Plane in Mechanism-Editor

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Plane in Mechanism-Editor

What is a Plane?

A Plane is a flat surface, defined by its Local XYZ-axes. The XY axes are coplanar with the Plane. The Z-axis follows the usual Right-Hand-Rule.

Use Visibility toolbar > Show Solids in Mechanisms to see Planes in Mechanism-Editors.

See also: Add Plane - Model-Editor

Add Plane (Mechanism-Editor)

In a Mechanism-editor, you can add a new Plane:

•that is parallel to a Plane you select. You can control the distance from the reference Plane - see FORMAT 1

•whose origin is at the start-Point of a Line* and the Plane to which the Line is descendant. You can rotate the new Plane about the XYZ axes of the Plane - FORMAT 2

btn_delkeywordFORMAT 1: Add Plane to a Plane

STEP 1:Start the Add Plane command

MD-Toolbar-Model-AddPlane-A

Mechanism menu > Plane

OR

Model elements toolbar > Add Plane

FORMAT 1: Add Plane to Plane

FORMAT 1: Add Plane to Plane

The Add Plane dialog opens, immediately

In the Mechanism-Editor, the default format is:

Red-14-1 New Plane Name - Plane6

Plane Parameters

Red-14-2 Plane Definition - (default format)

Offset from Plane (default definition)

Red-14-3 Parameter to define the new Plane :

Distance to New Plane

Red-14-4 Element box - the name of the element(s) that are referenced by the new Plane.
MD-ADD-PPLANE2PLANE-MECH

STEP 2:Click a Plane.

Click a Plane in the graphics-area or the Assembly-Tree.

When you click a Plane, it shows in the Element boxRed-14-4 of the Add Plane dialog.

A preview of the new Plane is also in the graphics-area immediately.
MD-ADD-PPLANE2PLANE-MECH-B

STEP 3:Edit the ParameterRed-14-3

Edit Distance to New PlaneRed-14-3

Distance to new Plane - to Plane 6Red-14-1b from Plane5Red-14-4
MD-ADD-PPLANE2PLANE-MECH-C

STEP 4.Complete the Add Plane command

Click MD-OK-tiny-11-15 in the Add-Plane dialog

Result

The new PlaneRed-14-2 is in the graphics-area and Assembly-Tree.

It is on Local Z-axis of the Plane you select to add the new Plane.

The new Plane has its own Local XYZ-axes.

btn_delkeywordFORMAT 2: Add Plane to a Line (CAD-Line, Part's X-axis or Y-axis)

STEP 1:Start the Add Plane command

MD-Icon-AddPlane

Mechanism menu > Add Plane

OR

Model elements toolbar > Add Plane

FORMAT 1: Add Plane to Plane

FORMAT 1: Add Plane to Plane

The Add Plane dialog opens, immediately

In the Mechanism-Editor, the default format assumes you will select a Plane.

Red-14-1 New Plane Name - Plane6

Plane Parameters

Red-14-2 Plane Definition - (default format)

Offset from Plane (default definition)

Red-14-3 Parameter to define the new Plane :

Distance to New Plane  

Red-14-4 Element box - the name of the element(s) that the new Plane references.
MD-ADD-PPLANE2LINE-MECH-A

STEP 2:Click a Line*.

Click a Line* in the graphics-area

* Line, CAD-Line, or a Part's X-axis or Y-axis

When you click a Line, the Line and the Plane (see below) to which the Line is descendant (great-grand-child - Plane > Mechanism > Part > Line ) show in the Element boxRed-14-4

There is a preview of the new Plane in the graphics-area, immediately.

Note: Default Rotate around X-axis = 90.
FORMAT 2: Add Plane to Line

FORMAT 2: Add Plane to Line

STEP 3.Edit the parameters Red-14-3Red-14-5

Red-14-3 Angle - rotate the new Plane around the X–axis

and

Red-14-3 Angle - rotate the new Plane around the Y–axis

and

Red-14-3 Angle - rotate the new Plane around the Z–Axis

Optional (for Bevel Gearboxes)

Red-14-5 Move Plane to end-Point - move the new Plane to the end of the Line in the Element box.

If you enable Move Plane to end-Point, (and the Rotate around X,Y,Z parameters are zero(0)), the Local X-axis is from the end-Point to the start-Point, the Local Y-axis is on the new Plane, and the Local Z-axis follows the Right-Hand-Rule.

STEP 4.Complete the Add Plane command

Click MD-OK-tiny-11-15 in the Add-Plane dialog
MD-ADD-PPLANE2LINE-MECH-C

Result

The new PlaneRed-14-2 is in the graphics-area and Assembly-Tree.

The new Plane shows its XYZ-axes.

Video:

Video: Add Plane to a Line, CAD-Line, or the X- or Y-axis of a Part