What's the easiest way to create a orthogonal line (axis) to a plane

baumar

Given a plane with a point on it, what would be the easiest way to create a (help) line that is orthogonal to the plane and matches the point?
I could create it in 4 steps using 2 sketches and 1 plane :

1. draw a line on the plane through the point
2. then create a plane based on the line that is vertical to it
3. create a sketch based on that plane
4. draw a line through the point and make it perpendicular

( like in this example https://cad.onshape.com/documents/03f0573a9712afd3833a505c/w/5ed41299064c9c223f97db04/e/865dfc1d9eb9dbce22a34f33 )

But I find that's a bit cumbersome, especially if you need more then one of them your document get's filled with help planes. Isn't there an easier way?

Jake_Rosenfeld

This could be done in FeatureScript, but what is your use case for the line?  Features line Linear pattern, Transform, and Move face will accept a plane and use its normal as a direction just as easily as they accept an line.

Jake_Rosenfeld

Here's a custom feature for this:

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/9ee26ae1c046936876fe0f18/w/6496e628251c0da73cd03dc7/e/cb1da10342770c2c6b844c88

You can add it to your toolbar using the '+' button in that document.

Jake_Rosenfeld

To anyone who used this feature: I forgot to give it a name! Sorry about that..... 

"My Feature" is now called "Extend point".


You may also want to check out this thread, with a similar custom feature from @ilya_baran:

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/7394/3d-sketch-custom-feature