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Working in other UCS?

Question asked by robert dattilo on Feb 26, 2015
Latest reply on Feb 27, 2015 by robert dattilo

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Hello,

There might be two things I miss from the old Acad days, & one is something

I’m looking for in SW. I have a part that starts off fairly simple but then winds around

with sweeps, including splines. I get to the other end totally out of any kind of sensible

orientation, & I need to do some work. In Acad/Mdt, I could just create a UCS at that point
maybe by 3 points of geometry, & I could go to a working environment in
that USC. In SW I created the UCS, but it doesn’t seem to allow for me to move
into a work environment within it. What am I missing?

When trying to work on complex areas way
off away from the coordinate system how do you do it in SW?

Thanks, in advance for any input;

Rob_D SW 2014_Sp4

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Mike Pogue Feb 26, 2015 10:49 AM
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Typically, when I teach SW to AutoCAD users, I find it's a lot harder than teaching somebody with no experience. It's because AutoCAD thinking is totally unrelated to SW thinking.

If you post an example of what you would like to do, I can tell you the SolidWorks way to do it, and you can judge whether you can get used to it.
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- robert dattilo @ Mike Pogue on Feb 26, 2015 1:40 PM
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  - robert dattilo @ robert dattilo on Feb 26, 2015 1:47 PM
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    Hello;
    This is the end point of a fairly complex sweeped part. Basically, look at the coordinate system, in the bottom left, and look at the next one that I created embedded in the part. I need to have something more active like the one embedded, but it seems with Solidworks, your stuck in the original one. You can create the new one, but not switch to a work envirornment in it. This used to be a quick step that enbabled you to continue x,y,z work by the time the part got all skewed etc. from your starting position.
    
    Thanks, for input;
    Rob_D
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    - John Burrill @ robert dattilo on Feb 26, 2015 3:50 PM
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      Robert a coordinate system in SolidWorks serves a different purpose than one in AutoCAD. In SW, a coordinate system provides an orientation and location reference for exchanging data with other programs like CAM software. In AutoCAD a UCS provides reference for drawing and modifying geometry.
      I'm not a hundred percent sure where you're getting lost on this model, but I'm assuming that you're buggered that your horizontal and vertical orientations in 2D and 3D sketches aren't predictable anymore and that's what you're trying to address.
      In 2D sketches, you can use the "Modify sketch" tool to move and rotate the coordinate system about the origin. In a 3D sketch, you can create a reference plane that includes a horizontal direction reference.In general, when horizontal and vertical directions aren't clear or useful, switch to using Parallel and perpendicular relations and aligned dimensions to position and size sketch geometry.
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      - robert dattilo @ John Burrill on Feb 26, 2015 5:03 PM
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        Hello;
        Yes you are correct; when you've wondered so far from the world user coordinate system, when doing things like view normal to, produces un-predictable results, and that's if you have the desired geometry. Some of it might not be even created yet. To be honest most of the stuff I do, doesn't wander so far from the original usc, but I have done some gage design etc. in the past, where having that flexibility simplified things a whole lot, seemingly to me. It's a bit funny to have perhaps a 3d sketch, & then have rotation issues.
        Anyway, I have a shot of the entire lever that might shed some light.
        
        Thanks, for input from all;
        Rob_D
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        Mike Pogue @ robert dattilo on Feb 26, 2015 5:43 PM
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        View normal to will set your camera perpendicular to the plane you have selected. This could be any surface. If you are sketching, this will be the sketch plane. If the camera is normal to the wrong side of the plane, do view/normal to one more time and it will fix it.
        
        When you start a new sketch on some geometry far from the origin, you should be defining your sketch dimensions and constraints based on features that have design significance. In many cases, the WCS origin and default planes have design significance. But at the end of the swept tube with arbitrary bends, that is not likely to be true.
        
        I have a suspicion. Could you post a screen shot of a sketch that is causing you pain?
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    - Mike Pogue @ robert dattilo on Feb 26, 2015 4:14 PM
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      What John Burrill said.
      
      But also, what specific action are being blocked from doing, or is very much harder because you cannot change the UCS? What is the end goal? Surely the end goal is not to change the UCS?
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      - robert dattilo @ Mike Pogue on Feb 27, 2015 8:25 AM
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        Hello;
        
        Yes, the normal direction is perpendicular, but the rotations will be un-predictable as John said. I pretty much have work arounds that I'm doing but like I said that was one feature that was kind of nice. You'd get way out on a limb, pick three points or whatever, & your whole working envirornment was changed to what you wanted. You could always switch back to the former Ucs. That included x,y, & z, so no rotation issues. I personnally think it would be a nice enhancement to the SW software. There isn't a particular sketch at this time. As might be visible in the last attachment I pretty much have it worked out.
        
        Thanks,
        Rob_D
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