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Rotating Parts by Reference

June 10, 2026 05:21 AM
1 min read

The following steps outline the process to rotate a subassembly or a leaf part relatively to a surface or edge of another part:

  1. Select the subassembly or part to be rotated.

  2. Right-click the subassembly or part to be rotated and click Rotate by Reference.

  3. Select a surface or edge of another part along which the first subassembly or part should be rotated.
    4. Note
    Surfaces and edges available for selection are highlighted with red while hovering over them.

    A rotation axis appears near the model.

    Note
    The system automatically detects a valid axis for rotation along a given object.

  4. Drag the axis to rotate the subassembly or part as necessary.

  5. Once the necessary orientation is achieved, quit the manual geometry transformation mode. This can be done in two ways:
    • Click outside the subassembly or part.
    • Press Escape on the keyboard.

      • The new subassembly or part orientation is preserved. The 3D CAD model is ready for viewing and other manipulations.