WCS Normal to Point on a Surface 2

[ugman69]

Can anyone tell me if there is an easy way to create a WCS normal to a point on a surface? I'm very surprised that a feature like that is not built into the software as an option.

Thank you for any help that you can provide...

 

[looslib]

A point has no direction, so how can anything be normal to it?

You can define an axis of the WCS to be along a line/edge and through a point.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli
Sr IS Technologist
L-3 Communications

 

[ewh]

One cumbersome way is to create an offset surface from the original. Measure the distance between the point and the offset surface, being sure that "create line" is active in the measurement menu. Use the resultant line as your z axis, and any point as your x point. You will probably need to change the origin of your wcs, but z will be normal to your original surface.

 

[Xwheelguy]

As usual, there are many ways to accomplish this task in NX.

First, create your point on the surface. Next, click on the Datum Axis icon. Pick the point first then MB2 (mouse button 2 or OK click) then select the face and MB2 until the Datum Axis is created. This will create a Datum Axis through the point and normal to the surface (at that point). You can now align your WCS origin to the point and align the WCS axis of choice to the Datum Axis. Takes a whopping 15 seconds to complete and using an Associative Point would allow for the point to be moved and the Datum Axis would follow the point. However, I believe you'd still have to relocate and orient the WCS.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[ewh]

I like that, Tim!

 

[cowski]

I like it too, have a star.

 

[Xwheelguy]

Thanks guys, greatly appreciated.

ugman,

I skipped a few steps in dealing with the WCS and how to locate and orient it. Just double click the CSYS displayed and you will see handles. Use the spheres to rotate and the arrows to drag. Use the block on the origin to locate the WCS origin to anything that shows on the Snap Point toolbar (Point, Midpoint, Control Point, Endpoint, Quadrant, etc.). Click on any axis (this might be a double click, I can't remember), then geometry to align the axis with the geometry. This is a HUGE timesaver compared to using the icons or pulldowns.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com

 

[ugman69]

Tim, thank you very much, that worked like a charm. That should really be a feature that should be built in to NX.

Thank you again,
ugman69

 

[Xwheelguy]

I don't know about making it a feature, like a Hole, but I would support making the WCS associative to other geometry.

Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.

http://www.enkei.com