Creating Reference Points

You can create reference points to use as construction features.

This task shows you how to:

 

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More help on this topic

Creating a Reference Point Using Coordinates

You can create a point by defining the coordinates from a reference point.

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select Coordinates reference point type.
  3. Optional: Click Select point, select a reference point from the work area.
  4. Under Offset coordinates, specify the offset values for Offset in X , Offset in Y , and Offset in Z .

    Alternatively, you can use the arrows to change the values.

  5. Optional: To flip the offset values of X, Y, or Z, click .
  6. Click

Creating a Reference Point on a Surface

You can create a point on a surface at a specified distance and direction from a reference point.

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select the On Surface reference point type.
  3. Click Host Surface and select the surface from the work area to create a point.
  4. Optional: Click Point on Surface and select a point on the selected surface where you want to create a reference point.

    By default the center of the surface is selected.

  5. Click Direction and from the work area, select an element to use its orientation, or plane to use its normal as a reference direction.
  6. In the Distance along direction , type the value to specify distance along the reference direction to display a point.

    Alternatively, you can use arrows.

  7. Click

Creating a Reference Point on a Curve

You can create a point on a curve at a specified distance and direction from a reference point.

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select the On Curve reference point type.
  3. Click Host Curve and select the surface curve from the work area.
  4. Optional: Click Reference Point and select a point on the selected surface where you want to create a reference point.

    A default reference point appears at the starting or end point of a selected surface curve.

  5. Click Direction and from the work area, select a plane or an edge from the work area to specify direction of a reference point.

  6. Select from one of the following to specify a location of a reference point:
    OptionDescription
    Distance along curve

    Creates a point at a specified distance along the curve from the default location of a reference point.

    Note: A default location of a reference point is at the starting or end point of a selected surface curve.
    Distance along direction

    Creates a point at a specified distance from the default location of a reference point. There are two types of specifying distance:

    • Geodesic: Measures a distance along the curve of a selected surface.
    • Euclidean: Measures a distance along the length of a selected surface.

    Note: If you select a plane as a direction, it should be perpendicular to the selected surface curve. If you select edge as a direction, it should be tangent to the surface curve.
    Percentage along curve

    Creates a point along the surface curve from the default reference point location.

    Note: Specify the percentage value as a ratio of a length of a surface curve.
  7. Click

Creating a Reference Point on a plane

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select .
  3. Click Select a planar geometry and select a plane or face from the work area.
  4. Optional: Click Select point on plane and click in thework area to specify a reference point.

    Note: A default reference point is the origin of a model.

  5. Optional: Click Specify projection geometry to specify a surface on which the reference point is projected normally to the plane.
  6. Type the Horizontal offset and Vertical offset values to specify the reference point directions.

    Note: Alternatively, you can use scroll arrows to increase or decrease the offset values..

  7. Click

Creating a Reference Point at a center of an arc

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select .
  3. click Specify circular arc , and select an arc from the work area.
    The reference point appears at the center of the selected arc.
  4. Click

Creating a Reference Point on a tangent curve

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select .
  3. Click Specify curve and select a curved edge from the work area
  4. Click Specify direction and select any edge or plane as a direction normal to the selected curve.
  5. Click

Creating a Reference Point between two reference points

  1. From the Modeling section of the action bar, click Reference Point .
  2. In the Reference Point dialog box, from the list, select .
  3. clickSelect start point and select an existing reference point from the work area.
  4. Click Select end point and select another reference point from the work area.
  5. Optional: Click Support and select a face or plane on which the two reference points are located.
  6. Specify a Percentage value between the two reference points where you want to place your reference point.
  7. Click