About Intent Objects

Part Modeling > Datum Features > Datum References > About Intent Objects

An intent object is a datum, a chain, or a surface set you create to show your design intent. You can then create features that reference the intent object.

When you use intent objects as references, the resulting model is more stable when topological changes occur. If several features reference the same intent object and a change is required, when you redefine the intent object, the features that reference it update automatically. You can name an intent object, and then features can reference the intent object by intent name.

Use intent objects as references when creating the following Creo features:

Type of Intent Object	Use
Intent datum plane, point, axis, or coordinate system	Create datum points, datum axes, datum coordinate systems, or datum planes Place and constrain components in an assembly Dimension or constrain a sketch
Intent datum plane	Set Sketcher orientation Set a depth reference for an extrude feature Set an angle reference for a revolve feature Set a mirror plane for a mirror operation Set a placement reference for a hole feature Set a depth reference for a hole feature Set a direction reference for a direction element Set a placement reference for a datum point Set a placement reference for a datum plane Set a placement reference for a datum axis Set a placement reference for a component in an assembly
Intent datum axis	Set a placement reference for a hole feature Set a depth reference for a hole feature Set a depth reference for an extrude feature Set an axis of revolution for a revolve feature Set a direction reference for a direction element Set a placement reference for a datum point Set a placement reference for a datum plane Set a placement reference for a datum axis Set a placement reference for a component in an assembly
Intent datum point	Set a placement reference for a hole feature Set a depth reference for a hole feature Set a depth reference for an extrude feature Set an angle reference for a revolve feature Set a placement reference for a datum point Set a placement reference for a datum plane Set a placement reference for a datum axis Set a placement reference for a component in an assembly Set a placement reference for a swept blend section Set a placement reference for a sweep section
Intent datum coordinate system	Set a placement reference for a datum plane Set a placement reference for a datum axis Set a placement reference for a datum coordinate system origin Set datum coordinate system orientation Set a placement reference for a component in an assembly
Intent curve	Set a reference for a surface trim feature Set a reference for a boundary blend feature Set a reference for a publish geometry feature Set a reference for a curve copy chain Set a reference for an offset curve feature Set a reference for a draft split feature Set a reference for a sweep trajectory feature Set a reference for a swept blend trajectory feature Set a placement reference for a datum plane Set a placement reference for a point on a curve Set a reference for a Use Edge operation in Sketcher
Intent chains defined by datum references with saved queries	Set the scope of an Auto-Round feature (selected edges or excluded edges)
Intent chains and intent surfaces	Create several Creo features, including sweeps and boundary blends
Intent chains	Set a Sketcher reference Select an edge chain
All intent objects	Create datum reference features Set a direction element for a feature Automatically place user-defined features (UDFs)