Welcome to the Onshape forum! Ask questions and join in the discussions about everything Onshape.

First time visiting? Here are some places to start:
  1. Looking for a certain topic? Check out the categories filter or use Search (upper right).
  2. Need support? Ask a question to our Community Support category.
  3. Please submit support tickets for bugs but you can request improvements in the Product Feedback category.
  4. Be respectful, on topic and if you see a problem, Flag it.

If you would like to contact our Community Manager personally, feel free to send a private message or an email.

Uses for the new "Symmetric" Constraint

andrew_troupandrew_troup Member, Mentor Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited June 2015 in Using Onshape
I'm absolutely thrilled that a bi-directional constraint has been implemented in Onshape. 

I have lost count of how many uses a similar tool in Solidworks had.

Here's just one example (apologies for the lousy animation - I used Licecap - not sure why it drops so many frames)

The objective is to position isolation partitions between termination posts, which is quite a labour intensive task, using conventional construction techniques. It could not be simpler when the position of the symmetry line can be driven from edge geometry as shown.

ON EDIT: I'm really disappointed with the animated gif; it makes it look like a nightmare.

It's just four clicks to reposition each line;
I encourage anyone who's interested to give it a try

Comments

  • andrew_troupandrew_troup Member, Mentor Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2015
    This is a seriously powerful collection of code, people. 

    I just tried it on a model I was working on, mentioned in another thread entitled "TIP - Diagnosing Merge Issues"

    I didn't expect it to work by clicking on the highlighted model edges to produce the inferred line bisecting the two axes of the cylindrical recesses, and to say I was surprised when it worked would be an understatement.

    This line can then be used as the axis for the linear pattern of the guide posts, shown in the other thread.

    For clarity, I've added a screenshot a couple of posts down this thread, which shows the bisector viewed normal to the plane on which it is requested and drawn
  • 3dexter3dexter Member Posts: 89 ✭✭✭
    It's really amazing the power of "Symmetry Constraint" of Onshape, well above the SolidWorks.

    Congratulations to the development team, you did a great job.

    Please @lougallotell the secret to her beautiful gifs.
  • andrew_troupandrew_troup Member, Mentor Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Clarifying screenshot as promised in post #2
  • jakeramsleyjakeramsley Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 657
    One really nice thing I have noticed while playing around with it is that you can select edges from two separate parts to create something in the middle of it.  It's much nicer than having to create equal length construction lines between them to get something that is in the middle of them.
    Jake Ramsley

    Director of Quality Engineering & Release Manager              onshape.com
  • lougallolougallo Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 2,001
    3dexter said:
    It's really amazing the power of "Symmetry Constraint" of Onshape, well above the SolidWorks.

    Congratulations to the development team, you did a great job.

    Please @lougallotell the secret to her beautiful gifs.
    In the lower corder of licecap there is a control of max FPS.. I set mine in the 10-20 range depending on what I am after.  20 give you a bit bigger file but the picks and movements are much cleaner.
    Lou Gallo / PD/UX - Support - Community / Onshape, Inc.
  • andrew_troupandrew_troup Member, Mentor Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks Lou!
    One of the screws fell out of my spectacle frame today - maybe it's time to visit the optometrist for a new prescription!
    I'll have a crack at re-recording that animation... I might try recording a grey or black frame for a short period, too, to indicate the end of the loop, 'cos I sometimes find it a bit hard to follow in cases where the phasing is not obvious.
Sign In or Register to comment.