# How to align an revolved body

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 18, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838 "2022-04-18T16:28:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![red.tea7651](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@red.tea7651](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red.tea7651)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/1 "2022-04-18T16:28:05Z")

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I imported a part from McMaster-Carr, but I can’t figure out how to align it. Is there a trick to translate the revolve from its center to its destination?

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/049a92e6c64ee04b3b27149281c89370a53d2a17.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![McD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mcd/32/15504_2.png) [@McD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/McD)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 4:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/2 "2022-04-18T16:51:18Z")

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Have you tried the Align command? In your image, is that an O-ring? You should be able to select an inner diameter or outer, and then the outline of the object you want to align to.

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**Author:** ![red.tea7651](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@red.tea7651](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red.tea7651)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/3 "2022-04-18T17:34:31Z")

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Yes, that is an O-Ring, and I’m actually not able to select anything on it using the align tool.

This is it actually: [McMaster-Carr](https://www.mcmaster.com/1295N477/)

You can import the STEP file into Shapr to try it out.

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**Author:** ![McD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mcd/32/15504_2.png) [@McD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/McD)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/4 "2022-04-18T20:49:09Z")

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John, interesting issue. I imported the O-ring, and indeed, there isn’t a way to use the Align command to do this. There are several ways to work around this though. To center it, I might create a plane, offset a bit from where I want it to go. Then I’d project the ring where the O-ring is supposed to go. This will provide a center point. I’d hide or Isolate the other items, then move the O-ring’s center to be concentric with the plane. Then to set the other position, I’d select the face against where the O-ring is supposed to be, then the O-ring itself. This will provide a distance between the face and the center of the O-ring. Then move the O-ring that distance, but compensate for the radius of the O-ring.

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**Author:** ![red.tea7651](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@red.tea7651](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/red.tea7651)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/5 "2022-04-18T21:09:04Z")

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Thanks for the suggestion.

I’ve also determined that it might be easier to simply recreate the O-ring altogether where I need it to be.

The downside though, that, even so, its not possible to reposition it will without recreating it, or following your suggestion.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![McD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/mcd/32/15504_2.png) [@McD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/McD)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2022, 9:39pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/6 "2022-04-18T21:39:32Z")

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Another way would be to create it, but use a sweep or revolve command, with the diameter of the O-ring tangent to either the inner or outer diameter. This “should” create a circle that you could use to align.

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**Author:** ![PEC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@PEC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/PEC)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2022, 9:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-to-align-an-revolved-body/18838/7 "2022-04-19T21:24:00Z")

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Hi,

Here is a workaround.  
Cut half of the revolved body to create a flat surface to align with, then align, and set the diameter to the original value to restore the initial rounded shape.  
Doing so will enable to align both radially and axially to any other surface.  
Video shows we can align the center the O-ring or edges.

But as this is a standard use case, I think Align should work for O-rings without workaround.