Defining an Axis System

You can locally define a new three-axis system composed of an origin point and three orthogonal axes by entering coordinates or selecting geometry.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Insert in an assembly an existing 3D shape containing geometric elements.
Important: You need to edit the axis system features that were created before V6R2013x. For this, double-click the axis system in the 3D area or in the tree. Click Ok in the Axis System Definition dialog box.

Create an Axis System from Coordinates and Geometry

  1. From the Assembly section of the action bar, click Axis System .
    The Choose a 3D Shape dialog box appears.
  2. Click Create new in the Choose a 3DShape dialog box.

    In the Choose a 3D Shape dialog box:

    • The Product box displays the name of the active product.
    • 3DShapes either lists the available 3D shapes instanced under the active product or lists the available 3D shapes instanced under a selected product. In both cases, these 3D shapes can be modified.
    • The Create new command allows you to create a 3D shape.
      Important: When you create a new 3D shape in Assembly commands context, its Nature is set as Specification whatever your choice in the dialog box, and you cannot change the nature of this 3D shape after it has been created with this command. See Nature of a New 3D Shape Created in Assembly Commands Context.
    • The Automatically create new 3D Shape when none exists option allows you to create a 3D shape either under the active or selected product automatically. In this case, the Choose a 3D Shape dialog box does not appear.

    The New Content tab appears.
  3. Click 3D Shape under Physical Product Structure node in the New Content tab.
  4. Click OK in the 3D Shape dialog box.
    The new 3D Shape is created under the active product.
  5. Click OK in the 3D Shape dialog box.
    • The new 3D Shape is created under the active product.
    • The Axis System Definition dialog box appears. The axis system's parameters Origin, X axis, Y axis, and Z axis are automatically computed, and Default (Computed) appears in the boxes.
  • Important: You switch from Assembly Design app to the last representation app you used.
    1. Select the Axis system type.

      • Standard: Defines the axis system by a point of origin and three orthogonal directions.

        • If an axis system is defined as current, the new axis system is a copy of this current axis system.
        • If an axis system is selected, the new axis system is a copy of this preselected axis system.
        • If no axis system is selected or defined as current, the new axis system is a copy of the absolute axis system.
        • If the Robot is attached to the 3D geometry, the new axis system's orientations are the same as that of the Robot

      • Axis rotation: Defines a standard axis system with an angle computed from a selected reference.

      • Euler angles: Defines an axis system using three angle values.

        • Angle 1 (= X, N): Rotation about the Z axis transforming vector X into vector N.
        • Angle 2 (= Z, W): Rotation about vector N transforming the Z axis into vector W.
        • Angle 3 (= N, U): Rotation about vector W.


    2. Optional: Select a point to position the Origin of the axis system.
    3. Optional: Right-click the Origin box and select Insert Wireframe > Create Endpoint from the context menu to specify an end point of an element as origin.


    4. Optional: Right-click the Origin box and select Coordinates from the context menu to define a point by coordinates as origin.
    5. Optional: Select a line as input for the X axis.
      The X axis becomes collinear with the line. The other directions are automatically computed if they are not defined.

    6. Optional: Click the Y axis.
      The Y axis is reversed.

      Tip: You can also select Reverse next to the Y axis box to reverse its direction.
    7. Optional: Right-click one of the axes boxes (X axis, Y axis, or Z axis) and select Coordinates from the context menu to define axes by coordinates.
    8. Optional: For the Standard axis system type, select an existing axis system as Reference.
    9. Optional: Click More... to display the coordinates of origin and X, Y, and Z axes.
    10. Optional: Clear the Current check box.
      The created axis system is not defined as the active axis system. Instead, the absolute axis system becomes the current axis system.
      Note: By default, this check box is selected. You can change the default setting in Me > Preferences > Standards:
      1. In the Standard Definition dialog box, select Category: 3DModelingDefaultValues and 3DModelingDefaultValues > AxisSystm > Current in the Standard area.
      2. Select the required default setting in the Current list .
    11. Optional: Clear Under the Axis Systems node check box.

      In the tree, the axis system is created either in the current geometric set or right after the current object in an ordered geometric set. In this case, the axis system becomes the new current object.

      Note: This option is persistent and remains active until you modify it again. It is not stored in the feature.
    12. Click OK.
      The axis system is created. When it is defined as current, it is highlighted in the tree.
  • Important: You come back in the Assembly Design app.
    1. Optional: Right-click the axis system in the tree and select Axis System.x object > Move under Axis Systems.
      The axis system is moved to the Axis systems node.

    Notes:
    • You can use the Shift key while creating the axis system to select the implicit elements belonging to the axis system. For more information, see Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Selecting Implicit Elements.
    • There is associativity between the feature being created and the current local axis system. Therefore, when the local axis system is updated after a modification, all features based on the axis direction are updated as well.
    • The display mode of the axes is different depending on whether the three-axis system is right-handed or left-handed and current or not.
      Right-handed + Current Right-handed + Not current Left-handed + Current Left-handed + Not current
      Solid

      		 Dashed

      		 Dotted

      		 Dot-dashed

    Edit an Axis System

    1. Double-click the Axis System.1 in the tree.

      The Axis System Definition dialog box appears.

    2. Modify the values in the dialog box.
    3. Click OK.
      The axis system is modified.
    4. Right-click Axis System.1 in the tree and select Axis System.1 object > Isolate in the context menu.

      Local axes are fixed. If you want to constrain them, you need to isolate them before defining constraints, otherwise you would obtain over-constrained systems.

      The axis system is defined independent of the geometry.
    5. Click OK.
      The axis system is modified.
    6. Double-click any product to back in Assembly Design context.

    Note: Editing the geometric elements selected for defining the axes or the origin point affects the definition of the axis system accordingly.