Can I MEASURE A PLANE & make it my WORKPLANE?

[dfiola66]

I know when I'm moving around a part, I must switch workplanes to get dimensions normal to that plane. If it's an angled plane not normal to any workplane, can I measure it and call it my workplane? If so, how?

Again, TIA

[Paul Sarrach]

When you make your alingment to that plane, what ever the vector is xy or z use that workplane

[cmmguy]

Why wouldn't you just level to it?

[dfiola66]

actually, I guess that's what I'm asking and leveling to it would be the same thing.

I have a manual Mitutoyo and I used it for 7 years prior to geting pcdmis. On that machine, I have a basic alignment but if I want distances between 2 holes for example that are on a 45 degree angle to alignment plane, I must measure that plane, PROJECT to it, then measure the holes and get my distance.

I guess I'm stuck in that mode. Leveling to the measured plane would do exactly what I need. THNX!

[Paul Sarrach]

actually, I guess I'm stuck in that mode. Leveling to the measured plane would do exactly what I need. THNX!

Dave, you don't want to be there today. do you?

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

If you are doing manual measurements (learning the features) you CAN make a measured plane your 'workplane' for the features. After you measure the first feature that you want in the measured plane, go to the edit window and toggle the workplane to feature, then enter the feature ID of the measured plane. From that point on, Pcdmis will use that measured plane for your learned features. It will keep using it until YOU tell it to use something else.