Transcript Presentation Title

Introduction to Boundary
Freeform and Fill Features
Mark Biasotti
SolidWorks Corporation
January 21st 2008
Agenda
 Why – What value do these features add to product
design?
 Advance capabilities - Introduction to SolidWorks
Advanced modeling types
 How - Determining use of Loft, Boundary, Fill, Freeform
 Focus on Three:
1. Boundary introduction and examples
2. Fill introduction and examples
3. Freeform introduction and examples
 Q&A
Further Info
 This presentation and example files will be available via
download from the SolidWorks Website after the
conference concludes.
Why are these surface modeling features important?
Why Surfacing verses Solid:
 Can not be accomplished in
one or a few solid features
 Radii features will not suffice;
need curve continuous
surface connections for a
seamless look
 In other words: “How in the
heck do I model that?”
Why is surface modeling important?
 Many products, although they look prismatic, are not.
Curvature
 Visual difference between curvature vs. tangent connection
of surfaces
Regular Fillet
Curve Continuous Fillet
Explanation of C0 thru C3
 Surface matching conditions explained
C2
C0 Condition – Surface boundaries share
C3
C1
but no
tangency
Common edge with
curvature
matching
tangency
but
rate ofto
greater
degree
C2 at boundary
curvature
does than
not match
Curve Continuous
Equal Curvature – C2
Higher Degree – C3>
An extensive set of modeling tools for complex shapes
Sweep
Shape
C2 Fillets
Boundary
Fill
Planar
Loft
Extrude
FreeForm
Revolve
Dome
Deformed
Flex
Ruled
Will be discussing Boundary, Fill & Freeform
Which Surface Feature to use?
 Dissimilar or multiple profiles/Guides and
need it to be solid: Use
Loft
 Similar profiles but change along length of
shape: Use
Sweep
 Three or five or more boundaries:
Use
Fill
 For high quality surfaces-only and C2 in both
directions:
Use Boundary
 For modifying surfaces dynamically and
without sketches:
Use FreeForm
Boundary Feature Background
 Project started in 2004 for SW 2006 release as a
mathematical replacement for Loft but was not
ready until 2007 release.
 Pro’s
– Curve continuous matching in both directions
– Unlike Loft, equal influence between first (profile)
and second (guide curve) directions.
– User controllable Surface Connectors
– 1x1 curves can be created.
– Additional UV and edge matching control.
 Con’s
– Surface only feature (no solid feature creation)
– Can not do Centerline or Close Loop surfaces etc.
Boundary Introduction
Features:
 Unlike Loft, there is not influence of curve direction 1 over
curve direction 2.
 Because of this C2 matching can be applied to all sides.
Boundary Introduction
Features:
 Can create surfaces with only 1 curve in each direction
Boundary Introduction
Features:
 Can add connectors in both directions
 For extraordinary influence of the surface
Boundary Introduction
Features:
 No longer need to predefine explicit sketch or compound
curves
 One 3D sketch can provide all of these solutions
Boundary Introduction
Features:
 Special Modifiers in the Property manager influence surface
and provide different solutions.
Ski Goggle Example
Boundary Feature
2nd Boundary Feature
Curve Influence options
Guides have
equal influence
Guides go to
next sharp
Global
To Next Sharp
No edge here
Guides go to
next edge
To Next Edge
Influence to
Next guide
To Next Curve
Connectors
Fill Feature Background
 Introduced to SolidWorks 2001 Useful for creating N sided
patches (3 or 5 or more sides)
 Only one of it’s kind in the industry
 Pros:
– Especially useful for “Capping”, complex surface patches and
for repairing import surfaces.
– Curve Continuous (C2) matching (New for 2007)
– Fix Up Boundary does not require closed or contiguous
boundary (new for 2007)
 Cons:
– Can only use one or two Constraint curves
– In some cases needs edge matching to control surface
Fill Feature
First Fill Feature (import repair)
Fill Example
Samsung Syncmaster 700
Optimized vs. non-Optimized
Freeform Feature Background
 Introduced in SolidWorks 2007 to answer customer’s need
to have push-pull ability in SolidWorks.
 Dynamically pull on surfaces to deform them
 Pros:
– No need to predefine section or guide curves
– Unlike competition, can place control points anywhere on the
surface or face not just an evenly spaced grid of points. Only
one of it’s kind in the industry
– Especially useful for highly organic shapes
– Can move face boundaries and re-heal automatically.
 Cons:
– Currently can only do four-side surfaces or faces
Freeform Introduction
Workflow
1. Face Settings – identify surface
or face to modify. Optionally
assign symmetry (if applicable)
2. Control Curves – create control
curves or optionally assign
matching conditions on boundary
tags in SolidWorks Window
3. Control Points – create Control
points on previous assigned
curve or on existing boundaries if
they are moveable.
4. Display – optionally control
visualization of mesh, curvature
etc.
Freeform Introduction
Boundary Conditions
1. Contact – Face maintains contact but
direction at edge can be changed.
Freeform Introduction
Boundary Conditions
2. Tangent – Face maintains tangency
Freeform Introduction
Boundary Conditions
3. Curvature
Freeform Introduction
Boundary Conditions
4. Moveable verses Moveable/Tangent
Freeform Introduction
 Triad Control
1. Global – Triad aligns with Global
vectors
2. Surface – Triad aligns normal to surface
(before move)
curve
3. Curve – Triad aligns with normal of
curve (before move)
FreeForm Introduction
 To Display Curvature for Control Curves – RMB on the
curve and Click “Show Curvature.
FreeForm Introduction
 To show curvature on the mesh U/V’s – use the options in
the property manager
First Freeform example
Second Freeform example
More Questions
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to learn more about SolidWorks and its product
offerings.
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