Modeling a Part Using Surfaces

Publication Number
spse01560
Proprietary and restricted rights notice

This software and related documentation are proprietary to Siemens Product

Lifecycle Management Software Inc.
© 2010 Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All Rights Reserved.
All trademarks belong to their respective holders.

2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Surface modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

What is surfacing and why use it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
General surface modeling workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Creating and editing curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Surface modeling approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Overview of splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Curve creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Curve definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Curve edit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Simplify . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Convert to curve command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Activity: Drawing and editing a curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-20
BlueDot (ordered modeling) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-28

Indirect curve creation techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1

Additional curve creation methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Pierce points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Silhouette points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Points, curves (and surfaces) as construction elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-17
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20

Surface creation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1

Overview of surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Creating a simple surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Using simple surfaces as construction surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Sketch Tear-Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Creating a swept surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Activity: Creating a swept surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Creating a lofted surface (ordered modeling) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Bounded Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3

Contents

Surface manipulation tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Extend Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Offset Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Copy Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Trim Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Delete Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Stitched Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8
Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-10
Replace Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-16
Activity: Surface manipulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-17
Split Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-18
Parting Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-20
Parting Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Activity: Parting split and parting surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
Activity: Creating a rotary razor body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-23
Activity: Putting it all together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-25

Curve and surface inspection tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Curvature combs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Surface inspection tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Lesson review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Lesson summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9

Activity: Drawing and editing a curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1

Draw a curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Hide the sketch containing edit points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
Edit the curve shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
Add more control to the curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
Inspect the curve using Curvature Comb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-8
Draw a curve connected to elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-10
Constrain the curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-11
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-17

Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1

Use BlueDots to connect two curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Connect the four curves at the end points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Edit a BlueDot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-9

Activity: Creating keypoint curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1

Create a keypoint curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Create keypoint curves between the sketches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Connect the keypoint curves with BlueDots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Edit a BlueDot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Include tangency on keypoint curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-8
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-10

Activity: Additional curve creation methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

Create an Intersection curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1

4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Contents

Create a Cross Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

Use Project Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4
Create a Contour Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8
Edit the shape of the contour curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-9
Use the Derived Curve and Split Curve creation methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-11
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-14

Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1

Create an extruded surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1
Modify the shape of the extruded surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-2
Create a revolved surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-3
Edit the shape of the revolved surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-4
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-5

Activity: Creating a swept surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-1

Create a swept surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-1
Modify the shape of the surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-3
Dynamically edit the path curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-4
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F-5

Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1

Create several BlueSurf features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-1
Create another BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-2
Create a third BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-5
Add cross sections to the BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-6
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G-9

Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H-1

Create a BlueSurf with guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H-1
Insert sketches on the BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H-2
Perform BlueDot edits to change the shape of the surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H-6
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H-9

Activity: Surface manipulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1

Extend a surface . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-1
Offset a surface . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-3
Project a curve onto a surface .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-5
Trim a surface . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-7
Copy a surface . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-9
Delete faces . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-10
Stitch surfaces . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-14
Replace a face . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-18
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-20

Activity: Parting split and parting surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-1

Create a sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-1
Create the core part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-2
Create the cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-3
Create a parting split curve on the cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-5
Create a parting surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-6
Divide the part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-8

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 5

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Open each of the two mold halves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-11

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J-13

Activity: Creating a rotary razor body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-1

Create an extruded surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-2
Create a curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-3
Sketch a cross-section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-4
Create additional curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-5
Create a BlueSurf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-11
Create a bounded surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-13
Stitch together the surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-14
Create a reference plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-15
Create an opening for the power button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-16
Create a port for the power cord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-18
Split the solid body into two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-19
Offset the rear surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-21
Create a space for additional razor components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-22
Apply a thin wall to the part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-25
Round edges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-26
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . K-27

Activity: Putting it all together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-1

Construct the top surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-2
Create intersection curves to develop the front surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-6
Create intersection curves to develop the side surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-9
Create the bottom surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-13
Add another surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-18
Create the final surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-21
Cap the ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-24
Stitch together the surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-24
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L-25

6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Lesson

1 Introduction

Welcome to self paced training for Solid Edge. This course is designed to educate you
in the use of Solid Edge. The course is self-paced and contains instruction followed
by activities.

Solid Edge self-paced courses

• spse01510—Sketching

• spse01515—Constructing base features

• spse01520—Moving and rotating faces

• spse01525—Working with face relationships

• spse01530—Constructing treatment features

• spse01535—Constructing procedural features

• spse01536—Modeling synchronous and ordered features

• spse01540—Modeling assemblies

• spse01541—Explode-Render-Animate

• spse01545—Creating detailed drawings

• spse01546—Sheet metal design

• spse01550—Practicing your skills with projects

• spse01560—Modeling a Part Using Surfaces

• spse01610—Solid Edge frame design

• spse01640—Assembly patterning

• spse01645—Assembly systems libraries

• spse01650—Working with large assemblies

• spse01655—Revising assemblies

• spse01660—Assembly reports

• spse01665—Replacing parts in an assembly

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 1-1

Lesson 1 Introduction

• spse01670—Designing in the context of an assembly

• spse01675—Assembly features

• spse01680—Inspecting assemblies

• spse01685—Alternate assemblies

• spse01690—Virtual components in assemblies

• spse01695—XpresRoute (tubing)

• spse01696—Creating a Wire Harness with Harness Design

• spse01424—Working with Solid Edge Embedded Client

Solid Edge self-paced modules

• spse01510—Sketching

• spse01515—Constructing base features

• spse01520—Moving and rotating faces

• spse01525—Working with geometric relationships

• spse01530—Constructing treatment features

• spse01535—Constructing procedural features

• spse01536—Modeling synchronous and ordered features

• spse01540—Modeling assemblies

• spse01545—Creating detailed drawings

• spse01546—Sheet metal design

• spse01550—Practicing your skills with projects

Start with the tutorials

Self-paced training begins where tutorials end. Tutorials are the quickest way for
you to become familiar with the basics of using Solid Edge. If you do not have any
experience with Solid Edge, please start by working through the tutorials for basic
part modeling and editing before starting this self-paced training.

1-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Lesson

2 Surface modeling

Solid Edge provides two distinct 3D modeling styles: solid modeling and surface
modeling.

The solid modeling method

1. A product’s function is the primary concern and aesthetics are purely an

afterthought.

2. Solid Edge is an industry leader of this modeling style and exhibits these
additional characteristics:
• The various modeling operations are identified as features.

• A history tree of features is maintained.

• All properties used in defining a feature can be edited at any time.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 2-1

Lesson 2 Surface modeling

The surface modeling method

1. Many consumer products are designed using surface modeling techniques due to
the market’s emphasis on style and ergonomics; therefore, a model’s aesthetics is
the number one concern and key element in the design process. Product function
is only a secondary consideration.

2. Like the solid modeling features, Solid Edge extends this style by making each
point, curve, and surface an entity that knows how it was created, and can be
edited at any time.

2-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface modeling

What is surfacing and why use it?

The solid modeling method is typically used when modeling with solid features. The
following are key features of the solid modeling approach:
• It is characterized by 2D sketches/profiles used in creating extrusions,
revolutions, and lofts to form solids, and blends on the edges of solids.

• It most often involves the addition or subtraction of material using analytic

shapes.

• The model’s topology is driven by faces.

• Holes are used for alignment.

• Feature faces are used for alignment as well as for mating with other features.

• Edges are rounded for safety and strength.

• Edges and faces are primarily analytic-based.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 2-3

Lesson 2 Surface modeling

Modeling with surface-based features typically begins with a wireframe, from which
surfaces are generated. Key features of surface modeling:

• It is characterized by control points used to define 2D and 3D curves.

• A model’s topology is driven by edges and curves. Edges and faces are mainly
based on splines.

• Surface shapes are very important, therefore direct editability of underlying

curves and edges is crucial.

• Highlight lines, silhouette edges and flow lines of a model are important.

2-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface modeling

General surface modeling workflow

1. Create control drawings.
Definition: Control Drawings are 2D drawing views defining the top, side, and
end views. Typically one or two views dominate (define the majority of the shape).

Part environment: You can create control drawings directly by drawing on

reference planes. Pierce points aid in connecting curves.
Draft environment: You can create control drawings in 2D, then use Copy and
Paste to transfer the 2D elements from Draft into Part. Also, you can use Create
3D or import sketches.
Tip
While drawing any sketch element in either the Part or Draft environment,
use Line Color to help distinguish edges and construction edges in the
control drawing.

• Draw all character curves.

• Do not over draw. Do not model rounds, ribs, or features best created with
solid features.

• Capture design intent. Add dimensions and constraints.

• Create simple B-splines with few Edit Points.

• Make sure view sketches register.

• Build edge continuity into your sketches.

2. Use 2D geometry to develop 3D curves.

• Project curves from control drawings.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 2-5

Lesson 2 Surface modeling

• You may need some construction surfaces to generate 3D curves. This is very
important in reducing modeling steps.

• 3D curves give simplified control over edges.

• Capture your design intent by using control drawings.

• Without 3D curves, character edges may not be captured.

• Lack of 3D edges eliminates design intent and adds more modeling.

• With 3D curves, design intent is preserved and modeling is reduced.

• You can easily change the shape by altering the character curves for the
respective view.

2-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface modeling

• Creating 3D edges guarantees an accurate design and reduces modeling

steps.

• Making changes to the 3D curve is simple. Edit the character curve in the
control drawing.

• Repeat the process until all 3D curves are created

– A “wire” representation of the model should result.

– All 3D curves should be touching.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 2-7

Lesson 2 Surface modeling

3. Use 3D curves to develop surfaces.

• BlueSurf command.
Inputs are guides and sections.

• Swept command.
Inputs are guides and sections.

• Bounded command
N-sided patch.

2-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface modeling

4. Create a solid and add appropriate solid based features.

• Stitch together surfaces

• Add solid-based features

– Thinwall

– Stiffening Rib

– Hole

– Round

– Web network

– Lip

5. Tweak.
• Analyze edge continuity using:
– Curvature Comb

– Zebra Stripes

• Edit character curves

• Edit tangent vectors

• Edit vertex mapping

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 2-9

Lesson 2 Surface modeling

Lesson review
• If a product’s function takes priority over ergonomic considerations, would you
design a part based on a solid modeling or surface modeling approach?

• Which modeling style (solid or surface) do the following match up with?

– Most often involves subtraction or addition of material to form the model.

– Control points are used to define 2D and 3D curves.

– Edges and faces are primarily based on splines.

– Feature faces are used for alignment with other features.

Lesson summary
You should know the differences in solid modeling and surface modeling. You should
also have a clear understanding of when to use a surface modeling approach and
when to use a solid modeling approach. In surface modeling, curves control the
model. In solid modeling, faces control the model. Understanding the surface
modeling workflow is important for success in creating and editing surfaces.

The general procedure for surface creation:

• Create Control Drawings

• Use 2D geometry to develop 3D curves

• Use 3D curves to develop surfaces

• Create a solid and add appropriate solid based feature

• Tweak

2-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Lesson

3 Creating and editing curves

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create curves

• Edit curves

• Analyze curves

• Create BlueDots

• Edit BlueDots

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-1

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Surface modeling approach

The backbone of surface modeling is made up of cross sections and guides. Cross
sections and guides can be of entity type analytic or spline.
An analytic entity type consists of:
• 2D: Lines, arcs, circles, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola.

• The intersection of a plane and a cone.

• 3D: Cubes, spheres, cylinders, cones, tori.

A spline entity type consists of:

• 2D: constructed spline curves, derived curves.

• 3D: derived spline curves.

A solid modeling method using revolved features results in no edge control and
difficult edits. Edge (A) is a result of the intersection of two revolved surfaces. You
don’t have direct control over the result.

3-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

A surface modeling method results in exact edge control and edges are based on
character curves. You have direct control over edges such as (A).

Overview of splines
A spline is a standard curve in most CAD systems. Unlike lines and conic curves,
generally categorized as analytics, the spline can be adjusted to virtually any shape
in two or three dimensions. Their flexible nature makes splines the foundation for
surface modeling.
A spline entity type consists of:
• 2D: constructed spline curves, derived curves.

• 3D: derived spline curves.

Note
Originally, a spline was a stylist’s tool made from wood or thin metal and
used to draw a curve through points.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-3

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Shown below is a 2D spline.

Shown below is a 3D surface based on a spline.

For the remainder of this course, the term curve will be used instead of splines. Just
remember that curves are splines. There will be two types of curves discussed:
• constructed– You have direct control of constructed curves.

• derived– Derived curves are controlled by the method used to create them.
Derived curves cannot be edited directly.

3-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Curve creation

Use the Curve command to draw a smooth curve by points. You can click and drag,
or you can click several edit points to define the curve. If you click to create edit
points, you must define at least three points when you create the curve. When you
click and drag to create the curve, it will have two edit points.

When you create a curve, edit points (A) and curve control vertex points (B) are
created to help you edit and control the shape of the curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-5

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Curve definition
Control of a curve’s shape is dependent on the number of control and edit points.
These elements are determined by standard polynomial expressions.

Curve order
The order of a curve is equal to the degree of the curve, plus 1 (Order = Deg +1).
A polynomial curve is defined as:
x(t) = x0 +x1(t1) + x2(t2) + x3(t3)
y(t) = y0 +y1(t1) + y2(t2) + y3(t3)

3-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Determining control vertices.

If the number of edit points is two or three, then the number of Control Vertices
= Order.

Example:
Edit points = 3
Degree = 8
Order = 9 (degree + 1)
Control Vertices = 9

If the number of edit points is >= 4, the number of control vertices is (n+2) + {(n-1) x
(k-4).
Where n = Edit Points, and k = Order.

Example:
Edit points = 7
Degree = 5
Order = 6 (degree + 1)
Control Vertices = 21

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-7

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

3-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Curve edit
You can edit curves at any time via one of two methods for editing curves.
1. Edit Profile mode: Just like editing a sketch.

2. Dynamic Edit mode: Shows all of the control and edit points.

When you move a control point or edit point, the curve updates automatically; any
surface that has the curve as one of its defining entities will update dynamically.
The Add/Remove Points and Curve Options buttons are disabled in dynamic edit
mode. These options are only available in Edit Profile mode.

Add/Remove Points

Show Polygon

Show Curvature Comb

Shape Edit

Local Edit

Curve Options

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-9

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Editing curves
The Curve dialog box lets you control how the shape of the curve changes when you
make changes to the edit points and control vertex points.
The Shape Edit and Local Edit buttons control the shape of the curve when you
move a point on the curve.
When you select the Shape Edit button, you affect the shape of the entire curve when
you move a point on the curve.

When you select the Local Edit button, you affect the shape of the curve around
the edit point.

With Local Edit, if you drag a vertex point on an unconstrained curve, no other
vertex points will move. However, if you drag a vertex point on a curve that has some
relationships, then other vertex points may move as well, in order to adapt to the
new location of the vertex point you moved while still maintaining the relationships.
Note
You cannot drag an edit point that is fully constrained.

You can select the Curve Options button to display the Curve Options dialog box.
This dialog box allows you to change the number of degrees for the curve and specify
the relationship mode for the curve. You can set the relationship node to:
• Flexible

• Rigid

3-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

In Flexible mode you can use external relationships to control the shape of the curve.
For example, you can apply a dimension relationship on the curve and as you make
changes to the dimensions, the shape of the curve automatically updates.

In Rigid mode you cannot use external relationships to control the shape of the
curve. Instead, the curve shape remains unchanged and the curve simply rotates.

Curve options
Curve options are shown below.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-11

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Relationship modes
• Flexible allows you to modify the curve shape during BlueDot edits or an edit to
a curve connected to another curve with a connect relationship applied.

• Rigid locks the curve shape. Curve shape will not change during BlueDot edits or
an edit to a curve connected to another curve with a connect relationship applied.
Note
These relationships are applied to external edits (BlueDot or dynamic
edit). In Edit Profile mode, a curve set to rigid can have its shape modified.

Degree
The Curve Options dialog box allows control of curve degree and relationship
mode. The default degree is three. The higher the degree, the more control
you have in making local curve edits.

Notice in the illustration below that curve (A) shows the default degree of 3.
Curve (B) has degree increased to 4. The higher the degree, the more control
you have for editing the curve.

3-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Element properties
Element properties of a curve can be displayed while in the Edit Profile mode.
Right-click the curve and then on the shortcut menu, click Properties.

The Element Properties form is informational only. You cannot modify an element
using the form.

Displaying curves
You can use the options on the Curve command bar to control the display of a curve.
The Insert Point button adds or removes edit points along the curve. To add a point,
click the button and then click the insertion point on the curve. When you add an
edit point, the shape of the curve does not change. If the number of edit points on the
curve is the same as the number of control vertex points, adding an edit point adds
a corresponding control vertex point. The control vertex point moves to maintain
the shape of the curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-13

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

To remove a point, hold the Alt key and click the point you want to remove. When
you remove edit points, the control vertex points move and the shape of the curve
changes.

Note
If there are only two edit points on the curve, you cannot remove an edit point
from the curve.

The Show Polygon button allows you to display the control polygon of the curve and
use it to edit the curve.

The edit points and control vertex points are handles that you can drag to change
the shape of the curve.

Note
You can also use these points as keypoints for relationships and dimensions.

The Show Curvature Comb button displays the curvature comb for the curve.
This helps you determine how quickly or gradually curves change and where they
change direction.

3-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

You can use the Curvature Comb Settings command to control the density and
magnitude of the curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-15

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Simplify
• Curve data can be manually created or can be read in from foreign data.

• Manually created curve data usually contains a limited number of control points.

• Foreign data may come from a digitized set of control points, which could contain
a large amount of points.

• Simplify curve is a tool that allows you to define a tolerance to reduce the
number of edit points and control vertices.

Note
Visualize tolerance as a tube. The original curve is at the center of a zero
diameter tube. As the tube diameter (tolerance) increases, edit points are
reduced as the curve shape is confined to the tube diameter. As the tolerance
increases the curve is simplified.

Note
You can visually observe the curve simplification process as the tolerance
increases using the right arrow in the dialog box.

3-16 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

The following is an example of a curve with a large number of edit points and
control vertices. Simplify curve was used to reduce the number of points. The curve
shape changed slightly. You can visually observe the curve changes as the tolerance
increase.

(A) Original curve

(B) Original curve in edit mode with 25 edit
points and 27 control vertices
(C) Dynamic display as curve simplify
tolerance is increased
(D) Resulting simplified curve reduced to 7
edit points and 9 control vertices
(E) Simplified curve

Note
If the number of edit points is equal to 2 then the simplification continues by
removing control vertices. Simplification ends when the number of control
vertices is equal to the curve order.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-17

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Convert to curve command

What does it do? Convert to Curve converts analytics into curves.

Why convert?

• Analytical elements are often utilized as cross-sections and guide paths during
surface creation. The resulting surface has inherent limitations on how it can be
edited, as lines remain linear and arcs retain their circular definition.

• Curves provide more control, therefore are easier to use.

• Increased control facilitates edits.

– Allows modification of a curve’s properties.

– Defaults to a degree of 2. You can increase the degree and add edit points
for more control.

• Once converted, curve shapes will have greater control over associated complex
surfaces.
– Simplifies the manipulation of a model from initial concept through final
production.

• Can be used on the following analytics:

– Single non-connected analytic element: conversion results in a single
non-connected bspline curve.

– Multiple connected analytic elements.

◊ Non-tangent elements: conversion results in multiple connected b-spline
curves with no cusps.

◊ Tangent elements: conversion results in multiple connected and tangent

b-spline curves.

3-18 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Note
You can only convert analytics to curves while in the Edit Profile mode.

(A) Analytic line and arc element

(B) Analytic elements converted to curves
(C) Curve edits

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-19

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

Overview
In this activity, you will learn to use the curve creation tools. Curves are the
backbone for creating and controlling surface shape.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Create curves

• Edit curves

• Analyze curves

Turn to Appendix A for the activity.

3-20 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

BlueDot (ordered modeling)

A BlueDot is a point where two curves or analytics connect, or where one curve
and one analytic connect, thereby providing a control point between the curves.
It is a point which can edited to suit design or styling needs.
Note
Blue Dots are only available in ordered modeling.

BlueDot editing is not history-dependent.

BlueDots can be directly moved without having to access another feature
in the Pathfinder.
Also, the connectivity and editing of the two curves/analytics is
order-independent, resulting in easier overall surface modifiability.

Notice in the previous illustration that as BlueDot (A) changes location,

curves 1 and 2 remain connected. The shape of curves 1 and 2 change. This
example illustrates the edit curve option set to Shape Edit. Both curves
maintain their shape.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-21

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Create a Blue Dot

Step 1: Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→BlueDot.

Step 2: To create a BlueDot, identify the two curves to connect.

• The first curve selected will move to intersect the second curve.

• The shape of the first selected curve may change, but the second
curve will maintain its shape in addition to its location.

• Each curve has four select zones:

– two endpoints

– a midpoint

– the curve itself

Note
You can only select analytics at their endpoints.

• If an endpoint or midpoint is selected, a red dot will appear, and

that point on the curve will move to the selected zone on the second
curve. Depending on how the curves are selected, several solutions
exist for their connectivity.

3-22 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Edit a Blue Dot

Editing the location of a BlueDot.

• You can drag its location during Dynamic Edit using the OrientXpres tool.

• You can change its x, y, and z coordinates on the Edit Definition command bar.

Note
• These changes occur in real-time.

• Movement of a BlueDot will directly affect the connected curves/analytics:

the BlueDot overrides any existing associativity of the elements. This
allows you to edit the location of the BlueDot or the elements it connects
without regard to the order in which the elements were constructed.

• For curves, shape changes will occur, the breadth of which will be
dependent upon their corresponding edit type (shape, local or rigid).

• Since an analytic does not have a shape-control option, only its position
and/or orientation will change.

• When you apply a BlueDot to b-spline curves, you can also control how
the curves react to the edit by setting options on the Curve 1 and Curve 2
controls on the ribbon bar.
Procedure

Step 1: To edit a BlueDot, click the Select tool and pause the cursor over the
BlueDot.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-23

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Step 2: Use QuickPick because there are normally three elements to choose from
(two curves and the BlueDot). Click the BlueDot, then Dynamic Edit.

Step 3: A 3D triad appears, allowing you to define the BlueDot edit direction. Do
one of the following:
• Lock movement in the x, y or z direction. If you select a direction on
the 3D triad, focus on the command bar will be on that direction field.

• Lock movement in the xy, yz or xz planes. If you select a plane, you

can only enter coordinates in the 2 directions of the plane.

• Dynamic movement in all directions, following your cursor. You can

drag the BlueDot to new locations or enter the coordinate values.
Notice that the coordinates of the BlueDot are displayed on the
command bar.

3-24 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

The following illustration shows possible selections from the 3D

triad.

Note
You can also lock to an axis by pressing Z until the preferred
axis highlights. Lock to a plane by pressing X until the
preferred plane highlights. Press C to clear all locks.

• To move a BlueDot a specified distance, on the ribbon bar click the

Relative/Absolute Position button.

Selecting a direction on the 3D triad controls the focus of the delta

fields (dX, dY, dZ) on the command bar. For example, if you select the
Z-axis, you can only enter a Z delta distance. Press “Enter” to apply
the delta distance. Another “Enter” applies the delta distance again.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-25

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Step 4: You can set the shape control of the two curves connected to the BlueDot
on the command bar.

Step 5: You can turn off display of BlueDots: right-click in the part window and
choose Hide All→BlueDots

Note
To show BlueDots, right-click and select Show All→BlueDots

Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

3-26 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Creating and editing curves

Overview
In this activity you will learn to manually create and edit BlueDots..

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Create BlueDots

• Edit BlueDots and curves based on them

Turn to Appendix Bfor the activity.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 3-27

Lesson 3 Creating and editing curves

Lesson review
Answer the following questions:
• What is an edit point on a curve?

• What is a control point on a curve?

• What is a control polygon?

• Explain the differences in Shape Edit, Local Edit and Rigid. Define the degree of
a curve.

• How do you change the degree of a curve?

• Explain what a BlueDot is and what impact it has on curves.

• How do you convert analytics to B-splines?

• What is the Curvature Comb used for?

Lesson summary
Surface shapes are directly tied to the curves defining those surfaces. Therefore, the
control of curves is crucial in modifying surface topology.
A curve:
• Can be edited by moving its edit points and control points

• Can be further controlled by increasing its degree

• Can be drawn directly by first defining edit points; direct methods include
– Curve

– Curve by table

– Contour curve

• Can be created indirectly from existing curves and surfaces, making them
dependent on underlying parent curves and surfaces; as the parent changes, so
do the indirect curves; indirect curve methods will be covered in the next chapter.

3-28 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Lesson

4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Use these commands to create curves derived from other geometry:
– Project curves

– Intersection curves

– Cross curves

– Contour curves

– Derived curves

– Split curves

– Keypoint curves

– Curve by table

• Define and edit pierce and silhouette points.

• Draw curves overtop of a raster image.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 4-1

Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Additional curve creation methods

Project curve

The Project Curve command projects a set of curves (2D or 3D) or a point onto a
surface or set of surfaces.

(A) Projection curve

(B) Surface to be projected on to

Choose Options on the Project command bar to project the curve along a vector or
along surface normals.
The following illustrations show the results of options: “Along vector” and “Normal
to selected surface”.

4-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Indirect curve creation techniques

Note
When projecting a curve onto a cylinder, make sure that the curve’s endpoints
do not lie on a silhouette edge of the cylinder when viewed from the projection
plane normal. Extend the edges of the curve past the cylinder edge.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 4-3

Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Intersection Curve

The Intersection Curve command creates an associative curve at the intersection

of two sets of surfaces. These sets can be any combination of reference planes, model
faces, or construction surfaces.
• The resulting intersection curve is associative to the two input surfaces.

• Editing the input surfaces will result in an automatic change to the intersection
curve.

• The intersection curve (A) can be used for a surface trimming operation or an
edge to be used to create a new construction surface.

4-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Indirect curve creation techniques

Cross Curve

The Cross Curve command creates a 3D curve at the intersection of two curves.
• The command works much like the Intersection Curve command, yet it does not
need existing surfaces to create a curve.

• The only input required is two curves/analytics or a combination of the two.

• An intersection curve is created with the theoretical extruded surfaces resulting

from the two input curves or analytics.

(1) and (2) are the input curves. (A) and (B) are the theoretical extruded surfaces.
(C) is the resultant cross curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 4-5

Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Contour Curve

TheContour Curve command draws a curve directly on a surface. You can then
use the curve for such things as a border in trimming operations or as a tangent
hold line in rounding operations.
• You can select a single face or multiple faces when drawing the curve.

• You can only draw within the bounded region and the curve will only lie within
the bounded region. Curves that fall off the surface or traverse trimmed regions
are trimmed.

• When defining the points for the curve, you can use existing points that define
the surface, such as vertices, line midpoints, and edges of the surface.

• You can drag the points (and thus the curve) anywhere on the surface.

Tips for creation and manipulation of contour curves.

• Choose Contour command bar→Draw Points step→Insert Point to insert

additional points into the curve. To delete a point from the curve, hold the
SHIFT button and click on the point or click the right mouse button on the point.

• You can connect a keypoint and an existing keypoint. To do this, right-click the
existing keypoint and select Connect; follow the prompts to identify the other
keypoint.

• You can delete the connect relationships on a keypoint so that you can drag
the keypoint on a face. To delete the relationship, right click the relationship
and follow the prompts.

• You can drag an existing point to a new location on the face.

• When drawing a curve across faces that are not tangent, you must place a point
at the shared edge.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

Derived Curve

The Derived Curve command constructs a new curve that is derived from one
or more input curves or edges.

• If the input curves are connected, but not tangent, the output curve will have
a minimal amount of curvature added so that a single, smooth spline curve is
constructed.

Note
A derived curve is associative to the edge/curve it was derived from.
Changes to the parent curve/edge also changes the derived curve.

You can construct a single derived curve from multiple bodies. In the example
shown below, you can construct a derived curve from a sketch (A), edges on a
construction surface (B), and edges on a solid (C).

• The Derived curve command bar provides further assistance.

Command bar options

– If multiple edges or curves are needed to define a single derived curve, select
each curve/edge and then on the ribbon bar, click the Accept button.

– To create a derived curve from a single edge/curve, select the curve/edge and
then click the Accept button.

– ChooseSingle Curve to construct a single spline curve from tangent input

curves or edges connected at their endpoints.

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Split Curve

The Split Curve command is a tool provided to split a construction curve.

• Only these types of construction curves can be split:
– Derived curves.

– Intersection curves.

– Projected curves.

You can select keypoints, curves, reference planes, solid faces or surfaces as the
intersecting features that split the curve.
Splitting a construction curve can make it easier to construct other features, such as
a bounded surface, a trimmed surface, a normal protrusion, or a normal cutout.
Note
You cannot use the Split Curve command to split an edge on a model. You can
use the Derived Curve command to create an associative copy of an edge on
the model, and then use the Split Curve command to split the derived curve.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

Keypoint Curve

A Keypoint Curve is a 3D curve whose shape is controlled by keypoints on

wireframe elements, edges, and curves as well as point elements.
• Keypoint curves can be defined by points in space.

• Because keypoint curves are dependent on their parent keypoints or point

elements, shape control is performed by moving the points. This is different from
the dynamic dragging of a normal curve.

An example of the use of Keypoint Curve is shown below. You can use this command
to create a bridge curve (A), which can be used as a path for a swept feature (B).

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

• When you select a keypoint on a wireframe element or edge as the endpoint (C)
of the curve, the curve is created tangent to that element.

• The curve’s radius of curvature can be modified by dragging the curve handle
(D) to a new location.

• If the modified curve was used as a path for a swept feature, the swept feature
will also update.

Inserting points on a curve.

During edit, you can add new points along a curve or add a point in free space to
define a new segment at the end of the curve.
• To add a point along a path, hold the ALT key and click the location along
the curve where you want to add the point.

• To define a new segment at the end, hold the ALT key and click a location in
free space where you want to add the point.

Removing points from a curve

Hold the ALT key and click a point you want to remove.
• When you remove edit points, the control vertex points move and the shape
of the curve changes.

• If you remove the start or end point of a curve, the path truncates to the
next control point on the curve and the tangency of the next point remains
the same.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

Curve by table

Curve by Table uses an Excel spreadsheet to define a construction curve. The

spreadsheet, which is embedded in the Solid Edge document, allows you to better
import and manage engineered curves. You have the option to create a new
spreadsheet or to use an existing spreadsheet to define the curve edit points.

The curve below is the result of data shown in the following spreadsheet and
parameters.

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Column A = Global X Coordinate Value

Column B = Global Y Coordinate Value
Column C = Global Z Coordinate Value
Rows 1– N = Curve Points in sequence

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

Activity: Creating keypoint curves

Overview
In this activity, you will learn to create a keypoint curve. A keypoint curve is a 3D
curve. The curve is defined by connecting to keypoints from existing geometry.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Create a keypoint curve

• Modify tangency vectors

Turn to Appendix C for the activity.

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Activity: Additional curve creation methods

Overview
In this activity, you will learn additional methods of creating curves. So far, you have
learned to draw curves directly, point by point. Now you will learn to create curves
indirectly, by combining inputs from existing curves and surfaces.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Intersection curves

• Cross curves

• Projected curves

• Contour curves

• Derived curves

• Split curves

Turn to Appendix D for the activity.

Pierce points

A pierce point is the point of intersection between a profile element and the active
sketch plane.
Example
You can use a connect relationship to position the element you are drawing
to where a profile element on another reference plane pierces the current
profile plane.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

• Pierce points are extremely valuable in aligning curves.

• Recognizes where a 3D curve, a sketch, or an edge passes through (pierces)

the active profile plane.

• Provides the ability to connect geometry to curves intersecting the profile’s plane.

• Particularly useful for creating guide paths for BlueSurf and Sweep operations.

Silhouette points
Silhouette points occur on an arc, circle or ellipse.
Example
when you draw a new line, you can touch the silhouette point on a circle.
When you click, the new line is connected to the silhouette point on the
existing circle.

• These points are defined relative to the horizontal and vertical axis of the draft
sheet or profile/sketch plane.

• constitute any point where a plane parallel to the base reference plane passes
tangent to a given curve.

• You are able to connect dimensions to these keypoints.

• Silhouette keypoint acts like an endpoint.

Image
The Image command enables the capability to place a raster image (BMP, JPG, TIF,
etc.) on a plane for sketch trace-over.

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Note
For Ordered modeling, Image is available while in the Sketch environment.

Step 1: Ordered: While in the Sketch environment, select Tools tab→Insert

group→Image.
Synchronous: Select Sketching tab→Insert group→Image.

Step 2: From the Insert Image dialog, browse to the image.

Step 3: Image file can be linked to the part or assembly file if option is checked
(i.e. appears in the Binder).

Step 4: The Image ribbon bar allows you to set the vertical or horizontal size, as
well as change the rotation angle.

Step 5: You can then move the picture and/or constrain the image relative to
other geometry or reference planes.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

Points, curves (and surfaces) as construction elements

For some model types, you may not use the solid modeling commands until very late
in the modeling process. Complex, freeform parts often require that you begin the
modeling process by defining points and curves that are used to define and control
the surfaces that comprise the model. Surfaces are then generated, and in the final
steps, the surfaces are stitched together to form a solid model.
• These construction element types can be created from within both Part-Sheet
Metal and Profile-Sketch environments:
– Points

– Curves

– Surfaces

Construction elements that drive other features have a parent-child relationship

with the features they drive. If you delete a construction element that is a parent to
another feature, you can invalidate the other feature.

Displaying construction elements

• Choose View tab→Show group→Construction Display to control display.

Note
When hidden, a construction element’s entry in PathFinder changes to
indicate that it is hidden.

• Construction elements are listed in the Feature PathFinder.

• Color control is available for construction elements.

– Tools→Color Manager

– Colors tab on the Options dialog box.

• Specific display considerations:

– Construction elements used to create new features are not consumed by the
new feature, and are hidden by default.

– It can be useful to hide the design body while you are working with
construction surfaces. Under Tools→Show All, use either the Show Design
Body or Hide Design Body commands.

Methods of creating construction elements

• Use existing geometry on the model. Intersection curves, Keypoint curves,
Derived curves, Project curves, Split curves, and relevant point creation
commands can be used.

• Create construction elements from scratch using the Solid Edge construction
surface creation commands (extruded, revolved, and swept surfaces).

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

• Use Curve By Table to generate a curve based on input points.

• Use an external file. For example, you can create a helix curve using coordinate
data in a spreadsheet.

• Import them from another CAD system. For example, you can import surfaces
and solids from a third-party CAD system.

• Generate them as a part copy from another Solid Edge part. For example, you can
create construction geometry using the Part Copy command on the Insert menu.

Using construction elements

• Points can be used in several ways:
– To create other features
◊ use a construction point or curve as a path or cross section for lofted
and swept features.

◊ use the Intersection Point command to create cross sections for lofted
features.

– To define the extents of another feature

◊ use keypoints of construction curves to define the extent for a feature.

◊ use the Intersection Point command to create associative points as input

to define the extents of a feature

• Curves can be used in two distinct ways:

– Curves can be used to create other features:
◊ Paths and cross sections for lofted and swept features using Intersection
curves, Keypoint curves and Derived curves.

◊ Profiles for profile-based features using the Project Curve (useful for
creating embossed text on a curved surface) and Split Curve (divide one
into multiple curves to create a normal protrusion) commands:

◊ Construction surfaces- the Split curve command can divide one into
multiple curves to create a surface by boundary.

– Use a construction curve as input to the Reference Plane Normal To Curve

command.

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 Indirect curve creation techniques

• Surfaces can be used as well; creation methods will be covered in the following
modules. Some general uses of surfaces are:
– To define the projection extents when extruding a feature: For example,
a construction surface can be used as input during the Extent step when
constructing a protrusion.

– To replace existing part faces.

– To divide a part into multiple parts.

– To create a new surface or solid by stitching together separate surfaces: use

the Offset Surfaces command to offset a new surface

– To repair a model imported from a third-party CAD system.

– Construction surfaces are commonly used as projection extents when

extruding a feature.

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Lesson 4 Indirect curve creation techniques

Lesson review
Answer the following questions:
• How do you get tangency control on a keypoint curve?

• Intersection curves are considered to be associative. What does this mean?

• From what types of elements can a Derived Curve be formed?

• Generally, why would you define construction elements (curves and points) as
a first step?

Lesson summary
• You can create various curves indirectly from existing curves and surfaces.
These curves are controlled by the parent curves and surfaces. As the parents
change, so will the indirect curves.

• Surface shapes are directly tied to the curves defining those surfaces. Therefore,
the control of curves is crucial in modifying surface topology.

• Pierce and silhouette points can assist in connecting curves to off-plane geometry.

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Lesson

5 Surface creation

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Create simple surfaces.

• Create a BlueSurf.

• Edit a BlueSurf.

• Create a Bounded surface.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Overview of surfaces
A surface is a 3D element that is controlled by curves. Surfaces have no thickness
and therefore can be visualized as a thin sheet. The complexity of a surface is
directly proportional to the number of curves used to define it – a small underlying
curve set will produce a relatively simple surface, while a complex face will consist
of a large number of curves. In terms of Solid Edge modeling, a surface consists of
cross-sections and guide curves, the latter either pre-existing or interpolated from
the cross-section elements.

(A) Guide curves

(B) Cross Section curves

Curves form the mathematical basis of a surface. As one increases his/her

understanding of how to control curves, his/her mastery of surfaces will grow. Two
basic ways curve manipulation will affect an associated surface:
1. Editing underlying cross-sections and guide curves will directly modify surface
shape.

2. A surface can be trimmed and extended using curves and edges.

Once its shape is finalized, a surface can be utilized in the creation of additional
faces via the following commands (covered in Lesson 5):
• Offset

• Copy

• Mirror

A surface can also be stitched together with other faces to form a solid or can include
rounds between adjoining surfaces.

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 Surface creation

Creating a simple surface

Extruded Surface — You will begin the surface creation module with the simplest
method: an extruded surface. The only input required is a sketch or profile
containing curves or analytic elements. The Extruded Surface command works
similarly to the Protrusion command.
Extruded Surface creation steps:
Step 1: Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Extruded Surface.

Step 2: Select a profile plane.

Step 3: Draw the cross section. You can use analytics or curves.

Step 4: Select Home tab→Close group→Close Sketch.

Step 5: Define the extruded distance dynamically or with a value on the

command bar. The symmetric and non-symmetric extent options are
available.

Step 6: Select Finish on the Extruded command bar.

Note
You can create a sketch to draw the cross-section. Use the Select from Sketch
option to create an extruded surface from an existing sketch.

(A) profile/sketch
(B) extruded surface

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Revolved Surface — The next simple surface creation method is a revolved surface.
The only input required is a sketch or profile containing curves or analytic elements
and an axis of revolution. The Revolved Surface command works similarly to the
Revolved Protrusion command .
Revolved Surface creation steps:
Step 1: Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Revolved Surface.

Step 2: Select a profile plane.

Step 3: Draw the cross section. The cross-section can be open or closed. You
can use analytics or curves.

Step 4: Define the Axis of Revolution. You can select a reference plane for the
axis or select a line drawn in the profile as the axis of revolution.

Step 5: Select Home tab→Close group→Close Sketch.

Step 6: On the ribbon bar, enter a revolved angle or dynamically drag the
revolved surface to an angular distance. The symmetric, non-symmetric
and 360° extent options are available.

Step 7: Select Finish on the Revolved command bar.

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 Surface creation

Note
You can draw the cross section and axis of revolution in a sketch. Use the
Select from Sketch option to create a revolved surface from a sketch.

(A) profile/sketch
(B) axis of revolution
(C) revolved surface

Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces

In this activity, you will learn to create and edit simple surfaces. You will use
sketches in a training file to create an extruded surface and a revolved surface.
After completing the surface, you will edit the sketch curve to observe the surface
shape changes.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Create and edit an extruded surface.

• Create and edit a revolved surface.

Turn to Appendix E for the activity.

Using simple surfaces as construction surfaces

Simple construction surfaces — Besides representing a very simple method of
creating needed faces, the extruded and revolved surface commands can be used
to build construction surfaces necessary in the generation of intersection curves
with other faces. In this situation, the surfaces can be hidden after the operation
is complete; this is preferred to deletion of the faces since they are parents of the
intersection curves.
Construction surface deletion — If deletion of a surface is required, and that face
has children (the intersection curve, possibly others), the Drop Parents command
will permit the curves to remain after the surface is removed. However, those curves
are no longer associated, and cannot be edited. Therefore, caution is advised when
using Drop Parents.
To hide the display of surfaces, right-click in the part window and choose Hide
All→Surfaces.

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 Surface creation

Sketch Tear-Off
Typical surface design is by creating several curves on three base planes. As new
planes are created, adding and copying profiles can be tedious, if not impossible.
Sketch Tear-Off provides a clear modeling advantage in that it:
• Transfers or copies sketches from one plane onto another.

• Quickly creates new cross sections without having to define a plane, and include
geometry.

• Replicates sketches quickly for use in swept or lofted protrusions.

• Creates new sketches which are parallel or perpendicular, along curves, angular
associative, copied or moved.

Sketch Tear Off steps

Step 1: Select Home tab→Sketch group→Tear-Off.

Step 2: In the Plane Step, select a method for creating a plane.

Step 3: Select the Tear-Off options. Choose Copy elements (Associative).

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Step 4: Select profile or profiles.

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Creating a swept surface

The Swept command creates a construction surface by extruding a profile along a

path.

An example of a swept surface using a single path and cross-section

(A) profile/sketch
(B) guide path
(C) swept surface

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Swept surface steps

Step 1: Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Swept.

Step 2: Choose the appropriate Swept surface options and click OK.

Step 3: Select the path curve(s).

Step 4: Select Next on the Swept command bar.

Step 5: Select the cross section curve(s).

Step 6: Choose Finish on the Swept command bar.

Sweep options — You must specify the Sweep Options before the command begins.

The single path and cross-section option allows you to only define one path and
one cross section.
• The path and cross section can be open or closed.

The multiple paths and cross-sections option allows you to define up to three paths
and an unlimited number of cross sections.

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 Surface creation

• After you define one or two paths, click the Next button on the ribbon bar to
proceed to the cross-section step.

• The cross sections can exist anywhere along the path, be all open or all closed
and can be planar or non-planar.

• You cannot mix open and closed cross-sections.

• A sweep path can consist of either tangent or non-tangent elements.

If you define a third path, the command automatically proceeds to the cross-section
step.
Additional options — More options exist for Sweep.
When you create a swept surface using a closed profile, you can use the Open Ends
and Close Ends options on the Swept command bar to specify whether the ends of

the swept surface are open or closed.

When you set the Close Ends option, faces are added to the ends of the feature to
create a closed volume.
For cross sections and paths, you can select wireframe elements from multiple
Parasolid bodies or sketches and the elements will remain associative.

P1, P2, P3 Path curves

C1, C2 Cross sections

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Activity: Creating a swept surface

Overview
In this activity, you will learn to create and edit a swept surface. You will use
provided sketches to create a swept surface. After completing the surface, you will
edit the sketch path and cross sections to observe the surface shape changes.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to create and edit a swept surface.
Turn to Appendix F for the activity.

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Creating a lofted surface (ordered modeling)

Lofted surfaces are constructed by extruding two or more cross sections to construct
a feature.

• Cross sections can be defined by drawing a profile, selecting existing sketch

elements or selecting edges of surfaces.

• You can also use a guide curve to define a path between the cross sections of
the loft.

• The end condition, or Extent, options allow you to control the shape of the loft
feature where it meets the first and last cross sections.

• The loft feature is associative to the input elements, regardless of the element
type you use to define the cross sections and guide curves.

While in Ordered modeling, the Lofted Surface icon may need to be added to the
command ribbon.
Use Customize the Ribbon to add this command.

Note
Search Solid Edge help for the phrase “Customize the command ribbon” to
learn more about including any missing command, such as lofted surface.
• Select the Choose commands from: list.

• Choose Commands Not in the Ribbon.

• Select Lofted Surface from this list.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Because loft features are often used to define aesthetic elements in a model, you may
want to experiment with different settings to achieve the results you want.
Note
Tips

• If you use sketches, you can only select elements from one sketch for each
cross section.

• You cannot combine elements from a sketch with edges to define a cross
section.

• When working with loft features that have many cross sections and guide
curves, you should consider drawing sketches first, rather than drawing
the profiles as you construct the feature. This approach can make it easier
to construct and edit the feature.

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Lofted Surface creation steps

Step 1: Select Lofted Surface.

Step 2: On the Lofted command bar, select a method for creating the first cross
section—you can draw a path, select from a sketch, or select part edges.
Do one of the following:
• If you are drawing a cross section, define the profile plane you want
to draw it on, then draw a cross section or copy a cross section into
the profile window.

• If you are using part edges to define the cross section, select the edge
or edges you want to use and then click the Accept (check mark)
button on the ribbon bar.

• If you are using a sketch to define the cross section, select the sketch
you want to use, then click the Accept (check mark) button on the
ribbon bar.

Step 3: Position the cursor near the vertex you want to use as the start point.
Click when a dot appears at the correct vertex .

Step 4: Continue to select all the cross sections you need.

Note
You must define at least two cross sections to create the lofted
feature.

Step 5: Right-click when all cross sections are selected.

Step 6: Optional: Define the guide curves.

Step 7: Optional: Define the extent.

Note
Rather than selecting a finite or closed extent, you can click
the Vertex Mapping button to map points on the cross section
to control the loft.

You can define closed or open end conditions for the ends of
the lofted feature.

Step 8: Select Finish.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Bounded Surface
The Bounded Surface command creates a surface between curves or edges. This
command is useful when you want to fill in gaps between other adjacent surfaces.

• The curve/edge set must form a closed loop.

• Adjacent faces can be used to control tangency on the new bounded surface.

• The preparation of edges/curves to be utilized may require the use of the derived
curve and split curve commands.

• The keypoint curve command can be used to generate a boundary curve.

In the following example, a bounded surface is used to place a patching face over
the open area (gap) A.

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 Surface creation

Bounded surface steps

Step 1: Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Bounded.

Step 2: Select four edges or curves and click Accept.

Step 3: If using edges, their corresponding faces can be used as tangent faces. If
you do not want the bounded surface to be tangent to these faces, just
click on them to remove them from the tangency set.

Step 4: Select Preview on the Bounded command bar.

Step 5: Choose Finish on the Bounded command bar.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

BlueSurf

Note
Please refer to the Help topics BlueSurf command and BlueSurf Options
Dialog Box for more detailed information.

BlueSurf is a surface creation command used to generate complex, but highly

editable surfaces. Like loft and sweep, a BlueSurf utilizes sections and guide
curves, and these parent curves drive the behavior of the resultant surface. Several
techniques can be applied to further edit a BlueSurf.
• New section and/or guides can be incorporated, providing additional control over
the BlueSurf topology.

• As sections and/or guides are added, the number of edit points can be increased
or reduced through the concept called Edit Point Data Management.

• BlueDot edit points can be moved in order to manipulate the surface; both Shape
and Local Edits are available.

Blue Surf Options

The BlueSurf Options gives you control over tangency, end capping, open vs. closed
extents and vertex mapping.
On the Standard tab, there are options to control tangency for cross-sections and
edge guides. The default setting for cross-section tangency is natural. The following
example shows the results from a natural (A) and normal to section (B) tangency
control setting.

The Edge Guide option specifies the tangency control for the guide curves.

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The End Capping option is available when you use closed cross sections. The default
option is Open, although you can specify the Close ends option to create a closed
volume. The following example shows Open ends (A) and Closed ends (B) results.

The Extent Type control allows Open or Closed extents. Open extent creates a
surface that starts at the first cross-section and ends at the last cross section. A
closed extent starts and ends at the first cross section, to form a closed loop. The
following example shows the two extents: (A) Open, (B) Closed.

The Curve Connectivity option applies to inserted sketches. You will learn about
inserting sketches later in this lesson. The inserted sketches can be either connected
with pierce points or with BlueDots.
The Advanced tab lets you apply vertex mapping. This is covered later in this lesson.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Working with Blue Surf

The first step in creating a BlueSurf is selecting cross sections. The Cross Section
Step activates automatically. At least two cross sections are required.

Next you can select guide curves if needed. Click the Guide Curve Step and select
the guide curve(s).

Click Preview and then Finish.

This example shows the BlueSurf result of two cross-sections (C1, C2) and two
guide curves (G1, G2).

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 Surface creation

A BlueSurf can also consist of a single cross-section and a single guide curve.

This example shows the BlueSurf result of using cross-section (C1) and guide curve
(G1) from the previous example.
At this point, editing any of the cross-sections or guide curves modifies the shape of
the BlueSurf. If you need additional surface shape control, the BlueSurf command
provides a step to insert additional sketches.

Inserting sketches

When you add a cross section or guide curve to an existing BlueSurf feature using
the Insert Sketch option, the new sketch is connected to the cross section(s) or guide
curve(s). You can use the BlueSurf Options dialog box to specify whether a connect
relationship or a BlueDot is used to connect the sketch to the guide curves. The
option you specify also affects how you can edit the feature later.
On the BlueSurf Options dialog box, there are two methods for curve connectivity
(Use Pierce Points or Use BlueDots).
Use pierce points
Specifies that a connect relationship is used to connect the cross-section and
guide curve where they intersect. The position of the connect relationship is
calculated using the Pierce Point option on the IntelliSketch dialog box. When
you connect the new sketch using the Use Pierce Points option, modifications
to either the cross-section or guide curves will drive an update of the bspline
(inserted sketch).
Note
The Use Pierce Points option is typically used when constructing
engineered surfaces, such as the surfaces for a fan or turbine blade, where
engineering data or dimension-driven criteria must be maintained.

Use BlueDots
Specifies that a BlueDot be used to connect the cross section and guide curve
where they intersect. When you connect a cross section and a guide curve with a

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

BlueDot, you can use the BlueDot as a handle to dynamically modify the shape
of the cross-section and guide curve.
Note
• The Use BlueDots option is typically used on models that are driven
by aesthetic requirements, such as consumer electronics products,
bottle and container design.

• In some cases, using BlueDots can also cause a model to take longer to
update, because moving a BlueDot may require more of the model to
recompute than a connect relationship would.

Insert Sketch option

You can also define a tolerance value to control the complexity of sketches you
insert. As the tolerance value decreases, more control points are added to the
inserted sketch curve.
You can select the Insert Sketch Step while in the BlueSurf command.

If the BlueSurf has already been created, you can select the BlueSurf with
the Select tool and then click the Edit Definition command on the Select tool
command bar.

Note
In the following example, the Use BlueDots option is used for curve
connectivity.

Inserting a sketch.

Step 1: On the BlueSurf command bar, click the Insert Sketch Step. You must
select a plane to insert a sketch on. All of the plane creation methods
are available.

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 Surface creation

In the following example, the parallel plane option was selected.

Reference plane (A) was selected as the plane to be parallel to. Reference
plane (B) can be dynamically dragged to the location to insert a sketch.
You can also key in a distance. Click location to insert a sketch (C).

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

Step 2: Insert a sketch (C) in the guide curve direction and notice the results.
The parallel plane is used again.

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Step 3: Now turn off the reference planes and observe the results.

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Lesson 5 Surface creation

When the guide curve direction sketch was inserted, it crossed another
sketch. The BlueSurf command automatically inserts BlueDots at
the intersection of the curves. If there were several sketches in the
cross-section direction, the inserted sketch in the guide curve direction
would be connected with BlueDots.

Adding cross sections

You can add cross sections to an existing BlueSurf. Unlike Insert Sketch, an added
cross section redefines the surface shape definition. Editing an inserted sketch
alters the BlueSurf shape.
Any cross section sketch created after the BlueSurf is created will not be seen by
the BlueSurf feature. When you edit a BlueSurf, it only recognizes sketches created
before it was created.

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 Surface creation

The BlueSurf feature below was created with two cross sections (C1, C2).

How to add a new cross section.

Step 1: First, add a new cross section (C3) that was created before the BlueSurf
feature.

Step 2: Click the Select Tool and then select the BlueSurf feature. On the ribbon
bar, click Edit Definition.

Step 3: On the BlueSurf commandbar, click the Cross Section Step.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 5-27

Lesson 5 Surface creation

Step 4: Identify the new cross section (C3). Notice that cross section C3 is
placed last in the cross section order, which causes the BlueSurf feature
to reverse direction. The cross section order below is C1, C2 and then
C3. You can reorder the cross sections to make C3 be defined between
C1 and C2.

Step 5: On the BlueSurf command bar, click the options button. Click the
Advanced tab.
Cross section C3 is shown as Section 3. To reorder C3 to be between C1
and C2, click Section 3 and then click Up. Click OK to apply the reorder.

5-28 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface creation

The following shows the result with cross-sections ordered C1, C2 and
C3.

Adding cross sections created after the BlueSurf feature

If you create a cross section (A) after the BlueSurf feature (B), the cross section will
have to be moved up in the feature tree to be recognized by the BlueSurf feature.

To move the cross section up in the feature tree, click the Select tool. In PathFinder,
click and hold the Blue Surf and drag it below the latest sketch as shown.

The sketch can now be seen by the BlueSurf feature.

Vertex mapping
Vertex mapping is a technique to help create flow between section vertices. If there
is a vertex count mismatch between sections, equally spaced vertices are used on
each section.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 5-29

Lesson 5 Surface creation

Notice in the image below that section (A) has four vertices and section (B) has three
vertices. The BlueSurf command automatically inserts vertices equally spaced on
each section. Notice the surface flow is not smooth.

You can add vertex map sets to create a smooth surface flow. You can add vertex
maps while creating a BlueSurf or by editing an existing BlueSurf.
On the BlueSurf command bar, click the Options button. On the BlueSurf Options
dialog box, click the Advanced tab.

5-30 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface creation

Click Add and then select two vertices to be mapped together as shown.

Click Add again and select the next two vertices to be mapped together as shown.

Click OK in the dialog box and then Finish. The result is shown below.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 5-31

Lesson 5 Surface creation

Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

Overview
In this activity, you will learn to create a BlueSurf feature. You will use provided
sketches to create a BlueSurf surface.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to create a BlueSurf feature..
Turn to Appendix G for the activity.

5-32 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface creation

Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

Overview
In this activity, you will learn to create and edit a BlueSurf. You will use provided
curve sketches to create a BlueSurf.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Create a BlueSurf.

• Insert sketches.

• Edit BlueDots.

• Dynamically edit curves.

Turn to Appendix H for the activity.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 5-33

Lesson 5 Surface creation

Lesson review
Answer the following questions:
• What is a cross section used for in creating a surface?

• What are guide curves?

• When do cross sections and guide curves have to be connected?

• Name the two ways to edit a cross section or guide curve?

• How do you add more cross sections to a BlueSurf?

• How do you add more guide curves to a BlueSurf?

• What happens to inserted sketches on a BlueSurf when the BlueSurf is deleted?

• How do you get BlueDots on inserted sketches on a BlueSurf?

• How do you turn off the display of BlueDots?

• On the BlueDot ribbon bar, what does the Relative/Absolute Position option do?

Lesson summary
You control surfaces by curve definitions. You change the surface shape by editing
the underlying curves. Edit curves by using Dynamic Edit or by editing the curve
sketch/profile.
The extruded and revolved surfaces creation methods work similarly to the solid
protrusion and revolved protrusion commands. These surfaces are useful in the
development of more complex surfaces.
BlueSurf provides you the same results of a swept or lofted surface. However,
BlueSurf provides much more control and editing capability. You can add additional
cross sections and guide curves. You can control tangency at the start and end
cross sections. You can use BlueDots or Pierce points to connect the inserted cross
section and guides. Editing the BlueDots gives you real-time surface shape updates
as they are moved.
Bounded surfaces are used to fill in gaps in a model. A bounded surface is created
by selecting edges/curves that form a closed loop. You have the option to make the
resulting surface tangent to adjacent surfaces.

5-34 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

Lesson

6 Surface manipulation tools

Objectives
After completing this lesson you will be able to use of the surface manipulation
commands:
• Extend Surface

• Offset Surface

• Copy Surface

• Trim Surface

• Delete Faces

• Stitched Surface

• Round

• Replace Face

• Parting Split

• Parting Surface

• Split Face

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-1

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Extend Surface

Extends a construction surface along one or more edges.

• The edges you select can form a continuous chain (A) or be interrupted (B).

• The extended edge can either follow a natural, linear or reflective path.

• Extend options: availability depends on whether a surface is analytic (planes,

partial cylinders, cones, spheres, and tori), or non-analytic (created by using
b-spline curves in sweep, extrude, loft or BlueSurf operations).

A: Natural Extent: the extended surface will continue the natural curvature
of the input face:
– If the input surface is linear with respect to the edge you select, the
extension will be linear.

– If the input surface is radial with respect to the edge you select, the
extension will be radial.

– If the input surface is based on a b-spline curve with respect to the edge
you select, the extend feature is both tangent to and matches the radius
of curvature of the existing surface.

B: Linear Extent: the extended portion of the surface will be linear and
tangent with respect to the input face.
Note
Not available for analytic surfaces.

C: Reflective Extent: the extended portion of the surface will be a reflection

of the input surface.

6-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Note
Not available for analytic surfaces.

The following illustration shows a construction surface extended with distance (A)
with a linear extent (B) and a natural extent (C).

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-3

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Offset Surface

Creates a construction surface by offsetting a solid body, solid face, a construction

surface face or chain of faces, or a construction surface.
• The new surface is offset along a normal vector at a specified distance from the
original surface, and is associative to it.

• If the face or surface has boundaries, Offset Surface has options to remove or
keep the boundaries on the offset surface.

The following illustration shows an offset surface B offset in direction A with the
show boundaries option on.

6-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Copy Surface

Creates a construction surface feature that is derived from one or more input faces.
• The faces you select do not need to be adjacent to each other.

• You can specify whether any internal or external boundaries are removed on
the new copy of the surface.

The following illustration shows surface face A copied with boundaries removed B.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-5

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Trim Surface

Trims one or more surface(s) along input elements.

• You can use a curve, reference plane, or another surface as the input element.
– If using curves,
◊ They must lie on the surface you are trimming; use the Project Curve
command to project the curve onto the surface first.

◊ Closed curves that do not completely lie on the surface are not supported.

– If using a curve or surface as the trimming element:

◊ If the curve or surface boundary does not extend to the edges of the
target surface , the trim boundary element is extended linearly and
tangent to the input element.

◊ For example, surface (B) is used to trim surface (A). Since surface (B)
does not extend to the edges of surface (A), linear extensions are added
to the trim boundary element (C). The input element you select as the
trimming tool (B) is not modified.

6-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Delete Faces

Deletes faces from a model.

• Use this command to:
– Remove faces from a design model to make design changes.

– Simplify a model so that it processes faster when used in an assembly.

– Remove faces from a sheet metal part when working in the Flatten
environment.

– Delete faces from a construction body.

• When you delete a face on a part body, which must always be a solid body, the
gap created by the deleted surface is automatically closed.

• When you delete a face on a construction body, which is not required to be a

solid body, you can specify whether the gap is closed or left open using the Heal
option on the ribbon bar.

• When you clear the Heal option, the gap is not closed and you can construct
another surface to close the gap. This can be useful when working with foreign
data which cannot be converted into a solid body when you import it.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-7

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Stitched Surface

Stitches together multiple, adjacent construction surfaces to form a single

construction surface feature.
• This command is useful for joining imported surfaces.

• If the stitched surfaces form a closed volume, you have the option to designate
the solid body as a base feature.

• You can set the stitched surface options for tolerance and surface healing on the
Stitched Surface Options dialog box.

• Notice the default tolerance on the Stitched Surface Options dialog box. Once
you turn on the Heal option, you can change this value if the edges of two
surfaces being stitched together do not meet the default tolerance.

Note
If you need to place a round at a common edge of two surfaces, you must
stitch the two surfaces together first. You will learn more about rounding in
the next section.

Tips:
• To remove surfaces from the select set, select the surfaces while pressing the
SHIFT key.

• To delete the link between the stitched surface feature and its parents, use
the Drop Parents command on the shortcut menu. This command reduces the
amount of data in the file. Once you drop the parent information, the stitch
surface feature can no longer be edited.

• You can use the commands on the shortcut menu to display, hide, edit, rename,
or recompute the stitched surfaces.

• If the output forms a closed volume, a solid body will be created. Otherwise, the
stitch surface will be a sheet body with free edges that can be stitched to other
surfaces.

6-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

• If the stitched surfaces result in a solid body and there is no base feature in the
file, the Make Base Feature command becomes available on the shortcut menu,
and you can make the stitched body the base feature for the part.

To show the stitchable edges on construction surfaces, click Surfacing tab→Surfaces

group→Show Non-Stitched Edges located on the list headed by the Stitched
command.

The illustration below shows the stitchable edges for surface A and surface B.
Surfaces A and B were stitched together to produce C and the stitchable edges are
shown.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-9

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Round

You can use the Round command to place fillets and rounds on surface edges or
between two adjoining surfaces.

6-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Surface Blend

This option of the Round command allows the user to create a face blend between
two sheet bodies. The bodies do not have to share a common edge. (Can have a gap
between them or they can intersect.) The input surfaces can come from a single
sheet body or from 2 sheet bodies.

As part of the input, the user will have to define the side of the selected face to blend.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-11

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

The Surface Blend parameters provide options to:

• trim the input surfaces.

• trim the resultant blend.

Note
Default is to trim the input surfaces and resultant blend.

6-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Surface shapes

• Constant radius – Creates a constant radius circular cross section blend.

• Constant width – Creates a circular cross section blend with a constant chord
height between the two selected faces. (Blend_Radius value defines the width
and the Blend_Softness_Ratio is fixed to be 1.0)

• Chamfer – Creates a chamfer blend with equal setbacks. (Blend_Radius value

defines the setback distance)

•
Note
The Bevel, Conic and Curvature Continuous options all utilize the

continuity or “softness” ratio.

Bevel – Creates a chamfer blend using a ratio to control the chamfer angle between
the faces. (Blend_Softness_Ratio > 0.0)

• Conic – Creates a constant elliptical cross section blend.

In the previous image, the Blend_Softness_Ratio values are 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0
respectively.

• Curvature Continuous – Creates a continuous blend between the selected walls.

The softness value is used to control the continuity of the surface between the
walls.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-13

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

(A) no trim

(B) trim input surfaces only

(C) trim blend surface only
(D) trim both input and blend surfaces

6-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Possible solutions of intersecting surfaces:

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-15

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Replace Face

The Replace Face command replaces selected faces on a part.

• The replacement face can be a construction surface, a reference plane, or another
face on the part.

• When replacing more than one face, the faces being replaced cannot touch each
other.

• When you replace a face using a construction surface, the construction surface is
hidden automatically when you finish the feature.

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 Surface manipulation tools

Activity: Surface manipulation

Overview
In this activity you will learn to use the surface manipulation commands.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Extend a surface.

• Offset a surface.

• Trim a surface.

• Copy a surface.

• Delete faces of a surface.

• Stitch surfaces together.

• Round surfaces.

• Replace a face on a solid body.

Turn to Appendix I for the activity.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-17

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Split Face

Splits one or more surfaces (A ) using an element (B) you define.

• You can select curves, edges, surfaces, reference planes, and design bodies as the
elements that split the face.

Splitting a face can be useful when constructing a model that you want to use for
finite element analysis purposes or when you want to isolate a portion of a face so
you can to apply a decal or image in a specific location.
• If the element you are using to define the split location does not extend to the
boundary of the face you are splitting, the Split Face command will extend the
imprinted splitting curve tangentially. The original element you selected is
not extended. For example, if you split a face using a sketch that consists of a
line and an arc, the imprinted curve is extended linearly and tangent to the
original line and arc.

• If the imprinted curves intersect when they are extended, the split face feature
will not succeed.

• When you use a surface as the splitting element, the surface must physically
intersect the surface you want to split.

• When you use a reference plane as the splitting element, the reference plane
must theoretically intersect the surface you want to split (the reference plane is
considered to be infinite in size).

6-18 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

• When you use curves or edges as the splitting elements, such as a sketch to split
a face, the splitting elements must lie on the face you are splitting. You can use
the Project Curve command to project the elements onto the 3-D face.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-19

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Parting Split

The Parting Split command splits a set of faces along the silhouette edges of the part.
• This command can be useful when working with a part that will be molded
or cast.

• Parting lines are the same as silhouette lines for a given face.

• You define the vector direction for calculation of the parting lines by defining a
reference plane (A in the following image).

• A parting split feature (B) is represented by a curve.

Note
Surfaces which do not cross the parting line and planar faces are not split
by this command.

6-20 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Parting Surface

Constructs a parting surface along a parting curve you select.

You construct a parting surface by selecting a reference plane (A) to define the
orientation of the linear cross section curve and a 2D or 3D parting curve (B), which
defines the sweep path for the parting surface (C).

You create the parting curve in a separate operation. For example, you can use the
Intersection Curve command or the Parting Split command to create the parting
curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-21

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Activity: Parting split and parting surface

Overview
When you complete this activity, you will be able to use the Parting Split and Parting
Surface commands.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Insert Part Copy

• Boolean Feature

• Parting Split

• Parting Surface

• Divide Part

Turn to Appendix J for the activity.

6-22 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Overview
In this activity, you will utilize several surfacing techniques to create the body for a
rotary razor.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Curve creation and manipulation techniques.

• Extruding surfaces.

• Blue Surf generation.

• Creating bounded surfaces.

• Using the Parting Split command.

• Offsetting surfaces.

• Extending surfaces.

• Generating a thin-walled “plastic” part.

• Placing rounds.

Turn to Appendix K for the activity.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-23

Lesson 6 Surface manipulation tools

Activity: Putting it all together

Overview
In this activity, you will use the surfacing tools and workflows learned in this course
to build a bathtub spout.

Objectives
After completing this activity you will be able to:
• Read a control drawing.

• Create and edit curves.

• Create and edit surfaces.

• Make a solid feature.

Turn to Appendix L for the activity.

6-24 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Surface manipulation tools

Lesson review
Answer the following questions:
• What are the two extent options available on the Extend Surface ribbon bar?

• How do you create an offset surface without boundaries from an input surface
that has boundaries?

• Name the methods of creating a boundary curve on a surface.

• Can you trim a surface with multiple open curves in one step?

• Can you trim a surface with multiple closed curves in one step?

• Explain what stitch tolerance is.

• How do you round a common edge of two separate surfaces?

• What is a surface blend?

• Do two surfaces have to be stitched together to insert a surface blend?

• Can multiple faces of a solid be replaced in one step?

Lesson summary
Many tools exist for the modification of surfaces; the methods employed in the use
of these commands will greatly increase your ability to create and control complex
shapes.
After stitching surfaces together, Solid Edge will automatically create a solid body.
You can delete and replace faces as needed to optimize your design.
The Parting Split and Parting Surface commands facilitate the development of parts
to be manufactured in molds or dies (often called plastic parts).

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 6-25

Lesson

7 Curve and surface inspection tools

Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Understand and use curvature combs.

• Use Draft Face Analysis.

• Use Curvature Shading.

• Use Zebra Stripes.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 7-1

Lesson 7 Curve and surface inspection tools

Curvature combs
Curvature combs enable the display of normal vectors on a curve or profile to help
illustrate the radius of curvature. Curvature comb is accessible from the Inspect
tab→Analyze group.

Note
The curvature comb display is not available for construction curves.

• The length of the normal vector is a function of the radius of curvature.

• Curvature combs help you determine how quickly or gradually curves change
and where they change direction.

– Abrupt changes in a curve’s radius of curvature may signal a discontinuity

which will manifest itself in an associated surface.

– Curvature combs can assist in determining the feasibility of machining, say

a mold tool, and to predict the aesthetic quality of surfaces.

• If you have a curvature comb displayed and use dynamic edit to make changes to
the curve geometry, the comb updates immediately to reflect the changes.

• You can control the number of vectors (density) and the magnitude of the vectors
in the Curvature Comb settings form.

7-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Curve and surface inspection tools

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 7-3

Lesson 7 Curve and surface inspection tools

Surface inspection tools

All available under the Inspect tab→Analyze group.

• Draft Face Analysis

• Curvature Shading

• Zebra Stripes

7-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Curve and surface inspection tools

Draft Face Analysis

When working with plastic-injection molded parts, it is useful to visually analzye
whether a part can be removed from a mold or die.

Draft Face Analysis displays colors on the model based on the surface angles with
respect to a draft plane you define.
Inputs (specified in the Draft Face Analysis Settings command):
• Draft plane: the plane used to calculate the normal direction along which the
part is pulled from the mold or die.

• Draft angle: the angle at which the part is pulled from the mold or die.

• Colors

Note
To display draft face analysis colors, you must also shade the active window
using the Shaded or Shaded With Visible Edges commands.

You can use the Draft Face Analysis Settings command to specify the draft plane,
draft angle, and assign the colors you want to use.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 7-5

Lesson 7 Curve and surface inspection tools

Curvature Shading
When working with surfaces, it is sometimes useful to visualize the curvature of a
surface to determine if there are surface discontinuities and inflections.

Curvature Shading command

• Displays colors on the model based on the radius of curvature of the model’s
surfaces.

• Graphically shows the radius of curvature of a model.

• Parameters:
– Input specific radii values as limits:
◊ Tightest: Displays the smallest radius (highest curvature) in the model.
You can click the Find in Model button to find the smallest radius in
the model.

◊ Maximum: Displays an arbitrary maximum radius in the model.

This value typically exceeds the largest radius in the model and is
theoretically flat.

– Input radii ranges indicated by changes in the color spectrum; for example,
answers the question “How much color variation will appear in the areas
containing the smallest and largest radii?”

– Control properties in Curvature Shading Settings on the Inspect menu.

Note
You must also shade the active window using the Shaded or Shaded With
Visible Edges commands to display curvature shading colors.

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 Curve and surface inspection tools

Zebra Stripes
Displays zebra stripes on the model. Zebra stripes are useful for visualizing the
curvature of surfaces to determine if there are surface discontinuities and inflections.

Note
You must also shade the active window using the Shaded or Shaded With
Visible Edges commands to display zebra stripes.

• Zebra Stripes are solid bands of color overlaid on top of a single face or set of
surfaces:
– Displayed at regular spacing, controlled by the user.

– Follow the contour of the relevant faces.

• One might ask: “How do these ’stripes’ help?”

– Smooth stripes are manifested by smooth, continuous surfaces (ie., no cusps
or “wrinkles”).

– Stripes with sharp bends would indicate abrupt changes in surface curvature
(ie., a discontinuity).

– Discontinuities will make manufacturing more difficult.

◊ Metallic Parts: Machining will be more complex.

◊ Molded Parts: Injection of plastic may be difficult into discontinuous

areas.

– You can control colors, spacing and the method of mapping the stripes using
the Zebra Stripes Settings.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 7-7

Lesson 7 Curve and surface inspection tools

Benefits

• Striping gives quick indication of continuous edges between faces.

• Dynamic; users can see changes in real-time.

• Non-rollback edit method.

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 Curve and surface inspection tools

Lesson review
Answer the following questions:
• What is the Curvature Comb used for?

• In what situations would the Draft Face Analysis command be useful?

• Explain the difference between Curvature Shading and Zebra Stripes.

Lesson summary
You have learned what curvature combs show, and how to modify their output.
Methods for visualizing the quality of surfaces have also been covered here.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces 7-9

 A Activity: Drawing and
editing a curve

Open surface lab 2–01.par.

Draw a curve
Begin the activity by drawing a curve with edit points in space.

▸ Select Home tab→Sketch group→Sketch .

▸ Select the plane below.

▸ Click Home tab→Select group→Select .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-1

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ In PathFinder, click the box next to Sketch A to show it. Use the sketch elements
in Sketch A as a guide to where to place the edit points.

▸ Select Home tab→Sketch group→Curve .

▸ Click just above each of the construction points from left to right as shown. After
clicking above the last point, right-click to create the curve.

Hide the sketch containing edit points

▸ Click Home tab→Select group→Select.

A-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ In PathFinder, click the box next to Sketch A to hide it.

Edit the curve shape

▸ Select the curve and notice the display of the edit points and control polygon.

Also, the Edit Curve command bar displays; in this, the Local Edit option is on.

Note
With the Local Edit option, when you drag an edit point or control point, the
shape of the curve changes near the point you drag. With Shape Edit, the
entire curve changes shape slightly, preserving the overall shape of the curve.

▸ With Local Edit option selected, drag the edit point shown to observe how the
curve shape changes.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-3

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ After editing the curve, on the Quick Access toolbar, click the Undo command.
This returns the curve to its original shape.

▸ Select the curve. On the Edit Curve command bar, select the Shape Edit option.

A-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ With Shape Edit option selected, drag the edit point shown and observe how the
curve shape changes.

▸ After editing the curve, click the Undo command.

Add more control to the curve

▸ Select the curve. On the Edit Curve command bar, click the Curve Options
button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-5

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Select the curve and on the Curve Options, ensure the degree is set to 3 and
click OK.

▸ On the Edit Curve command bar, click the Add/Remove Points button.

▸ Add additional edit points to the two locations shown below.

Note
You can only insert one edit point with the Add/Remove Points command.
Reselect the command to place another point. However, you can also hold
down the Alt key on the keyboard and click on the curve to place as many
points you need.

▸ Edit the curves again to observe how the shape changes. Undo to return the
curve to its original shape.

A-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ On the Curve Options dialog, change the Degree from 3 to 5 and click OK.
Observe the change to the control polygon.

▸ Edit the curve again with both Local and Shape Edit options to see how the
curve shape changes now with the higher degree. Be sure to undo any changes
you make to the curve.

Local edit

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-7

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

Shape Edit

Inspect the curve using Curvature Comb

▸ Select the curve. On the Edit Curve command bar, select the Show Curvature
Comb button.

Note
You can adjust the curvature comb display with the Curvature Comb
Settings dialog box.

A-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Select Inspect tab→Analyze group→Curvature Comb Settings.

Note
Density controls the number of normal vectors. Magnitude controls the
length of the vectors.

▸ Move the slider bars and observe the curvature comb display.

▸ On the Curvature Comb Settings dialog box, uncheck the “Show curvature
combs” box and click Close.

▸ Click Home tab→Close group→Close Sketch to complete the sketch.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-9

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ On the Sketch command bar, select Finish.

▸ In PathFinder, click on the box next to the sketch just completed to hide it.

Draw a curve connected to elements

▸ In PathFinder, click on the box next to Sketch B to show it.

▸ Select Sketch B and click Edit Profile.

▸ Click Home tab→Draw group→Curve .

▸ Draw a curve with edit points at the endpoints of the lines (1-5) shown below.
Make sure to get the endpoint connect symbol before clicking. After placing the
last edit point, right-click to complete the curve.

Endpoint Connect Symbol

A-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Select the dimensions and edit their values as shown to observe how the curve is
constrained to the dimensioned elements.

Constrain the curve

▸ Delete all elements in the sketch except for the curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-11

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Select the curve.

A-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ . Click Home tab→Relate group→Horizontal/Vertical .

Note
Notice that the edit points and control vertices display as crosses. If you
position the cursor over a cross, you will see the following denoting if it is
an edit point (A) or control vertex (B).

Click point A and then click point B. Points A and B will always remain aligned
horizontally.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-13

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Place a dimension as shown between the horizontal reference plane and edit
point C.

▸ Place a dimension as shown between the horizontal reference plane and edit
point A.

A-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Add a vertical relationship between control vertex F and the center of the
reference planes.

▸ Apply a final constraint to control vertices. Place two dimensions as shown

between the vertical reference plane and control vertices D and E.

Note
More constraints are needed to make the curve symmetric about the
vertical reference plane. For this activity stop adding constraints at this
point.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-15

A Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

▸ Edit the dimensions as shown and observe the curve shape constraints.

▸ Drag control vertex F down and observe how the curve shape changes while
maintaining the relationships you applied.

▸ Save and close the part file.

A-16 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Drawing and editing a curve

Summary
In this activity you learned how to draw and edit curves based on edit points and
lines.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces A-17

 B Activity: Creating and editing
BlueDots

Open surface lab 2-02.par .

Note
Curves must be connected in order to use them to create surfaces. Only the
Swept Surface command does not require input curves to be connected. You
will learn more about this in the next lesson.

Note
The order in which you select curves determines which curve will change
location. The first curve you select will move to connect to the second curve.
The first curve sketch plane will change to the connected location. The second
curve you select does not change.

Note
There are several curve selection locations. See the topic on BlueDot Creation
in the theory section of this lesson.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces B-1

B Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

Use BlueDots to connect two curves

Experiment with connecting two curves using different selection locations.
Remember to undo after each connection to return the curves to their original
location.

▸ Click Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→BlueDot .

▸ Select curve 1 at the location shown and then select curve 2 at the location
shown. Notice the resulting connection and then click Undo.

B-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ Click the BlueDot command again. Select curve 1 at the location shown and then
select curve 2 at the location shown. You are selecting edit points on the curves.
Notice the resulting connection and then click Undo.

Connect the four curves at the end points

After having experimented with different curve selection possibilities, connect the
four curves at the end points.
▸ Click the BlueDot command and connect the curves in the sequence shown below
(1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8).
Note
Make sure the endpoint connect symbol displays before you click.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces B-3

B Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

Right-click to finish.

Edit a BlueDot
The four curves are now BlueDot connected. Edit a BlueDot to observe how the
curves behave.
▸ Select the BlueDot shown. Use QuickPick as an aid to select it.

▸ On the dynamic edit dialog, select Dynamic Edit.

B-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ Click the Z-direction axis on the 3D triad as shown.

This locks the BlueDot movement to the Z-direction.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces B-5

B Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ Edit the BlueDot by dragging it on the screen or by keying in a new Z-coordinate

value. Drag the BlueDot a small distance as shown and observe the connected
curves’ behavior.

Note
Both curves were set to Local Edit

▸ Click Undo to return the BlueDot to its original location.

B-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ Set both curves to Shape edit and then repeat the previous step. Notice the
different result.

▸ Click Undo to return the BlueDot to its original location.

▸ Edit a BlueDot by specifying a delta distance. Repeat the previous step but this
time click the Relative/Absolute Position option on the BlueDot Edit command
bar.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces B-7

B Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ Notice that the command bar changes to dX:, dY: and dZ:. Type 20 in the dZ:
field and press the Enter key.

Note
If the Enter key is pressed again, a delta value of 20 will be applied again.

▸ Click Undo to return the BlueDot to its original location.

▸ The 3D triad can be moved if it gets in the way. Click the 3D triad as shown and
drag to a new location.

B-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing BlueDots

▸ The activity is complete.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to draw and edit curves based on BlueDots.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces B-9

 C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

Open surface lab 2-03.par.

Note
The part file contains three sketches that you will use to create keypoint
curves. Each sketch has seven keypoints.

Create a keypoint curve

Create the first keypoint curve using geometry from Sketch A.

▸ Click Surfacing tab→Curves group→Keypoint Curve .

▸ Click the endpoint shown. Make sure the endpoint connect symbol displays.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces C-1

C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

Note
There are other keypoint select locations possible on a line. You can select
the endpoints (A), midpoint (B), line and endpoint (C) or line and midpoint
(D). If you select a line and endpoint or line and midpoint, the curve will
be tangent to the line at that point. You will have the opportunity to
modify the tangent vector. For this activity, only select endpoints.

▸ To make it easier to only select endpoints, on the command bar click the
Keypoints button. Select the endpoint option as shown.

▸ Click the remaining endpoints in the following order.

C-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ After clicking the last endpoint, click the Accept button. Then click Finish.

▸ Repeat the previous step to create keypoint curves using Sketches B and C.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces C-3

C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

Create keypoint curves between the sketches

Create seven keypoint curves between the sketches. The first curve is shown below
and also the completed curves.

C-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ Right-click in space, then select Hide All→Sketches.

Note
The keypoint curves are not connected to each other. They are only
connected to the sketch elements. If you edit one of the sketches used to
keypoint connect to, the keypoint curve will change with the edit made to
the sketch.

Connect the keypoint curves with BlueDots

Connect the keypoint curves with BlueDots. Once a BlueDot is added, the history
of how the curves were created is lost.

▸ Click the BlueDot command .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces C-5

C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ Click keypoint curve 1 and then click keypoint curve 2 as shown.

Note
Make sure no keypoints display when selecting the curves to BlueDot
connect. Just click on the curve away from any possible keypoint.

▸ Continue placing the remaining BlueDots. There will be a total of 21 BlueDots.

In case of a mistake, click the Undo command.

Edit a BlueDot
Edit a BlueDot and observe how the keypoint curves behave.

▸ Click the Select tool.

C-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ Select the BlueDot shown.

▸ Click Dynamic Edit.

▸ Click the Z-direction on the 3-D triad.

▸ Drag the BlueDot up and notice how the two keypoint curves remain connected.

Note
Notice in the BlueDot Edit command bar that curve edit fields are grayed
out. Keypoint curves cannot be controlled with local or shape edits.

▸ Click the Select tool. Right-click in the part window. Choose Hide All→BlueDots
and Hide All→Curves.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces C-7

C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

Include tangency on keypoint curves

Create two keypoint curves that include a tangency vector.
▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, select the boxes next to features Extrude 4 and Extrude 5.

▸ Create keypoint curves between these two surfaces that are tangent to an edge
of each surface. Click the Keypoint Curve command.

▸ Select the edge of the surface as shown. Make sure the line and endpoint are
highlighted.

▸ Select the edge of the surface as shown. Make sure the line and endpoint are
highlighted.

▸ Click the Accept button.

C-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ Click the End Conditions Step.

Note
Notice the green dot and line on each surface edge. These are the tangency
vectors. The keypoint curve is tangent to the surface edge. By dynamically
dragging the green dot, the curve changes shape while remaining tangent.

▸ Drag the tangency vectors as shown.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces C-9

C Activity: Creating keypoint curves

▸ Click Preview and then click Finish.

▸ Create another keypoint curve on the opposite edges of the surfaces.

Note
You will learn in the next lesson that the two keypoint curves you just
created are a step in the process of constructing a tangent transition
surface between two surfaces. The activity is complete.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create and edit keypoint curves.

C-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 D Activity: Additional curve
creation methods

Open surface lab 2-04.par.

Note
In order to create curves in this activity, existing construction surfaces are
needed. Since you have not yet learned how to create surfaces, the surfaces
needed in the activity have already been created for you.

Create an Intersection curve

▸ In PathFinder, select the display boxes next to features BlueSurf 1 and Extrude 1.

▸ Right-click in the part window and Hide All→Reference Planes.

▸ Create a curve where construction surfaces A and B intersect. Select Surfacing

tab→Curves group→ Intersection Curve .

▸ In the command bar, set the Select filter to Feature.

▸ Select surface A, and then click the Accept button.

▸ Select surface B, and then click the Accept button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-1

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click Finish.

Note
Notice in PathFinder the intersection curve just created is named
Intersection 2.

Note
The intersection curve is associative to the two input surfaces it was
created from. These surfaces are the intersection curve’s parents. If a
parent is edited, the intersection curve will update automatically.

You will see in the next lesson how you can use the intersection curve in surface
editing operations.

▸ Hide the following features in PathFinder: BlueSurf1, Extrude1 and Intersection

2

Create a Cross Curve

A cross curve is an intersection curve that is created with the theoretical extruded
surfaces resulting from the two input curves/analytics.
▸ In PathFinder, show the following sketches: Sketch 2a and Sketch 2b.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Cross Curve.

D-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click sketch A and then click the Accept button. Click sketch B and then click
the Accept button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-3

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click Finish.
The cross curve is the result of the intersection of the two theoretical extruded
surfaces A and B.

Note
The Cross Curve command eliminates the need to construct extruded
surfaces from curves and then find the intersection between the two
surfaces.

▸ Hide the sketch curves and cross curve: Sketch 2a,Sketch 2b and Cross Curve 8.

Use Project Curve

This command takes a curve and projects it onto a surface.

D-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Show the following features in PathFinder: BlueSurf 2 and Sketch 3c.

▸ Project curve B onto surface A. Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Project

Curve .

▸ Click the Options button.

▸ The default option is Along vector. The curve will be projected along its normal
vector. Click OK.

▸ Select curve B and then click the Accept button.

▸ Select surface A and then click the Accept button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-5

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ For the direction vector, point the direction arrow down as shown.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool. In PathFinder, select the Projection feature and press
the <Delete> key.

▸ Project the curve normal to the surface. Click the Project Curve command.

▸ Click the Options button.

D-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click the Normal to selected surface option and click OK.

▸ Click the curve and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click the surface and then click the Accept button. Click Finish. Notice the
different results

▸ Hide the features BlueSurf 2 , Sketch 3c and Projection 9.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-7

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

Create a Contour Curve

▸ In PathFinder, show the feature BlueSurf 2.

▸ Click the Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Contour Curve .

▸ Click the surface and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click on the surface to place the six contour curve points approximately as
shown. Points 1 and 6 are on the edge. Points 2–5 are on the face.

Note
To insert points on an edge, in the command bar Select box click Edges. To
insert points on the face, in the command bar Select box click Face.

D-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ After placing the last point , click the Accept button. Click Finish.

Edit the shape of the contour curve

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, choose the contour curve feature, and select Edit Definition.
Note
The shape can be edited while creating the contour curve.

▸ Click the Draw Points Step.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-9

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click the points shown and drag to edit the shape approximately as shown.
Points 1 and 6 will remain attached to the edge. Points 2–5 can be moved
anywhere along the face.

▸ Click the Accept button and then click Finish.

▸ Hide the two features BlueSurf 2 and Contour Curve 2.

D-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

Use the Derived Curve and Split Curve creation methods

▸ In PathFinder, show BlueSurf 1.

▸ Create derived curves from the four edges of the surface. Split the derived
curves that would be used to create additional surfaces. No surfaces will be
created in this activity.

Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Derived Curve .

▸ Click the edge shown, and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-11

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Repeat the above step to create derived edges for the three remaining surface
edges.

▸ Click the Select tool. Hide the surface.

▸ In PathFinder, show the Base Reference Planes.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Split Curve.

▸ Select the derived curve shown, and then click the Accept button.

▸ On the Split Curve command bar, set the Select filter to Body.

D-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Click the reference plane shown.

▸ Click the Accept button, and then click Finish.

Notice the original derived curve is now split and there are two new curves that
can be used for surfacing operations.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces D-13

D Activity: Additional curve creation methods

▸ Repeat the previous step to split the remaining three derived curves.
The following image shows a new surface created using the split curves.

Note
The BlueSurf construction method was used to create the surface above.
You will learn how to create BlueSurfs in an upcoming lesson.

▸ The activity is complete. Exit and Save the file.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create curves using several additional methods.

D-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 E Activity: Creating and editing
simple surfaces

Open surface lab 3-01.par.

Create an extruded surface

▸ In PathFinder, show Sketch A.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Extruded Surface .

▸ Click Select from Sketch.

▸ Click the sketch curve shown and then click the Accept button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces E-1

E Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces

▸ Click the Symmetric Extent button and type 150 in the Distance field .

▸ Click Finish.

Modify the shape of the extruded surface

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, hide Base Reference Planes.

▸ Select the extruded surface and then click the Dynamic Edit button .

▸ Click the sketch curve. Use the curve Local Edit option and drag the edit point
shown. Drag the edit point around slightly and notice how the surface shape
changes.

▸ Click the Select Tool to end the dynamic edit.

E-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces

▸ In PathFinder, hide the features Sketch A and Extrude 3.

Create a revolved surface

Note
The Revolved Surface command has the same steps as the Revolve command.

▸ Show Sketch B.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Revolved Surface .

▸ Click Select from Sketch.

▸ Select the sketch curve shown and then click the Accept button on the command
bar.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces E-3

E Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces

▸ Notice on the Revolved Surface command bar that the next step is to define the
axis of revolution. Click the line as shown.

▸ For the extent step click the revolve 360° button.

▸ Click Finish.

Edit the shape of the revolved surface

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ Press Ctrl-R to rotate the view to a right view.

▸ Select the revolved surface and then click the Dynamic Edit button .

E-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing simple surfaces

▸ Select the sketch curve. Use the curve Local Edit option and drag the edit
point shown. Drag the control vertex point around slightly and notice how the
surface shape changes.

▸ Drag the control vertices around to come up with your own surface shape.

▸ This concludes the activity.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create simple surfaces using Extrude and Revolve,
and how to edit those by manipulating their parent curves.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces E-5

 F Activity: Creating a swept surface

Open surface lab 3-02.par.

The part file contains four sketches. Sketch element A is the guide path (curve) and
sketch elements 1-3 are the cross sections (arcs).

Note
The Swept Surface command has the same steps as the Swept Protrusion
command.

Create a swept surface

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Swept Surface .

On the Sweep Options dialog box, click the Multiple paths and cross sections
button. Click OK.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces F-1

F Activity: Creating a swept surface

▸ For the Path step, select the curve shown and then click the Accept button.

▸ Since there is only one path, click the Next button on the command bar to
proceed to the Cross Section step.

▸ Select cross section 1 and then click the Accept button. Select cross section 2 and
click the Accept button. Select cross section 3 and click the Accept button.

▸ On the command bar, click Preview and then Finish.

F-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a swept surface

Modify the shape of the surface

▸ Click the Select Tool. Select the surface and then click Dynamic Edit .

▸ Click the 70 mm radius dimension on cross section 1. Type 50 and press the
<Enter> key.

▸ Click the 10 mm radius dimension on cross section 2. Type 40 and press the
<Enter> key.

▸ Click the 60 mm radius dimension on cross section 3. Type 20 and press the
<Enter> key.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces F-3

F Activity: Creating a swept surface

▸ Click the Select tool to end the dynamic edit.

Dynamically edit the path curve

▸ Click the Select Tool. Select the surface and then click Dynamic Edit .

▸ Click the path curve as shown.

F-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a swept surface

▸ Select the edit point shown and drag to the right.

▸ The activity is complete.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create and edit a swept surface.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces F-5

 G Activity: Creating a BlueSurf
using analytics

Open surface lab 3-03.par.

Create several BlueSurf features

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→BlueSurf .

Notice on the BlueSurf command bar that the Cross Section Step is active.

▸ To define the first cross section, click the arc shown and then right-click (or
click the Accept button).

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces G-1

G Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ For the next cross section, click the arc shown and then right-click.

▸ For the last cross section, click the arc shown and then right-click.

▸ Click Preview and then click Finish.

Notice the BlueSurf feature shown in PathFinder; hide this feature.

Create another BlueSurf

▸ Click the BlueSurf command.

▸ For the first cross section, select the point shown.

G-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Click the arc shown for the second cross section and then right-click.

▸ Click the arc shown for the last cross section and then right-click.

▸ Click Preview. Do not click Finish.

▸ Apply guide curves to the BlueSurf. Click the Guide Curve Step on the command
bar.

▸ In the command bar Select list, click Single. This allows you to select single
sketch elements for the guide curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces G-3

G Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Select sketch elements 1 and 2 as shown and then right-click to complete the
first guide curve.

Note
Notice how the BlueSurf follows the guide curve.

▸ Select sketch elements 3 and 4 as shown and then right-click to complete the
second guide curve.

G-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Click Preview and then Finish.

▸ Hide this second BlueSurf feature.

Create a third BlueSurf

▸ Click the BlueSurf command.

▸ Click the point shown.

▸ Click the cross section shown and right-click.

▸ Click the point shown and then right-click .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces G-5

G Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Click the Guide Curve Step.

▸ In the command bar Select list, click Single.

▸ Select sketch elements 1 – 3 as shown and then right-click. Select sketch

elements 4-6 as shown and then right-click.

▸ Click Preview and then click Finish.

Add cross sections to the BlueSurf

▸ Click the Select tool and then select the BlueSurf feature.

▸ Click Edit Definition.

G-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Click the Cross section Step.

▸ Click the cross section shown and right-click.

▸ Click Edit on the error dialog box. The cross section order is the cause for the
error. This will be corrected later.

▸ Click the cross section shown and right-click.

▸ Click Edit on the error dialog box. The cross section order is the cause for the
error. This will be corrected later.

▸ Click the BlueSurf Options button.

▸ Click the Advanced tab on the BlueSurf Options dialog box.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces G-7

G Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

Notice the order of the Sections in the dialog box. Pause the cursor over a section
and it will highlight in the part window.

▸ Select Section 4 and then click the Up button to reorder the section between
Sections 1 and 2.

▸ Select Section 5 and then click the Up button to reorder the section between
Sections 2 and 3.

▸ Click OK.

G-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a BlueSurf using analytics

▸ Click Finish.

▸ The activity is complete.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create and edit BlueSurf surfaces.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces G-9

 H Activity: Creating and editing
a BlueSurf

Note
The part file contains four curves that are BlueDot connected.

Open surface lab 3-04.par.

Create a BlueSurf with guides

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→BlueSurf .

▸ Click curve 1 as shown for the first cross section and then right-click. Click curve
2 as shown for the second cross section and then right-click.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces H-1

H Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ Click the Guide Curve step.

▸ Click guide curve 3 as shown and then right-click. Click guide curve 4 as shown
and then right-click.

▸ Click Preview and then click Finish.

Insert sketches on the BlueSurf

This provides additional shape control.
▸ Click the Select tool and then select the BlueSurf feature.

▸ Click Edit Definition.

▸ Click the Options button on the command bar.

H-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ On the BlueSurf Options dialog box, under Curve Connectivity click Use
BlueDots. Under Inserted-Sketch, type .01. Click OK.
Note
The tolerance controls the number of edit points used on inserted sketches.

▸ Click the Insert Sketch step button.

▸ Click the Plane Normal to Curve option.

▸ Click the curve shown.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces H-3

H Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ Notice a normal plane is attached to the curve, which can be dynamically

dragged along the curve. Drag the plane until the Position value is 0.25. You can
also enter .25 on the command bar. Click to place the plane.

▸ Repeat the previous step to insert sketches at positions .50 and .25 (from the
opposite end) as shown.

H-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ Insert sketches normal to the cross section curve. Click the curve shown and
insert sketches at positions .25, .50 and .25 (from the opposite end).

▸ Click Finish twice.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces H-5

H Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

Perform BlueDot edits to change the shape of the surface

Edit the BlueDots along the center by changing their position in the Z-direction.

▸ Click the Select tool. Select the BlueDot shown and then click Dynamic Edit.

H-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ Click the Z-axis on the 3-D triad.

▸ Click the Relative/Absolute Position button .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces H-7

H Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ In the dZ: field, type 5. Make sure Curves 1 and 2 are set to Shape edit. Press
the Enter key.
Note
If you press the Enter key again, the value will be applied again.

▸ Click in an open space in the part window to exit the BlueDot edit.

▸ Repeat the previous step to edit BlueDots 2-5. Edit BlueDot 5 with a delta
distance of 5. Edit BlueDots 2-4 with a delta distance of 10.

H-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating and editing a BlueSurf

▸ Right-click in the part window. Turn off the display of sketches and BlueDots.

▸ The activity is complete. Save and Close this file.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create and edit a BlueSurf.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces H-9

 I Activity: Surface manipulation

Open surface lab 4-01.par.

Extend a surface

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Extend Surface .

▸ Select the edge shown and click the Accept button on the command bar.

Note
Notice on the Extend Surface command bar the options for Natural,
Linear and Reflective Extent. The natural option extends the surface to
follow the curvature of the surface. The linear option extends the surface
in a linear direction. The reflective option specifies that the extended
portion of the surface will be a reflection of the input surface. This option
is not available for analytic surfaces.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-1

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Drag the distance vector approximately as shown, and click.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, select the new Extend feature and hit the Delete key.

▸ Multiple edges can be extended. Repeat the previous step. Select all four edges
and then click the Accept button.

I-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Drag the distance vector approximately as shown and click.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, delete the Extend feature.

Offset a surface

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Offset Surface .

▸ Click the surface, and then click Accept.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-3

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Type 50 for the Distance and press the Enter key.

▸ Position the direction arrow as shown, and click.

Note
The offset surface is offset along normal vectors from the input surface a
distance of 50 mm.

▸ Click Finish.

I-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Repeat the previous step for the original (bottom) surface. Use 50 for the offset
distance and position the direction arrow downward as shown.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, delete the two offset surfaces.

Project a curve onto a surface

▸ In PathFinder, show Sketch B.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Project Curve command .

▸ Select the circle shown below and then click the Accept button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-5

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the surface and click Accept. Position the direction arrow as shown and
click.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Project Curve is still active. Select the circle shown below and then click the
Accept button.

I-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the surface and click Accept. Position the direction arrow as shown and
click.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ In PathFinder, hide Sketch B.

Trim a surface
Trim surface is used extensively in surface modeling.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Trim Surface .

▸ Select the surface and click Accept.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-7

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the projection curve as shown and click the Accept button.

▸ Position the direction arrow as shown to trim the surface outside the projection
curve.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Select the surface and click Accept.

▸ Select the projection curve as shown and click the Accept button.

I-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Position the direction arrow as shown to trim the surface inside the projection
curve.

▸ Click Finish.
Notice the two Trim features in PathFinder.

▸ Right-click and Hide All→Curves.

Copy a surface

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Copy .

Notice on the Copy Surface command bar the two options for removing
boundaries. To remove internal boundaries on the copied surface , select the
left button. To remove external boundaries on the copied surface click the
right button. If neither option is selected, the copied surface will maintain all
boundaries.

▸ Click the Remove External Boundaries button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-9

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the surface and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.
Notice the Copy feature in PathFinder.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ In PathFinder, delete the following features: Projection 11 , Projection 12 , Trim

11 ,Trim 12 and Copy 7

▸ Hide feature Sweep A.

Delete faces
. Faces on a construction body can be deleted and replaced with a new surface.
▸ In PathFinder, show feature Extrude 2. Click the Fit command.

▸ Select Home tab→Modify group→Delete Faces .

I-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the three faces shown and click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.
Notice the Delete Face feature in PathFinder.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-11

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Hide feature Extrude 2. Show feature Extrude 3. The Extrude 3 feature was
constructed with a closed profile and the ends were capped.

▸ Click the Delete Faces command.

▸ Click the Heal Option button.

Note
In order for the heal option to work, the construction body must be closed.

▸ Select the surface shown and then click Accept.

I-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Click Finish.
Notice the result. The face was deleted and the two adjoining faces adjust to fill
the gap. The two end caps were also modified.

▸ Repeating the previous step, delete the face shown.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-13

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ Hide Extrude 3.

Stitch surfaces
▸ In PathFinder, show features BlueSurf 1, BlueSurf 2, BlueSurf 3, and BlueSurf
4.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Stitched Surface.

▸ Type .01 in the Stitch tolerance field and then click OK.

▸ Select all four surfaces and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.
Note in PathFinder the Stitch feature.

I-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Show Non-Stitched Edges.

Note
The command is located underneath the list headed by Stitched Surface.

▸ Click the stitched surface. Notice the highlighted edges. These are the
un-stitched edges.

▸ Click Close on the command bar.

▸ In order to make a solid feature there must be surfaces stitched to all of the
non-stitched edges. Create surfaces needed to make a solid feature. Select

Surfacing tab→Curves group→ Keypoint Curve .

▸ Draw a keypoint curve as shown. The curve has two points.

▸ Create five bounded surfaces. Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→ Bounded

Surface .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-15

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the edges shown and click the Accept.

▸ Turn off the Face Tangency option.

▸ Click Preview and then click Finish.

▸ Repeat the same steps to create the bounded surface shown.

I-16 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Repeat the steps for the three circular edges.

▸ Select Stitched Surface. Type .01 in the Stitch tolerance field and click OK.

▸ Select the stitched surface and then select the five bounded surfaces.

▸ Click the Accept button. Since there are no non-stitched edges remaining, the
stitched surfaces result in a solid body. Click OK on the message dialog.

▸ Click Finish.
Note
If there is no base feature (solid) in the file, you can right-click on the
stitched surface and click Make Base Feature to create a solid of the
stitched surface.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ Hide features BlueSurf 1-4 and the keypoint curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-17

I Activity: Surface manipulation

Replace a face
▸ Select View tab→Show group→Construction Display. On the dialog, choose
Show All→Design body. Protrusion A is displayed. Replace faces A and B on
Protrusion A with a construction surface.

▸ Show feature BlueSurf 7.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Replace Face .

▸ Select the faces shown and click the Accept button.

I-18 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the surface shown for the replacement surface.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Click the Select tool.

▸ Replace the bottom face on the protrusion. Show BlueSurf 8.

▸ Click the Replace Face command.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces I-19

I Activity: Surface manipulation

▸ Select the face as shown and click the Accept button.

▸ Select the surface shown for the replacement surface.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ This completes the activity. Exit and save the file.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to use several surface manipulation commands.

I-20 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 J Activity: Parting split and
parting surface

Create a new metric part file using the ISO Part template. In that file’s PathFinder,
right-click on the Synchronous header and select Transition to Ordered from
the list.
Note
You will begin by constructing a core for the mold. The core needs to be sized
to accommodate the file pad.par that will be the cavity.

Create a sketch
▸ Select the display box next to Base Reference Planes to show them.

▸ Select Home tab→Planes group→Parallel.

▸ Select the Top (xy) base reference plane- indicated by the arrow. Create a parallel
plane 35 mm above it as shown.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-1

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Sketch the following profile on the parallel plane you just created. Make sure the
midpoints of the line elements are horizontal/vertical aligned to the center of
the reference planes.

▸ Click Close Sketch and then click Finish.

Create the core part

▸ Select Home tab→Solids group→Extrude.

▸ Click the Select from Sketch option.

▸ Select the sketch shown and click the Accept button.

J-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Click the Symmetric Extent button and type 200 for Distance. Click Finish.

Create the cavity

To create the cavity, perform a Boolean difference to remove pad.par from the core.

▸ Select Home tab→Clipboard group→Part Copy .

▸ In the Select Part Copy dialog box, set Look into the folder in which you installed
the training parts for this course. Select pad.par and click Open.

▸ On the Part Copy Parameters dialog box, make sure Design Body is checked
and then click OK.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-3

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Click Finish. Notice the feature Part Copy 1 is now listed in PathFinder. Hover
you cursor over this entry and you can see the pad highlight in the view.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Boolean .

Note
Boolean is located in the list headed by Replace Face.

▸ Click the Subtract button .

▸ Select the Part Copy and then click the Accept button.

J-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Click Finish. Notice the Boolean 1 feature listed in PathFinder.

The core now has a cavity of pad.par.

Create a parting split curve on the cavity

Note
A parting split curve is derived from silhouette edges as viewed normal to a
selected plane. The parting split curve is used to define where a part needs to
split to allow for removal from a mold.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Parting Split .

Note
Parting Split is located in the list headed by Split.

▸ Select the plane shown- it is the Top (xy) base reference plane.
Note
You may wish to change to a Wireframe view style for better visibility.

▸ On the Parting Split command bar, set the Select filter to Body.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-5

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Select the body as shown.

▸ Click the Accept button and then click Finish.

▸ Hover your cursor over Parting Split 1 in PathFinder and notice the parting
split is highlighted in the view.

Create a parting surface

This surface will be used to split the core in a later step.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Parting Surface .

Note
Parting Surface is located in the list headed by Split.

J-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Select the plane shown- again it is the Top (xy) base reference plane.
Note
The parting surface will use this plane as reference for all normal vectors
in creating the surface.

▸ Select the parting split curve as shown and click the Accept button.

▸ Type 150 in the Distance field and press the <Enter> key.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-7

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Position the arrow to point outward as shown and click. Click Finish.

▸ Save the file as pad core.par in the course training folder.

Divide the part

Split the core along the parting surface to create two mold halves.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Divide Part command .

Note
Divide Part is located in the list headed by Replace Face.

J-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Select the parting surface shown as the surface to be used to divide the core.

▸ Position the direction arrow as shown as the side to be divided into a new file.

▸ Click Finish.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-9

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ On the Divide Part dialog box, notice the two new divided parts.

▸ Name the parts. Click on the first < click here to enter a filename > and type top.
Click on the second and type bottom. Do not click Close.

▸ Click the Select All button.

▸ Click the Save Selected Files button.

J-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ The two new files are created and notice that they are linked to the parting
surface. Click Close.

Open each of the two mold halves

▸ Close pad core.par.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-11

J Activity: Parting split and parting surface

▸ Open top.par in the course training folder.

Note
The base coordinate system and reference planes are hidden in the
following images.

Note
In this image, the part was flipped 180° to show the cavity.

▸ Close top.par and open bottom.par.

▸ The activity is complete. Close all files.

J-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Parting split and parting surface

Summary
In this activity you learned how to construct two halves of a mold from a single
core part.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces J-13

 K Activity: Creating a rotary
razor body

Create a new metric part file using theISO Part template. In that file’s PathFinder,
right-click on the Synchronous header and select Transition to Ordered from
the list.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-1

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Create an extruded surface

Sketch the profile

▸ Ensure that the Base Reference Planes are displayed.

▸ Sketch the following profile on the Top (xy) reference plane.

Note
Ensure you place the horizontal relationship between the midpoint
of the top line and the origin. Also, place a point (Home tab→Draw
group→Point) at the intersection of the reference planes.

▸ Select Tools tab→Variables group→Variables. Set a variable to define the

dimension “A” as twice the value of “B”.

▸ Close the sketch andFinish.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Extruded .

▸ Extrude the sketch 12 mm below the plane. Keep the ends open.

K-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Create a curve
This will serve as the “spine” of the razor.
▸ Sketch on the Right (yz) reference plane an arc and line using the dimensions
shown in the following image.
Place a 3–Point Arc, selecting the point placed in the first sketch as the start
location and making the top end tangent to the Front reference plane.
Note
You may wish to rotate the view slightly to facilitate seeing the point
and Front plane.

▸ Close the sketch, then click Finish on the command bar.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-3

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Sketch a cross-section
▸ Create a sketch on a plane normal to a curve. Place the plane at the bottom
end of the arc.

K-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Using the pierce point of the arc through the plane, create an ellipse. Assign a
major radius of 18 mm and a minor radius of 15 mm to the ellipse.

▸ Close the sketch, then click Finish on the command bar.

Create additional curves

These will represent the backbone or “spine” of the razor body.
▸ Sketch on the Right reference plane and create a curve beginning from the
bottom of the extruded surface (1). Use 3–4 points to define this curve, using the
pierce point at the top of the ellipse for the curve’s final point (2). Ensure that a

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-5

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

vertical align relationship (3) is defined between the top end of this curve and
the existing surface (1). Don’t be overly concerned about exact shape.

To place the horizontal/vertical relationship at the start of the curve, select the
control vertex (A) and then select the extruded surface edge (B).

K-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Place an arc by 3 points starting with the midpoint of line (A). Use the pierce
point at the end of the curve (B) for the second point of the arc. For the third
point, move the cursor between the first two points until you get the tangent
symbol (C) and then click. Also apply an end connect relationship between the
two curves.

▸ Close the sketch, then click Finish on the command bar.

▸ Sketch another curve on the Right plane. Start the curve at the surface and end
it at the pierce point for the ellipse.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-7

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Create an arc between the end of the curve just placed and the existing arc.

▸ Apply a tangent relation between the top of the curve (1) and surface. Also,
define end connect and tangent relationships between the curve and arc (2),
Ensure that an end connect relationship is shared with the two arcs (3).

K-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Experiment with the shape of the curves using Edit Profile on the edit dialog.
Edit the shape of the spline. The command bar will give several options for
editing the curve’s points, as well as the ability to add points.
The curve’s control points will be visible.

▸ Drag some of these points to observe how the movement of one point affects
the entire curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-9

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Make a shape similar to the following.

K-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Create a BlueSurf
All of the curves necessary to create the razor’s body exist. The Blue Surf command
will be used to generate a surface based on a series of participating curves.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→BlueSurf .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-11

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ In the Add Cross Sections step, select the point at the bottom of the curves.

▸ Select the ellipse as the next cross section.

▸ For the final cross section, pick the bottom edge chain from the protruded surface
placed in Step 1.

K-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Move to the Guide Curves step and select each of the “spine” curves and accept
each.
Note
Use the Single option when selecting the curves to ensure you don’t pick
the entire chain.

The Blue Surf will update as shown in the following images.

▸ Click Preview. The result should look similar to the following. ClickFinish.

▸ Hide all sketches.

Create a bounded surface

Close off the top of the original extruded surface .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-13

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Select the Bounded Surface command.

▸ Select each edge around the top.

▸ Accept and click Preview. Click Finish.

Stitch together the surfaces

The set of surfaces will be stitched together to form a solid body. The Stitched

Surface command will be used .

▸ Select the Stitched Surface command. The Stitched Surface Options dialog will
appear. Click OK to accept these options.
Drag a box around all of the surfaces to select.

K-14 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Accept. Click Yes in response to the dialog regarding creation of a solid body.

Create a reference plane

Create an Angled Reference Plane off of the Front XZ plane, using the top bounded
surface as the base of the profile plane. Orient it as shown below at an angle of 45°.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-15

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Create an opening for the power button

▸ Create a parallel plane offset 28.6 mm from the angled plane just created. Select
Home tab→Solids group→Cut and sketch a profile on this new plane. Use two
arcs defined by the radii shown.

K-16 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Cutout the Blue Surf at a depth of 61 mm.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-17

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Create a port for the power cord

▸ Using the Cut command, sketch on the angled reference plane created in Step 9.
Create a line as shown in the following image. Ensure that the left endpoint is
created with a “point on element” relationship to the silhouette of the body (1).

Dimension this line to the top edge of the razor body, with a value of 150 mm.

K-18 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Select the cut direction shown to remove material from the bottom. Use the
Through-All extent.

▸ Click Finish.

Split the solid body into two

▸ Click Parting Split .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-19

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ For the planar face selection, pick the angled plane previously defined in Step 9.

▸ For the face to be split, change the Select pulldown to Body and select the entire
razor’s body. Accept the body.

K-20 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

Offset the rear surface

▸ Select the Offset Surface command

▸ Offset the rear surface inside by 3 mm.

▸ Use the Extend Surface command to extend the new offset surface .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-21

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Select the top edge and extend it with natural curvature a distance of 18.95 mm.

Create a space for additional razor components

▸ Use the Cutout command to create a feature needed for additional razor
components.

K-22 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ For the sketch plane, select Parallel Plane and pick the angled plane created in
Step 9. Offset the new plane 58 mm.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-23

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ Sketch the profile.

K-24 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ For the cut depth (extent), the cut should terminate at the surface extended in
Step 13. To do this, use the “From-To” extent option in the Cut command bar.
The “From” entity will be the angled plane of the sketch; the “To” entity will be
the surface extended in Step 13.

Hide the extended surface.

Apply a thin wall to the part

▸ Click the Thin Wall command .

▸ Use the Thin Wall command towards the outside of the part, defining a thickness
of 2 mm.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-25

K Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ As open faces, select the top face, as well as the bottom surface of the power
switch.

Note
Ensure the Select option is set to Single.

Round edges

Two edge chains will be rounded. Use the Round command .

▸ Select the two edge chains at the power switch opening’s top and bottom,
respectively. Apply a radius of 1 mm in each case.

K-26 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Creating a rotary razor body

▸ This completes the construction of the razor body.

Summary
In this activity, you used several curve and surface creation and manipulation
techniques to design a rotary razor body. The methods utilized in the construction of
this model are commonly applied during the design of consumer products due to the
emphasis on ergonomic and aesthetic requirements.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces K-27

 L Activity: Putting it all together

Open surface lab 4-02.par.

Note
Control Drawings were discussed in the previous lesson Surface Modeling.
For this activity the control drawing is provided. For ease of viewing, the
curves in each sketch are color-coded, and color references will be made when
appropriate.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-1

L Activity: Putting it all together

Control sketches (A=Right View-ORANGE, B=Front View-PURPLE,

C=Top View-GREEN)

Construct the top surface

First you’ll create intersection curves to be used to develop the top surface.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Cross .

▸ Ensure the Select from Sketch option is active.

L-2 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select sketch element (A)—PURPLE— and then click the Accept button. Select
both sketch elements (B)—GREEN— and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Select Cross Curve.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-3

L Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select sketch element (A)—ORANGE— and then click the Accept button. Select
sketch element (B)—GREEN— and then click the Accept button. Click Finish.

▸ To create the top surface, select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→ Swept .

▸ On the Sweep Options dialog box, select the Multiple paths and cross sections
option.

L-4 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ For the Path Step, select path (A) and click the Accept button or click the right
mouse button. Select path (B) and click the Accept button or click the right
mouse button.

▸ Click Next to proceed to the Cross Section step.

▸ Select cross section (A) and click the right mouse button. Select cross section
(B) and click the right mouse button. Select cross section (C) and click the right
mouse button.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-5

L Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Click Preview and then Finish.

Create intersection curves to develop the front surface

▸ Hide the swept surface you just created.

▸ Select Cross Curve.

▸ Select sketch element (A)—PURPLE— and then click the Accept button. Select
both sketch elements (B)—ORANGE— and then click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.

L-6 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select Cross Curve.

▸ Select sketch element (A)—ORANGE— and then click the Accept button. Select
sketch element (B)—GREEN— and then click the Accept button. Click Finish.

▸ Click Finish.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-7

L Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Save the file.

▸ Select Swept. Click the Multiple paths and cross sections option and set the
Section Alignment to Parallel.

▸ Use QuickPick to select path (A). Make sure you select the cross curve element
and then click Accept. Select path (B) and click the right mouse button.

▸ Click Next to define the cross sections.

▸ Set the Select filter to Single. Select cross section (A) and click the right mouse
button.

▸ Select cross section (B) and click the right mouse button.

L-8 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select cross section (C) and click the right mouse button.

▸ Click Preview and then Finish.

▸ Save the file.

Create intersection curves to develop the side surfaces

▸ Hide the swept surface you just created.

▸ Select Cross Curve.

▸ Change the Select field to Single.

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-9

L Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select sketch element (A)—PURPLE— and then click the Accept button. Change
the Select field to Single. Select both sketch elements (B)—GREEN— and then
click the Accept button.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Select Cross Curve.

▸ Set the Select field to Single. Select sketch elements (A)—PURPLE— and then
click the Accept button.
Note
There are two elements in (A).

L-10 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Set the Select field to Single. Select both sketch elements (B)—GREEN— and
then click the Accept button. Click Finish.

▸ Click Finish.

▸ Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Bounded .

spse01560 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces L-11

L Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Select the six edges as shown. Use QuickPick on edges A and B to make sure you
select the cross curve edges.

▸ Click the accept button. Ensure Face Tangency is off.

▸ Click Preview and Finish.

L-12 Modeling a Part Using Surfaces spse01560

 Activity: Putting it all together

▸ Create another bounded surface on the other side.

▸ Save the file.

▸ Show all of the surfaces created so far.

Create the bottom surface

▸ Show all base reference planes. Select Home tab→Sketch group→Sketch .

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▸ Select the plane- Right (yz) for the first sketch.

▸ Hide all surfaces.

▸ Draw the following sketch.

▸ Select Close Sketch.

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▸ For the second sketch, create the sketch on a parallel plane as shown. To define
the distance, click the keypoint as shown.

▸ Select Home tab→Draw group→Include and select the arc shown.

Note
Click OK on the Include options dialog box.

▸ Select Close Sketch.

▸ Select BlueSurf.

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▸ Select cross section (A) and click the right mouse button. Select cross section
(B) and click the right mouse button.

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▸ Hide all of the base reference planes.

▸ Click the Guide Curve step.

▸ Select guide curve (C) and click the right mouse button.

▸ Set the Select filter to Single to select the two elements in guide curve (D). Select
guide curves (D) and click the right mouse button.

▸ Set the select filter to Chain to select guide curve (E). Select guide curve (E) and
click the right mouse button.

▸ Click Preview and Finish.

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▸ Save the file.

▸ Show all of the surfaces created so far.

Add another surface

You will add the surface as shown below.

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▸ Hide all of the surfaces except the BlueSurf just created.

▸ To create this surface, an intersection curve is needed between the bottom

Bluesurf and an extruded surface created from the element shown in the control
sketch. Create an extruded surface with a symmetric extent from the element
shown in the image below. Don’t be concerned with an exact distance, just
extend it similar to the image.

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▸ Select Surfacing tab→Curves group→Intersection. Select the Bluesurf and

the extruded surface as the surface set to intersect. The intersection curve is
shown in the image below. Hide the extruded surface after the intersection
curve is created.

▸ Hide all sketches and curves. Select Surfacing tab→Surfaces group→Trim.

Select and accept the Bluesurf. Change the select option to Chain . Select the
intersection curve and make sure the arrow points in the direction shown.

▸ Click Finish.

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Create the final surface

▸ Show all sketches and curves.

▸ Select BlueSurf.

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▸ Select the cross sections shown. Set the select filter to Single in order to select
the first cross section (A). Select cross section A and right-click. For the second
cross section (B), set the select filter to Single in order to select the cross section.
The second cross section (B) has (3) segments. Use QuickPick and make sure you
pick the intersection edges. Select cross section B and then right-click.

▸ After selecting cross sections (A) and (B), click the Guide Curve step. Set the
select filter to Single, select the curve (C) and then right-click.

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▸ Click Preview and then Finish.

▸ Choose Select and right-click. Select

• Hide All→Sketches

• Hide All→Curves

• Show All→Surfaces
Note
Hide the extruded surface you created as a construction surface.

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Cap the ends

▸ Select Bounded . Select the edges shown for (A) and make sure face tangency is
turned off. Select the edges shown for (B) and again make sure face tangency
is turned off.

The surface model is complete.

Stitch together the surfaces

The surface model can now be converted to a solid base feature.

▸ Select Stitched Surface and type .01 for the Stitch tolerance. Hit OK.

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▸ Select all surfaces and then click the Accept button. Click Yes on the resulting
dialog box.

▸ This completes the spout lab activity.

Note
You rarely get the surface you want from the initial surface creation method.
You will probably need to manipulate the surface by: adding boundaries,
creating an offset, extending, rounding, etc.
Solid Edge provides several commands for you to use to develop the final
surface shape. A good understanding of these tools will help you to master
surface modeling.

Summary
In this activity you learned how to create a solid model from control curves using
multiple curve and surface manipulation techniques.

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