how to ensure bodies share a common cartesian "origin" when exported as STL files for slicing / 3d printing?

[maker9876]

Have some components that were imported into F360 from an assembly STEP  file.

Have tried  1000 manipulations to export as STL  four different bodies so as to be  able  to align them for 3d printing using Simplify3d. However each body seems to  have a similar "origin" centred on itself such that they superpose in  the slicer rather than aligning to their  original relative  positions as in the Fusion360  file. (That is, after running the appropriate command  in  Simplify3d.)

Have read lots of  posts in the forum about this  sort of thing but, quite frankly, still don't understand.

What steps should one take to  ensure that various Bodies (I assume one should export Bodies and not Components as STL for good relative positioning?)  retain references to  some common origin such  that they  can be aligned in  a  Slicer program for 3d printing?

[etfrench]

If you Move a body, its origin doesn't move.  If you move a component, the origin moves with the component.  Use those rules to align origins.

It would be simpler to just export all of the bodies as one STL.

[maker9876]

The reason for not exporting  as a single STL is so  as  to be able to  apply different processes to each part in the Slicer.

Now in F360 the components and  their respective bodies appear perfectly aligned (like a  nut over a  bolt). So it's not obvious that I want to move anything anywhere. But I do want them to export as  separate  STL and then to be  able to re-align them  in  the slicer using it's "align selected model origins" command. It's almost as though each body has it's own local origin so they  just stack up  on each other in  the slicer. Instead of all being referenced to  a common origin. Just don't understand.

[etfrench · Accepted solution]

If your bodies are in separate components or subcomponents, they will each have their own origin.  You can use the Align tool at the component level to make the origins coincident.  Next use the Align tool at the body level to position the bodies relative to each other.  Use an As Built Joint to ensure positions don't change.  Finally, delete Aligns and Moves from the timeline.

Post an example file if  you have trouble with this.

p.s. PrusaSlicer allows you to assign different properties to bodies using Modifiers.

[maker9876 · Accepted solution]

YEAH, it works!!

(a) Use align (+flip) to superpose Origins of respective  components;  

(b) Use Move to  align bodies of respective components  into correct  position relative  to each other;

(c) Export as .STL various bodies (OR components -  checked and that works to) and the align respective Origins to correctly position  them relative to each other in S3D.

Must admit this is far from obvious in anything other that hindsight and merits an instructional piece and video somewhere in the documentation. 

Many thanks.

ps  will  take a look at prusa's capability.