Moving parts of parts???

Ken

Hello,
I am new to onshape and parametric software.
I use Rhino a bit and like it and am very interested in this cloud based parametric design - I do CAD for simple 3D printing models and have had good success.

Sorry if my question is very basic and explained somewhere but I am sure there is a simple answer....

I guess I need to understand the workflow in this style of software - Make individual parts in separate part studio tabs then put them together in an assembly?

Most of my modeling can probably be done in just a part studio tab but how does one move parts about in that tab?

E.g -
I create a rectangle and extrude and dimension it.
I then create another shape - lets say a cylinder and extrude and dimension that too - then want to place the cylinder on top of the cube in the exact center.

How do you move the cylinder around in the part studio tab?

I know I can make the rectangle and then draw a circle in the center on a face and extrude that and maybe that is exactly how I need to model in this parametric world - and that would be fine but I am just curious.....

In Rhino or Sketchup, etc - you could do it either way.

Cant find a way to move separate parts around in the part studio tab and do such thing as group - boolean cuts, etc...

Thanks and I hope I was clear....

brucebartlett

@ken don't be sorry, ask and you will receive.

Use the transform command to move parts. However I think you might find it a bit restrictive for doing what you have described. I'd be modelling the parts in place if possible.

I try to stick to 1 studio so you can get your parametric links. The tree can get a bit long but you get use to it (hopefully this will be improved down the track). Use the hide show parts from the parts list to see what your working on and the rollback bar to organise tree features and part list order.

Hope this helps

billy2

Ken-
part studios should not have moving parts. You can translate like Bruce suggests, might be better to position sketch properly so block extrudes in the correct location.

If you want to spin the gear, then that's an assembly.

I know it's confusing but it's a carry over behavior from past parametric systems.

alain_mazy

I think that's the whole point of the assembly

eric_pesty

Ken said:

I know I can make the rectangle and then draw a circle in the center on a face and extrude that and maybe that is exactly how I need to model in this parametric world - and that would be fine but I am just curious.....

That would be the preferred way of doing things in parametric modelling. In parametric modelling "features" are your building blocks rather than "shapes" like you in mesh modelling.

As noted above you do have the "transform" feature to move things around if needed but it's not really a "standard" workflow, just create it in the right spot!

Also note that you typically perform boolean operations as you create the features in the parametric world (if the cylinder is "fused" to the rectangle it should be created with the "add" option rather than "new" (I think that's analogous to the "group" you refer to)).
Rather than thinking of extruding a cylinder and doing a boolean to remove it from your other shape, you think of it as a "cut", most parametric CAD use a different tool for extruding a solid and doing a cut (although Onshape is a bit in between as it's just an extrude feature with the "remove" option, which should make more sense coming from a mesh modelling world)...

If you have multiple distinct parts you would still design them in the same part studio if they are interfacing with each other (example if they have holes that have to line up then create them in the correct place so the holes always line up even if you decide to adjust them in one part.

If you are creating a model for two parts that are not actually related (maybe 3D models of purchased things) then they should be created in separate part studios and only come together in an assembly.

The assembly is either for visualizing things when you have a bunch of identical parts (no point creating multiple copies in the part studio), making sure you have room for fasteners, bringing together parts from different sources, and to see your design move (if there are moving parts).

Keep in mind that in the end you print individual parts and not the assembly.

Hope that helps, I would recommend checking out the training material, notably this: https://learn.onshape.com/learn/course/introduction-to-parametric-feature-based-cad/what-is-cad/spatial-reasoning?page=1

as I think it might answer your questions in a lot more depth!