Build the Perfect Crank-Slider Mechanism with Onshape and Revolute Mates!

In this video, I'll show you how to build a crank-slider mechanism using Onshape and Revolute Mates. This mechanism is perfect for use in applications like robots or prosthetic arms.
If you're interested in learning how to create and animate a crank-slider mechanism using Onshape, this video is for you! I'll show you step-by-step how to build the mechanism using the software, and then demonstrate how to use it in an assembly. By the end of the video, you'll have a working crank-slider mechanism that you can use in your designs!

[@SamScoot1]

This guy never misses, always great videos. Thanks!

[@cademist]

Glad you like them!

[@Kevin-ve7yi]

Thank you! I was only looking for mating tips, but you also taught me dozens of other things in just how to manage construction and keyboard shortcuts. Thanks again!

[@cademist]

You are very welcome-I think this type of project-oriented approach is great for learning "on the way".

[@jeffmcclain]

Your construction techniques really appeal to me, because they focus a LOT on how to get back to extruding/projecting and drawing constrained parametric objects/parts from the raw orthographic (or even just ONE primary orthographic) projection of the mechanical drawing. I like that a LOT, as it gets back to describing a minimal amount of sketches necessary to create the drawing (possibly incomplete for recreating from scratch as some dimensions are in the extrude lengths/offsets, but still, very fast and quick). It also blows my mind to NOT let the physical placement in 3D space get too much in the way of your creation of a part, since you can easily CHANGE that in the assembly. For example, you construct the crank part on the OUTSIDE of the connecting rod, even though you plan to eventually go back and PLACE it on the inside. That is just a detail that is sometimes hard for me to not obsess about.

[@cademist]

Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad you appreciate my approach to construction techniques. I believe that focusing on the core geometry and using extrudes and projections efficiently is key to creating complex parts quickly.
I agree that it's important not to get too caught up in the exact placement of parts in 3D space at the beginning. The flexibility to adjust their position later in the assembly environment is a great benefit of parametric modeling in the Onshape part studio.
I'm happy to discuss specific techniques or answer any questions you may have about my workflow.

[@sidtaylor1161]

Clear and concise, thankyou

[@cademist]

glad you like it!

[@moaicommunity2485]

Thank you That was really Helpful

[@cademist]

Glad to hear it!

[@cisses2]

정말 감사합니다.

[@cademist]

천만에요

[@peter_cuthbert]

Thanks for the video. Nice and clear and easy to follow what you were doing. Unfortunately life in Newbie World is never as simple as in Teacher World. Having followed your Mate choice and fitting exactly (Three cheers for the K key) my drawing ended up with a whole host of Mate errors. In every case the error message is 'Mate over-defines assembly'. There are only two implicit mates in each connection. Where possible I have trided to get the Z axis the same in both cases or facing each other if not. Do I need to go back and do some constraint killing in the Part Studio? The early 2024 version of OnS certainly provides auto constraints by the bucket load.

[@cademist]

Hi Peter, thanks for your comment. If you ran into seemingly unsolvable problems maybe you can share a link and I (or somebody else) can help?!

[@Clownmeati8]

+Edit+ two minutes in desining i realized where i screwed up, gotta make it 360deg rotate on the crank side. NP make it high enough it

[@cademist]

Great!

[@cademist]

Here is a link to the file: cad.onshape.com/documents/2f917a93090a98dd44db1966/w/20a9fc2ced5ca64bf3266b3e/e/a84bc190dbcfcb5610da42c4?renderMode=0&uiState=644674a4171042409c0df877

[@osmanl8003]

Thanks

[@cademist]

You are welcome!