Extended Distance

Command Activation

The Extended Distance routine expands the choices that can be used in determining common axis distances between features with form. An example would be the outer distance between two circles which results in a reported value equal to the center-to-center distance plus the two radii.

The routine requires that features sharing reporting axis are used. For example, two XY Circles. The only notable exceptions are a Cylinder/Sphere and two 3D Points. The explanation on these special relationships are provided below.

The Extended Distance routine works on the follow feature pairings:

 

Reporting Formats

Cartesian: Calculates the results in XYZ values that are parallel to the current Part Coordinate System.

Polar: Calculates the results in Radius and project angle components. The radius equals a direct line distance between the selected nodes. The angle is the projected PCS base plane angle in the XY, ZX or YZ base plane.

Alignments

Align in PCS: The calculated nodes are inline with the current Part Coordinate System.

Align with Features: The calculated nodes are inline with the direction vector passing through the center positions of the features. This method is commonly used when combined with Polar reporting to show the inner or outside distances of the features.

Tangent Points: The calculated nodes represent the point of contact of a line touching both features simultaneously.

Using the Extended Distance Tool with Two Circles

Extended Distance works with the last two features measured or constructed , or with two previously selected features in the inspection report.

Activating the Extended Distance Tool will show the two features in their respective orientation, see figure 1. Each circle will be shown with five nodes assigned corresponding to the top, bottom, right and left extreme positions, plus a center point node. Between the two circles will exist a node that lies on a direct line between the circle centers and its mid point.

figure 1, Basic Extended Distance Tool

These nodes can be selected, one from each circle or the center node to obtain the required distance. To select a node, pass your mouse pointer over a node and the node will expand indicating you can select it, see figure 2. Left click on the expanded node and that becomes one of the required selected node to be used in determining the distance.

figure 2, Node selection	figure 3, Locking on a node

When the node is selected, the node shape changes into a Circle where green is the color for node one and blue is the color for node two. Selecting node two is similar to node one except the selection process using a right-click.

In figure 4, we show two selected nodes. The alignment of the nodes are in line with the current PCS axis. Leader lines are drawn to represent the distances that will be reported. We are reporting in Cartesian coordinates with the reported values parallel to the current PCS axis. The reported results are shown for reference.

To illustrate how we get a minimum distance, or inner distance value, we switch the Alignment choice to "Align with Features". This will recalculate the nodes using the center-to-center alignment, see figure 5.

The Reporting Format selection was changed to Polar to allow for direct distance between nodes. We choose our two required nodes and the distance leader will be drawn directly between the nodes.

If we did not switch to "Align with Features" and attempted to retrieve the inner distance, we would get a poor reading as shown in figure 6.

Tangent Points

Working with tangent points can be accomplished when selecting "Tangent Points" under the Alignment group. The features will be redrawn to show the available nodes, see figure 7.

Select the two nodes as described above to obtain the distance. Under most conditions, have your Reporting Format set to Polar. This routine is helpful when working with oval slots and between fillets in corners to report the straight line distance and angle.

Cylinder / Sphere Extended Distance

The Extended distance routine can be applied to a Cylinder and Sphere combination. When Geomet sees that you have selected these features, the Extended Distance tool reconfigures itself to those pairings, see figure 8.

The graphic illustration of the two features are not shown in their respective relative position or size. This was done to accommodate more effective use in selecting nodes. For example, should the cylinder axis pass through the center point of the sphere, such as a rounded end of a shaft, the nodes would overlap and it becomes difficult to separate for clarity.

Choose the nodes using a left-click only on each feature. When one node has been selected on each feature, a leader line is drawn with its corresponding value, see figure 9.

In this example, the inner nodes were selected reporting the distance between features at the closest point of approach. In figures 10 and 11 we illustrate various selected nodes for reporting.

figure 10, External to Center Nodes	figure 11, External nodes selected

The reported value is the direct line distance from the selected node and is not reported as XYZ Part Coordinate System values. The calculation of the distance is a direction vector from the center of the sphere normal to the axis of the cylinder.

3D Point / 3D Point Extended Distance

The Extended Distance routine can be applied to a pair of 3D Points one of which must be a measured point. Normally a 3D Point has no form or feature size. In the Extended Distance routine, the size of a measured 3D point is the size of the stylus used when capturing. Constructed 3D Points, when used with the Extended Distance routine has no size. In figure 12, we illustrate two measured 3D Points being displayed. In figure 13, we have one measured 3D Point and one constructed 3D Point.

figure 12, Two Measured 3D Points	figure 13, One Measured/One Constructed

The behavior of selecting nodes is similar as described in the Cylinder / Sphere section above. The distance reported is calculated along a direction vector crossing through the centers of the 3D Points.

figure 12, Inside Distance	figure 13, Inside Distance Meas. Pt / Const. Pt.

In figure 12, the distance reported is the inner distance between two measured 3D points. In figure 13, we illustrate the inner distance between one measured 3D Point and a constructed 3D Point which is derived from the intersection of two 3D Lines.