Hello, I'm sure this is a rookie question with a quick answer. I am trying to design a case to enclose a motor for which I have a .stl file. What I'd like to do is import the motor file and build up the case dimensions using the motor as a reference, then hide/suppress it when completed. However when I hide the motor anything referencing it also gets hidden. What is the right way to do this?
Assuming the motor and enclosure are in same part file. Are you hiding or suppressing? Hiding normally does not hide other features unless you have combined them with that motor. Suppressing will "hide" the motor and any child features. I normally do not design in context and if I do, I break any references to the part I am going to hide. You can always upload your part in the advanced editor (click in upper right corner of post) for the forum members to take a look.
Being a .stl file, will you be able to dimension to it in reality to drive the dimension of the case from? Or it's just going to be a graphical reference item to work around? Can you just ref. the motor size and design the case knowing the motor size?
It doesn't take long to model a motor using the overall dimensions and other criteria, much easier then working with an STL file. Unless there is a lot of detail you need to show on the motor file. I would remodel it any way.
depending on what your wanting to do with the stl file,
play with this setting...
this will give you a real solid file that would need to be updated as they change or modify your motor, or a nice image of the file that will be updated as your stl file gets updated depending on if you have it enabled or disabled. Great for when you have things that will be updated by a vendor that can change week to week, and not so great if you have like a standard part from a vendor that may need some special modification to fit you application such as rotating flanges 90 or 45 deg. Then it all depends on how you import the part.
The best performance practice is to make a really simple part that give you the features such as foot location and shaft locations that you need to place the motor and other components with out all the extra memory sucking features that can be added to a lot of files.
Hello Matt,...I'd suggest you use '''Insert Part".at the beginning of the crates feature tree..and at the end of the feature tree use "Remove Body".
Otherwise,..do not apply any relationships to the STL.