Description of Commands - Part 1

In all the command of planes creation, the selected points can be:

points entities,
elements extremities (2D or 3D),
intersections,
random points,
points by their coordinates.

3 Points X or Face Plane

Creation of a plane by 2 different ways:

definition by three points: the first point represents the new origin, the second and third points give the direction of the X and Y axis.
a solid face: Just click on the solid face, the plane is created on it with the origin on the center of gravity of the face.

To create a 3 pts X or face plane

3 points X	Left click on the origin of the new plane (1) or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone. Left click on a second point to give the X axis direction (2) or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone. Left click on a third point to give the Y axis direction (3) or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.
Face plane	Left click on the face desired (A).

2 Points X Plane or Section

Creation of a plane by two points, this plane is perpendicular to the current plane.

To create a 2 pts X plane

Left click on the origin of the new plane (1) or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.
Left click on a second point to give the X axis direction (2) or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.

1 Angle Plane

Creation of a plane by rotation around X, Y or Z axis relative to a reference plane. Once the plane is created it becomes the current plane.

The command is modal, which means that it remains active once the first plane is created. Thus, you can create other planes always depending on the previous one. To stop the command, press the Esc key on the keyboard.

To create a 1 angle plane

Choose the rotation axis :
Rotation around X: A
Rotation around Y: B
Rotation around Z: C

Enter the angle value: to determine the sign, refer to the image on the right.
Rotation around Z : + is from X to Y
Rotation around X : + is from Y to Z
Rotation around Y : + is from Z to X

Choose the new plane origin:

Left click on a point or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.
It is advised to choose this point on the face to work to have a Z0 on this face and on a dimensioning origin if possible.

In the following example, this is a rotation (around X) with a + 90° angle (from Y to Z)

Origin Plane

Creation of a plane parallel to the current plane with another origin. The axis orientation is strictly the same than the reference plane.

To create an origin plane

Left click on the new origin point or define it with its coordinates.

3 points or Face plane

Creation of a plane by three points with the possibility to permute the axis and to choose the plane origin.

3 points: you have to show 3 points, the first is a temporary origin, the second and third points give the direction of X and Y axis.
Face: just click on the solid face, the plane is created on it with a temporary origin on the center of gravity of the face.

3 Points

To create a 3 pts plane:

Left click on a point or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.
Left click on a second point to give the X axis direction or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.
Left click on a third point to give the Y axis direction or enter its coordinates in the dialog zone.

or

Left click on the solid face desired.

You have now the possibility to permute the axis:

Left click on X: X and Y directions are inverted, Z does not move	Left click on Y: Y takes the place of X, X follows, Z does not move	Left click on Z: Z and Y direction are inverted, X does not move

Left click OK to validate.
Left click on the plane origin or define its coordinates in the dialog box.

Face Plane

		Naming of the plane.
		Plane according to the view
		Selection of the plane origin on the solid
		Inversion of the vector direction
		Orientation of the plane / axis
		Definition of the X axis from 2 points on the solid

To create a face plane:

Left click on the 3 pts or face plane icon and then left click on the selected face.
Left click on [4] to invert the axes. Notice: that the X axis has change position compared to the image above. Same for the Z axis.
Left click on [6] to define the X-axis.
Left click to Validate and the orientation will switch to the new workplane .

▶️ You can watch a video on Face plane on a solid:

Dynamic Creation of Workplane-20240814-112344.png

Manual Plane

New command to create customized workplane according to the position of the current view.

Let’s have a look at this workpiece: we need to machine the through pocket. All the flanks of this shape are tapered and some have an undercut angle in the REFERENCE plane.

To define a workplane where the tool would access to all the flanks, we have no easy solution. As we do not need a precise angular value, we can use the manual plane: first rotate the part with mouse actions (F7 or scroll button) and block the view in the correct position (image on the left). launch the Manual plane command, then validate with green check icon. The workplane is created.