How to set the reference plane when exporting as STL

[big_red_frog]

When exporting parts as STL, it would really help if the XY plane reference could be set, to ensure that when loaded into the slicer program, the STL is already oriented base down.

I dont want to move the part itself as it is inside a larger model, where the relative position is important.

I am assuming it is the origin for the component that is used as the reference?

Is this correct?

How can you move the origin to the required plane?

I have found origins mostly "uneditable" but may well be missing something.

Thanks.

[innovatenate · Accepted solution]

You can customize the view cube. This may be helpful so that, if you'd like the z axis to be vertical, the viewcube names like "top" and "front" make more sense. Changing the names of the views will not change the orientation or position of the origin, default axis, or default planes. To my best knowledge, these geometries are  there to stay.

Instead you may absolutely have to re-orient the bodies. One thing to keep in mind is that you can right click on a component in the browser and choose Save Copy As to make a copy of a design that you can edit without harming anything in your current design. Then while editing that "safe" part you can move and rotate the body however necessary until the XY plane is located as desired.

Or a better suggestion may be to try and insert the "part" into a new blank design as a component. After orienting the component  according to the designs XY plane (not the components), try to export the STL file of the whole design and not just the body. I haven't tested any of these, but I hope one of these suggestions helps.

Thanks,

[big_red_frog]

Thanks,

These seem like viable workflows I can try.

Of course I would like to do it with a minimum number of operations, but this should get me what I need.

[big_red_frog]

Hmm, exported part to new design, with just that component.

Moved bodies into their own subcomponent.

Placed joint on face I want to be aligned to base plane.

Drew circle at origin in base plane orientation.

Assembled joint to center of circle.

All looks good, and orientation according to view cube is correct.

Export as STL.

Still has components original orientation!

[big_red_frog]

Ah, normally I export from right click on the body itself.

If I export STL from the root of the design it has the desired orientation.

[mad.macs]

Although exporting by saving an STL of the drawing works, It's one heck of a workaround to something that should be easier to do. I don't always want to turn off all the components in a drawing to export a single object.

I've taken pic of what is actually going on. The drawing orientation is at the bottom, and the component is aligned to it. The origin of the component itself is above. When you click on Save as STL by clicking on the component in the browser, the Components orientation is used for some reason rather than the drawings.