Traced image as the basis for an assembly

[steveastro]

I am trying to use a traced, scaled image as the basis to build multiple components for a boat model. I can create a tracing image in a new assembly. My plan had been to create a part in the assembly, then edit the part within the assembly, and trace it off the tracing image. When I try though, the tracing image (which is visible and active in the assembly is invisible in the part, even in edit in place.

What am I missing ?
Thanks !
Steve

 

[Joseph_L]

Great question. When editing the part in the context of an assembly, the workspace switches to the part modeling environment and some elements like tracing images don't show up due to the workspace change. Is it possible to put the image on the same scale and location in both the assembly and the part workspace? Sometimes I'll model in sacrificial 'cubes' to orient empty parts for editing in context that I can delete later.

 

[steveastro]

I COULD, but I was trying to avoid that, to ensure complete synchronisation with the underlying image.

 

[dwc]

Make a part of your traced and scaled image. Say 1mm thick.
Insert that in your assembly and constrain to the correct position.
Then you can do project to sketch of the edges needed for all your parts.
The suppress the traced part.
Voila!

 

[dwc]

Another method that I have used is to make the trace and use it in a part and turn all the lines you don't need for the particular part to reference.
Save that part with appropriate names for all the parts to be made.
Be sure to use the save as from Alibre so it really makes independant parts. Copying from Windows will not work.
Then go back into the parts and change the lines between reference and normal to make the appropriate part for each file.