Create a collection of swept bodies sharing a profile, arranged end-to-end. The Frame collection of tools also includes:

Frame trim iconFrame trim - Trim segments as ordered groups.

Gusset (for frames) iconGusset - Create gussets between adjacent frame segments.

End cap feature tool iconEnd cap - Create one or more end caps for frame segments.

Cut list iconCut list - Create a cut list of all the segments in a frame with their characteristics. This operation also creates an open composite part for the collection.

Tag profile iconTag profile - Attach metadata to a sketch defining a segment's cross-section.

The Frame feature creates a collection of swept bodies that share a profile, arranged end-to-end.

The Frame tool requires a Profile sketch that outlines the profile of the frame itself, located in a Part Studio. Also required is a sketch of the path the Profile sketch follows to create the frame, located in a different Part Studio (or you may select from supplied sketch profiles).

Click the Frame feature tool on the Part Studio toolbar. Activate the Sketch profile field. The Select sketch dialog opens. Optionally, select the location of the frame profile (Current document, Other documents, or the default Frame profiles). Next, select the Standard, Type, and Size for the profile. Click Generate, and then click Done. With the Selections field in the dialog highlighted, select the Profile sketch in the graphics area. The new frame is applied to the sketch path.

By default, Merge tangent segments creates a composite part from the segments tangent to each other. Uncheck this option to leave all segments as individual parts.

Enter an angle or use the manipulator to align the frame non-centrally along the path. Enter an angle reference to change the reference of the angle from the normal plane. Click the arrow to mirror across the Y axis.

Select a Default corner type: Miter, Butt, Coped Butt, or None. If Butt or Coped Butt is selected, you can click the arrow to flip the corners. Select Corner override to adjust corner types on an individual corner basis.

Check Limit frame ends to trim either the starting segment or ending segment to a plane, face, or part.

When finished, click the checkmark to accept the new Frame.

The Frame tool requires a Profile sketch outlining the profile of the frame itself, in a Part Studio. Also required is a sketch of the path the Profile sketch follows to create the frame, in a different Part Studio (or you may select from supplied sketch profiles). The Profile sketch may be in a Part Studio in any document, including the document that the path sketch is in, but it must be in a Part Studio different from the one containing the path sketch.

The Frame tool must be deployed in the Part Studio containing the path.

In the Part Studio containing the sketch that forms the path of the frame to be created:

  1. Select the Frame tool in the toolbar: Frame tool icon

    Frame dialog

  2. Activate the Sketch profile field. The Select sketch dialog opens. Select the location of the frame profile:

    Select sketch dialog

    You can select profiles from:

    • Current document - Select a profile from the Part Studios listed.

    • Other documents - Select a document to which you have permissions, from which to select a profile. The profile sketch must exist in a version. If no version exists you are prompted to create one.

    • Frame profiles - Select from these standards: 8020, AISC, and ANSI. For more information on these profiles, see Frame profiles.

      Select a Type, Size or Configuration (if necessary or desired) for the Frame profile. If a change is made to the Size or Configuration, click the Generate button.

  3. When you have a profile selected, click Done.

  4. In Selections field of the Frame dialog, select the frame path in the current Part Studio. Frame paths can be curves of a sketch, vertices of sketches or parts, or faces or edges of parts. Paths must be selected in a contiguous fashion.

    You can also select a face of a part, to use the edges in place of a sketch, or select edges of a part.

  5. The frame is centrally aligned along the path, but you can select a different alignment from the set of points that appears along a segment:

    Frame centrally aligned along the path

    Central default, above

    Frame aligned to the lower edge

    Outer lower edge selected, above

    Optionally select from additional alignment points added through the Tag profile tool.

  6. Merge tangent segments is checked by default and creates a composite part from the segments tangent to each other. Uncheck this box to leave the segments as individual parts.

  7. Optionally, set an angle for the frame (or use the manipulator to drag to a setting).

  8. Optionally, set the angle reference for the frame if you want to use a reference other than the normal plane.

  9. Optionally, select a corner type: miter, butt, coped butt, or none.

  10. Optionally, select a corner override: to select one or more corners to which to apply a different corner type.

  11. Optionally, select to limit frame ends: to trim either the starting segment or ending segment to a plane, face, or part.

  12. Click the green check mark when satisfied with your frame specifications.

You can set an angle from the normal plane for the frame to be rotated. Use the Angle reference option to select a reference other than the normal plane. Use the directional arrows to flip the orientation of the angle:

Example of a frame with a 45 degree angle

Frame with 45 degree angle specified, above.

Select the type of corner to use where the frame segments meet:

  • Miter

    Miter corner type Miter corner type - rounded frame

  • Butt - Use the arrow that appears to flip the direction of the butt

    Butt corner type Butt corner type - rounded frame

  • Coped butt - Use the arrow that appears to flip the direction of the coped butt

    Butt corner type Coped Butt corner type - rounded frame

  • None - Leave the corner open (unfinished)

    No corner type selected (open, unfinished) None corner type - rounded frame

Override the selected corner type for a specific corner or corners. Select the corner to override and specify the new corner type to be applied:

Example overriding a corner type Example overriding a corner type

The bottom left corner has been selected for an overridden corner type. You can click the arrow to flip the direction of the butt corner type in this example.

Select Limit frame ends to trim either the beginning segment or the ending segment of the frame to a particular face or part:

Example showing the segment before the Limit ends is applied

The image above shows the segment before Limit ends is applied.

Limit frame ends in the dialog Example after Limit ends is applied

The image after Limit ends is applied, above.

Frame profile libraries are special folders that contain frame profiles (sketches) used as templates and applied to sketch entities as frames. Each company can have one frame library that is owned by an administrator and given share permissions for the company so that everyone in the company can access and use the frame profiles in the designated folder. In addition, each individual can set up one frame profile library for their own personal use. No special permissions are required for this folder. This personal frame profile library is accessed and used by the individual user.

Each user can create one personal frame profile library, and each company administrator can create one company frame profile library.

  1. Profiles are created and stored in Onshape folders. Depending on how you want to set up and organize your library, from the Documents page:

    1. Create a folder. Company libraries must be created in the root folder.

    2. Optionally, create a second nested folder under the first. The name of the folder is used for the Standard field on the Frame profiles tab of the Select sketch dialog.

    3. Optionally, create a third nested folder under the second. The name of the folder is used for the Type field on the Frame profiles tab of the Select sketch dialog.

    If there are only two folders in your hierarchy, the second nested folder name is used for the Type field.

  2. If this is a company library, from the Documents page:

    1. Click the Share icon on the root folder in your hierarchy to open the Share settings dialog:

      Clicking the Share icon on the folder

    2. Select the Companies tab.

    3. Check the Link document and Share checkboxes.

    4. Click the Share button:

      Folder share settings

    5. Click the Close button.

The following procedure explains how to author a frame profile in the frame profile library. The instructions author a new frame profile in a personal library, but the same procedure can be used in a company library, provided the user has permission to add a document into the company frame profile library:

  1. From the lowest folder in the library's hierarchy, click Create > Document.

  2. From the Document's Part Studio tab, create a sketch that defines the Frame profile. The sketch's Part Studio name is used for the Profile field on the Frame profiles tab of the Select sketch dialog (by default this is Part Studio 1):

    Creating a frame profile (sketch)

    3. The Part Studio should only have 1 sketch profile. Creating multiple sketches does not work and will cause a failure when the library is updated.

  3. Click the Create version on the Document panel. Enter a version name and optional description. Then click the Create button:

    Create version dialog

  4. On the Documents page, right-click on the folder in which the sketch Document was created, and do one of the following:

    • If the folder is not yet set up as the frame profile library, select Set library > My frame profiles. When the library is first set up, the folder icon changes to indicate this folder is a frame profile library (Library folder icon):

      Set library > My frame profiles

    • If the folder is already set up as the frame profile library, select Frame profile library > Update my frame profiles. This updates the new frame profile with the frame profile library:

      Frame profile library > Update my frame profiles

  5. Create additional profile sketch documents, as required. Then update the user library.

    6. It is recommended you create one frame profile at a time to become acquainted with the authoring process, as opposed to creating several frame profiles and associating them all at once.

From the Documents page right-click on the Frame profile library folder and select Frame profile library > Unset my frame profiles (shown in the first image below). This removes the folder's designation as the user/company library, but does not delete the folder or its content. The folder changes to a standard folder icon to indicate this is a standard folder (), shown in the second image below:

Frame profile library > Unset my frame profiles Unsetting a frame profile library

If you make any changes to the frame profile documents inside the frame library folders, an update to the company or frame profile library is required for them to show the new changes. From the Documents page right-click on the Frame profile library folder and select Frame profile library > Update my frame profiles:

Frame profile library > Update my frame profiles

Once the company or user frame profile library is created and contains one or more frame profiles:

  1. Create a new document.

  2. Click the Frame feature icon (Frame tool icon) on the feature toolbar:

    Frame dialog

  3. Activate the Sketch profile > Frame profiles tab. Click the Library dropdown and select the library containing the frame profile document:

    Selecting a library in the Select sketch dialog

  4. When you have a profile selected, click Done:

    Select sketch (frame profile) dialog

  5. Apply any other Frame feature settings as required, outlined in the Steps section, and click the checkmark to accept the new frame.

  • Frame profile library folders cannot be deleted. First unset the folder, then delete it.

  • Share permissions for element library folders cannot be edited. First unset the folder. The share permissions can then be edited.

For an additional Learning center resource, follow the self-paced course here: Frames Fundamentals (Onshape account required).