Rotate 3ds Max Axis

[papaf1]

Does anyone know if you can rotate the XYZ Axis in 3ds Max to match AutoCAD or Inventor XYZ Axis so importing matches?

[leeminardi]

Both Max and AutoCAD have a fixed definition for the XY world plane as being seen from the top view  (BTW, this is based on their roots in the architecture and NC and not mechanical part design where the front view would be the XY plane).  I believe that you are looking at the ZX plane when starting a sketch for part modeling for the "top" view with Inventor.  To compensate for this difference in convention you can do a 90° rotation about a principal axis after importing to Max from Inventor.  

[oliver]

When im-/exporting e.g. .fbx or .obj one can define the up-axis in the respective dialog (y-up or z-up). Look for such an option when ex- or importing. 
Rotating the object is a solution but gives you rotation values that might be unwanted.

[papaf1]

In AutoCAD, when you start a drawing it opens in the front view, but you are looking down on the drawing. The front view on AutoCAD is the top view in Max. I have a project that is reqiiring me to create objects in max and import them into an existing Navisworks model. This requires everything to be rotated, Font view is Top view. Navigation is really strange and if the system axis could be rotate, it would make life so much easier. 

[leeminardi]

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@papaf1 wrote:

In AutoCAD, when you start a drawing it opens in the front view, but you are looking down on the drawing. ...

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Not true, as can be seen below, the usc icon indicates that you are looking at the xy plane of the world UCS.  The view cube indicates that you are looking at the top (not front) view.  Yes, you are looking down on the drawing because you are looking at the "top" view.  This is the default view when AutoCAD is started.  I'm not sure if this is a matter of semantics but AutoCAD assumes that the top view is the primary view.  If you are only working in 2D then you would work in the top view.  If working in 3D you must be aware that the world xy plane is a ground plane and not a vertical plane.  This is similar to Max but not Inventor.

[papaf1]

You're right, it must be inventor I was thinking about. Based on the description of what I need to do, do you have the answer? You have established your right and I'm wrong about AutoCAD, but the question is still there. Is the answer that 3ds max has a fixed xyz and nothing can be done? That is ALL I was asking.

[leeminardi]

Yes,3ds max has a fixed xyz world coordinate system but both AutoCAD and 3ds Max use the same convention for their world coordinate system that the XY plane is viewed from the top.  You shouldn't have a problem importing an AutoCAD .dwg into 3ds Max.  Since the XY plane in Inventor is vertical to a ground plane you have the option to specify the Inventor File Vertical Direction when  importing into Max.  You didn't specify which product you were  importing into.

[papaf1]

Thank you for the reply, but the import of AutoCAD and Inventor isn't my problem.  I know how to rotate to the correct up axis when importing these files, the problem was discribed above. I need to add items into an existing Navisworks model. I'm using 3ds max to create these items but they need to be rotated so that the Front view is the up axis so it will murge back into Navisworks correctly.  Having the axis rotated while creating in Max makes orbiting or rotating really odd and if the origin axis of max could be rotated to match, it would make life so much easier.

[leeminardi · Accepted solution]

I do not have Navisworks so I cannot fully test the issue you are trying to solve.

There is one more thing I might suggest trying.  Go to the Front view and add a grid object.  Move it to 0,0,0 then go to Tools, Grids and Snaps, Activate Grid Object. Now if you were to add geometry on the active XY plane you would be really adding it to the World ZX plane.  YOu can go to a Front view and work in XY but really be working in ZX.

[papaf1]

Thank you. I'll try it tomorrow when I get to work. I think you need one of the full versions of Navisworks to have the ability to murge objects anyway. You can try it by creating something in Max like a teapot, export and import it into Inventor. I think this would give the same example. But it would need to be an existing Inventor assembly to see the rotation. 

[hagen.deloss · Accepted solution]

Hi @papaf1

Looks like you and @leeminardi have discussed this at length so I don't have too much to add, but I wanted to make a few suggestions anyway.

I'm wondering if creating a new working grid can help in this situation? If you go to Helpers>Grid and make a new grid oriented differently, it could prove helpful? Make sure to right click the Grid and select Activate Grid to create  new objects or snap old ones to the new grid. 

You can also change an objects root XYZ pivot point by navigating to the Hierarchy tab on the Command Panel, and editing the pivot point of singular objects, here is another article walking through that process more in depth. 

I hope some of this information helps in your situation, but I'm not so sure you can edit the inherit XYZ navigation settings inside Max, but using the tools above you may be able to hack it a little!

Looking forward to chatting with you further 😄

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[hagen.deloss]

@papaf1

I wanted to check back and see if any of the previous posts helped in resolving the issue?

Please select the Accept as Solution button if a post solves your issue or answers your question.

[rendermaster]

you cant rotate the original  xyz axis only the viewport. you can rotate the viewport in respect to the object you want, however, 3ds max object creation is lock to its original xyz grid orientation.  see the video below.

Screencast will be displayed here after you click Post.

74d71b1c-82f1-429e-aabe-d8c6964b3d62

[papaf1]

My appologise to the group for the delay on response. The suggestion didn't seem to work as I was hoping,  so I can assume this can't be done. It appears the system axis are locked and can't be modified. Thank you all for the responses and suggestions.