When two parts in an assembly cannot be positioned properly by mate and align relationships, you can position them using connect relationships. A connect relationship positions a keypoint on one part with a keypoint, line, or face on another part. For example, you can apply a connect relationship to position the center of a spherical face on one part with respect to a spherical face on another part.

You can use the following methods to apply connect relationships:

• Point-to-Point: In the following figure, a mate relationship is applied between the mitered corners of the parts. A connect relationship, which ties a point on one part to the appropriate point on another, connects the two corners properly. A floating align relationship between the back surfaces fully positions the part.

  

• Point-to-Line: In the following example, a mate relationship is applied between the faces of the two parts. Because the sides of each part are drafted, there are no part faces which you can use to apply a planar align relationship. You can apply three connect relationships between the keypoints on the top part and the linear edges on the bottom part.

  

• Point-to-Plane: In the following example, the lower right pin is positioned to a depth that just touches the surface of a reference plane.

  

• Cone-to-Cone: In the following example, the cone on the fastener is connected to the cone on the countersunk hole on the plate.  When you add a connect relationship between two conical faces, the keypoint that represents the theoretical intersection of the individual cones are connected. You can also apply an offset value to a connect relationship between two conical faces.

  

• End points of lines, arcs, and ellipses

• Midpoint of a line (edge centerline)

• Arc center point

• Circle center point

• Elliptical element center point

• Spherical surface center point

• Conical surface center point

• Linear edges (including tangent edges)

• Reference axis

• Axis of a cone, torus , spun surfaces and a sphere.

• Planar part surfaces

• Reference planes

• Faces of a torus, cone or sphere.

• Connect a point on the first part to a point on the second part

• Connect a point on the first part to a line on the second part

• Connect a point on the first part to a face on the second part

• Connect a line on the first part to a point on the second part

• Connect a face on the first part to a point on the second part

• Apply a Connect Relationship Between Parts

• Assembly relationships

• Placing parts in assemblies

• Connect command bar