What is a Plane?

A Plane is flat surface onto which we add new Mechanism-Editors.

In the Model-Editor: you can add a new Plane with a different Plane as the source-element.

In the Mechanism-Editor: you can add a new Plane to a Plane, a Line, a CAD-Line, or the X-axis or Y-axis of a Part. as source-elements.

Note:

This topic is Add Plane in a Mechanism-Editor.

See also: Add a Plane in the Model-Editor.

Add Plane (Mechanism-Editor)

Add Plane icon

Model elements toolbar > Add Plane

 

Menu:

Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Model sub-menu > Add Plane

Notes:

In an active Mechanism-Editor, it is possible to add a Plane to a Line, and a Plane. The Line and Plane must be a child to the active Mechanism-Editor.

Plane dialog-box:

Plane dialog-box
ModelAddMech
Model Toolbar [Click items to see more...]

Model Toolbar
[Click items to see more...]

STEP 1: Click ...

1. Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Model sub-menu > Add Plane

or

1.Model elements toolbar > Add Plane

The Add Plane dialog-box opens
Add Plane - Plane

Add Plane - Plane

The default method is 'Offset from Plane'

The default parameters in the Add Plane dialog-box are:

1s-red  Name of the new Plane

2s  Method to add the new Plane - default method is 'Offset from Plane'

3s  The reference element you select for the new Plane - See STEP 2

4s  Parameter[s] that you edit to locate the new Plane.

The default parameter is a distance, which is the offset distance to the new Plane from the select as the reference element.

GA-AddPlanetoPlane

STEP 2: Click one of these elements:

Line1s-red, CAD-Line, X–axis or Y–axis2s† of an Added Part or the Base-Part

- or -

Plane3s that is a child to the active Mechanism-Editor

- or -

Mechanism-Editor in the Assembly-Tree.

† Where is the new Plane?

You may not be able to see the new Plane.

Its default angle is perpendicular[⊥] to the Mechanism Plane.

If you cannot see the new Plane, then:

•Zoom-out with your mouse-wheel
•Spin the model with your keyboard arrow keys
•Make sure Display Filters > Display Filters does not hide Planes.

GA-PlaneinME

If you click a Line, CAD-Line or X-Axis or Y-axis

Parameters you can edit are the:

•Angle around the X–axis of the new Plane

and

•Angle around the Y–axis of the new Plane

and

•Angle around the Z–axis of the new Plane

Note: A Positive angle is Clockwise around the axis or Line, as you look along the positive direction of the axis or Line.

GA-PlanetoPlane

If you click a Plane

Parameter you can edit is the:

•Distance along the Z-Axis of the reference Plane

'0mm' is coplanar with the reference Plane.
Add Plane - Add Line

Add Plane - Add Line

STEP 3: Edit the parameter[s]4s

The 'parameter[s]' are a function of the element you click as the reference.

(see dialog-box to left as example). If you click a:

Line, CAD-Line, X–axis or Y–axis of a Part (Added Part or Base-Part)

... edit Rotate [the new Plane] around its X, Y and Z-axes.

- or -

Plane that is a child to the active Mechanism-Editor

... edit Distance to New Plane

- or -

•Mechanism-Editor in the Assembly-Tree.

... edit Distance to New Plane

STEP 4: Click OK-tiny-13-17 to close the dialog-box

There is a new Plane to the graphic-area and Assembly-Tree

Video:  Add Plane to a Fixed and a Moving Line

'Expand' then 'Play'

How to...

Add a Plane to a Line

 

Tutorial and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 13.2 + © Machine, Mechanism, Motion and Cam Design Software by PSMotion Ltd