Hi,
If you create a fully constrained Sketch of the basic Component, there are a couple of ways you can model with it.
You can use the Origin in ALL of your Sketches and then take each part and move it to where you want. This works
and is the best way to do some things but a terrible way to do others. It depends on exactly what you want to achieve.
The other way is to build things in place with your Sketches. Again, works fine for some things and terrible for others.
If you build things in place then your constrained sketches with have to have some reference point. This is usually
a projection from another Sketch or Component or the Origin, which in this case is what you want. There has to be
SOME reference point.
When you project from another component or another Sketch, you also have a few choices. You can project just a
critical point or geometry, or you can project the entire geometry. Again, it depends on what you want.
My suggestion is this. It sounds like the best thing for this particular project that you want to build in place, so
you should constrain your first Component X and Y coordinates, and when you extrude then use the tools to place
it in the Z coordinates. This will put it in the place you want without moving it. If you want to use other angles
then getting the hang of offset and angled Planes can also help.
Now that you have your first Component where you want it, start your next Sketch on the Plane of the FACE of this
component you want to join up with your next component. Then use Project to take the outline of the face you want
to join up to. By doing this, your second component is already in the correct place and its outline is linked to this first
component.
If you now decide to move or change the first component, move the TIMELINE back to your original first Sketch,
make the changes you want, save the Sketch, then move the Timeline back to where you were before. This will
automagically change the shape and position of your second component to the new position and shape.
Check out RULE #0, #1 and #2. It is well worth the effort. Once you work out the Timeline and start using it, much
of this kind of stuff becomes much easier. The key is fully constrained Sketches (where possible, sometimes you
can't easily do this with Splines for example), manipulating the Timeline and getting projections of what you want,
where you want and build in place for this type of project.
Cheers
Andrew
