Part Mirror

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Part Mirror

Menu location
Part → Mirroring...
Workbenches
Part
Default shortcut
None
Introduced in version
-
See also
None

Description

Part Mirror creates a new object (image) which is a reflection of the original object (source). The image object is created behind a mirror plane. The mirror plane may be standard plane (XY, YZ, or XZ), any plane parallel to a standard plane, or (introduced in version 0.22) any arbitrary plane by using a reference object.

An example:

Before

After mirrored through YZ plane

Usage

  1. Optionally select one or more source objects.
  2. There are several ways to invoke the command:
    • Press the Mirroring... button.
    • Select the Part → Mirroring... option from the menu.
  3. If you have not yet selected objects or want to change the selection: pick one or more objects from the Shapes list.
  4. Select a standard Mirror plane from the dropdown menu or select a reference object in the Tree view or the 3D view. The reference object can be any planar face or circular edge.
  5. Press the OK button.
  6. For each source object a separate Part Mirror object is created.

When the Select button label says "Selecting" you are in reference selection mode and there will be a selection gate in effect, which disallows the selection of unsupported reference objects. Click that button again to toggle the selection gate off.

The mirror plane is defined by a Normal (direction) and a Base (position) property. When the Mirror Plane property contains a reference object the Base and Normal properties are made read-only since these values are then computed based on that object. The plane is infinite even if the reference object is not.

A reference object can be a planar face, such as the face of a Part Box, or a circular edge, or a Datum Plane, or an origin plane of a Std Part container, or basically any object with a single planar face or single edge that is circular. There is also support for Links. Note, however, that B-spline surfaces, such as Ruled Surface or Part Loft faces are not supported.

Options

If a standard mirror plane instead of a reference object is selected, the Base point boxes can be used to move it. Only one of the X, Y, or Z boxes is effective for a given standard plane.

Standard Plane Base Point Box Effect
XY Z Move mirror plane along Z axis.
XY X, Y No effect.
XZ Y Move mirror plane along Y axis.
XZ X, Z No effect.
YZ X Move mirror plane along X axis.
YZ Y, Z No effect.

Notes