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How to copy a point onto another plane while aligning with the original point?

Hi,

I have an extruded surface with a point on it and would like to copy this point to the opposite side of the surface (parallel plane) while keeping it in the same spot that it would be at if the planes were on top of each other. The best way I've found to do this so far is to smart dimension both points but I would prefer a method that will move both points if one point moved.

Also, when I am looking at the opposite side of the extrusion, is there a way to stop points and lines on the former side from showing through (other than hiding individual sketches)? I've tried adjusting transparency and switching to opaque but this seemed to have no effect.

I've noticed that if I extrude a rectangle and there was anything else sketched (inside or outside the rectangle), these parts of the sketch disappear after the extrusion. I'm guessing this is because of the hierarchy used by the property manager but if there is a way to display the entire sketch I'd like to know how.

I'm putting points on both sides of extrusions in an attempt to line up electronic panel-mount components (I'm making a top and bottom as two separate parts) with the panel (surface) they are to be mounted to. If anyone has a recommendation on a better method to use I'd love to read it. I've been considering cutting a hole in the surface and trying to line the components up with that but I'm worried this will make it more difficult to move the components. I'd still like to have an answer to the original questions, even if a better method is mentioned.

Thanks much,

David.

Reply to
davidd31415
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You could insert your second point. Make it Coincident with the first point. Then delete that Coincident relation. That would get the second point to the same location, yet be unconstrained.

Ken

Reply to
Tin Man

If I understand you correctly, could you just use "convert entities" sketch tool? This would project the first point onto your second plane (which is parallel) and keep an updated location. I'm not sure about the sketch view. You can turn off all sketches in the View menu, but that may not be what you want. ~Alex

Reply to
ADS

But how could I insert it onto a different plane? When I try to move a point in a sketch I am unable to move off of the current sketch plane and when I make a new sketch I am unable to add a relation between the two... Plus coincident would require them to be on the same plane, correct?

Dave

T> You could insert your second point. Make it Coincident with the first

Reply to
davidd31415

No, you can make a coincident mate to sketch entities on different planes, but keep in mind they are projected to the active plane. So, if the planes are parallel, you can simply use the "convert entities" tool which projects the selected objects (lines, points, arcs, model edges, etc" into the current sketch with "on edge" mates which are parametric (will update to original geometry).

make a new sketch on the plane you want, and select "convert entities" and you're done. You could also just sketch a point, and then select that point and the point you want to mate to "ctrl select" and hit the coincident mate. Either one will work, the convert entities tool does it all in one shot.

Rather than thinking of moving the point off the current sketch to another, think of it more like creating a new point in a different plane and having them "overlay". I do this all the time and it works great.

It's another big difference between SW and the way AutoCAD or other static cad programs work.

Reply to
ADS

When you create a feature, such as your extrusion, SolidWorks automatically hides the sketch, or sketches for features like lofts and sweeps that use more than one. You just need to expose the sketch (left mouse button on the

  • to the right of the feature), select the sketch (right mouse button) and "Show" it. (I think that's right. SolidWorks is in the middle of a long rebuild and I can't check it.)

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

Reply to
Jerry Steiger

I'm surely no expert with SW, but this seems to be pretty basic to the whole gestalt of assembly modeling. "Convert entities" projects geometry onto the sketch (for your cut outs, for example). Unselecting "No External References" (the default) in the assembly maintains the relationships to the reference part. The cutout and hole features follow your object when you move things around.

Reply to
Boat

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