Allowing Pins to Move Freely within Slots

Mating a pin to a slot requires a different approach than mating parallel faces, which are often handled using a Width mate in SOLIDWORKS. In SolidProfessor’s 2-Minute Tech Tip on Mate Options for Slots, we show how the Slot mate (available in the Mechanical tab) gives you four options for controlling a pin’s position. You can use the Free option to let the pin move within the limits of the slot, which is particularly useful for representing realistic assembly motion and working with tools such as collision detection.

Additional constraint options include the self-explanatory Center option along with options for Distance Along Slot and Percent Along Slot, which place the pin at a defined location based on a provided distance or a percentage value. These options do not allow for freedom of movement in the way that the Free option does, and are more suitable for full defining components.

Whether you need realistic movement or a defined pin position, the Slot mate provides several constraint options for design flexibility. For more assembly techniques, check out our full length course on SOLIDWORKS Essentials for Assembly Design or, for more experienced users, our SOLIDWORKS Advanced Assembly Design course.