Functional Overview

Creates a new work surface. Select to display the Work Surface window.

The created work surface's viewing direction is automatically aligned with the work surface normal. It can be modified after creation.

If the work surface is created as parallel to one of the main axis (XYZ/ENU), the system sets the viewing direction to match the work surface normal.

Note: At least one work surface world must exist in the MDB. A work surface world can be created, refer to World for further information.

Elements tab:

Limits tab:

Name

Enter the name of the new work surface.

Location

Use to define the location of the work surface plane or by using the Select button, the plane can then be selected interactively.

Sample locations:

• FR100-75

• LP10

• Y=0

  Note: The location is currently restricted to axis-parallel planes, the location can be given as a grid reference with or without offset.

Select Button

The select button gives access to interactive plane definition which also offers tools to create an inclined (non-axis parallel ) work surface. The options to create a plane are the same as for creating surface. The options to create an inclined plane are by three points (option I) and by axis-parallel plane and two angles (option N):

In addition, there is an option to create the work surface from another model. The work surface plane will be based on the POS and ORI of the selected model. The normal of the work surface will be along the Z-axis in the local coordinate system.

Imprint Space Arrangement

Click to select a space arrangement from the drop-down list (the list displays all the available space arrangements in the MDB). An area arrangement is created together with the work surface. The area arrangement is the result of the intersection between the space arrangement and the work surface.

Depth Settings

Depth in Front

The depth in the positive direction of the plane normal. Once created, there is an arrow in the middle of the work surface which shows the 'in Front' direction. The length of the arrow shows the size of the depth:

Depth in Behind

The depth in the negative direction of the plane normal.

View Limits

The view limits affect the drawlist selection, only model elements fully or partially within the view limits are drawn.

Create Work Surface - When a work surface is added or its location changed, the view limits are updated. The defined depth of the view is also taken into consideration.

If only the depth is changed, the view limits are updated accordingly.

Update Work Surface - When modifying the location or the depth of an existing work surface, the view limits are updated, and the depth is considered.

See Modify View Limits for more information.

Elements

Select the required element(s) type(s) to be added to the 3D view.

Elements entirely and partially within Work Surface limits

Select if the element types are entirely or partially within the work surface limits. The selection is saved with the work surface model.

At a later point, the work surface can be used to populate the view with the given selection criteria, see Refresh Button below.

Elements entirely within Work Surface limits

Select if the element types are entirely within the work surface limits.

Activate Symbolic View on Work Surface Creation

When enabled, the current view is associated with the new work surface and symbolic representation is activated.

Refresh Button

The work surface window maintains its current input when the form is closed and opened again. The Reset button can be used to go back to the initial state. The input data is only preserved within the same session.

Refreshes the work surface view.

When refreshed, the view is cleared of any models that do not match the selection criteria and then scans for and adds models that do meet the criteria.

Note: A model may not match the selection criteria if the model type is not one of the selection model types or it is not within the work surface volume (entirely or partially, depending on the selected include option).

If the user sets an existing work surface as the Current Work Surface and then refreshes it, the system resets the viewing direction to align with the work surface normal.

This group of functions can be used to create and modify grid rulers.

See Create a Grid Ruler.

This function creates a 3D View clipping box representing the work surface and its depth. For an inclined work surface, it is a non-axis parallel box:

To activate clipping in the 3D view, select the Clip function in the View\Clip menu. Create Clip Box activates clipping but makes the clip box invisible. It can be made visible by the Modify function in the View\Clip menu. (In the preceding image, the clip box is visible.)

Use to toggle symbolic representation on/off. The state is updated in the work surface and all models are redrawn to properly reflect the state.

Associates the current 3D view with a work surface. Select from the dropdown list of all existing work surfaces.

Note: <none> resets the connection to a work surface. The selection triggers a redraw of all models with ordinary representation (non-symbolic).