Moving the cursor on top of the icon of this tool unfolds a sub-palette displaying tools used to create complex surfaces.
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¨ Coons Surfaces: This tool generates a surface from connected curves. A minimum of four curves (no upper limit) must draw a closed perimeter. You can use 2D or 3D curves.
¨ Gordon Surfaces: This tool generates a surface along a network of 3D curves (no limit to the number of curves used). The generated surface is stretched simultaneously along the longitudinal curves and along the latitudinal curves.
¨ Hull tool: This tool generates a surface from three connected curves, each one belonging to one main plane (top, front, profile). The section is repeated along the length of the profile and of the contour.
This tool generates a surface from connected curves. A minimum of four curves (no upper limit) must draw a closed perimeter. You can use 2D or 3D curves. |
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Usage:
1. Creating the connected curves.
The last point of a curve must be connected to the first point of the next one. The minimum number of curves is 4. They must draw a closed perimeter.
2. Selecting the Coons Surface tool.
Þ Drag the cursor on top of the Surfaces tool icon. The icon opens into a series of surface-related tools.
Þ Click on the icon depicting the Coons Surfaces tool icon.
3. Generating the surface.
Click on each curve in no particular order. The surface is created.
You can cancel the last operation (PC: Ctrl+Z; Mac: Command+Z) if you make a mistake.
4. Ending the tool action.
Validate or put the tool aside to end the tool action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
You can change the current object using:
Þ The “+” and “-” keys of the numeric keypad.
Þ Clicking on the “+” and “-” command buttons in the Assistant Palette.
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Practical exercises:
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This tool is used to create surfaces using networks of 3D curves. The surface is generated along the horizontal curves and vertical curves. |
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¨ All the curves must be connected between so as to create a net.
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Usage:
1. Create a net of connected curves defining the internal and external curves of the surface.
2. Selecting the Gordon Surfaces tool.
Þ Drag the cursor on top of the Surfaces tool icon. The icon opens up.
Þ Click on the icon depicting the Gordon surfaces tool icon.
3. Select the longitudinal curves.
Click on each of the longitudinal curves; they become white. Then press the Return key to validate the selection. |
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4. Select the latitudinal curves.
Click on each of the latitudinal curves; they become white. Then press the Return key to validate the selection. The surface is generated.
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5. Ending the tool action.
Validate or put the tool aside to end the tool action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
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Practical exercises:
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This tool is used to generate a surface from three connected curves (a section, a profile, and a contour), each lying on a main plane (top, front, profile). The section is repeated along the length of the profile and of the contour. |
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Usage:
1. Creating the three curves.
Each curve belongs to a different main plane (top, front, and profile) and the contour and the section share a common point.
2. Selecting the Hull tool.
Click in the icon depicting the Hull tool in the Tools Palette.
3. Creating the surface.
You must select the curves in the following order: the section, the profile, and the contour. The surface is created.
You can cancel the last operation (PC: Ctrl+Z; Mac: Command+Z) if you make a mistake.
4. Optimizing the mesh.
Before dropping the tool, press the “-” key on the numeric keypad to equalize the number of points of the construction curves and the number of facets of the mesh. Once the mesh is optimized, pressing the “-” key will have no effect.
5. Ending the tool action.
Validate or put the tool aside to end the tool action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
Remember when drawing the curves to put the drawing tool aside after creating each curve so as to create distinct objects. Otherwise the drawing will be considered one single object whereas you need to create three separate curves.
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Practical exercises:
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