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Virtual part to external part with planes selected

Question asked by David Cook on Apr 25, 2013
Latest reply on Apr 26, 2013 by Jeremiah Feist

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I'm using Solidworks 2010. Yes, I know it's ancient.

I'm making several parts in an assembly. They are virtual parts. After saving the virtual parts to externa parts, the orientaion of the planes in the external are different than in the original assembly. The TOP plane is now the front plane, the FRONT plane is the bottom plane, etc.

I realize that it doesn't make much difference to solidworks, but I want to have the external part file oriented that same as my original virtual part. When I start making assembly and detail drawings, I don't want a part in the assembly to be pointing up, but the detail drawing has it pointing down.

Is there a way to set the planes before saving to an external file? I don't want to re-orient views on 40 different parts after saving them externally.

Thanks,

Dave

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Jerry Steiger Apr 26, 2013 3:55 PM

David,

I don't use virtual parts, so I'm just guessing that this is a consequence of how you built the virtual parts. As I recall, the first sketch in the new part in the assembly is considered to be on the Front Plane of the new part. If that actually happens to be parallel to the Top plane of the assembly, then it seems likely that you could end up with the situation you are in. I don't know of any way out.

Jerry S.

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David Cook @ Jerry Steiger on Apr 26, 2013 4:12 PM

I understand and agree that the plane of the sketch becomes the front plane in the external file. What I don't understand is how solidworks determines the top and right plane in the external file.

When you insert a part into an assembly and you start mating the planes of the part to the planes of the assembly, you have the option to "flip the orientation" of the plane mate.

It seems like solidworks orients the "bottom side" of the top plane of the virtual part with the "top side" of the plane in the external file.

Dave

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Paul Marsman @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 4:34 PM

Not sure about a way out of what you currently have but to avoid this I would say you could do it this way:

1. New Part

2. Save to external file

3. Insert Part to assembly

4. Make part virtual

Then you can get the orientation you want and be back to what you currently have.

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Lenny Bucholz @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 4:43 PM

it all depends on what plane or face you select when you first started the new part in the assembly, meaning if you piked a face and it's normal direction is facing away from the default planes this would happen. wrong side.

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Jeremiah Feist @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 5:40 PM

I don't recall if it was in 2010, but if instead of picking on a plane when inserting the virtual part, you pick in "empty" space you would get a fixed part with the origin aligned to the assembly origin.

also you can now mate the origins with an option to "align axis"

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5 Replies

Jerry Steiger Apr 26, 2013 3:55 PM
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David,

I don't use virtual parts, so I'm just guessing that this is a consequence of how you built the virtual parts. As I recall, the first sketch in the new part in the assembly is considered to be on the Front Plane of the new part. If that actually happens to be parallel to the Top plane of the assembly, then it seems likely that you could end up with the situation you are in. I don't know of any way out.

Jerry S.
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- David Cook @ Jerry Steiger on Apr 26, 2013 4:12 PM
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  I understand and agree that the plane of the sketch becomes the front plane in the external file. What I don't understand is how solidworks determines the top and right plane in the external file.
  
  When you insert a part into an assembly and you start mating the planes of the part to the planes of the assembly, you have the option to "flip the orientation" of the plane mate.
  
  It seems like solidworks orients the "bottom side" of the top plane of the virtual part with the "top side" of the plane in the external file.
  
  Dave
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  - Paul Marsman @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 4:34 PM
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    Not sure about a way out of what you currently have but to avoid this I would say you could do it this way:
    1. New Part
    2. Save to external file
    3. Insert Part to assembly
    4. Make part virtual
    
    Then you can get the orientation you want and be back to what you currently have.
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  - Lenny Bucholz @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 4:43 PM
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    it all depends on what plane or face you select when you first started the new part in the assembly, meaning if you piked a face and it's normal direction is facing away from the default planes this would happen. wrong side.
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  - Jeremiah Feist @ David Cook on Apr 26, 2013 5:40 PM
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    I don't recall if it was in 2010, but if instead of picking on a plane when inserting the virtual part, you pick in "empty" space you would get a fixed part with the origin aligned to the assembly origin.
    
    also you can now mate the origins with an option to "align axis"
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Virtual part to external part with planes selected

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