To Illustrate using the library, we will walk you through the step of inserting 4 parts and mating them to make the following simple assembly:

This assembly uses four components:

1. TETRIX® MAX Channels SKU: 39068 https://www.pitsco.com/Shop/TETRIX-Robotics/Robotics-Elements/Structural-Elements/TETRIX-Channels
2. TETRIX® MAX Motor Mount  SKU: W39089 https://www.pitsco.com/TETRIX-Motor-Mount
3. TETRIX® MAX TorqueNADO® Motor   SKU: 44260 https://www.pitsco.com/Competitions-Clubs-and-Programs/FIRST-Tech-Challenge/Robotics-Elements/Motion-Elements/TETRIX-MAX-TorqueNADO-Motor-with-Encoder
4. TETRIX® MAX Motor Shaft Hub SKU: W39079 https://www.pitsco.com/TETRIX-Motor-Shaft-Hubs

Step 1 – Create a new document from the main menu

Step 2 – And name it whatever you want.

Step 3 – This will bring you to the main window with a Part Studio and an Assembly

Step 4 – Click on the Assembly tab

Step 5 – Which will bring you to a blank window

Step 6 – Click on Insert so we can insert the first part.

We will be starting with the TETRIX® MAX Channels SKU: 39068 https://www.pitsco.com/Shop/TETRIX-Robotics/Robotics-Elements/Structural-Elements/TETRIX-Channels

Step 7 – Insert brings up a dialog defaulting to the current document which of course has nothing to insert.

Step 8 – Click on Other documents and navigate to the Pitsco directory

Step 9 – And then to the Structure folder

Step 10 – In that folder there is a Configurable version of the TETRIX MAX Channels.

Step 11 – Click on it and it will give the option for the Part Studio showing the different sizes available.

Step 12 – We want to use the 288 mm version, so select it from the dropdown.

Step 13 – And then click on the channel

Step 14 – OnShape will insert the configured channel.  Click on the green check to accept it.

Step 15 – We want to fasten it to the origin so that it doesn’t move.  Click on the Fasten mate command

Step 16 – Which brings up a dialog asking for the mate connectors.  Click on the origin (which may be hiding under the channel)

Step 17 – Then flip the channel over and click on the middle of the bottom.

Step 18 – We will want to rename it, so click on the pencil next to the check mark

Step 19 – And enter a nice name like Origin and click the green check box.

Step 20 – Press Shift-7 to normalize the view

Step 21 – Use the insert command again and navigate to the Pitsco directory.

We are going to want to insert the TETRIX® MAX Motor Mount  SKU: W39089 https://www.pitsco.com/TETRIX-Motor-Mount.

Step 22 – This time since we are in the Pitsco directory, we can type in the SKU 39089 and click on the magnifying glass

Step 23 – It will show all of the matches (which happen to come from the same document) and you can click on the first one.

If you hover over the item, it displays details about it so that you can be sure you have the right one.

Step 24 – It will then show the part studio options.

Step 25 – Click on the lower level part to have OnShape insert it

Step 26 – To illustrate the importance of selecting the proper directory before inserting, if you had done that same search at the global level, OnShape will return every part in the world which happens to match that number.

Many of those parts are just randomly imported and won’t have all the information to populate the BOM.

Step 27 – Once you have the part inserted, the next step is to fasten it to the channel using a fasten mate.

Step 28 – When the dialog comes up, rotate the model to get to the hole on the bottom of the motor mount and click on it.

Step 29 – OnShape will select the part

Step 30 – Rotate the model around to see the top of the channel and locate the hole to put it on and click.

Step 31 – OnShape shows the part in position, but it might not be perfectly oriented.

Step 32 – Fix that by clicking the reorient button or the flip button until the part looks correct.

Step 33 – Click on the pencil next to the green check and rename the mate to something meaningful like Motor Mount to Channel and then click the green check.

Step 34 – Next we want to insert the motor.  Use the insert command, navigate to the Tetrix directory and search for 44260 to locate the TorqueNADO motor

This is TETRIX® MAX TorqueNADO® Motor   SKU: 44260 https://www.pitsco.com/Competitions-Clubs-and-Programs/FIRST-Tech-Challenge/Robotics-Elements/Motion-Elements/TETRIX-MAX-TorqueNADO-Motor-with-Encoder

Step 35 – Since this motor is actually an assembly (to allow the motor shaft to work) it has both a Part Studio and and Assembly.  Click on the Assemblies tab.

Fortunately the part studio has a big red X indicating that the part should not be used.

Step 36 – The full motor assembly should appear

Step 37 – Click on the motor assembly to insert it.

Step 38 – We can also go insert the last part without closing the dialog by clicking the back arrow to the left of the part name.

Step 39 – We want to find the TETRIX® MAX Motor Shaft Hub SKU: W39079 https://www.pitsco.com/TETRIX-Motor-Shaft-Hubs so we can type shaft hub and click on the magnifying glass.

Step 40 – Scroll to the right part and click on it.  Note that OnShape is pretty liberal about name matching so you want to ensure you have the correct part.

Step 41 – OnShape will bring up the Part Studios list for the part

Step 42 – Click on the part to insert it and then click on the green Check.

Step 43 – Now that both parts have been inserted, we want to put the motor in the motor mount using a Fastened mate.

Step 44 – When the dialog comes up, click on the circle around the front face of the motor.

Step 45 – OnShape will select the fill motor

Step 46 – Then find the big circle inside the motor mount and click on it.

Step 47 – OnShape will then place the motor into the mount.  However it is very likely that it will be backwards.

Step 48 – To fix it, just click on the flip primary axis button.  Note that the motor shaft might not move with it.  If that bothers you, just click on the Solve button and OnShape will bring everything into the final place.

Step 49 – Rename the mate by using the pencil next to the green check box.  Motor in Mount sounds like a good name here.  Click the green check when done.

Step 50 – Which will give you something like this.  Press Shift 7 if you want to get back to the isometric view.

Step 51 – To place the motor hub on the shaft is a bit more complicated because we have a set screw that must go against the flat part of the shaft.

While you might get away with using a fasten mate and attempting to rotate until at matches, this is metter done with three mates – cylindrical to put the hub on the shaft, parallel to align the set screw to the flat part and a planar to place the hub at the right distance on the shaft

Step 52 – The first of the three is the Cylindrical mate

Step 53 – Find the center of the motor hub and click on it.  For a cylindrical, you can use any circle that is coincident with the center of the hub.

Step 54 – OnShape will select the entire part.

Step 55 – Then find the center of the shaft of the motor and click it.

Step 56 – OnShape will move the part into place, but sometimes it is backwards.

Step 57 – To fix that, just click on the flip primary axis.

Step 58 – And use the pencil to rename the mate to something useful like Hub on shaft and click the green pencil.

Step 59 – Select the parallel mate for the second part

Step 60 – Which will bring up the dialog.

Step 61 – Find the face of the set screw of the hub and click on the center

Step 62 – OnShape will select the part

Step 63 – Then rotate the model so to find the flat part of the shaft

Step 64 – And click on it.  Note that OnShape will place the part only respecting the new parallel mate.

Step 65 – To make it evaluate the proper position, click on the Solve button.  If the set screw is on the wrong side, just click on the flip primary axis button to fix it.

Step 66 – Once you are happy with the placement, click on the pencil next to the green check.

Step 67 – And rename the mate to something like Set screw on flat

Step 68 – At this point the hub will sit on the shaft, but can still slide up and down the shaft (you can try grabbing it to see it happen).  The third mate is a Planer Mate

Step 69 – We are going to match the flat edge of the hub to the flat edge of the D shaft.

Step 70 – Rotate the model so you can see the back end of the hub and click on it.

Step 71 – Then rotate so you can see the little ledge on the shaft of the motor.  Click on the ledge which is facing toward the hub.

Step 72 – OnShape will move the part in place.  Again note that unless you click Solve, it will only respect the Planar mate until you click the green check.

Step 73 – But before you do, click on the pencil to name it something meaningful and click the green check.

Step 74 – Press Shift-7 to get the isometric view of the model.  With all the mates in place, you should be able to grab either the hub or the motor shaft and rotate them.