Moving the cursor over the Thickness tool icon automatically opens a sub-palette containing the two tools that do the following:
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The Thickness tool does not work in NURBS mode. However, you can transform a NURBS object into a polygonal one using the Information tool of the Control Panel (see chapter User Manual/Tools/Control Panel/Get info). Keep in mind that once a NURBS model has been transformed into a polygonal model, it cannot be transformed back into a NURBS model. If you want your NURBS object to remain as such, do not use this tool.
q Applying a thickness to a surface or a volume
Applying a thickness to a volume or a surface will create facets parallel to each of the facets of the original object and positioned at a user-specified distance from the original facets.
1. Select the surface or volume you want to apply thickness to.
Click with the Wand on the object you want to work with.
2. Select the Thickness tool.
Click on the icon depicting the Thickness tool in the Tools Palette.
A red preview of the thickness is displayed on the facet of the object perpendicular to the point of view.
3. Setting the thickness.
To set the thickness, you can:
Þ Use the “+” and “-” keys of the numeric keypad.
Þ Use the “+” or “-” buttons in the Assistant Palette.
Þ Press the Tab key and enter a precise value for the thickness.
Dropping the tool (depending on the interface selected) at this stage will cancel the operation.
4. Changing the position of the thickness.
Press the spacebar to toggle the position of the thickness from the inside of the surface to the outside.
Dropping the tool (depending on the interface selected) at this stage will cancel the operation.
5. Visualizing the thickness applied to the whole object.
Click on the object with the Wand.
The thickness is applied on the whole object.
You can go back to step 3 to make modifications or go to the next step.
6. Ending the tool action.
Validate the tool action (press the Return key) or put the tool aside. (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
The thickness is applied to the whole object and the Wand reappears.
Dropping the Thickness tool without previously visualizing the thickness being applied to the whole object (step 5) will cancel the operation.
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Practical exercises:
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q Applying thickness to a curve
If you apply thickness to a curve, you will generate a “tube”.
1. Select the curve you want to apply thickness to.
Click with the Wand on the curve you want to apply thickness to.
2. Select the Thickness tool.
Click on the icon depicting the Thickness tool in the Tools Palette.
A preview of the thickness is displayed in red on a segment of the curve.
3. Setting the thickness.
To set the thickness, you can:
Þ Use the “+” and “-” of the numeric keypad.
Þ Use the “+” and “–” buttons of the Assistant Palette.
Þ Press the Tab key and enter a precise numerical value.
Dropping the tool now (depending on the interface) will cancel the operation.
4. Setting the number of points defining the “tube”.
To set the number of points of the generated surface, you can:
Þ Use the “+” and “-” of the numeric keypad.
Þ Use the “+” and “–” buttons of the Assistant Palette.
Þ Press the Tab key twice and enter a number of points.
Dropping the tool at this stage (depending on the interface) will cancel the operation.
5. Visualizing the thickness applied to the whole object.
Click on the curve with the Wand.
The thickness is displayed on the whole object.
If you are not satisfied with the result, go back to step 3 to make modifications.
Go to the next step if you are satisfied.
6. Ending the tool action
Validate the tool action (press the Return key) or put the tool aside. (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
Dropping the Thickness tool without previously visualizing the thickness applied to the whole object (step 5) will cancel the operation.
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Practical exercises:
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q Creating an offset
This is an extension of the Thickness tool. It creates a new object, which is parallel, segment by segment, to the current object, be it a curve, a surface, or a volume. It is called an offset.
1. Select the object.
Click on the object you want to create an offset from.
2. Select the Thickness tool,
Click on the icon depicting the Thickness tool in the Tools Palette.
A preview of the thickness is displayed in red on a segment of the curve.
3. Selecting the Offset tool.
Þ Positioning the cursor on top of the Thickness tool icon opens it, displaying two icons.
Þ Click on the icon depicting the Offset tool.
A preview of the offset is automatically displayed in red between two segments of the object.
Dropping the tool now (depending on the interface) will cancel the operation.
4. Setting the position of the offset (“inside”/“outside”).
Press the spacebar to change the position of the offset.
Dropping the tool now (depending on the interface) will cancel the operation.
5. Validate the action.
Click on the current object with the Wand
The whole offset is displayed.
6. Applying modifications.
Go back to step 4 if you want to make modifications to the offset.
Go to the next step if you are satisfied.
7. 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?
When dropping the Thickness tool after having created an offset, the current object will be the created offset.
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Offset of a curve |
Offset of a surface | ||
Using this tool, you could create a vase with variable thickness, modifying only the inside or the outside of the thickness (the original object and its offset).
