Tools Menu

Provides access to the match menu commands . Matching is a semi-automated process of altering the sizes of linked parts so they form a valid intersection.

Activates an existing part in the design. The command prompts for the selection of a part end node to move during the operation. The possible nodes are highlighted for selection to be made. Having selected a node the part becomes active and the end node can be relocated or linked to another node using the snap tools . This is called normal activate because the mode of activation keeps the part center line 'normal' to the end faces. In other words the parts has no oblique offset/skew .

Activates an existing part in the design. The command prompts for the selection of a part end node to move during the operation. The possible nodes are highlighted for selection to be made. Having selected a node the part becomes active and the end node can be relocated or linked to another node using the snap tools . This is called oblique activate because the mode of activation keeps the end faces facing in their current direction but offsets the center line with an oblique offset/skew offset.

This command is similar to the move parts command except that the selected parts are unlinked from the rest of the design when they are moved. The command prompts for the selection of a drag node as a cursor handle for moving the parts. Then it prompts for a 3D point as a drop point for the dragged parts.

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for snapping the cursor to an object center line. The movement of the cursor becomes restricted to sliding along the object center line. A second mouse click then accepts the cursor posiion on the center line as the selected point. Generally when the snap tool is used with dragged or active parts a new node is automtically created on the part center line at the selected point. In these operations the new node is then used to link it to the drag node in the operation. For full details see Snap Center Line Tool .

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for snapping the cursor to an object node. A second mouse click then accepts the cursor posiion on the center line as the selected point. Generally when the snap tool is used with dragged or active parts the drag node in linked to the drop node, and therefore the dragged part to the drop part. For full details see Snap Node Tool .

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for an active part or construction line. It is used for snapping the cursor to the nearest 3D cartesian axis aligned to the active object. The active object therefore aligns itself to the nearest cartesian axis. The alignment on;ly occurs until the cursor move close to another axis. For full details see Axis Snap Tool .

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for an active part or construction line. It is used for snapping the active part to a particular angle to a selected linked object. First a dialog box receives the input of the required angle, then the potential datum objects are highlighted indicating the command requires a selection to be made. Once the datum part is selected the active part dynamically snaps to alignment with the angle to the datum part in the common plane of the active and datum part center lines. For full details see Angle Snap Tool .

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for an active part or construction line. The perpendicular snap is identical to the angle snap except that no angle dialog box appears (because it is 90 degree for a perpendicular). For full details see Perpendicular Snap Tool .

This is a snap tool used during 3D point selection for an active part or construction line. Alignment snapping is the equivalent of snapping an active part to an angle of zero degrees (see - angle snap ). The active part aligns itself to the center line of the selected datum part. For full details see Align Snap Tool .

The scale command prompts for a scale factor and scales the design by the factor. Designs can be converted from one unit system to another (using scale 0.04 for mm to inches, or 25 for inches to mm). After this approximate conversion the parameters can be typing in to exactly size the design. Scaling occurs around a mid point of the design. For parametric design - In effect the scale command is a coarse adjustment before typing in parameters for the fine adjustments.

The rotate command is used to rotate the design around a selected cartesian axis or object axis by a specified angle. A dialog box receives the axis selections and angle. See 'Rotating Objects '.

Generates a swept bend from a simple two piece bend in the current view design. The command is only available when the two parts are preselected and they are linked end to end in a bend relationship. The swept bend design dialog box is opened and parameters can be entered to define the bend, including the number of bend parts and type of ends to the bend.