Community
Inventor Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s Inventor Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular Inventor topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Default Sketch Coordinate Systems

29 REPLIES 29
Reply
Message 1 of 30
melmo
1429 Views, 29 Replies

Default Sketch Coordinate Systems

Is there a way to set Inventor so that the sketch origin defaults to the part origin?  I find it very frustrating that it always defaults to some random corner of the part's body.  It can screw up a part if you decide later on to modify the part such that you eliminate the point to which a coordinate system was defined.  Also, when copying and pasting a sketch to new work planes it can be a pain to figure out which point is the origin of the orignal sketch if the pasted sketch is misaligned. 

 

I know you can edit the coordinate system after a sketch is created, but I'd prefer not to have to rememember to do that with every sketch.

 

This was brought up about 6 years ago and there was no formal resolution

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/Sketch-defaults-to-some-random-edge/m-p/1279242/high...

 

In the second-to-last post John-IV8SP1mentions an option under 'Application Options' for an older version of AI, but I cannot find it in the 2012 applicaton options.

29 REPLIES 29
Message 2 of 30
Daren.Lawrence
in reply to: melmo

There is an option on the sketch tab of the application options in 2012 to auto-project the part’s origin on sketch creation in order to use this on any sketch. Please see the attached image.

 

Please mark this as solved if it answers your questions. Thank you.



Daren Lawrence
Product Support Specialist
MFG Support - Inventor
Autodesk, Inc.


http://beinginventive.typepad.com/being-inventive/
Message 3 of 30
melmo
in reply to: Daren.Lawrence

I appreciate the reply, but that's not what I'm looking for. I want to set the  sketch origin to the part origin (or the projection of the part origin onto the sketch place) by default.  Presently, it seems to arbitrarily set the origin, often to a random point on the part which leads to problems and/or annoyances down the road, when copying and pasting sketches and when an upstream feature gets modified.

 

Message 4 of 30
Daren.Lawrence
in reply to: melmo

Thank you for that information. It sounds like you’re referring to something that there’s an open wishlist item (863378) for with development where the wish is to have an option to connect the sketch origins with the part origin rather than having to redefine the sketch origin axes after the fact.

 

Let me look further into this. I may be able to find a good way of doing this (or with iLogic). Thank you.



Daren Lawrence
Product Support Specialist
MFG Support - Inventor
Autodesk, Inc.


http://beinginventive.typepad.com/being-inventive/
Message 5 of 30
JimW
in reply to: Daren.Lawrence

Hello,

 I am a new user to Inventor, previously I worked in SolidWorks 2011. I was looking for help with similar issues pertaining to weldments when I came across this thread.

 

When I modify the first sketch in my weldment model in a way that results in a change to a subsequent sketch origin point relative to the part origin lots of errors happen. I thought I created the model so the dimension I want to be flexible would not affect the rest of the model, but I was not successful. Redefining  the sketch coordinate system corrects some problems but creates others.The frustrating part is I purposely avoided using the edge I want flexible as a constraint to anything other than the size of the plate, yet moving it is creating problems in unrelated areas of the model.

 

I think I can work around this by adding a new machining feature or not changing the size of the plate in my design, but that seems wrong. I never saw this with SW, and I believe that was because SW ONLY sets sketch origins to the part origin. I would elevate this way higher than a wish list, it is a fundamental flaw.

 

 

Message 6 of 30
melmo
in reply to: JimW

As a convert from SolidWorks, you will find more than a small handful of "fundamental flaws" in AI. 

 

If you don't mind my asking, why did you switch?

Message 7 of 30
JimW
in reply to: melmo

Hello,

I switched due to a job change. And yes, I am seeing more than this one flaw. However, this is the most aggregious problem. I can't understand the thinking behind not having a repeatable coordinate system for every model sketch other than Autodesk has always had user definable coordinate systems (I started with AutoCAD 9).

 

I think there may be other issues with my weldment model that stem from having multiple coordinate systems.

Message 8 of 30
JDMather
in reply to: melmo

I use both SWx and Inventor on a daily basis.
I have never seen the problem described in this thread other than created by my beginner students.


I use absolute origin in all my sketches, never ever worry about coordinate system.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


EESignature

Message 9 of 30
melmo
in reply to: JDMather

So, how do you get it to reference the absolute origin when creating a new sketch by default? I reference it to the origin too, but I have to manually.

Message 10 of 30
JimW
in reply to: JimW

I found a solution.

 

Part of one sketch in my weldment was projected from geometry in the parent assembly. I was able to make the change by editing the part in the parent assembly. However, the update icon won't go away now and I have clicked it multiple times.

 

This does not change my opinion regarding AI coordinate systems.

Message 11 of 30
JimW
in reply to: JDMather

JD,

I am a beginner, and am making beginner mistakes (see my earlier post). I do define my sketch geometry from either the absolute CS or from other features that I need to relate to the sketch.

 

How do you keep projected geometry from moving with the arbitrary AI sketch origin? I have had this happen and assumed it was because the fixed constraint is related to the sketch coordinates.

Message 12 of 30
JDMather
in reply to: JimW

I have never had that happen.
Attach file here that exibits this behavior.

 

The only examples I have seen were the result of  techniques that I would describe as "unconventional" used in the modeling process.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


EESignature

Message 13 of 30
JDMather
in reply to: melmo


@melmo wrote:

So, how do you get it to reference the absolute origin when creating a new sketch by default? I reference it to the origin too, but I have to manually.


What version of Inventor?
It should be set to automatically project the origin into any new sketch.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


EESignature

Message 14 of 30
melmo
in reply to: JDMather

JD,

 

Here is an example of what I'm talking about.  In the attached fiile, I needed to create a sketch in plane paraller to the XY plane at a distance of .25in from the z-most edge of the current part.  To do so, I defined a plane (work plane 1) by picking up 3-points on the z-most edge (also tried the parallel to plane trhough point method) and then created a plane (WP3) parallel to WP1 offset by 0.25in.  When I place a sketch (sketch 6) on this plane (work plane 3), the sketch origin is set to one of the points on the edge that defined WP1, rather than overlaying the absolute origin, as I'd prefer.  This is annoying for a few reasons:

 

1.  The orientation is not consistent with the way my part is oriented.  I.e, I set my home view so that I'm looking at the XY plane with the Z-axis coming out of the screen.  This defines up, down, left, right both to reflect how the part will be used as well as how I've conceived of the part up to now.  The way that Inventor defined sketch 6's origin is not consitent with my conception and I will change the sketch origin so that it lays on top of the absolute origin (though I'll usually forget to do so until I'm much deeper into the model).  Another problem I have is how it affects horizontal and vertical constraints when the sketch origin is rotated 90 degrees to the absolute origin by default.  If, instead of modifiying the sketch origin, I simply rotate my view 90 degrees, the horizontal and vertical contraints are reversed--yet another thing to keep track of.

 

2.  If I go back and modify the part in a way that affects the edge/point that Inventor used to define the origin, there is a good chance that I will get errors on that sketch--especially if I am projecting onto this sketch from another part in an assembly. At the least, I'll get an error about invalid sketch origins; at worst, I'll find that redefining the origin causes projected edges to shift location.

 

3.  It also negatively affects sketches if I copy and paste them into a parallel plane (I'm sure this is a bad habit, but sometimes I find it quicker than projecting edges into a new sketch, especially when there are a lot of edges). 

 

4.  Finally, I just prefer the consistency of having all my sketches in parallel planes share the same orign and orientation.

 

Is there something I can do that can make AI set the sketch origin to match the abs origin by default where possible (or at least have the sketch origin placed on a line normal to the sketch plane and through the absolute origin)?  Or is it that I shouldn't care about the sketch origin if I follow certain other steps?   In other words, am I making some rookie mistake here?

 

I'm not a beginner, but I'm self-taught over 5+ years of consistent use with Inventor, so I'm sure that while I'm comfortable with the software, I have a lot of bad habits and make a lot of rookie mistakes.

 

Thanks

Message 15 of 30
JimSteinmeyer
in reply to: melmo

Perhaps a simpler illistration would be to create a 12" square sketch with the center point (origon) in the center of the sketch. Now extrude the sketch equally 6" in both directions.

At this point you have a 12" cube with the center point (origon) in the exact center of the cube.

Now pick any face to create a new sketch. The cube spins around, jumps twice and does a back flip ( ok I exagerated a little) and winds up with the face you selected facing you but it may be on one side or even upside down. BUT THE MOST ANNOYING PART is that Inventor now creates a new coordinate system for the sketch based on one corner of the cube and not on the already predefined coordinate system that the part was generated from.

I too have encountered problems when a sheet metal part has been redesigned after the first run of parts. When a cornor that INVENTOR chose for the coordinate system of the sketch was removed due to the redesign the part failed until I figured out how to redefine the sketch coordinate system by guessing what was needed.

I to consider this a flaw in the programi.

Jim

Inventor Premium 2013 SP1.1
Vault 2013- plain vanilla version
HP G71 notebook
celeron cpu w\ 4gb RAM and 64 bit system
Win 7 home premium

Ya, my boss has me running my personal machine at work.
Message 16 of 30
Cadmanto
in reply to: melmo

I would also set this up in your default model tempaltes as well.

Best Regards,
Scott McFadden
(Colossians 3:23-25)


Message 17 of 30
melmo
in reply to: Cadmanto

I'm not sure I understand your recommendation.

 

Leviticus 25:44

Message 18 of 30
Cadmanto
in reply to: JimW

All I am saying is this settings you are asking for and trying to setup should be done in the

part and assembly templates so when you start brand new models these settings are already

preset for you.

Best Regards,
Scott McFadden
(Colossians 3:23-25)


Message 19 of 30
melmo
in reply to: Cadmanto

 

That brings me back to my original question, how does one go about changing such a setting?  I haven't been able to find such an option in either the Application Options or the Document Settingswindows.

 

Exodus 21:7

Message 20 of 30
JimW
in reply to: JimW

Following Melmo's line:

Specifically, I'd like to know if there is a setting that will have the sketch coordinate system default to the model coordinate system each time? I get the origin point in my sketches, but I'd also like the x-y-z model and sketch axis to line up rather than the arbitrary edge Inventor selects.

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report