Why is my Z pointing down?

[svakareskov]

Hi there,

Sorry if I'm asking in the wrong place.  I imported a model and for some reason the Z direction is pointing down instead of up.  I'm working in Design mode, and my default axis direction for new models is Z up (vs Y up). 

I have an inkling that the original author used CAM mode to create it, but I don't know anything about that side of things (yet) and can't find any place to set it. 

Hope someone has a better idea on how to fix.  Been scratching my head and googling for days to no avail.

File attached. 

Many thanks!

[jhackney1972]

This model has some timeline issues.  As far as I can tell, the assembly origin is with "Z" up as you can see in the screen capture below.

[hamid.sh.]

I don't understand what's the problem. You'll most possibly use this assembly inside some other, so when you insert it there you can Joint it along the axis you want.

Nevertheless it is also possible to rotate it within the same file. I cleaned up timeline errors, made a rigid group out of assembly (you may want to exclude moving parts from this and apply appropriate Joint type(s)), defined a Ground component, added a Joint Origin and made a Joint between this Ground component and your assembly (I could have done it by Move, but I don't like that).

Not sure about the orientation you want; You can edit Joint Origin and reorient it so that the assembly stays the way you want. File is attached.

[svakareskov]

I have so much to learn!  Thank you so much. I've never encountered Joint Origin and how to use Joints to set the orientation.  I have some questions:

1. You cleaned up the history, seems like you converted the features with warning to base features. How did you do that? 

2. When I tried to replicate your process, when I try to create Rigid Joint for the whole assembly, and then try to make a Joint between the assembly and the Joint Origin on Ground, it won't let me and says that the joints would conflict.  What am I missing?

Many thanks. 

[hamid.sh.]

1. I cleaned up by first deleting Remove (optional if you really don't want the motor and related parts) and Capture Positions. Then I copied 3 remaining components that had yellow warnings and pasted as new and deleted newly generated Capture Positions. See this screencast.

2. I am guessing you've applied Rigid Group to the top level assembly so that Ground component is also included and therefore an additional Joint makes conflict. If that's not the case please share your file.

[svakareskov · Accepted solution]

Thank you!  

Last night I managed to pick apart your fixed file and managed to re-create it, but your screencast showed me many things I didn't know! Namely:

1. When doing a copy and "Past As New" on a component, it does not carry the warnings associated with it's position.   I was baffled as how you did that, but seeing that simple copy/past-as-new as a great way to resolve those warnings. I've used that feature so many times to create new branches/versions to work on, but it never occurred to me to use it that way. 

2.  I spent a lot of time learning more about Joints and Joint Origin, and given how simple and useful it was I'm shocked that it get so little coverage in the literature and "the internet".  I've always used Align and Capture to get my things to line up.  Clearly starting Align & capture is just a move with no real impact on the objects, whereas a Joint actually realigns the entire object to joint point and specified orientation. 

Really appreciate your help!

So thank you for helping me learn more.