMates on the placed component. The component is previewed in its new orientation each time one of the items is selected.
CTRL + Right/Left arrow keys
Next or Previous Instance Assembly iMate jumps to the next or previous instance, in the case of a multiple-instance assembly.

Place multiple components with iMates

You can place multiple instances of a component when you select Interactively place with iMates in the Open dialog box. You can place one instance at a time or continue to place iMates so long as there are matching iMates in the assembly.

  1. Open an assembly file that contains one or more components with iMates.
  2. On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Component panel Place . Browse to a component with one or more defined iMate constraints, and then select it.
  3. In the Open dialog box, select Interactively place with iMates and then click Open.
  4. In the graphics window, click to place the component.
  5. To place additional instances, do one:
    • Continue to click to place additional instances. Each instance is matched to a corresponding iMate until you right-click and select Done.
    • Right-click and select Place at all Matching iMates. Instances are added and matched until all iMates are satisfied.

    For best results, plan and create in advance all possible iMate matches. Names in the matching list are matched before iMate properties are matched. For each component to match, include the match names of each half of the match pair. For example, Component A must be named in the matching list of Component B; Component B must be named in the matching list of Component A.

Note: If you have set up components to constrain fully when placed, you can solve all iMates at once.
  1. When selecting the component, be sure to select Automatically generate iMates on place.
  2. When the component is placed, all possible iMate solutions are applied and the command finishes.
  3. If you depressed Interactively place with iMates it is still possible to solve multiple iMates.When the component is placed and the first iMates are previewed, do not click to accept. Examine the components to make sure they are constrained as needed. If not, click the right arrow to preview the next assembly iMate.
  4. Click to accept the match.
  5. When the next pair of iMates previews, right-click and select Generate Remaining iMate Results.

Match iMates with the ALT-drag shortcut

When you select a component to match iMates, all unconsumed iMates on that component become visible. Once you begin to drag a selected iMate, the iMate glyphs for all valid matching iMates become visible.

  1. Open an assembly file.
  2. On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Component panel Place to place one or more components with defined iMates. Make sure Interactively place with iMates or Automatically generate iMates on place are not selected.
  3. Select a component containing iMates to match.
  4. Hold down ALT, click an iMate glyph and drag it over a matching iMate glyph on another component. Once you begin the drag, release ALT, if appropriate. When the second iMate glyph is highlighted and a snap sound indicates the components are constrained, click to place.

    5. Continue to select and match iMates as needed.

    Note: You can also match an iMate to geometry using this same method.

Match iMates with the Constrain command

  1. Open an assembly that contains parts to constrain.
  2. Hold down CTRL, click the components containing the iMate definitions to match, right-click, and then select iMate Glyph Visibility. iMate glyphs on the selected components are displayed.
  3. On the ribbon, click Assemble tab Position panel Constrain .
  4. Click an iMate glyph on a component.
  5. Click a matching iMate glyph on another component, and then click Apply.

    6. Continue to apply iMates as needed, and then click OK to close the dialog box.

Parent topic: iMate Fundamentals