Measure Distances Between Face Planes

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I would like to measure the distance between planes that are parallel to each other, but the measurement tool does not show the distance between the 2 planes, even though the angle between the planes is zero.

I searched the forums and found a similar post but there was no solution.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-ideastation/measure-distances-between-face-planes/idi-p/59...

Has anyone experienced a similar issue?

Thanks!

[mavigogun]

I often use a temporary sketch for measurement.   Here, you could create a sketch on one of the highlit planes, project the edges of the geometry, and measure away.   Alternatively, you could create construction planes on the edge of either geometry for measuring.   After the tools have produced their bounty, delete 'em.

Here, though, I wonder if you might just attempted to select the edges rather than the faces?   Should work- quick and easy.   Give it a try.

[HughesTooling]

The fact the measure dialog is showing an angle indicates the 2 faces and not parallel. The tolerance on the measure dialog doesn't work correctly for angles, you need to go into your preferences and set Angular Precision to 9 as well then I think you get a very small angle measured.

Mark

[mavigogun]

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@HughesTooling wrote:

The fact the measure dialog is showing an angle indicates the 2 faces and not parallel.

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Is that what it shows?   Zero angle?   What am I missing?

[chrisplyler]

Yes, that's what it shows. The Measure dialog box will intelligently switch between showing you an angle measurement (if the two faces have any angle between them) or a distance measurement (if the two faces are parallel).

Since your results display an angle measurement, Fusion knows they are NOT parallel.

The angle measurement DISPLAYS 0.0 degrees angle BECAUSE it isn't displaying enough digits. You might have an angle of something like 0.0000001 degrees or something. In order to see this, as previously mentioned, you need to go into the file's unit settings and up the angle precision. Then Measure again.

[jodom4]

Hey arron.li,

Since your planes aren't exactly parallel (something like .0000001º to each other) the easiest way to get this measurement is to select one of the planes, then a vertex on the other plane. That will give you a distance measurement perpendicular to the plane.

[squee45]

nope with all decimals chosen still displays 0.0 as an angle, shame we cant do something like mates in fusion 360 as that would be a way to force the faces paralell but not co planar or any set distance apart.

[TheCADWhisperer]

File>Export and then Attach your *.f3d file here that exhibits this behavior.

Joints are essentially identical to assembly Mate constraints.

[HughesTooling]

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@squee45 wrote:

nope with all decimals chosen still displays 0.0 as an angle, shame we cant do something like mates in fusion 360 as that would be a way to force the faces paralell but not co planar or any set distance apart.

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Did you read this in my previous post?

The tolerance on the measure dialog doesn't work correctly for angles, you need to go into your preferences and set Angular Precision to 9 as well then I think you get a very small angle measured.

also, Please don't attach pictures. There's an option Photos on the editor toolbar to embed them, please use this option.

Mark

[NotTheBeaz]

why not just select the points rather than the whole face planes. Click on a point from the corner of each face then read the XYZ values then change the corner on one of the points read the XYZ values again. If the appropriate value changes then you can guarantee its on an angle, if it stays the same then it could just be bugging

[chrisplyler]

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@NotTheBeaz wrote:

why not just select the points rather than the whole face planes. Click on a point from the corner of each face then read the XYZ values then change the corner on one of the points read the XYZ values again. If the appropriate value changes then you can guarantee its on an angle, if it stays the same then it could just be bugging

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You might need to measure from THREE points to confirm an angle. It's geometrically possible that an angle could exist between two faces that have some parallel edges between them.