3D Center Line with offset in drafting. 1

[SiW979]

Please could someone perhaps shed some light as to what use the offset distance is on a 3D center line in drafting? So far all it has managed to do for us is create a whole load of rework and we can't for the life of us figure out why any one would need it?

Many thanks

Simon.

Best regards

Simon NX7.5.3 - TC 8

http://www.jcb.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

'Offset Distance' allows you to place a 'Centerline' symbol at some convenient, AND arbitrary, location and then assign a value so as to reflect where the actual Centerline would be located. An example of this might be where you're drawing the a section view of a very large rotated part, like a very large machined ring and you need to place a radius dimention to the rotaional centerline of the ring. However, if you were to draw the centerline so that it was to scale to the cross section it would result in the cross section would be very small or you were forced to you a larger than desired drawing sheet size. Say the rings radius is 1000mm but the cross section is only about 100mm. Something like that would look odd. So what you can do is create the cross section view, Create a Center line not at the actual ring centerline but say 300mm from the section. Then you would edit the Centerline symbol giving it an offset distance of 700mm. Now when you created dimensions from items in the section view TO the Centerline symbol the dimensions display would be AS IF the Centerline really was 1000mm away rather than only 300mm.

Anyway, I hope this clears up how and for what purpose that this 'Offset Distance' option is to be used.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

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