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11 Datum Features
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Purpose
This lesson will define datum plane and datum axis features.
Objectives
Datum Features may be accessed from the General Datums and Points menu
in the Feature Operation toolbar or by choosing Insert? Datum/Point.
Datum Planes
The datum plane option allows a planar reference feature to be created that
has many uses. 12
• To define a sketch plane.
• To serve as the planar placement face for the creation of form features
(i.e. hole, slot, pad, boss, pocket).
• For the mirror plane when using Mirror Body and Mirror Feature.
• To define the start or end limits when creating extruded and revolved
features.
• To trim a body.
Fixed datum planes do not reference and are not constrained by other
geometric objects. There are methods you can use to create fixed datum
planes based on the WCS and Absolute coordinate systems and by using
coefficients in an equation. You can also use any of the relative datum plane
methods to create fixed datum planes by turning off the Associative option in
the Datum Plane dialog.
The Datum Plane dialog provides several methods to define a plane. Since
Inferred Plane is the default, you can immediately begin selecting objects in
12 the graphics window and the type will be inferred. As you select objects, a
preview of the datum is displayed in the graphics window.
You can also select the objects first and then choose the Datum Plane
option. The constraints will be inferred from the selected objects and
a preview is displayed.
While the datum plane is previewed, you can specify new constraints and
objects or change the parameters using drag handles displayed in the
graphics window.
Cycle Solution
This option allows you to cycle through alternate solutions when more than
one type of datum plane can be created, based on the object selections and 12
constraints.
Flip Direction
The datum plane preview displays an arrow conehead in its center that
points in the direction of the plane normal. You can change this direction by
choosing this option or using MB3→ Reverse Direction on the conehead.
The following are the common datum plane creation methods that will be
covered in this lesson:
12 • Offset Parallel and at a Distance
– Select the handle, drag the datum plane to the desired location and
choose OK.
• Choose OK.
• Choose OK.
• Select the planar face or datum plane that the angle will reference.
– Select the rotation drag handle and drag the datum plane to the
desired angle and choose OK.
• Choose OK.
– Choose OK.
• Choose OK.
• Choose OK.
If it is difficult to select points using the Inferred Plane mode, you can
choose the Curves and Points option in the Datum Plane dialog to
prevent the selection of other inferred object types.
You can alter the datum plane by dragging the handle of the point to
change its position along the curve or keying in a Location value.
• If, in addition to the curve, you select another face or linear edge, the
direction of the datum plane is defined based on this second object as
follows:
– for a planar face, the datum plane is made parallel to the object.
– for a linear edge, the datum plane is made normal to the object.
– for a non-planar face, the datum plane is made parallel to the tangent
plane at the closest point on the surface.
• Select a point.
• Use the Vector option menu to define a direction, or accept the default. A
preview of the datum plane is displayed.
In the example below, a point was defined at the arc center of the hole and a
direction was defined using the Vector Constructor dialog.
In this activity, you will create relative datum planes that are associated
to a solid model.
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Select the top face of the block (1) and confirm the selection if
necessary.
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Select the first point (1) and confirm any of the edges. Any of
the edges are acceptable because they share the end point.
Step 5: Create the third datum plane midway between the left and right
faces.
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Choose OK (MB2).
The datum plane is created and located at the center of the
part and is parallel to the faces selected.
Step 6: Edit the block to verify the parametric relationship of the datum
planes to the block.
With the cursor over the blo ck in the graphics window, press
MB3 and choose Edit Parameters.
X Length = 2
Y Length = 2
12 Z Length = 5
Choose OK.
The revised values are displayed in the graphics window. The
feature may still be modified without updating the model.
To select a datum plane in the graphics window, the selection ball must be
placed over one of its displayed boundaries.
Form features created using datum planes as the planar placement face are 12
created normal to the datum plane. These features are initially located in the
center of the datum pla ne by default and will remain there if no positioning
dimensions are specified. If positioning dimensions are specified, the feature
will be moved to the constrained position.
When a datum plane is selected for the planar placement face, a direction
vector is displayed showing the side of the datum plane on which the feature
will be created. An option is available to reverse the direction when creating
the feature.
• Choose Edit? Feature? Edit Parameters and select the datum plane.
• Choose the Edit Feature Parameters icon in the Edit Feature toolbar.
To edit the size of a datum plane, you can drag one of the handles along
its boundaries. These handles appear when previewing the datum during
creation and when editing its parameters.
• Select the datum plane from the graphics window and either press the
Delete key on your keyboard or choose the Delete icon.
Move the cursor over the outside cylindrical face of the feature
at the bottom of the part and select the cylindrical axis symbol.
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Step 4: Create a datum plane tangent to the outside of the same cylindrical
face to use as a placement face for the hole feature.
The Datum Pla ne dialog should still be displayed.
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Choose Simple.
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Specify a Diameter of 10.
Ensure that the tool solid for the hole is pointing into the part.
Select the datum plane (2) at the center of the part as the
thru face.
Choose OK.
Choose OK.
In this activi ty, you will create a relative datum plane and use it as a
placement plane for a hole feature.
12 Create a simple hole at an angle which can be controlled
parametrically.
Select the right edge (1, not the mid point) and confirm the
selection if necessary.
Select the top face (2), and confirm the selection if necessar y.
12 Select the boundary of the newly created datum plane for the
placement face.
Select the bottom face (1) of the block as the Thru Face.
Select the edge of the block shown (1), as the target edge.
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Select the edge of the block shown (1), as the target edge.
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In this activi ty, you will create a relative datum plane using the Point and
Direction option.
The intent is to create a hole feature that goes through one corner of a 12
block and comes out the opposite corner and maintains associativity.
Step 5: Create a datum plane with the point and direction method.
Select the end point (1) as shown to define a point on the datum
plane.
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Choose OK (MB2).
If the hole is not going into the block, choose Reverse Side.
Select the far side of the block as the thru face (2) and choose
OK. 12
Click on p2=100.000.
Key in 400.
Datum Axis
This option allows a linear reference feature to be created and has several
uses. 12
• Axis of rotation for revolved features.
• Directional reference.
• Choose OK.
• Choose OK.
The Point on Curve icon in the Snap Point toolbar must be off in
order to create a datum axis through an edge or curve.
• Choose OK.
To create a datum axis through the intersection of two faces or datum planes:
• Choose OK.
Editing Datum A x e s
• With the cursor over the datum axis, click MB3 and choose Delete.
In this activity, you will create a relative datum axis and datum plane to
constrain the pivot location of a hole feature.
12 A 0.5 inch diameter hole is to be located in a block. The origin of the
hole will be on the top face and located from the right fac e. The hole
is to remain centered in the block along the YC axis. The angle of the
hole shall be editable in a plane parallel to the front face.
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Select the back face (2) of the block as shown and confirm.
Select the front face (3) of the block as shown and confirm.
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Choose Simple.
Select the bottom face of the block (2) as the Thru Face, confirm
and choose MB2.
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Select the center datum plane (1) as shown and choose MB2.
The hole will always remain on the datum axis and stay
centered in the block.
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Choose OK.
The angle of the hole change s, but the point of entry remains
the same.
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Datum CSYS
A Datum CS YS (Insert? Datum/Point? D atum CSYS) provides a set of
associative objects consisting of three planes, three axes, a coordinate system, 12
and an origin point. The Datum CSYS appears as a single feature in the Part
Navigator but its objects can be selected individually to support the creation of
other features, constraining sketches, and positioning of components in
an assembly.
Summary
Datums are reference features that are used as construction tools to assist in
the creation of solid features and sketches in locations and orientations where
planar placement faces do not exist.
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In this lesson you:
• Created associative datum planes and datum axe s.