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Changing assembly axis

Monstrobolaxa

New member
Hi all,
I've just finished a complex assembly with 50 odd components, but the axis of the whole assembly isn't square with the first element I imported, which is the axis I want to be used for both drafting and rendering.

The axis system appears to be using another part's axis which is 3 degrees off from the axis of the part I want it to use.

How do I change the axis used by the assembly? In the past I've resorted to deleting everything and starting from sctrach! But in this case it is a bit of pain...

Any ideas?
 
Does your assembly have one main part that everything else is constrained to?

Did you apply a Fix constraint on this main part?
 
There's an easy way to create the drawing views with correct orientation. Instead of selecting a plane when defining the Front view, select two lines. The first line will define the H-direction of the Front view, and the second line will define the V-direction.
 
Thank you for the replies.

As for the drafting bit I knew about that technique, but my main problem is when using photostudio and rendering, as the model is 3 degrees in roll compared to the ground plane. This is for marketing purposes and do need them correct!
 
OK. I think I have an easy solution, but I just want to check one thing on your assembly. Does your assembly have one main part that everything else is constrained to? Did you apply a Fix constraint on this main part?
 
Test

no answer to my previous question(s), so I will assume the main component is FIXED. And I will also assume all the other components are constrained to the main component.

How do I change the axis used by the assembly? In the past I've resorted to deleting everything and starting from scratch! But in this case it is a bit of pain...

Any ideas?

The Assembly contains it's own coordinate system (axis) and this axis cannot be moved. (It cannot be seen either) Instead of moving the assembly, we will move all the components to align them with the Assembly axis.

Find out where the Assembly Axis is located:
1. Insert a NEW PART into the assembly
2. Give this new part a name of "TEMP"
3. reply NO to the message to position the new part based on the assembly origin
4. right-click on the TEMP part in the tree and add a FIX constraint to lock it's position

Move all the components relative to the Assembly Axis:
5. delete the FIX constraint on the main component
6. add a Coincidence constraint between the Axis of the TEMP part and the Axis of the main component
(use the tree to select both axis systems)
7. UPDATE the assembly to move all the components into position
8. delete the Axis-Axis Coincidence constraint (step #6)
9. add a FIX constraint on the main component (replacing the one deleted in step #5)
(verify the FIX constraint includes a lock in the icon, meaning the component is locked at that location)
10. delete the TEMP part, and delete it's FIX constraint
11. save the assembly

Now you can use the assembly for drawing views and rendering based on the Assembly axis.
 
Last edited:

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