What does 'Offset' mean in terms of design modeling?

In design modeling, 'Offset' refers to the process of creating a parallel outline or surface at a defined distance from the original geometry. This technique is primarily utilized to compensate for alignment issues and to establish features that are uniformly apart from a reference edge or surface. For example, when designing parts for manufacturing, using an offset can ensure that components fit together correctly, maintaining clearances or specific gaps as required by the design specifications.

While adjusting the scale, making duplicates, or rotating an object could be important operations in modeling, they do not specifically define the function of 'offset.' Adjusting the scale modifies the size of an object; duplicating creates copies without altering the original; and rotating changes the object's orientation, not its distance relative to another geometry. Thus, understanding that 'offset' is primarily related to controlling spatial relationships between features is crucial for effective design modeling in software like Autodesk Inventor.