Creating Ordinate Driven Dimension Annotations
Create new ordinate dimensions as annotations that are driven by geometry.
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Orientation Model
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Annotation plane
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Ordinate dimension icon
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Attachment type Baseline
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Dimensions
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Place annotation
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Display options
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Cleanup Move to Plane
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Update
Figure 1 - Creating a Baseline
Figure 2 - Selecting References
Figure 3 - Ordinate Dimensions Created
Creating Ordinate Driven Dimension Annotations
Figure 1 - Creating a Baseline
Figure 2 - Selecting References
Figure 3 - Ordinate Dimensions Created You can create new ordinate dimensions as annotations that are driven by geometry, specifically the selected geometric entities that define the ends of the dimension.
Typically, the dimension annotation elements are grouped together within the various combined states. The system displays the created annotation features in the detail tree and in the model tree Annotations node (annotations must be enabled in the model tree filters).Once they are created, you can select the dimension annotations from the detail tree, model tree, or graphics window. You can then right-click and perform editing or display operations.
The following process is used to create ordinate driven dimension annotation elements:
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Orientation Orient the model and select, edit, or create an annotation plane.
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Similar to a 2-D drawing, you plan which views should contain the appropriate dimensions and how you want the dimensions to appear as the model is oriented or posed .
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Ordinate dimension Click Ordinate Driven Dimension
from the Annotations group.
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If no previous ordinate baseline (0.0 dimension) exists, you can select the baseline attachment type.
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If a previous ordinate baseline (0.0 dimension) exists, you can: Create a new baseline — Select a baseline attachment type.
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Select an existing baseline — Select an existing Baseline (0.0 dimension). You can then specify a dimension attachment type, and all references are dimensioned from the selected baseline.
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Baseline attachment type Select the appropriate attachment type for the geometry to be selected to create the ordinate dimension baseline. The following options are available: Select Entity
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Select Surface
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Select Reference
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Select Tangent
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When using Select Surface
, the location where the reference is selected for the baseline defines the Z depth of the dimension.
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Best practices recommend that surface references are the most robust and are not likely to vanish if the model changes; thus, the dimension will always remain.
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Dimension attachment type Select the appropriate attachment type for the geometry to be selected to create the dimension. You can mix and match options for each end of a dimension. The following options are available: Select Entity
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Select Surface
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Select Reference
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Select Tangent
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Select Midpoint
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Select Intersection
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Place annotation Once references are selected, the dimension text is placed aligned to the baseline dimension
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The dimension text and extension lines are created on the plane of the baseline.
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Once the dimensions are placed, the Dimension tab displays in the ribbon with all the available display options, based on the reference specified. The orientations refer to the current annotation orientation, with the horizontal matching the blue arrow direction for the annotation plane. If you specified an arc reference, you can choose any of the following arc attachment options in the Display group: Min
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Max
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Center
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Cleanup You can move the baseline ordinate dimension, select it and all of the subsequent ordinate dimensions, then right-click and select Align Dimensions to line up all ordinate dimensions to the baseline.
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You can also select the baseline ordinate dimension, then right-click and select Move to Plane
to place all ordinate dimensions in that series on a different Z depth plane.
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Update Once dimensions are cleaned up, and the model is placed into an ideal orientation, click Update
from the Combination States group to save the changes to the current combined state.
Creating Ordinate Driven Dimension Annotations
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MBD\Dimensions_Ordinate
ORDINATE_PLATE.PRT
Steps
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Task 1. Create ordinate dimensions using On Entity and On Surface references. Enable only the following Datum Display type:
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In the ribbon, select the Annotate tab. Click TOP
from the Annotation Planes group.
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Select the 7C combined state tab.
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From the In Graphics toolbar, select 3D2 from the Saved Orientations drop-down menu.
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Click Ordinate Driven Dimension
from the Annotations group. In the Select Reference dialog box, select Select Entity
from the Select types drop-down menu.
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Select the left edge shown.
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Middle-click to place the dimension.
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Select Select Surface
from the Select types drop-down menu. Select the planar and cylindrical surfaces shown.
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Notice the cylindrical dimension is placed at the center of the hole.
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In the Display group, notice the arc attachment is set to Center
.
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Edit the arc attachment to Max
.
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Click Cancel from the Select Reference dialog box.
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Task 2. Create ordinate dimensions using On Surface and Center references. Click Ordinate Driven Dimension
. Select Select Surface
.
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Select the front surface.
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Middle-click to place the dimension.
- Select Select Entity
. Select the two arcs shown.
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In the Display group, select Min
as the arc attachment.
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Select the 1.75 dimension.
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Select Max
as the arc attachment.
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Click Cancel .
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Task 3. Create ordinate dimensions using an On Entity reference that reuses a baseline. Click Ordinate Driven Dimension
. Select the vertical baseline shown.
- Select Select Entity
. Query-select the four axes shown.
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Click Cancel . You do not have to press CTRL to select multiple items for an ordinate dimension.
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Task 4. Align the ordinate dimensions and update the combined state. Select 3D1 from the Saved Orientations drop-down menu. Select and move the vertical baseline dimension if desired.
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Select the vertical baseline, press CTRL, and select the other six vertical dimensions.
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Right-click and select Align Dimensions .
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Select and move the horizontal baseline dimension if desired. Select the horizontal baseline, press CTRL, and select the other two horizontal dimensions.
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Right-click and select Align Dimensions .
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Select 3D3 from the Saved Orientations drop-down menu. Click in the background to de-select all items.
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Notice that the origin of the three horizontal dimensions is within the model.
Remember that the origin point of the dimensions is determined by the Select Surface
pick location of the baseline dimension.
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Select the horizontal baseline dimension.
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Right-click and select Move to Plane
. Select the top model surface.
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Select 3D1 from the Saved Orientations drop-down menu.
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Click Update
from the Combination States group.