Angle

Command Activation

f	Construct→Angle
Keyboard	Main Menu	Toolbar

The Angle routine determines the angle between two selected previously measured or constructed features. In the case of two 3D features, such as cylinders and planes, the reported results can be three projection angles or the theta angle between features.

The Angle routine uses the following feature characteristics for reporting.

To obtain the Angle result, press the < f > keystroke or use the toolbar or drop-down menu command. When no features are highlighted in your report, the angle of the last two measured or constructed features will be used. To obtain the angle between two non-consecutive features, locate and highlight those features in the Graphics area or Inspection Report.

The angle reported will be in PCS base plane projection values. Using the plane as an example, see figure 1, we will illustrate the process by which angles are moved from a 3D feature and projected into the Part Coordinate Base Planes.

figure 1, Plane represented in the current PCS

The direction of a plane is defined by the vector normal, pointing out of the plane. Figure 1 shows a plane with its projection into each PCS base plane. The normal, when projected into each PCS base plane provides the attitude in angles, see figures 2, 3, 4.

figure 2, AX/Y Projection	figure 3, AY/Z Projection	figure 4, AZ/X Projection

By default, the angle between two 3D features are reported as the Theta Angle, or the angle directly between the two features regardless of the current PCS. To switch the reporting to projection angles, highlight the Angle feature and right-click to activate the feature sub-menu. Choose [Projection Angles] and the reporting will switch to AX/Y, AY/Z and AZ/X values in the current PCS.

Review of Reported Feature Angles

The direction a feature was measured will determine the angle reported. For example; measuring a +Y 2D line in the +X direction will result is a reported angle from +0° to +90°. Measuring the line in the -X direction the angle would be the supplement, or -180° to  -270°. The reported feature angle will influence the angle reported between two features. All features can be switched between its normal reported angle and the supplement.