The Feature Control Frame command defines and places a feature control frame on model elements.

• Feature control frame alignment

  You can use the Orientation list on the Feature Control Frame command bar to align the feature control frame to the surface, edge, or dimension that it references. Options are parallel or perpendicular, horizontal or vertical.

  When the feature control frame is placed using a point in free space, only the horizontal and vertical options are available.

• Break lines

  Break lines can be horizontal, vertical, or inclined. You can use the Angle box on the command bar to specify an incline orientation for a break line.

• Leader lines

  You can drag any segment of a multi-segment leader line so that it snaps perpendicular to the previous or next segment. This does not apply to the break line.

Feature control frames refer to datums for communication of acceptable tolerances for a feature. The Feature Control Frame Properties dialog box specifies the content, format, and structure of the annotation.

There are four rows available on the General page, Feature Control Frame dialog box for creating a feature control frame. Individual Composite check boxes control whether a row is part of a composite feature control frame structure.

To learn how to use the dialog box to create content, see the following help topics:

• Define feature control frame content

• Example: Add symbols to a feature control frame

After you place a feature control frame, you can use the annotation edit handles to manipulate the annotation position, its leader line, and the break line.

You also can change the attachment point where the leader line is connected to the feature control frame. There are nine attachment points available. The attachment points are visible only when you press Alt while dragging the leader attachment point.

See the help topic, Manipulating feature control frames.

You can drag the terminator of a datum frame or feature control frame (1), so that it snaps to the dimension line it references (2).

You can save a feature control frame so that you can use it again quickly and efficiently. You can access the saved frame from the command bar.

• Place a feature control frame or datum frame

• Define feature control frame content

• Example: Add symbols to a feature control frame

• Save a feature control frame

• Activate a saved feature control frame

• Add PMI dimensions and annotations

• Manipulating feature control frames

• Geometric tolerancing

• PMI dimensions and annotations

• Feature Control Frame command bar

• Feature Control Frame Properties dialog box