# Coordinate Systems
Coordinate systems allow you to define local reference frames for geometric transformations of entities.
# Overview
By default, Flow360 uses a global Cartesian coordinate system. However, for complex geometries or specific analysis requirements, you may need to define custom coordinate systems. These local coordinate systems enable:
- Translation
- Rotation
- Scaling
# Creating Coordinate Systems
To create a coordinate system:
- Navigate to the Coordinate systems section in the Entities browser
- Click the "+" button to add a new coordinate system
- Define the parameters for the coordinate system
- Confirm to add the coordinate system to your project
# Coordinate System Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name for the coordinate system |
| Parent | The parent coordinate system (e.g., Global) that this system is defined relative to |
| Translation | The origin offset (X, Y, Z) of the local coordinate system relative to the parent |
| Rotation axis | The axis (X, Y, Z components) about which the coordinate system is rotated |
| Rotation angle | The angle of rotation about the rotation axis (in degrees) |
| Scale | Scale factors (X, Y, Z) for the coordinate system axes |
| Reference point for rotation and scale | The point (X, Y, Z) used as the center for rotation and scaling operations |