Understanding local Origin

[janus2]

Hello!

I'm working on my first big Fusion 360 project right now.

From the tutorials I learned that it is good habit to orient sketches to the origin.
So I have all base axes and planes as reference. I can orient a Revolve element to the X-axis. For example.

In a top down design, where I use reference points in the design, the origin of a new component is somewhere. But not where I want it to be.

For example: I draw a cube on the Origin. Then a new component on top of the cube, at a certain point. If the new part is a revolve element, I don't have origin as a reference here. Of course I can create planes or guide lines. It would be nicer if you could set the origin to the point I like. Or did I overlook something? Is there a better Workflow?

I hope I explained my problem clearly. English is not my mother tongue!

Jan

[chrisplyler · Accepted solution]

When you create a second new Component, you can Joint its Origin onto geometry of the first Component as desired, and then begin modeling it from there.

[janus2]

Hello and thank you very much!

That was the trick. I would never have thought of using a joint on an empty component. 

I never read about this workflow. Is that unusual?

I like it, in a top down design,  when I construct new parts around his own local origin.

Thanks again
Jan

[chrisplyler]

It is not unusual.

It also helps that - if/when you save out individual Components to their own files for reuse elsewhere - they are each built directly around their own Origins instead of being off in space somewhere relative to their own Origins.

[g-andresen]

Hi Jan,

Although the question is based on a different situation, I would recommend this thread.

The video of @Aaron.Magnin and @TrippyLighting  explanations bring light into the dark of the world of joints. Since then, I first create one empty component in a new file and than connect this to the primary component via "as built" rigid joint.

So I have less problems in dealing with joint behaviors lateron.

best wishes

günther

[TrippyLighting]

The workflow @chrisplyler has posted is indeed very useful when you are designing a component you want to re-use.

But obviously you have to make that decision at the time you start a component.

If you don't use this workflows as you have discovered the component origin will coincide with the main origin of the design. If you don't want to re-use that component that is also perfectly fine and can speed up your workflow. In that case you can use the as-built joints.

What Fusion 360 is really missing is the ability yo define a local coordinate system when creating a component without the need to join/assemble it first. Then you get to enjoy a re-usable component and can use the as-built joints.

There are also situations where it is neither practical nor useful to first create an empty component and then assemble it to something.

In genreal your question is really and excellent question and this link that explains the BORN technique 

(Base Orphan Reference Node)  will be useful for you.

[janus2]

Hello and thanks for all the information.

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What Fusion 360 is really missing is the ability yo define a local coordinate system when creating a component without the need to join/assemble it first. 

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Do you think this is an idea for the IdeaStation?

Jan

[TrippyLighting]

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@janus2 wrote:

Hello and thanks for all the information.

---

What Fusion 360 is really missing is the ability yo define a local coordinate system when creating a component without the need to join/assemble it first. 

---

Do you think this is an idea for the IdeaStation?

Jan

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Yes, possibly.