Aligning Objects and Surfaces

Centering Objects

Objects can be centered in relation to other objects or surfaces. There are two menu options for this.

Solid: Move A to B Center - Moves selected Object A to ObjectB center, icon
Solid: Move A to Surface B Center - Moves selected Object A to Surface B center, icon

Centering Solid A to Solid/Surface B

Centering Surfaces

One surface can be used to center and position another surface by selecting Surface A and B together.

Surface: Move A's Center to B's Center - Moves selected Surface A to Surface B's center, icon

Examples

1. Create a rectangle and select Surface A, B as shown
2. Use Move Surface A's Center to B's Center option

3/4. With rectangle object use CSG difference cut the beam flush at Surface B's center

5. Copy and Paste beam selected as Solid A, reflect across X axis, translate to left so end of each beam can be selected as Surface A, B
6. Use menu Surface: Move A's Center to B's Center or icon to put the two beams together on center.

Aligning Surfaces

Surfaces can aligned to X, Y, Z axis or in relation to each other using Align options in the Surface menu.

Surface Alignment Features

● Align to ±X/±Y/±Z Axis - Make selected Surface A's parallel to specified Axis
● Align A to ±B - Make selected Surfaces A's parallel to Surface B
● Align and Set A to ±B - Make selected Surfaces A's parallel and co-planar to Surface B

Example of Align to Y Axis feature

Next is an example of how to apply Align and Set A to ±B menu features. Pillar shown below in rendering will be placed on right side of opening.

First select Surface A/B from the scene

Next choose Surface: Align and Set A to B from menu or choose icon

Move view and select surface at base of pillar as shown as Surface A

Next choose Surface: Align and Set A to -B from menu or choose icon

Aligning and Positioning non-coplanar surfaces

There are few ways to align and position objects/surfaces that are not coplanar. One way is by using Surface: Set A's nearest Vertex to Surface B feature. This will translate the object so that the nearest vertices of Surface A are placed on Surface B as shown here,

Another way is to create and extrude a double sided surface to get 'side' planes of the polygon, planes from extruded surface can then be used to align other surfaces/objects.