Ordinate Dimensions

[Anonymous]

I use ordinate dimensioning on most all the drawings that go to our shop, but I've run into a problem setting 0,0 on one part.

Along the left side, is a straight edge, but the zero point along the bottom will be a point.

How do I use the point as my zero surface?

Thanks so much for your help.

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

I can't understand what you try to achieve...

Did you find this reply helpful ? If so, use the    Accept as Solution or Kudos - Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I thought the screen would clear it up.

I've added a note to my screen shot to hopefully make it easier to understand what I need to accomplish.

[Anonymous]

I haven't had to figure something like this out yet, but if I was and couldn't get the software to allow me to at first, I would use a sketch within the print and place the point myself using project geometry.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Depending on your geometry, sometimes you can place the Ordinate Origin at any point on your part and then RMB on the Origin symbol and go to Edit. You will then be able to enter co-ordinates (X and Y) in order to move the Origin a specified amount.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't it be simpler to do as I said above, considering the part geometry may change, and if the point placed in the sketch is constrained to the part geometry, the origin point wouldn't need to be refigured and adjusted every time the geometry changed slightly?

[Anonymous]

Yes my method is assuming the geometry is correct and that no changes are to be made. In my example, I did not need to use the Edit method as it was easy to select my Origin Point, but it was the only recent example of where I used a Ordinate Dimension.  This is just an alternate method that may work for the OP (or someone else that may happen to come across this thread).

[Anonymous]

I tried creating the sketch on the drawing, but could not get the line I drew to constrain to the point that I need to use as zero.

Setting the 0,0 point, then moving it down seems to have worked like a champ.

[Anonymous]

Im relatively new to inventor, so I don't want to come across as a know-it-all. Would my point not remain constrained to the part geometry, provided the basic shape of the geometry remained the same? I understand that if the part changed drastically I would expect to perhaps lose a few constraints that I'd have to repair, but would I lose constraints during simple, ordinary changes?

[Anonymous]

You must select the view to use BEFORE creating the sketch. Then you must use "project geometry" to be able to constrain to the lines in the view. Maybe someone with a bit more experience in the software than I can confirm this is how to sketch within a view in inventor?

[Anonymous]

No you made a valid point! I re-created a sample part of what the OP was showing in his screen grab and I figured out that by first overing the Origin over the point at the end of the vertical line and then dragging the mouse down to the intersection of the two lines (Vertical and Horizontal), I was able to snap the Indicator in place.

[Anonymous]

In the words of Homer....D'OH......I knew that, I guess just had a gas bubble in the brain this morning.

[Anonymous]

Whew! I'm really glad I wasn't just making myself look like I was an expert when in reality, I'm just starting to kind of get the hang of this software. Back in it for about a month.

[Anonymous]

If I have two perpendicular lines, hovering over the lines will allow me to create my 0,0 where they would intersect,

but in my example, one side was a straight line while the other was a point. I could not hover over the point.

[Anonymous]

I hear ya! I have taken one course on this program (Introduction to Solid Modeling via iMaginit) and there is so much stuff I have yet to learn or discover. I have touched on a lot of stuff over 2 years but only the surface!

[Anonymous]

sps my mistake I was assuming the wrong location.  Well hopefully either of the solutions presented helped and works for you!