origin for Scale of body

[rms_adsk]

Hi, I am trying to apply the Scale tool to a body (the body is in a Component). When I do this, the origin of the scale can be moved around to different vertices in the body, but what I want is to scale with the origin at the middle (ie so that the center of the object stays put). I cannot get this to happen.

I have both a Joint Origin and a Construction Point available which would be suitable to use as the origin for the Scale.

(ie so it would scale "around" that point). But I can't figure out how (or if it is possible) to scale around those points.

[rms_adsk · Accepted solution]

ah, nevermind, figured it out. Here it is if anyone else needs to do this:

1) Select Body inside Component

2) Start Scale tool (under Modify in Model)

3) Switch from Entities to Point mode in options dialog

4) now you can click on Vertices or Control Points   (but not Joint Origin...)

[philip.s]

Thanks for following up and sharing the workflow Ryan.

I just went ahead and accepted your last response as a solution to better help others potentially find the answer.

As always, we're here to help if you have any future questions!

[azmand01]

Just had the same problem..

So adding to the answer.

I had a roud shaped solid to scale...

Construct>Point at Center of Circle

Then use

Scale>Point

and I was able to pick and scale at desired point.

[wadsworth.k]

I was building a frame which needed a cube at each intersection of multiple rods (one rod on each axis - x,y,z).  I needed a to create a point at the center of the cube so I could position it accurately at the intersection of the rods, then be able to scale uniformly, outward from the center.  For a cube I was able to do this using:

Construct -> Midplane (click both sides in plane X)

Construct -> Axis through two planes (click both sides in plane Y)

(Hide cube body by clicking lightbulb in leftside menu under "bodies")

Construct -> Point at edge and plane -> you've created your centerpoint

When selecting scale, choose the centerpoint you created as the "point"

What I can't figure out is how to link this created centerpoint to the cube body so it will move with it.  I've tried creating a selection set with cube body and construction point but when I move the cube, the point stays behind so I have to make a new one in the cube's new location.

[innovatenate]

Have you consider converting your bodies to components? If you did this, you may be able to use a joint origins to create joints that could update associatively and reposition everything.

Check out the below Autodesk Screencast for further clues!

http://autode.sk/1SBNbdr

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

[moth3r]

We should still be able to pick/find a center, that's almost a default. Doing it via component is workaround to the one of the many counter intuitive things inside Fusion 360. That's not what 'direct modelling' should be about. 

[innovatenate]

To pick the center of a body, you'll need a point. You could try using the center of mass script on github to quickly work around this. I haven't tried it myself, but seems like it would work great for this.

https://github.com/MichaelAubry/Fusion360/blob/master/CenterOfMassPoint.py

If you'd like to see a default option for center of mass added, you should create a request in the Fusion 360 Ideastation. I would vote it up if you share it back here. 

I hope that helps.

Thanks,

[moth3r]

Thanks for the reply! Here's the link to the post on ideastation. Considering, I am using Moi3D on par with Fusion 360, I can testify from the first hand how much more time is spent on arbitrary work. I really want to change all of that so I appreciate the support!

[adwarbinek]

Since 2013 we still don't have a snap/auto detect function built into the scale tool in regards to the center of an object. Scaling an object evenly from its center is needed. Having to add a point vector through the sketch tools is just adding extra steps. Finding the center of an object using the scale tool - especially a circle/cylinder - was what I expected when I first used Fusion 360 but still it isn't there. 

I appreciate this amazing program. We just need to get the usability details perfected.

[HughesTooling]

@adwarbinek Do you use some other non parametric cad? Are you just using Scale to resize objects because that's the workflow for theat software, with a parametric this is not how you work. Look at the ideastation request, over a year and only 2 votes. With a history based CAD program you just edit the driving features\sketches to get the correct size.

Mark