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Semi-transparent datum planes

airion

New member
I would like to be able to more easily see where datum planes intersect a part. A good way to do that would be for them to look like a surface rather than only seeing the corners. They could then be semi-transparent so that they wouldn't block the view of the rest of part. Ideally you could just have another button next to the display datums button to quickly turn this feature on and off.



If something like this already exists, please post a reply here.
 
I am not sure this is what you are looking for, but it doesn't take much to create a cross-section through the intended datum plane.
 
I was thinking this would be a good quick way to be able to pick the intended datum for a sketch plane if there were some closely placed parallel datum planes that make selecting the right one a little more difficult. For example, if you wanted to add a protrusion or a cut from the same plane as an existing revolve feature, then there is no flat surface you could use as the sketch plane. Then if nearby parallel planes existed, it would make it tough to select the desired plane, unless you spin it until you get just the right view to see which plane coincides with the revolved feature and its axis.



I know the planes that are in the way could be turned off with layers, but the function I suggested would be much faster than having to turn layers on and off or using the hide/unhide for each feature that was in the way.



Another time this would come in handy would be to quickly see what physical surface or feature a datum coincides with for datums that are called out for machining or measuring(usually named A, B, & C.)



And perhaps instead of a button, the planes could appear that way when they are pre-highlighted. I think something like this would be a good visual aid, especially when looking at or working on a model created by someone else.
 
Are you familiar with the selection tools? If you right-click on the toolbars and check the Sel Filter toolbar, it allows either the surfaces or datums to hightlight as you drag the cursor across them. This works in 2001, but I am not sure about other versions (maybe i2).



Is this what you are looking for? A feature similar to this?
 
When you have the selection filter set to Select Geometry (the icon is the pink quilt) and put your mouse near a datum plane, that plane becomes prehilighted and a light blue outline appears around the yellow (or red, depending on where your veiwing from.) Instead of only seeing an outline, I would like that plane to be displayed like a sheet of paper, so that you could quickly see where is intersects with the part and what surfaces it coincides with, if any.
 
Yep, your right. That would be a pretty cool feature and it seems like it would be easy to do.
 
I have to agree, that would be great...

About the only way I can see doing it is to make a surface featue to lie in each plane. This would be a fair amount of work, but I think you could then make the surface a semi-transparent color. You could then put all surfaces on a layer, and have a map key to quickly blank/unblank all of the datum surfaces. Maybe to much work... hopefully PTC will implement such a thing...
 
Indeed, this would have much nift.

Imagine, additionally using your mouse to drag such a transparent plane perpendicular to itself, back and forth.

In such a setting: one could imagine that the system might either x-section dynamically or create dynamic intersection curves...

The lowly SDRC had a similar functionality almost a decade ago, dynamically sectioning using the dials box.

Either PTC is sleeping on this one, or there is some IP issues blocking the creation of such a useful feature in Pro.

Just MHO ;-)

Walter
 
If I correctly understand

I remember that I have seen some Guy here that have been show one interesting thing (in ProE)
 

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