Tools > Features > Create Features identifies and assigns a name to a physical construct so that it can be referenced by analysis, alignment, and trimming tools.
After you designate a feature, you can fine-tune its parameters. If alignment and analysis is your goal, you will probably accept the initial calculations.
The controls and indicators are:
Feature Type icons - specifies the type of feature that you will identify by clicking in the Viewing Area:
Hole - a round hole
Slot - a round hole that is elongated to have two flat
sides
Rectangle - a four-sided hole with two pairs of equilateral
sides.
Rounded Rectangle - a rectangle with rounded corners
Line - a line
Name dropdown and field - specifies the name of the feature that will be created or which is being edited. A feature Name consists of an optional alphabetic prefix (A, B, C,...) and a “label” part. The two fields that construct a Name are:
Name dropdown (A thru Z, AA thru ZZ,... except I, O, and Q) specifies a unique alphabetic prefix for this feature. [Use of this alphabetic prefix is optional.] When an alphabetic prefix has been selected from this list and used in the name of a datum or feature, it does not appear in the list the next time you look. Thus, alphabetic prefixes are guaranteed to be unique among all datums and features on one object.
Name field - specifies the “label” part of this feature’s Name. Based on the Feature Type, the application makes up a label such as “Hole 1", “Slot 2". Subsequent datums are labelled consecutively, like “Hole 2", and “Hole 3", but the user can override any label.
Fitting Method - specifies the method by which the application will select points that comprise the feature.
Inner Fit - the feature will be placed such that no point lies outside of bounds.
Best Fit - the feature will be placed such that its points lie inside and outside the bounds, as close as possible to the average bounds.
Selection - determines the “bounds”.
CAD Boundary (available only when the object is a CAD object) - the bounds of the feature is a CAD boundary
Boundary - the bounds of the feature is the boundary of the construct being identified. The Define group appears when Selection is Boundary.
Triangles - the bounds of the feature is a set of triangles that the user selects in the Viewing Area.
Parameters -
Radius - specifies the radius of a newly placed Hole or the rounded corners of a Rounded Rectangle, and allows override.
Length - specifies the length of a newly placed Slot, Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, or Line, and allows override.
Width - specifies the width of a newly placed Slot, Rectangle, or Rounded Rectangle, and allows override.
Offset - specifies a distance to move the Feature definition, in a positive or negative direction that is normal to the plane of the Feature. Example: An offset equal to the thickness of a sheet metal part creates the Feature on the “other side” of the part.
Define group - (appears only when Selection is Boundary).
Complete - (not applicable when Feature Type is Line) specifies that the feature will be placed with respect to the entire boundary.
Partial - specifies that the feature will be placed with respect to a portion of the boundary. Use this when some of the boundary is well defined for the fitting of a feature and some of the boundary is missing or poorly formed. The goal is to click two points on the boundary that surround a well-defined portion, then click the well-defined boundary between those two points.
First Point radio button - the next point that you click in the Viewing Area is one end of a well-defined portion of the boundary.
Second Point radio button - the next point that you click in the Viewing Area is the other end of a well-defined portion of the boundary.
Included Boundary radio button - the next point that you click in the Viewing Area is the well-defined portion of the boundary between the first and second points.
Display group -
Show Feature Labels checkbox - specifies whether to show name labels on all features that have been created so far.
Hide Other Objects checkbox - specifies whether to hide or show all other objects that exist in the Model Manager, which may include other features
Apply button - creates a feature and leaves the dialog open for modification of the same feature.
Next button - stores the created feature to the Model Manager and prepares the dialog for the creation of another feature.
OK button - stores the created feature to the Model Manager and closes the dialog.
Cancel button - closes the dialog.