How to snap to 1.0mm grid globally

[Howerd]

Hi,

I have just used Solid Edge for the first time, and I have entered a simple drawing to have some holes drilled in an enclosure.
I found it very difficult to get the dimensions right - I would like every length to be a whole number of mm.
The drawing now has dimensions resolved down to microns or nanometres, so I have changed the resolution of the units to "1" to display correctly on a bitmap image.
Now the machine shop has asked for a CAD file...

Is there any way to change the dimensions of the drawing globally to 1.00000mm so that an exported DXF file shows integer mm lengths?
Am I doing something totally wrong here? Perhaps there is a global setup page the specifies the snap grid or resolution?

Your help would be much appreciated

Howerd

 

[KENAT]

What version of Solid Edge are you using?

If you design to whole millimeters, then the drawing in whatever form will show that.

If you design to .xxxx... then the drawing will show that down to the minimum resolution available, and applied driven dimensions will show to whatever resolution you select.

So it kind of sounds like you're perhaps doing something wrong.

Are you using driving dimensions & relationships to create & contstrain your drawing?

If memory serves SE does have a snap to grid functionality that can be turned on but I've never used it.

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[Howerd]

Hi Kenat,

I am using Solid Edge 2D Drafting ST5 2012, downloaded from Siemens last week.

> So it kind of sounds like you're perhaps doing something wrong
Yep ;-)

Maybe you could tell me how to adjust a dimension value, from say 50.0005 to 50.0000, without dragging the line manually?

Also, say I want to draw a line that is 50.0000mm long starting at ( 0.00000, 0.00000 ), what is the easiest way to do it?

I am probably missing something very obvious here...

Thanks & best regards,
Howerd

 

[KENAT]

Haven't played around with the newer versions of 2D drafting sorry.

Are the dimensions you place blue or green?

Typically blue are driving dimensions - i.e. if you select the dimension and type 50 then it will adjust the relevant line element to be 50mm long.

You may need to turn on "maintain relationships" under tools or where ever it is now placed in order to have driving dimensions in draft.

Are there no inbuilt tutorials or online tutorials or anything to help?

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[Howerd]

Hi Kenat,

There are loads of tutorials, and I have read as many as I can find.

I have turned on "Maintain Relationships", and "Relationship Handles" display.

The dimensions I have are green, so driven. If I edit these they are flagged as "Not to scale" and are underlined - this is not what I want to do ( I assume ).

I have not found a way of changing a dimension from driven to driving, after it has been created...

Maybe what I am trying to do is just too simple for this program?
Or I have done it all wrong and just have to start again ( for the third time )???

Best regards,
Howerd

 

[KENAT]

When you select a dimension there should be a little padlock symbol that appears up on the ribbon bar next to the box to modify the value. This enables you to toggle between driven & driving.

However, if you have other constraints over riding this change the it won't allow you to make it driving.

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[Howerd]

Hi Kenat,

This makes sense

Maybe you just have to start out right from the beginning...

I have created a drawing with relationships that cannot be edited because they would break.

Thanks for the responses,

Best regards,
Howerd

 

[beachcomber]

Next to the padlock icon on the dimensioning toolbar is a drop-down box with the rounding accuracy in it - on my screen it says .12 by default, meaning 2dp.
Just click the drop-down arrow and you can select a different rounding - nearest 10 all the way down to 7dp.
You would want the "1" value to round to whole numbers.
The box at the side of that one gives some advanced settings.

bc.
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