Video tutorial for dimensioning distance in PC-DMIS.
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Welcome to a new video on tech tips from CMMXYZ. This is a basic video for beginners for dimensioning distance in PCDMS. Here, I've made a small program with a few features created on the demo block. Let's go ahead and create some distance dimension. To create a distance dimension, go to insert, dimension, distance, or go to distance dimension icon in the quick measure toolbar or distance toolbar. In the dialog box, the units can be switched between millimeters and inches for reporting. The tolerances for the distance can be given in tolerance section. The nominal value of the distance can also be keyed in if there is no CAD to extract nominals from. Next, in distance type section, we have 2D, 3D, and shortest distance. Let's start with 2D distance. 2D distance is a view-specific dimension, meaning it always depends on the current work plane set in the program. For example, if a Z+ work plane is selected, then the measurement is done as if the distance dimension is measured by viewing the part from Z+ direction. Dimensioning is done only in 2D space.
Let's do a 2D distance between two features. Highlight two features that has to be dimensioned for distance in the list of features given in the dialog box or directly from the graphic display. The nominal distance value is taken from the CAD. This is giving me the distance from the center of one feature to the center of the other. We can check this graphically by checking the graphical box, which will give us a visual representation in the graphic display window. When 2D distance type is selected, we can also define the relationship of the distance dimension to the selected features in relationship section. The two feature checkbox in this section allows us to select a third feature relative to which the distance can be dimensioned.
For example, if I want a distance between two circles relative to this plane, then I'd select the two circles and then select the plane as the reference feature. The third feature can be any created feature on the part. This would give me the distance between the two circles relative to the feature that I'm selecting from the first selected circle. Next, to X-axis checkbox allows us to get the distance between the two features in X-axis of the coordinate system. And to Y-axis checkbox allows us to get the distance between the two features in Y-axis of the coordinate system. But here you can see that to Z-axis is grayed out. This is because the work plane or the view in which PCDMS is dimensioning is in Z+ work plane.
So, if I want to measure the distance between the two points in the notch in Z-axis, I would first have to change the work plane to an appropriate work plane. Here, the 2D view in X direction or in Y direction can give the correct Z+ distance. So, let's change the work plane to Y-, then to Z-axis checkbox will be available. Highlight the two points inside the notch, check on to Z-axis checkbox to get the distance in Z-axis. I'm changing the work plane to Z+ so that I can measure the features in 2D distance in Z+ work plane. The orientation section can only be used in combination with relationship section. I'll check on two feature in relationship and select the two circles and a reference feature. Perpendicular to will give us the perpendicular distance between the first selected feature to the second selected feature with reference to the third feature. And parallel to will give us the parallel distance between the first selected feature to the second selected feature with reference to the third feature.
The circle option section allows us to calculate the distance between the circles with an option to add radius and subtract radius. I'll highlight these two circles and select add radius. This would add the radius of both the circles and gives you the distance from one end to the other end of the circle. And then I'll select subtract radius. Subtract radius will subtract both the radius and gives you the distance from outside of one circle to the outside of the other. By default, no radius will be selected giving the distance between the center of the circle feature.
Next, let's see how 3D distance is measured. 3D distance doesn't depend on a work plane. Let's go ahead and measure a 3D distance. I'll select two cylinders and select 3D distance here. A perpendicular distance is measured from the first selected feature to the second. While dimensioning in 3D distance, all three axes: X, Y, and Z, are considered. The relationship section will be grayed out while dimensioning a 3D distance. 3D shortest distance gives the shortest distance between two selected features by measuring a perpendicular distance between each other as shown in the picture. This was the video on distance dimensioning. Thank you for watching the video.
