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      <title>Datum features</title>
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      <div class="title_topic3" id="xps10_pagetitle">Datum features</div>
      <hr noshade="true"><a name="ndxgenid_roadmap324"></a><a name="ndxgenid_roadmap325"></a><a name="ndxgenid_roadmap326"></a><p class="para_topic">Datum features in NX are similar to I-deas reference entities. As in I-deas, these datums can be created using an absolute location or associatively offset from other reference entities.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">The datum types in NX are:</p>
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            <p class="para_item"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/icon-datumplane.gif" border="0"> <b class="uiTerm">Datum Plane</b></p>
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            <p class="para_item"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/icon-datumaxis.gif" border="0"> <b class="uiTerm">Datum Axis</b></p>
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            <p class="para_item"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/icon-datumcsys.gif" border="0"> <b class="uiTerm">Datum CSYS</b></p>
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      <p class="para_topic">Using the I-deas role, the buttons to create these datums are found in the <b class="uiTerm">Feature</b> toolbar or in the <b class="uiTerm">Insert</b> &rarr; <b class="uiTerm">Datum/Point</b> menu.
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            <p class="para_item"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/icons/datum_features.gif" border="0"></p>
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      </ul><a name="ndxgenid_roadmap327"></a><p class="para_topic">A Datum CSYS contains three datum planes, three datum axes, and a point. It can be used as the base feature of a model the same as a BORN coordinate system in I-deas.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/parts/datum_csys_anim.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Datum planes can be created as fixed planes or offset from an existing datum plane.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">To create an offset datum plane, pick the plane to offset from. Drag the plane into position, or type in the offset value (1) .</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/parts/datum_plane_offset.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">To create a datum plane at an angle through a datum axis, pick both the axis to revolve about and the plane to measure the angle to. Drag to the desired angle or type in an angle value (2) .</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/parts/datum_plane_angled.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">The offset or angle values are stored as associative <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('roadmap/05qt_parts_34.html');return(false);">expressions</a> that can be modified.
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                  <p class="para_tip_body">In NX, you may pick other objects after the preview appears. For example, to create an angled datum plane, after first picking a plane, you see a preview of an offset datum plane. After you pick a datum axis, the preview changes to an angled datum plane. This operation is potentially confusing to I-deas users.</p>
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      <p class="para_topic">Fixed datum axes can be created relative to the WCS. Relative (associative) datum axes can be created using methods such as picking two points, a point in a direction, the intersections of datum planes, or the center of a cylinder.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/parts/datum_axis_cyl.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Datum planes and axes can be used for sketching and for positioning sketches and features.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">See also:</p>
      <ul class="unmarkedList">
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            <p class="para_item">Help: <img align="bottom" src="graphics/widgets/book_closed.gif" border="0"> Design &rarr; Modeling &rarr; Creating Objects from the Insert Menu &rarr; Datum/Point
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            <p class="para_item">Help: <img align="bottom" src="graphics/widgets/book_closed.gif" border="0"> Design &rarr; Modeling &rarr; Modeling Menu Quick Reference &rarr; Modeling Insert Options  &rarr; Datum/Point
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