Tutorial: Manually adding joints

When working with a bottom-up strategy, the components in an assembly are made independent of one another before being inserted into the same design. When in the same design, you can position the components correctly and manually add joints to define how components move relative to each other.

In this tutorial, you add joints to components of a clamp assembly to control how the clamp moves.

Clamp with all components assembled and with joints representing how the part moves

Prerequisites

1. Click Data Panel > New Project and enter the project Manual Joints to create a project folder. You will assemble the clamp in this project.
2. Click Data Panel > Basic Training > 06 - Assemblies. Double-click to open the following parts:
   • Base
   • Clamp
   • Connector
   • Grip
   • Lever
   • Shaft
3. Click File > Save as and save each of the parts, in the Manual Joints project.
4. Close each of the parts, once saved to the new location.
5. Double-click the Manual Joints project to open it and ensure the files are in the project.
6. Ensure a new untitled design is open.
7. Click Save to save the design with the name Clamp Joints in the Manual Joints location.