how to rotate/move construction plane? it don´t let me select it

[svensalinger]

hi there,

it seams like i have a strange error or maybe i did something wrong. i´m really new to fusion 360, so please be understanding with me :).

in my first try of making a cad model of a air vent, i had the strange error, that when i changed a sketch, the object didn´t take over the changes. it looks like the error was, that i opened directly a OBJ file, instead of starting a new project and then importing the obj. however, since i started a new project and imported the obj file, it updates the sketches.

but unfortunatelly i have another error or i´m making a mistake.

when i make a offset plane, i´m not able to rotate or moving it around. i´m only able to change the offset. strangefully in my first attempt of the air vent, i´m able to turning and moving the plane around.

i hope my description is as clear as possible.

... when i selecting the plane and choose "moving/copy"...

... it don´t let me choose the plane.

Here is the proof, that it worked in my first air vent attempt (another save file)...

any idea what could be the mistake?

[jeff_strater]

yes, your description is clear, @svensalinger , thanks for that.  You are correct in your analysis.  Here is the background:

• there are two types of design in Fusion:  A Direct Modeling design and a Parametric (History-based) design.
• Direct Modeling designs are not associative.  If you edit a sketch, any consuming features will not be updated.  Parametric designs are associative.  See:  parametric-modeling-versus-direct-modeling 
• When you import a design (in your case, an OBJ model), it is imported as a Direct Model.
• When you create a new empty model, by default that model is parametric.  That's why it worked when you created a new model and inserted your OBJ
• In a Parametric model you cannot change the rotation of an offset plane, but you can in a Direct Model.  That is why you see a difference between the plane behaviors

Hope that helps...

[jhackney1972]

The reason the Construction Planes are acting differently in your two models is because in the first set of screen captures, you model has a Timeline and is using Capture Design History. In the second set of screen captures, the model does not have a Timeline, Capture Design History is turned off.  Capture design history is a better way to model, in my opinion.  If you need one Construction Plane that you can edit, use this command to create it.  This will create a Base Feature and still allow you to Capture Design History.

[svensalinger]

i tried different ways...

choosing the option "Create Base Feature", selecting a plane, creating a offset plane and then confirming "complete Base Feature" (hope thats the right translation. in the german version it say "Basiselement fertig stellen").

i also tried to select an allready created offset plane and then confirming the "complete Base Feature".

none of them works for me. still unable to rotate or moving.

[svensalinger]

big thanks for the explaination.

i understand it from what you say, but i don´t understand the reason why it shouldn´t be possible to rotate/move a plane in the other "mode".

hopefully i will find a solution :).

[jeff_strater]

"but i don´t understand the reason why it shouldn´t be possible to rotate/move a plane in the other "mode"."

This is just a limitation of Parametric Design.  A general move/rotate has not been implemented for parametric work planes yet.  The idea was:  You should use other parametric work plane commands (Plane At Angle, Plane Through 3 Points, etc) to create the desired plane, not offset + move

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

In the video I demonstrate how to create an offset plane as a Base Feature.  I then manipulate it for you.  Last a create a body on this plane and then go back and manipulate it again.  The body will of course follow it.  This is just one of the uses of this process.

By the way, please direct your comments to me directly and not to yourself.  I almost missed your comment since you did not reply to my Forum post.

[svensalinger]

Hello John,

big thanks to you for taking you time for this video.

now it worked for me. my mistake before was, that i clicked the green check mark before i tried to rotate the plane.