Delete workplanes?

[sgtlethargic]

Are there any reasons to keep workplanes? I have this notion that I should keep them, but in one of the tutorials (I think) it mentioned deleting them when you're done using them.

Also, can parts be aligned by workplanes during assembly?

Thanks,
Kurt

[wathavy]

Are there any reasons to keep workplanes? I have this notion that I should keep them, but in one of the tutorials (I think) it mentioned deleting them when you're done using them.
I don't keep them, because you can re-create it any time you want.
And you can add-up necessary projection from any parts any axle or what so ever in your assembly.

I do, only when I draw them and keep them there in case I need to trace the part's movement track so I can avoid collision on the path of the specific parts. And when I have my target work to have different sizes and I need to keep track with one model.

So far those won't disturb my efficiency of my work, but keeping work planes sometimes delays your graphical visibility.
Then you would have to have one configuration for depressing view of the work plain as your workaround.

I hope it helps.


Also, can parts be aligned by workplanes during assembly?
Yes.:D

[sgtlethargic]

...

[Re: mating parts via WPs]

Yes.:D

How? I don't see a WP option in Parts & Assy > Position.

[wathavy]

When you move your part, you can choose dynamic option.
And you pick one of the arrow.
Then as soon as the position meet WP arbitrary, it stops for a while.
Try it first and see if you could.

But I would recommend to create a new part out of existing part with newly created WP on the existing part. Which is called top-down designing, generally.

CoCreate works well with this sort of method than importing existing part and trying to mate and align and so on using these constrains.

The third party supplied part or assembly case are the only ones I need to align and mate but I usually use part or assembly or face than WP.
Unlike other CAD.

Cheers.
:)

[BMaverick]

If you have geometry created via a certain WP and later the model is changed for whatever reason, the WP has the creation data to always go back. If the WP data for creation was somewhat complicated to setup, then by all means uncheck the WP box in the structure browse to hide it until you need it again.

There have been a few times keeping the WP has saved hours of work in complex models and at certain angles. A good example is sweeping geometry like a flat ribbon cable that flexes.

[Mike Swartz]

Rarely do you need to keep Workplanes. They are just a tool used to go from 2D to 3D.
Delete them. If you do feel you need to keep a Workplane, I recommend you rename it. Give it a name that will have meaning to you if you need to modify your data in six months. You can also create containers that are owned by the part that the workplanes are used in, and store the workplanes in the container.
Again, very rarely will you need a workplane again. It is (usually) far easier to modify your 3D model than is is to modify a workplane and recreate the 3D geometry.

As far as aligning parts to Workplanes. You can use a point on a workplane as a "move to" point, but why? Better to align parts to other parts.

[wathavy]

+1000!:)

Mike! Absolutely, but the historic CAD designer always try to keep it for later use. And mess them around. I was one of them too.

CoCreate dynamic modeling has totally different approach than the rest.
So, follow exactly as Mike is saying.

You'll get used to once you know you could recreate the WP out of parts too.
But you need to work with the objects not the shadows.

Cheers.:D