In a training video a part was pulled and it was created some distance away from the workplane. Why did that happen?

[vgillespie]

I am going through a nine part video titled: Video: Creo Direct Modeling Express, making a clock so that I can become familiar with Creo Elements / Direct Modelling Express. I am trying to learn and understand everything the author does in the video. In part 4 of the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh9pnhNXtjo) at about 8:40 the author pulls a part from a sketch on a workplane. But the part is created some distance away from the workplane, instead of right on the workplane. Why did that happen? Am I missing something? How do you do that?

-Vincent

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[TomD.inPDX]

Somehow he picked up a reference plane from the 1 part "crown".

[vgillespie]

But the structure browser is visible at that point in the video and you can see that only one workplane, W1, exists at that point. There is no other workplane to pick up. You can also look in the status bar at the bottom of the screen and see that W1 is the active workplane.

[TomD.inPDX]

It might be the working plane, but not the extrude plane. I don't know enough about the direct modeler, but somehow it knows to build on the crown's surface rather that from the workplane.

[vgillespie]

I think you may be right but I still don't understand how it happened. I can't replicate what the guy did. Thank you anyway for your answer.

[dschenken]

It's puzzling.

There's a brief flash of Move 3d at :47 seconds mark when he is creating a new w1, but then the other Pulls generate features that are coincident with the sketched geometry and this one Pull isn't.

Later in the video, 16:30, he is suprised that the gear teeth aren't the same width as the thickness he assigned when he pulled the gear. He gave them the same value of 10, but they are clearly not the same.

This really reminds me why I wanted to use parametric modeling. If the design isn't done before the modeling starts, there's a lot of rework for any minor change. Want to change the number of spokes or the profile of the spokes? Change the location of the main gear so it doesn't interfere with the escapement? Can't just change that 72 degree value to a new one. Instead of changing a value there's a lot of rip out and replace or re-establish references that are immediately discarded when the move is done.

[vgillespie]

Thank you for your thoughts. The main thing for me is that I am not missing something here. Based on your comment and also the comments of Antonius this issue was probably some kind of anomaly (as opposed to a function of the program that I was not aware of) and so I guess I don't need to worry about it. I just want to make sure I fully understand what the guy is doing in the video.

Regarding your comment that parametric modeling is better than pure direct modeling (at least for some people) you may be right. I am not sure which would be best for me. But as far as I know this program, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express, is the only 3D CAD program out there that has genuine functionality and capability and which is completely free. I am in the process of learning it. So far it seems like it will be sufficient for my needs.

[dschenken]

I didn't say 'better.' The tool one has is always better than one you don't. I'd rather that PTC resumed the home professional licensing, but if they don't then DME for free seems good.