CADquest Tips & Tricks Series

    Adding Default Datum Planes to Existing Parts and Assemblies

    Use this procedure to add default datum planes to an existing assembly as the first three features.

    1. Add a placeholder CSYS feature as feature #2. Pick #Feature; #Create; #Datum; #Coord Sys; #Default; #Done; #Done/Return; #Feature; #Reorder (reorder the new CSYS to be feature #2) #Done/Return

    2. Suppress the first feature and all its children. Pick #Info; #Regen Info; #Beginning; #Fix Model; #Quick Fix; #Suppress; #Suppress All; #Quit; #Yes

    3. Use 'Fix Model' to create the planes before the first feature. Pick #Info; #Regen Info; #Beginning; #Fix Model; #Fix Model; #Feature; #Create; #Datum; #Plane; #Default; #Done/Return; #Done/Return; #Quit

    4. Resume all the suppressed features. Pick #Feature; #Resume; #All; #Done; #Done/Return

    5. Delete the placeholder feature. Pick #Feature; #Delete, pick the placeholder CSYS feature, #Done Sel; #Done; #Done/Return

    6. Check the model tree. Be sure 'Tree, Show, Features' is checked on. The new planes are now the first three features of the assembly.

    Use this procedure to add default datum planes to an existing part as the first three features.

    1. Add a placeholder CSYS feature as feature #2. Pick #Feature; #Create; #Datum; #Coord Sys; #Default; #Done; #Done; #Feature; #Reorder (reorder the new CSYS to be feature #2) #Done

    2. Suppress the first feature and all its children. Pick #Info; #Regen Info; #Beginning; #Fix Model; #Quick Fix; #Suppress; #Suppress All; #Quit; #Yes

    3. Use 'Fix Model' to create the planes before the first feature. Pick #Info; #Regen Info, enter 'Y', pick #Fix Model; #Fix Model; #Feature; #Create; #Datum; #Plane; #Default; #Done/Return; #Quit

    4. Resume all the suppressed features. Pick #Feature; #Resume; #All; #Done; #Done

    5. Delete the placeholder feature. Pick #Feature; #Delete, pick the placeholder CSYS feature, #Done Sel; #Done; #Done

    6. Check the model tree. Be sure 'Tree, Show, Features' is checked on. The new planes are now the first three features of the assembly.

    Steven G. Smith, CADquest, Harrisburg, PA