The pivot point or local origin of an object determines how your objects behave when transforming from one step to another in your presentation. The correct placement of a pivot point is crucial for creating accurate and realistic animations and interactions.
The JigSpace toolbar gizmo (x,y,z arrows to move or rotate arrows for example) appears wherever your pivot point is currently set on an object.
How is pivot data set?
If your CAD files or 3D models have pivot point origins in them, they will be preserved when you import them into JigSpace. Make sure you have downloaded to the latest version of JigSpace to use this.
Preserving pivot points means if your CAD file assembly from SolidWorks, or OnShape for example, has a custom origin point set for a part to rotate around, it will have this same pivot point then you go to transform it in Jig. Edit any mesh pivot point by clicking 'Change pivot' in the Windows or Mac app object property panel.
If there is no pivot points in your data, then the center of each object mesh is used as the default pivot point when they are imported into JigSpace.
How pivot points work
Pivot points determine how an object behaves when you apply these actions:
Movement: moving an object between steps is calculated based on the position of its pivot point.
Rotation: the pivot point serves as the axis of rotation. For a car door model, placing the pivot point at the hinge makes the door swing realistically.
Scaling: Scaling happens relative to the pivot point, for example expanding or contracting the object from that origin.
How to change a pivot point
You can change the pivot point, or origin of an object, by following these steps in the Windows or Mac desktop apps:
- Click on an object in your Jig.
- Open the Object Properties panel on the right-hand side.
- Click Change Pivot.
- Click and drag the pivot in the viewport using your mouse, or use numerical input to set the origin position (x, y, z coordinates) more precisely.
- You can also adjust the rotational pivot origin with the rotate gizmo or numerical input
Once finished, click Save to apply your changes.
