Tutorial: Work Plane Creations and Extrusion Types

By: Matthew Jourden

Brighton High School

Brighton, MI

Work Plane (Datums) can be created to help make the geometric features creation of an object more efficient.

Work Plane (Datums) Can Be to selected references

1. Offset: Allows user to make a plane parallel to a select plane or surface

2. Plane Point: Allows user to create a plane parallel to a plane through a selected point

3. Point Normal: Allows a user to create a plane perpendicular to a selected point and plane

4. Three Point: Allows the user to create a plane by selecting any 3 points on the part

5. Mid Plane: Allows the user to create a plane by selecting the mid-point of an edge on the part

6. Curve Point: Allows the user to create a plane perpendicular to a point on an arc

(Typically 1 of the 2 endpoints)

Extrude Types

1. Blind: Extrude in one direction of a plane or surface based on User input

2. Symmetric: Extrude distance typed in will go equidistant on both sides of a plane or surface

3. Up To Next: Extrude will go up to the next surface

4. Up To Face: Extrude will go up to a user select surface or plane

5. Up To Vertex: Extrude will go up to a user selected edge point or datum point

6. 2nd End Position: User can type in two different distance values to go in relation to a plane or surface

1. Sketch the Following Profile on the Front Work Plane > Rename Sketch to Main Profile

2. Extrude: 2nd End Position

a. Select Extrude Icon > Rename to Main Extrude > Depth (direction 1) set to 1” > Check Second End Position

Option > Depth (direction 2) 3” > Green Check to Accept

Notice: the yellow outline, which is the profile drawn on the front plan > The profile goes 1” forward and 3” back (user can use

the flip arrows to adjust directions if needed.

3. Offset Work Plane: Allows the user to set create a parallel work plane to a selected surface or existing work plane

a. Select Plane Icon

b. Select the Front Face of the Object

c. Use the Flip Arrow to reverse the direction of the plane into the part > Set Distance to 1.5 > Green Check

Select Front Face

Reverse Direction of

plane in relation to

the selection

d. Select Sketch Icon > Select Plane 1 from the Model Tree or the Workspace > Rename Sketch Bump > Draw the

following Shape

NOTE: While using drawing tools Onshape will ONLY let you snap to edges that are on the same plane. There Is a way

to get geometry to snap to an existing edge.

Option 1: Draw Geometry away from the edge > Set a dimension from drawn geometry to edge of part > Set Value at 0

Example: Geometry will not

be able to snap to this edge

because it is not on the same

plane as Plane 1

Option 2: Tool Use/Project : Use tool will project the selected edge to the plane that is active

Final Geometry > Green Check to Accept

Selected Edge

New Projected Edge

e. Symmetric Extrude: Select Extrude Icon > Rename to Bump > Select Add Tab > Select Bump Sketch > Change

Extrusion Type to Symmetric > Set Depth 1.25 > Select Merge with All > Green Check

Notice the extrusion

distance is on both sides

equally (.625”)

4. Line Angle Plane: Creates an angled plane based on a selection of edge and a surface/place

a. Select Plane Tool > Select the following

i. Edge

ii. Surface

iii. Set Angle at 45 degrees > Select Green Check

b. Draw the following Sketch on Plane 2 (Rename Sketch to Angle Material) > Green Check

c. Select Extrude Tool > Rename Angle Extrude > Select Remove Tab > Select Sketch Angle Material > Change

Extrude Type to Up to Vertex > Select Corner point as shown below > Select Merge with All > Green Check

NOTICE THE cut goes up to let select point and stops. This is good to use when a known distance value is

present, but the user knows where the end point of an extrude will be.

Select Point to Extrude too

Notice the Sketch will cut material up

to the point where the cut touches

the selected point

d. Create the Following Angled Work plane

e. Draw the Following Sketch on the new plane

Mid-Point

f. Create the following Extrude

i. Direction 1: Blind = 1” (Away from the part)

ii. Second end Position: Up to Face > Select the inner face of the first U Cut (Notice how the profile wraps

around the body of the part; Experiment with selecting a different surface to see what happens; see

example below)

5. Three Point: Allows user to create a plane through 3 Selected points

a. Select Plane Icon > Change the Plane Type to Plane Point > Select the following two points > Green Check

Finished Part Test Surface: Notice when the back

surface is selected only half of the cylinder

is connected to the part because the

profile gets extruded up to the face and

the right side surface is not at the same

plane.

Select

inside face

b. Draw the following Sketch

c. Extrude > Through All

Notice a thin wall of extra material on two sides of the triangle > Figure a way out to adjust the cut to do the

following

HINT: Will need to modify away from the Use Edges because of the angled plane the lines are set in the part in

addition the sketch and the Extrude will need a Second End Position

Submission: Show Mr Jourden or Share to jourdem@brightonk12.com

when complete

Tool USE to project

these edges on to the

angled work plane