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GD&T, model suggestions
Rich_VanElls
Member Posts: 1 ✭
I just started toying with Onshape. Just a quick update off the top of my head some simple feedback. So far I think it is a really good 3d model program. I have made an extremely rudimentary part so I haven't exactly "put it through the paces" but the modeling was a breeze. Faster and easier to do the little stuff than any other software I have used.
One weakness I noticed (and surely I'm not the first one to mention this) is what appears to be an inability to "link" dimensions. For example, dimension A=2. You have another feature that you want to always remain half that size so instead of inputting a value of 1 (that will need to be changed whenever you change A,) just put the equation "A/2." This is a powerful function that I have used at least in NX and inventor that would be nice to be included.
It seems the drawing space has a few more limitations than model space. Either that or I don't know how to use the full functionality. The biggest one for me is GD&T snapping. it doesn't appear that you can snap a feature control frame to a dimension, you just have to leave it floating. In UG you can add feature control frames within the same menu that you submit the dimension tolerance info. In Inventor you create feature control frame than snap to dimension.
It's possible I am wrong and these features are included, I just am not making the right clicks. I hope this feedback doesn't come off as "how other software's are better" because that is not what I am trying to convey. These are just initial issues I have run across. I know the program is new and so far I am very impressed, hopefully these items can be addressed in a future update.
One weakness I noticed (and surely I'm not the first one to mention this) is what appears to be an inability to "link" dimensions. For example, dimension A=2. You have another feature that you want to always remain half that size so instead of inputting a value of 1 (that will need to be changed whenever you change A,) just put the equation "A/2." This is a powerful function that I have used at least in NX and inventor that would be nice to be included.
It seems the drawing space has a few more limitations than model space. Either that or I don't know how to use the full functionality. The biggest one for me is GD&T snapping. it doesn't appear that you can snap a feature control frame to a dimension, you just have to leave it floating. In UG you can add feature control frames within the same menu that you submit the dimension tolerance info. In Inventor you create feature control frame than snap to dimension.
It's possible I am wrong and these features are included, I just am not making the right clicks. I hope this feedback doesn't come off as "how other software's are better" because that is not what I am trying to convey. These are just initial issues I have run across. I know the program is new and so far I am very impressed, hopefully these items can be addressed in a future update.
0
Comments
With regards to your first query you can indeed do as you wish, it's just a little different to other systems.
(1) First we declare a variable from the icon on the toolbar. It doesn't need to be done right at the beginning it just needs to be higher in the feature tree than the first time you wish to reference it. So say we declare MyWidth = 10mm
(2) We design the feature and in its dimension we enter #Mywidth
(3) On the second dimension we enter #Mywidth/2
One thing to note is variables are not global (yet) so they can only be seen in the part studio they are declared in, though there is a way around this in featurescript.
Hope that helps,
Owen S
HWM-Water Ltd