WorkPlane
Create a work plane in 3D for drawing 2D objects that can be extruded, revolved, or embedded.
Syntax
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).create(<ftag>,"WorkPlane");
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).set(property,<value>);
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).getType(property);
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).geom().geomSequenceMethod
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).geom().feature();
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).setAttribute(attribute,<value>);
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).getAttribute(attribute);
Description
A work plane embeds 2D objects in 3D. The sections below describe how to define the location of the work plane and how to create 2D objects in it. You can also use a work plane in the CrossSection and Partition features. In that case, you do not need to draw anything in the work plane.
Unite Objects
There is an option to unite all objects in the work plane before using the 2D geometry in 3D. Uniting all objects can improve the handling of the 2D geometry when extruding it, for example. You can control the union of 2D objects using the following properties:
auto | relative | absolute
on | off
The tolerance settings are active when unite is set to on. The default values for the repair tolerance is taken from the geometry sequence’s default repair tolerance.
Visualization
To control the in-plane visualization of the 3D geometry, the visualization of the local coordinate system, and to activate the ability to draw directly on the work plane in 3D, use the following properties:
Defining the Location of the Work Plane
A work plane has a local coordinate system that is orthonormal and positively oriented (right-handed). The work plane coincides with the xy-plane in the local coordinate system. The following properties control how the work plane is defined.
quick | faceparallel | edgeparallel | edgeangle | circleperpendicular | normal | vertices | coordinates | transformed
For information about the selresult and contributeto properties, see Selections of Geometric Entities. Note that in a work plane’s Plane Geometry, the selresultshow and selindividualshow properties are not available.
Depending on planetype, additional properties are available.
Quick
This creates a work plane parallel to one of the global coordinate planes.
xy | yz | zx | yx | zy | xz
distance | vertex
global | vertexproj
natural | vertexproj
Face Parallel
This creates a work plane that is parallel to a planar face in a geometry object
on | off
distance | vertex
facecenter | boxcorner | vertexproj
s1 | s2 | vertexproj
Edge Parallel
This creates a work plane that is parallel to a planar edge in a geometry object.
edgecenter | boxcorner
on | off
distance | vertex
startvertex | endvertex | vertexproj
tangent | vertexproj
Edge Angle
This creates a work plane through a straight edge of a geometry object. The work plane makes a given angle with the tangent plane of a face in the same geometry object. The face must be adjacent to the edge, and its tangent plane must be the same at all points on the edge. The origin of the local coordinate system coincides with the start vertex (if reverse is off) or end vertex (if reverse is on) of the edge. The direction of the local x-axis coincides with the direction of the edge (if reverse is off) or its opposite (if reverse is on). If the property angle is zero, the direction of the local y-axis points into the face. In general, the local coordinate system is rotated by angle about the local x-axis.
Face adjacent to edge in the same object.
on | off
Circle Perpendicular
This creates a work plane that is perpendicular to a given circular edge. The origin of the local coordinate system is at the circle’s center. By default, the local x-axis goes through the edge’s start vertex. Thus, if the geometry is rotationally symmetric, the symmetry axis coincides with the local y-axis.
startvertex | endvertex | othervertex
on | off
Normal Vector
This creates a work plane defined by a normal vector and a point on the plane. Together with a RigidTransform feature, this makes it possible to orient an object so that one of its planar faces gets a prescribed normal vector.
coord | vertex
Coordinates of point, used when normalpoint is set to coord.
Vertex for point, used when normalpoint is set to vertex.
Displacements xw and yw.
Vertices
This creates a work plane parallel to a plane through three vertices v1, v2, and v3. When offset=0, the origin of the local coordinate system coincides with the first vertex v1. The x-axis of the local coordinate system is in the direction v2-v1. The direction of the local z-axis is given by the cross product (v2-v1)x(v3-v1) or its opposite (if reverse is on).
on | off
Coordinates
This creates a work plane through three points p1, p2, and p3. The origin of the local coordinate system coincides with the first point p1. The x-axis of the local coordinate system is in the direction p2-p1. The direction of the local z-axis is given by the cross product (p2-p1)x(p3-p1).
genpoints[n][i] is the ith coordinate of the nth point.
Transformed
This creates a work plane as a transformation of another work plane, using a displacement and a rotation.
Spherical angles theta and phi, used if transaxistype is spherical.
Axis vector, used if transaxistype is cartesian.
Rotation axis. Vector has length 3 if transaxistype is cartesian, and length 2 if transaxistype is spherical. Alias for transax2 and transax3.
x | y | z | cartesian | spherical
Coordinate system used for axis. Used if transspecify is set to axis.
Edge selection. Used when transspecify is set to edge.
Intrinsic Z-X-Z Euler angles α, β, and γ, used if transspecify is set to eulerang.
Rotation angle, if transspecify is not set to eulerang.
axis | eulerang | edge
Tag of PartInstance feature to take work plane from, or this to take work plane from this sequence.
Part Instances
In a geometry part, the following property is available:
on | off
Selections of Resulting Entities
For selections of resulting entities, the following properties are available:
on | off
on | off
all | obj | bnd | edg | pnt | off
Show selections, if selresult is on, of resulting objects in physics, materials, and so on, or in part instances. obj is not available in a component’s geometry. dom, bnd, and edg are not available in all features.
Creating 2D Objects in the Work Plane
The work plane owns a geometry sequence that contains the features that define the 2D objects you draw in the work plane. You access this geometry sequence by
model.component(<ctag>).geom(<tag>).feature(<ftag>).geom()
where <ftag> is the name of the work plane feature. You can add geometry features in this 2D sequence as usual.
Attributes
The following attributes are available:
Table 3-192: Valid attributes
on | off
Compatibility
The plane type circularedge from earlier versions is still valid as an alternative to its replacement circleperpendicular, and the plane type general from earlier versions is still valid as an alternative to its replacement coordinates.
Example
Create a work plane with a rectangle. When the work plane is built, the rectangle is embedded in the space of the 3D sequence:
Code for Use with Java
Model model = ModelUtil.create("Model1");
model.component().create("comp1");
GeomSequence g = model.component("comp1").geom().create("geom1",3);
g.create("wp1","WorkPlane");
g.feature("wp1").set("quickplane","yz");
g.feature("wp1").geom().create("r1","Rectangle");
g.feature("wp1").geom().feature("r1").set("pos", "1 1");
g.run();
Code for Use with MATLAB
model = ModelUtil.create('Model1');
model.component.create('comp1');
g = model.component('comp1').geom.create('geom1',3);
g.create('wp1','WorkPlane');
g.feature('wp1').set('quickplane','yz');
g.feature('wp1').geom.create('r1','Rectangle');
g.feature('wp1').geom.feature('r1').set('pos', '1 1');
g.run;
See Also
CrossSection, Extrude, Partition, Revolve, Sweep