How To Use The Edit Part Co-ordinate System

Modified on Thu, 13 Jul, 2023 at 9:00 AM

Introduction

This tech note is to provide information on how to import a solid model and change its co-ordinates for machine setup.

Import the Solid Model

Under the Files menu select the IMPORT function and select the solid import function.

Select File/Import and select the solid model extension you are trying to import. In this case it is an X_T Model. Once the model has been selected it will import into the 3D window.

Notice that the Origin of this part lies on the edge of the model instead of the center of the part. In most cases the person drawing the part has no idea of where the machinist/programmer needs the origin to be so the part is drawn with no respect to the manufacture of the part using a machine origin. It is up to the programmer to correctly place the origin and axis for part manufacture. In Partmaker this task is easy to accomplish.

In the bottom left corner of the 3D window is an icon. . This icon is the EDIT PART COORDINATE SYSTEM button. This is the button the user will use to reset the part origin for manufacturing purposes.

Select this button and a Part Coordinate page pops up.

There are four basic methods for using this feature.

Set Part Origin. This option, when selected, allows you to select the method of choosing a new origin:

Vertex: Sets the new origin at the selected vertex of the part.

Arc / Circle Center: Sets the new origin at the center of the selected arc or circle.

Face Center: Sets the new origin at the center of the selected face. The face can be a sphere, torus or a planar face.

Edge MidPoint: Sets the new origin at the midpoint of the selected edge. The edge has to be a straight line.

X. The x coordinate of the new origin

Y. The y coordinate of the new origin.

Z. The z coordinate of the new origin.

These values can be manually set or automatically filled when a selection is made using one of the methods of selection discussed earlier.

Set. Sets the new origin at the point described by the new coordinates.

Align Axis. This option, when selected, allows you to align the selected edge or surface from the solid with the selected axis in the Part Coordinate System.

Align. When clicked, the selected edge or surface on the solid model will be aligned with the selected axis of the Part Coordinate System.

From. The initial axis orientation to be transformed from.

To. The final axis orientation to be transformed to.

Transform. Transform the axis orientation from From to To.

X Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the X axis

Y Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the Y axis

Z Axis. If selected, rotates the part about the Z axis

Angle. Angle about which to rotate the part in degrees. Negative values are allowed.

Rotate Part. Rotates the part about one of the above selected axes.

Clear All Transforms. Clears all the transforms performed upon the part since it was imported into the job file and returns it back to its original coordinate system.

Undo. Undoes the last origin change, axis transform or part rotation operation.

In this instance we will use Method #1 Set New Part Origin.

Place a check mark in the Set Part Origin block and set the drop down menu to Arc/Circle Center. Next select the arc edge of the part that represents the Z0 face of the part.

Pick edge of an arc that represents the face of the part

Set drop down box to Arc/Circle center

Once the edge has been selected click on the SET button to change the origin. In many cases the “Z” axis will point in the wrong direction as shown in the picture below.

Note “Z” postive axis pointing into part instead of away from part

To correct this the user can rotate the co-ordinate around the “X” axis by 180° to place the “Z” axis in the correct position.

Click on the “X” axis button and make the angle 180. Next click the rotate button.

The origin is now centered on the part with the “Z” axis pointing in the right direction.

This is just one method of many that allows the user to either set or change the origins of a part. Other methods allow the user to align an axis by selecting a cylinder to align the axis to or switch from one plane to another with the transform system. Experimenting with these variables with give the user many tools to correct the origins of solid models.