### Creating Alignments

Once you have created features, you can create or modify alignments. The procedure below explains how to create a standard 3-2-1 alignment. See the "Creating an Iterative Alignment" topic for Iterative Alignment information.

1. Click Alignment from the Plans toolbar or select the Insert | Alignment menu item. This opens the Alignment dialog box.

Alignment dialog box

2. If needed, type an ID for the alignment in the ID box.

3. Select the feature and the axis (from the drop-down box next to Level) to which the alignment will be leveled. Click Level to define the leveling component to the Active Alignment list.

4. Select the feature, Rotate To axis and About axis (from the drop-down boxes next to Rotate) to which the alignment will be rotated about. Use the Offset Angle value to adjust the rotational offset angle from the nominal rotation to the specified feature. Click Rotate to define the rotating component to the Active Alignment list.

5. Select the feature to which the selected origin axis/axes of the alignment will be established. Choose one or more XYZ axes or the Auto option. Click Origin to define the translated component(s) to the Active Alignment list. The Auto will choose the axes to move based on the feature type, the orientation of that feature, and the workplane.

Note: When selecting features use the following dialog box options:
• Typing the needed feature name in the Search ID box and the feature will be highlighted in the Feature list box when you press the TAB key.
• Selecting the last of a certain number of features by typing the needed number in the Select Last # box. For example, if you wanted to select the last four features that were created, simply type 4 and press the TAB key. PC-DMIS will highlight the features selected in the Feature list box.
• Click Clear to clear the previously selected features.

6. Click OK to add the alignment to the Inspection Plan, or click Cancel to close the dialog box without saving.

Using Auto Align

If desired, you can instead select the above three features and click the Auto Align button to have Planner automatically level to the first feature, rotate about the second, and translate to the third. The order in which the three features are selected is extremely important.

- The first of the three features will be used to establish the orientation of the normal axis to the current working plane.

- The current working plane will then be rotated to the second feature.

- Lastly, the part origin will be set according to the third feature type.

For example, if you select a:

Plane, Line and a Point with a ZPLUS workplane:
The plane will establish the ZPLUS orientation of the part. The measured line becomes the XPLUS major axis. The origin is set with the Z zero equal to that of the plane. The Y is equal to that of the line and the X is equal to that of the point.

Plane, Line and a Measured Circle with a YMINUS workplane:
The plane will establish the YMINUS orientation of the part. The measured line becomes the ZMINUS major axis. The origin is set with the Y zero equal to that of the plane. The X and Z zeros (origins) are equal to the center of the circle.

If Planner is unable to create a new alignment based on the three selected features, a pop-window will appear with an error message.

Important: In an Auto Alignment the origin of the alignment is based on the third feature used.
● If it's a point, Planner sets the axes origin. If not, Planner checks the feature's default axes.
● If it's a line, Planner returns X, Y, and Z and sets the origin on the X, Y, and Z.
● If it's a Circle, Planner sets all three axes.

More:

Creating an Iterative Alignment