Create New Processing Plane (3-D)

Processing plane

Right-clicking the Processing plane icon on the transparent toolbar opens a context menu with the following functions:

Function	Description
	Surfaces/Edges/Points Creates a processing plane using any points, edges, surfaces or processing planes
	2 edges Creates a processing plane using two edges
	Edge / Point Creates a processing plane using an edge and a point. The edge defines the x-axis, while the point is a point on the y-axis.
	3 points Defines a processing plane by specifying three points. The first point is the local origin, the second point a point on the x-axis and the third point a point on the y-axis.
	Perpendicular to edge Creates a processing plane perpendicular to the specified edge.
	Screen plane Places the processing plane in the screen plane.
	Dimensioning plane Places the processing plane in the dimensioning plane after identification of the appropriate dimension.
	X-Y (World CS) Places the processing plane in the x-y plane of the world coordinate system
	X-Z (World CS) Places the processing plane in the x-z plane of the world coordinate system
	Y-Z (World CS) Places the processing plane in the y-z plane of the world coordinate system

New processing plane, Surfaces/Edges/Points

Processing plane > New plane, Surfaces/Edges/Points

Here, you can use points, edges, surfaces and even processing planes of your drawing in any order to define a processing plane.

Identification	Description
2 edges	The 1st edge specifies the x-axis. The local origin is the edge end point closest to the cursor position. The 2nd edge specifies the orientation of the y-axis. If, however, the 1st edge is a circle, an ellipse or an arc, the prompt for the 2nd edge does not appear.
3 points	The first point is the local origin, the second point a point on the x-axis and the third point a point on the y-axis.
1 point, 2 edges	The point is the local origin. The first edge specifies the x-axis, the second edge the y-axis.
Point, Edge, Point	The first point is the local origin. The edge specifies the x-axis and the last point is a point on the y-axis.
Edge, Point	The edge specifies the x-axis, while the point is a point on the y-axis.
Circular surface	The processing plane is placed into this surface. The point of origin is the centre of the circle. HiCAD prompts you to make another point entry for the definition of the X-axis. If you want to define the X-axis automatically, press the right mouse button instead of the making another point entry.

The two following options create processing planes that lie parallel to an already existing processing plane or top surface. For this, after specifying a point or identifying an edge, you need to identify the processing plane or surface to which you want the new plane to be parallel.

Edge, Plane or Surface

The X-axis is determined by the edge. Local point of origin is the end point of the edge which is nearest to the curson position.

Point, processing plane

The point is the local origin.

Please note

If you first identify an edge, HiCAD uses this edge and the adjacent surfaces to determine a default coordinate system. Right-click to apply the suggestion.
Defining a processing plane always defines a local coordinate system!

New processing plane, 2 edges

Processing plane > New plane, 2 edges

Here, you define the processing plane by identifying two edges.

The 1st edge specifies the x-axis. The local origin is the local origin closest to the cursor position.

The 2nd edge specifies the orientation of the y-axis.

New processing plane, 3 points

Processing plane > New plane, 3 points

You use this function to define a processing plane by specifying three points.

The first point is the local origin.
The second point is a point on the x-axis.
The third point is a point on the y-axis.

New processing plane, perpendicular to edge

Processing plane > New plane, Perpendicular to edge

Use this function to create a processing plane perpendicular to an edge.

Identify the edge.
Specify a point on the X-axis. If you want the orientation of the X-axis to be determined automatically, press the right mouse button. In this case the processing plane is created directly and step 3 will not be required.
Specify a point on the Z-axis to determine the zero point. If you want to use the end point of the identified edge as zero point, press the right mouse button.

Left: (1) Identified edge, (2) Point on X-axis, (3) Point for Z-axis
Right: Automatic determination of X-axis