“3D” Tab

This tab collects general parameters related to 3D modeling:

Units section. Defines measurement units of the elements and operations on the 3D scene.

Mass. Defines mass units for solid objects of 3D scene.

Length. Defines length units for 3D objects.

Force. Defines force units for 3D objects. Used in Measure command and loads definition in Analysis studies.

Scale Value. Parameter is used when the value of Length parameter is set to “User”. In this case, any arbitrary number of units per meter can be defined. 3D object will take into account this value for Length units.

 

The Workplanes group defines the mode of displaying the workplane names and types. These parameters are displayed in the upper-left corner of the respective workplanes.

3D Triad Orientation. Defines orientation 3D model views in the world coordinate system.

The value “XY-Top” corresponds to the choice when axes direction of the “Top view” coincides with the directions of X and Y axes of the world coordinate system.

The “ISO” setting defines the ISO standard orientation.

Selected orientation is used when creating projections and in the commands of 3D window viewpoint definition («Front View», «Left View», «Right View», «Axonometric View», etc.).

Display Options. Allows you to display/hide workplane types and names in 3D scene:

Don’t display. Workplane name and type are not displayed.

Draw Name. Sets the mode of displaying the workplane name according to the workplane type. Note that changing the workplane type does not affect the name. The name can be changed manually under the workplane parameters.

Draw Type. Sets the mode of displaying the workplane type (Front, Left, etc.).

Draw name and type. Both workplane name and type are displayed.

Workplane font. Defines font size for workplane names.

 

Mesh Quality:

Image Quality. This parameter allows us to specify the degree of refinement of the model mesh consisting of planar triangular faces upon displaying the image in the 3D window. Higher quality of the image of the model increases the number of planar faces which slows down the work for large models or for insufficiently powerful video cards. If possible, it is recommended to minimize the quality of the image of the model.

How many triangles are used for discretization of a specific model given a specific value of the mesh quality parameter can be determined with the help of the “Display Statistics Information” option in the “Graphics Settings” dialog. This dialog is invoked by pressing the “Graphics Settings…” button on the “3D” tab of the Customize > Options command.

Edge Tolerance – the maximum distance between the curves of the model and edges of the mesh which approximate these curves;

Face Tolerance – the maximum distance between the surfaces of the model and planar faces of the mesh which approximate these surfaces;

Angle Tolerance – the maximum angle, specified in degrees, between the curves of the model and the edges of the mesh which approximate these curves. The angle is equal to the sum of angles between the edges of the mesh and the tangents to the original curve at the end points of the edges. This parameter also defines the maximally admissible angle between the surfaces of the model and the planar faces of the mesh which approximate these surfaces (i.e., the angle between the normals to the surface or face).

 

3D:

Main View Coordinate System. This parameter defines the orientation of 3D model views, i.e., location of views (“Front view”, “Top view” etc.) in the world coordinate system. Its orientation is used when creating projections, as well as in the commands of 3D window view direction («Front View», «Left View», «Right View», «Axonometric View», etc.). This option can be helpful when working with imported geometry, parts created in context of assembly or other analogous cases, when model is oriented discordantly to main directions.

Local coordinate system selected as the main view coordinate system cannot be deleted.

Edit parameters after creation if file is used as template. The given parameter is also used only for the document which will become a prototype. Moreover, the document-prototype must have a set of external variables. Then, if the flag is enabled, upon creation of a new document on the basis of this prototype will immediately appear the window of the editor of external variables of the document being created.

Fixed set of windows. When the given parameter is set up, the current set of views (i.e., 2D and 3D windows) is getting fixed in the document. Upon subsequent openings of the document, modification of this set of views will not be possible. It will not be possible to delete one of the windows by reducing its size to zero (when moving the window's separator), or add a new view (the button of creation of a new view will not be available). This functionality is convenient for creation of templates with a set of views defined in advance.

 

The “Selection of Transparent Faces” group of parameters allows us to control selection of transparent faces in the 3D scene:

Transparency limit. This parameter can take values ranging from 0 to 1. It is possible to specify the transparency limit with the help of a variable. If transparency of some face of a body is higher than the indicated transparency limit, this face will be ignored when it is selected in the 3D scene.

Recall that transparency 0 corresponds to the absolutely opaque body (face), 1 – absolutely transparent. Transparency which is larger than 1 is impossible, therefore the value of the limit equal to 1 (default value) corresponds to the standard behavior of the system.

Select by Edges. If this flag is enabled, those faces whose transparency is larger than the specified limit can be selected by their edges (as in the wireframe mode). When the flag is disabled, such faces cannot be selected.

 

“Mates” group of parameters define performance of mates solver only for regenerating a 3D model.

Time (0-1). Defines the time limit of mates solver calculations. The limit is set as factor between 0 and 1 corresponding to “less” and “more” respectively.

Calculation method. Sets one of two available methods of calculation – precise or fast.

More information about calculation methods can be found in “Mates” chapter.

 

Precision. Specifies precision of mates calculations when regenerating a model. The parameter value can be specified from 0.000001 (10-6) to +∞. The precision value specifies the minimum value of mates deviation. If mates deviation exceeds the specified value, all mates will be recalculated. If there are no mates, which deviation exceeds the specified value, the recalculation will not be performed. This reduces model recalculation time.