Parametric Technology Corporation DOC-U0058-EN-200

Pro/ENGINEER ®

Part ModelingUser’s Guide

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UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGENDThis Commercial Computer Software and Documentation, pursuant to FAR 12.212(a)-(b) orDFARS 22.7202-1(a) and 227.7202-3(a), is provided to the Government under a limitedcommercial license only. For procurements predating the above clauses, use, duplication, ordisclosure by the Government is subject to the restrictions set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) ofthe Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software Clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 orCommercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights at FAR 52.227-19, as applicable. ParametricTechnology Corporation, 128 Technology Drive, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453-8938.

Printed in U.S.A.

Revised 6/98

Contents - i

Contents

About This Guide iPurpose ....................................................................................................................... iiAudience...................................................................................................................... iiContents ...................................................................................................................... iiPrerequisites............................................................................................................... iiiDocumentation............................................................................................................ iii

Conventions ......................................................................................................... ivSoftware Product Concerns and Documentation Comments ..................................... v

Chapter 1: Starting Out in Part Mode 1-1Setting Up the Part .................................................................................................. 1-2

Opening a Part File ........................................................................................... 1-2Setting Up Units ................................................................................................ 1-2Using Layers ..................................................................................................... 1-2Creating a Model Grid ....................................................................................... 1-2

Creating the First Feature........................................................................................ 1-4Creating the Initial Solid Feature....................................................................... 1-4Creating Datums as the Base Feature.............................................................. 1-4Creating a User-Defined Feature as the First Feature...................................... 1-5

Adding Features ...................................................................................................... 1-5Creating Incomplete Features ................................................................................. 1-5Using the Model Tree in Part Mode ......................................................................... 1-6Modifying Geometry and Dimensions...................................................................... 1-7

Fractions ........................................................................................................... 1-7Reference Dimensions...................................................................................... 1-8Negative Dimensions Environment ................................................................... 1-8

Contents - ii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Chapter 2: Sketcher 2-1Working in the Sketcher Environment ..................................................................... 2-2

Using Sketcher Mode ........................................................................................ 2-2Using the Toolbar Icons .................................................................................... 2-2Saving a Section ............................................................................................... 2-3Restarting a Sketch ........................................................................................... 2-3Sketcher Color................................................................................................... 2-3Setting the Sketcher Environment Options ....................................................... 2-3Using the Grid ................................................................................................... 2-4

Modifying the Grid....................................................................................... 2-4Setting the Grid Snap ................................................................................. 2-6

Creating Geometry in Sketcher Mode ..................................................................... 2-6Using the Mouse to Sketch Geometry............................................................... 2-6Sketching Lines with the Line Option ................................................................ 2-8Sketching a Rectangle .................................................................................... 2-10Sketching an Arc ............................................................................................. 2-11

Fillet Arcs .................................................................................................. 2-11Sketching Circles............................................................................................. 2-13Sketching Advanced Geometry....................................................................... 2-14

Conics....................................................................................................... 2-14Coordinate Systems ................................................................................. 2-15Splines ...................................................................................................... 2-15

Using Sketcher Text ........................................................................................ 2-19Blend Vertex.................................................................................................... 2-20

Manipulating Sketcher Geometry .......................................................................... 2-20Dividing Entities............................................................................................... 2-20

Dividing an Entity into Two or More Entities ............................................. 2-20Dividing Two Intersecting Entities ................................................................... 2-21Trimming Entities............................................................................................. 2-21

Different Ways to Trim .............................................................................. 2-22Untrimming Entities................................................................................... 2-23Splitting or Trimming Entities with Dimensions......................................... 2-24

Mirroring Geometry ......................................................................................... 2-24Copying Imported Drawings ............................................................................ 2-24

Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry ......................................................................... 2-25Relations ......................................................................................................... 2-25Fractions.......................................................................................................... 2-25Dimension Precision........................................................................................ 2-25Automatic Dimensioning.................................................................................. 2-26Linear Dimensions........................................................................................... 2-26

Contents - iii

Creating Linear Dimensions ..................................................................... 2-26Diameter Dimensions...................................................................................... 2-27

Dimensioning Arcs and Circles................................................................. 2-27Dimensioning Revolved Sections ............................................................. 2-28

Radial Dimensions .......................................................................................... 2-28Angular Dimensions ........................................................................................ 2-29Spline Dimensions .......................................................................................... 2-30

Linear Dimensions .................................................................................... 2-31Tangency Dimensions .............................................................................. 2-31Radius of Curvature Dimensions .............................................................. 2-31Dimensioning Interpolation Points ............................................................ 2-32Associating to a Coordinate System......................................................... 2-32

Conic Dimensions ........................................................................................... 2-32The “rho” Dimension ................................................................................. 2-33The Three-Point Dimension...................................................................... 2-34

Perimeter Dimension....................................................................................... 2-35Ordinate Dimensions....................................................................................... 2-37

Creating a Baseline Dimension ................................................................ 2-37Creating an Ordinate Dimension .............................................................. 2-38

Replacing a Dimension ................................................................................... 2-38Adding Relations to Sections................................................................................. 2-39Moving Sketcher Entities ....................................................................................... 2-39

Dragging Individual Entities............................................................................. 2-40Dragging Multiple Entities ............................................................................... 2-40Rotating Entities .............................................................................................. 2-41Moving Dimensions......................................................................................... 2-41Moving a Spline Created with the Control Poly Option ................................... 2-41

Regenerating a Section ......................................................................................... 2-42Sketcher Constraints....................................................................................... 2-42

Graphical Display of Sketcher Constraints ............................................... 2-44Manipulating Constraints .......................................................................... 2-44Overriding Implicit Rules........................................................................... 2-45

Terminating a Regeneration............................................................................ 2-45Unsuccessful Regeneration of a Section ........................................................ 2-45

Sketch Misinterpretations ......................................................................... 2-46Underdimensioning................................................................................... 2-46Overdimensioning..................................................................................... 2-47Segment Is Too Small .............................................................................. 2-47Zero-Length Segments ............................................................................. 2-48Inappropriate Sections.............................................................................. 2-48

Contents - iv Part Modeling User’s Guide

Sketcher Accuracy .......................................................................................... 2-48Unregenerating a Sketch ....................................................................................... 2-49

Unregenerating a Section and Disabling Unwanted Constraints .................... 2-49Modifying a Section Sketch ................................................................................... 2-50

Restoring Dimensions ..................................................................................... 2-51Dynamic Modification ...................................................................................... 2-51

Using the Drag Dim Val Option................................................................. 2-52Using the Drag Entity Option .................................................................... 2-52Using the Drag Vertex Option................................................................... 2-53

Setting an Anchor Point................................................................................... 2-53Animated Modification with the Modify Entity Option ...................................... 2-53

Zero Dimension ........................................................................................ 2-54Negative Dimensions................................................................................ 2-54Relations................................................................................................... 2-55

Modifying Spline Points ................................................................................... 2-55Modifying the Tangency of a Spline.......................................................... 2-56Modifying the Spline Using the Mouse ..................................................... 2-56Modifying the Spline Using the Control Poly Option ................................. 2-57Modifying the Spline by Its Coordinates ................................................... 2-58Modifying the Number of Points on a Spline............................................. 2-60

Modifying Text Entities .................................................................................... 2-61Deleting Entities .............................................................................................. 2-62

Section Geometry Information ............................................................................... 2-63Sketcher Hints ....................................................................................................... 2-65

Delete - Dimension - Undelete ........................................................................ 2-65Using Points to Locate Fillets and Arcs........................................................... 2-66Using Centerlines to Locate Points and Lines................................................. 2-67Using Horizontal and Vertical Lines to Draw Tangent Arcs............................. 2-68Creating Small Angles..................................................................................... 2-68Specifying the Orientation of the Sketch ......................................................... 2-69Regenerating Complex Geometry................................................................... 2-69

Chapter 3: Datums 3-1Datum Display ......................................................................................................... 3-2Datum Planes .......................................................................................................... 3-2

Datum Plane Colors and Names....................................................................... 3-3Selecting Datum Planes .................................................................................... 3-3Creating Datum Planes On-the-Fly ................................................................... 3-3

Datum Planes for Creating Cross Sections ................................................ 3-4Sizing Datum Planes ......................................................................................... 3-4Creating a Datum Plane .................................................................................... 3-5

Contents - v

Continuous Datum Plane Creation ............................................................. 3-5Creating Default Offset Datum Planes........................................................ 3-5Datum Constraints that Can Only Be Used Alone ...................................... 3-6Datum Constraints that Can Be Used Alone .............................................. 3-6Datum Constraints that Are Used in Pairs .................................................. 3-7Offset and Angled Datums.......................................................................... 3-7

Using a Composite Curve as a Reference........................................................ 3-8Datum Axes ............................................................................................................. 3-8

Datum Axes Names .......................................................................................... 3-9Creating a Datum Axis ...................................................................................... 3-9

Continuous Datum Axes Creation ............................................................ 3-10Creating New Datum Points for a Datum Axis.......................................... 3-10

Datum Points ......................................................................................................... 3-10Creating Datum Points Using Model Geometry .............................................. 3-11Creating Datum Point Arrays .......................................................................... 3-13Creating On Curve Datum Points.................................................................... 3-15Creating Datum Points On-the-Fly .................................................................. 3-16Creating Offset Datum Points ......................................................................... 3-16

Datum Curves........................................................................................................ 3-17Sketched Datum Curves ................................................................................. 3-17Datum Curves at Surface Intersections .......................................................... 3-18Datum Curves Created with the Thru Points Option ....................................... 3-19

Creating a Curve Through Points that Lie on a Surface ........................... 3-21Tweaking a Spline Curve Between Two Points ........................................ 3-22Modifying the Display of Curves ............................................................... 3-24Previewing the Curve................................................................................ 3-25

Importing Datum Curves ................................................................................. 3-26Composite Datum Curves ............................................................................... 3-27

Using Approximate Curves ....................................................................... 3-28Composite Curve with a Redefinable Start Point...................................... 3-32Chain Processing...................................................................................... 3-33Redefining Composite Curves .................................................................. 3-36Naming Composite Curves....................................................................... 3-36

Datum Curves Using Cross Sections.............................................................. 3-36Projected Datum Curves ................................................................................. 3-37

Projecting Sketched Curves ..................................................................... 3-38Projecting 3D Curves and Edges.............................................................. 3-40

Formed Datum Curves.................................................................................... 3-42Forming a Datum Curve on Part Surfaces................................................ 3-42Forming a Datum Curve on Surface Features.......................................... 3-43

Contents - vi Part Modeling User’s Guide

Split Datum Curves ......................................................................................... 3-44Offset from Surface Datum Curves ................................................................. 3-45Datum Curve Offset From a Curve.................................................................. 3-47Datum Curve Offset From a Boundary............................................................ 3-48

Restrictions on the From Bndry Option..................................................... 3-50Two-Projection Datum Curves ........................................................................ 3-51Datum Curves from Equations ........................................................................ 3-51Copied Datum Curves ..................................................................................... 3-52

Coordinate Systems .............................................................................................. 3-53Referencing Model Geometry ......................................................................... 3-53Creating a Coordinate System ........................................................................ 3-54Creating an Offset Coordinate System............................................................ 3-56Using the Transformation Matrix File .............................................................. 3-56

Transformation File Format....................................................................... 3-57Cartesian, Cylindrical, and Spherical Coordinate Systems ............................. 3-58

Graphs ................................................................................................................... 3-59Creating Graphs .............................................................................................. 3-59

Creating an Evaluate Feature................................................................................ 3-60

Chapter 4: Sketching on a Model 4-1Creating Feature Sections ....................................................................................... 4-2

Basic Steps for Creating a Section on the Model.............................................. 4-3Entering the Sketcher Environment................................................................... 4-3

Setting Up the Sketching Plane .................................................................. 4-3Orienting the Sketching Plane .................................................................... 4-4

Sketching in 3-D Orientation ............................................................................. 4-5Sketcher Grid .................................................................................................... 4-5

Sketching Section Geometry ................................................................................... 4-6Creating Sketcher Geometry from Model Geometry ......................................... 4-6

The Use Edge Option ................................................................................. 4-6The Offset Edge Option .............................................................................. 4-8Using Offset Edge to Offset a Loop .......................................................... 4-13The Pick Curve Option.............................................................................. 4-14

Retrieving an Existing Section ............................................................................... 4-14Dimensioning a Section to a Part .......................................................................... 4-16

Aligning or Dimensioning to a Model Edge or Surface.................................... 4-17Avoiding Implicit Alignment ....................................................................... 4-17Rules to Remember.................................................................................. 4-18

Aligning to Points............................................................................................. 4-18Unaligning Geometry....................................................................................... 4-18Tips for Dimensioning to Part Edges............................................................... 4-19

Contents - vii

Known Dimensions ......................................................................................... 4-20Using Automatic Dimensioning ....................................................................... 4-21

Regenerating a Section Sketch ............................................................................. 4-22Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete Section ....................................................... 4-23

Chapter 5: Feature Creation Basics 5-1Creating a Protrusion............................................................................................... 5-2

Selecting Feature Direction............................................................................... 5-4Thin Features........................................................................................................... 5-5

Specifying the Depth ......................................................................................... 5-9Blind............................................................................................................ 5-9The “Through” Options ............................................................................... 5-9The “Up To” Options ................................................................................. 5-11

Creating an Extruded Feature ............................................................................... 5-13Basic Procedure for Creating an Extruded Feature ........................................ 5-13Using One Side and Both Sides with Depth Options ...................................... 5-14Open and Closed Sections for Extruded Features.......................................... 5-15

Creating a Revolved Feature................................................................................. 5-16Specifying the Revolved Feature Attributes .................................................... 5-16Sketching the Revolved Feature Section ........................................................ 5-17Specifying the Angle of Revolution ................................................................. 5-17

Chapter 6: Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features 6-1Sweep...................................................................................................................... 6-2

Rules for Defining a Trajectory.......................................................................... 6-2Swept Feature Corners............................................................................... 6-6Non-Tangent Trajectory Segments............................................................. 6-7

Three-Dimensional Sweeps .............................................................................. 6-7Blend........................................................................................................................ 6-8

Techniques Common to All Blend Types ........................................................ 6-10Blend Sections.......................................................................................... 6-10Starting Point of a Section ........................................................................ 6-10Smooth and Straight Attributes................................................................. 6-11The “From To” Depth Option .................................................................... 6-12

Creating a Blend ............................................................................................. 6-12Parallel Blends ................................................................................................ 6-13

Parallel Blend Sections............................................................................. 6-13Projected Parallel Blend ........................................................................... 6-14

Non-Parallel Blends ........................................................................................ 6-15Sketched Versus Selected Sections......................................................... 6-15Open and Closed Blends.......................................................................... 6-16Specifying Tangent Surfaces.................................................................... 6-16

Contents - viii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using IGES Files to Create Imported Sections for Non-Parallel Blends... 6-17Functions Applicable to Both Types of Blends ................................................ 6-18

Using a Blend Vertex ................................................................................ 6-18Capping Blends ........................................................................................ 6-19

Rotational Blends ............................................................................................ 6-20General Blend ................................................................................................. 6-22

Advanced Features................................................................................................ 6-23Options Common to Variable Section Sweeps and Swept Blends ................. 6-24Variable Section Sweeps ................................................................................ 6-25

Restrictions ............................................................................................... 6-29Creating a Variable Section Sweep .......................................................... 6-30Specifying Tangency Conditions .............................................................. 6-34Using Relations in Sweeps ....................................................................... 6-35Parametric Graph Relations ..................................................................... 6-37

Swept Blends .................................................................................................. 6-38Creating a Swept Blend ............................................................................ 6-39Controlling the Perimeter of the Swept Blend........................................... 6-44Modifying Swept Blend Geometry Using an Area Graph.......................... 6-45

Helical Sweep.................................................................................................. 6-47Section-to-Surfaces Blends............................................................................. 6-53Surfaces-to-Surfaces Blends........................................................................... 6-54Importing Blends ............................................................................................. 6-55

Chapter 7: Construction Features 7-1Protrusions............................................................................................................... 7-2

Sketching Multiple Contours.............................................................................. 7-2Slots and Cuts ......................................................................................................... 7-3Holes........................................................................................................................ 7-3

Straight Holes.................................................................................................... 7-4Sketched Holes ................................................................................................. 7-6Placing a Hole ................................................................................................... 7-7

Selecting the Placement Surface................................................................ 7-7Determining Dimension References ........................................................... 7-8

Shafts..................................................................................................................... 7-12Chamfers ............................................................................................................... 7-13

Edge Chamfers ............................................................................................... 7-13Corner Chamfers............................................................................................. 7-14

Necks..................................................................................................................... 7-15Flanges .................................................................................................................. 7-16Ribs........................................................................................................................ 7-17

Straight Ribs.................................................................................................... 7-18

Contents - ix

Rotational Ribs................................................................................................ 7-18Shells ..................................................................................................................... 7-20

Creating Shells ................................................................................................ 7-20Restrictions on Shells...................................................................................... 7-21

Pipe........................................................................................................................ 7-22Creating a Pipe Feature .................................................................................. 7-22Specific Aspects of Pipe Creation ................................................................... 7-25

Modifying and Redefining a Pipe Feature................................................. 7-25Creating Pipes in Assembly Mode............................................................ 7-26Creating a Part Consisting Only of a Pipe Feature................................... 7-27Creating Pipe Connections ....................................................................... 7-27Specifying Part Accuracy for Pipes........................................................... 7-28Creating Pipes with Multiple Radii ............................................................ 7-28

Cosmetic Features................................................................................................. 7-29Sketched Cosmetic Features .......................................................................... 7-29

Regular Section ........................................................................................ 7-29Creating a Sketched Cosmetic Feature.................................................... 7-30Projected Section...................................................................................... 7-30

Cosmetic Threads ........................................................................................... 7-31Creating Threads ...................................................................................... 7-33Creating Custom Cosmetic Threads......................................................... 7-35

Groove ............................................................................................................ 7-37Creating a Groove .................................................................................... 7-37

User-Defined Cosmetic Features.................................................................... 7-38

Chapter 8: Rounds 8-1About Rounds .......................................................................................................... 8-2

Simple and Advanced Rounds.......................................................................... 8-2Creating a Simple Round......................................................................................... 8-3

Using the Chain Menu Options ......................................................................... 8-4Examples of Round References ....................................................................... 8-5Entering Radius Values..................................................................................... 8-6Resolving Placement Ambiguity........................................................................ 8-7Specifying the Round Extent Element............................................................... 8-7

Variable Radius Rounds .......................................................................................... 8-9Creating Advanced Rounds................................................................................... 8-11

Round Sets ..................................................................................................... 8-12Basic Procedure for Creating an Advanced Round ........................................ 8-13Defining the Round Shape Element................................................................ 8-14Defining the Transitions Element .................................................................... 8-15Creating Corner Transitions ............................................................................ 8-19

Contents - x Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a Patch Transition............................................................................. 8-22Defining a Stop Transition by Terminating Surfaces ....................................... 8-23Creating Transitions with Existing Geometry .................................................. 8-24

Creating Full Rounds ............................................................................................. 8-25Creating a Round Through a Curve....................................................................... 8-28Changing the Attachment Type ............................................................................. 8-29

Chapter 9: Tweak Features 9-1Tweak Features ....................................................................................................... 9-2Drafts ....................................................................................................................... 9-3

Neutral Plane Drafts .......................................................................................... 9-7Creating a Split-at-Sketch Neutral Plane Draft ......................................... 9-10Multiple Draft Areas .................................................................................. 9-12Using the Loops Surfs Option to Select Draft Surfaces............................ 9-13

Neutral Curve Drafts........................................................................................ 9-14Creating a Curve-Driven Draft .................................................................. 9-17Restrictions on Curve Driven Drafts.......................................................... 9-19

Modifying Draft Angles .................................................................................... 9-19Local Push ............................................................................................................. 9-20

Sketching the Local Push Boundary ............................................................... 9-21Defining the Local Push Height ....................................................................... 9-21

Radius Dome ......................................................................................................... 9-21Section Domes ...................................................................................................... 9-23

Creating a Swept Section Dome ..................................................................... 9-24Creating a Blended Section Dome Without a Profile....................................... 9-26Creating a Blended Section Dome with a Single Profile ................................. 9-27

Offset ..................................................................................................................... 9-28Ears ....................................................................................................................... 9-29

Sketching the Ear Section ............................................................................... 9-31Lip Feature............................................................................................................. 9-33Toroidal Bend ........................................................................................................ 9-35Spinal Bend ........................................................................................................... 9-39

Chapter 10: Creating Surface Features 10-1Definition of a Quilt ................................................................................................ 10-2

Naming a Quilt................................................................................................. 10-2Major Surface Operations ............................................................................... 10-3Displaying Quilts.............................................................................................. 10-4

Blanking Quilts .......................................................................................... 10-4Assigning Colors to Quilts and Surfaces................................................... 10-4Shading Quilts .......................................................................................... 10-4Meshing Quilts and Surfaces.................................................................... 10-4

Contents - xi

Defining a New Surface Feature............................................................................ 10-5Creating a Surface Feature............................................................................. 10-5Surface Forms................................................................................................. 10-5Attributes Unique to Surfaces ......................................................................... 10-6

Open or Closed Ends ............................................................................... 10-6Joined or Unattached Sweeps.................................................................. 10-7

Creating a Flat Surface Feature...................................................................... 10-7Creating Surfaces by Offsetting ...................................................................... 10-8Using Different Offset Methods ..................................................................... 10-10

Leaving Out Surfaces During the Offset Operation ................................ 10-13Creating a Quilt by Copy...................................................................................... 10-14

Selecting Surfaces ........................................................................................ 10-14Using the Include Command .................................................................. 10-15Using the Exclude Command ................................................................. 10-18Using the Redefine Command................................................................ 10-19

Excluding Loops from the Surface Selection ................................................ 10-19Filling Loops .................................................................................................. 10-20

Creating a Fillet Quilt ........................................................................................... 10-21

Chapter 11: Creating Advanced Surface Features 11-1Advanced Surface Types....................................................................................... 11-2Creating a Quilt by Defining Its Boundaries........................................................... 11-2

Surface Types Created Using the Boundaries Option.............................. 11-2Creating a Blended Surface ............................................................................ 11-3

Specifying Reference Entities................................................................... 11-5Using Antitangent Curves as Surface Boundaries.................................... 11-7Defining Boundary Conditions .................................................................. 11-9Specifying Blend Control Points ............................................................. 11-12Defining the Boundary Influence Element .............................................. 11-15Defining the Advanced Element ............................................................. 11-18Modifying the Surface Shape by Stretching............................................ 11-20

Creating a Conic Surface .............................................................................. 11-21Creating an Approximate Blend Surface....................................................... 11-22N-Sided Surface............................................................................................ 11-24

Creating Quilts with the TangentToSrf Option ..................................................... 11-25

Chapter 12: Working with Quilts 12-1Merging Quilts........................................................................................................ 12-2

Parental Hierarchy of Quilts ............................................................................ 12-3Adding Rounds on Surface Edges......................................................................... 12-5Trimming Surfaces of Quilts .................................................................................. 12-5

Using Form Options ........................................................................................ 12-6

Contents - xii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using Existing Surfaces .................................................................................. 12-6Trimming with the Use Curves Option............................................................. 12-7Trimming with the Vertex Round Option ......................................................... 12-8Trimming by Using Silhouette Edges .............................................................. 12-9

Extending Surfaces of Quilts ............................................................................... 12-10Extending a Quilt with the Same Srf Option .................................................. 12-12Creating a Boundary Blend Extension .......................................................... 12-17Extending a Quilt with the Tangent Srf Option .............................................. 12-17Extending a Quilt with the Along Dir Option .................................................. 12-19Obtaining Information on Extension Parameters........................................... 12-20

Transforming Quilts ............................................................................................. 12-21Creating Draft Offsets .......................................................................................... 12-22Creating Solid Geometry Using Quilts ................................................................. 12-26

Surface Replacement.................................................................................... 12-27Restrictions and Requirements............................................................... 12-27

Creating a Replace Feature .......................................................................... 12-28Deleting a Replace Feature........................................................................... 12-29Surface Patching ........................................................................................... 12-29Using Surfaces to Create Solid Features ...................................................... 12-30

Creating Solid Protrusions and Cuts....................................................... 12-30Creating Thin Protrusions and Cuts........................................................ 12-34

Retrieving Pro/DESIGNER Data.......................................................................... 12-36

Chapter 13: Freeform Manipulation 13-1Creating Freeform Features .................................................................................. 13-2

Solid Tweak Freeform Features ...................................................................... 13-2Using the Existing Surface Boundary ....................................................... 13-3Sketching a Boundary Region .................................................................. 13-3

New Freeform Surfaces .................................................................................. 13-4Manipulating Freeform Features............................................................................ 13-4

Using the SetupDisplay Option ....................................................................... 13-5Using the Control Poly Option ......................................................................... 13-7

Setting the Poly Motion Region ................................................................ 13-8Moving Control Points............................................................................. 13-10Previewing a Modified Surface ............................................................... 13-12Redefining the Surface Grid ................................................................... 13-12

Chapter 14: Patterning Features 14-1About Patterns ....................................................................................................... 14-2Pattern Types ........................................................................................................ 14-3

Pattern Options ............................................................................................... 14-3Identical Patterns ...................................................................................... 14-4

Contents - xiii

Varying Patterns ....................................................................................... 14-4General Patterns....................................................................................... 14-5

Dimension Patterns ............................................................................................... 14-6Creating a Dimension Pattern ......................................................................... 14-7Rotational Patterns.......................................................................................... 14-8

Rotational Patterns of Holes and Shafts................................................... 14-8Rotational Patterns of Sketched Features ................................................ 14-9Creating an Angular Reference .............................................................. 14-11

Patterning Datum Axes ................................................................................. 14-12Varying the Spacing and Direction of Instances ........................................... 14-12

Varying the Location and Size of Instances............................................ 14-13Pattern Increment Relations.......................................................................... 14-13

Example Pattern Using MEMB_V in a Relation...................................... 14-15Example Pattern Using MEMB_V and MEMB_I ..................................... 14-17

Tips for Creating Dimension Patterns ........................................................... 14-18Reference Patterns.............................................................................................. 14-19Modifying Patterns ............................................................................................... 14-19

Pattern Relations........................................................................................... 14-20Reducing a Pattern to a Single Feature ........................................................ 14-21Deleting a Pattern ......................................................................................... 14-21Restoring Pattern Relations .......................................................................... 14-21

Restoring Pattern Dimensions in the Backup Model .............................. 14-22Table-Driven Patterns.......................................................................................... 14-23

Modifying Table-Driven Patterns................................................................... 14-25Variations of a Pattern Driven by the Same Dimensions .............................. 14-26Pattern Table Example.................................................................................. 14-28

Chapter 15: Copying Features 15-1Feature Copying Terminology and Uses ............................................................... 15-2Copying Features .................................................................................................. 15-3

The Copy Feature Menu ................................................................................. 15-3Rules to Remember ........................................................................................ 15-4Using the Copy Command in Assembly Mode................................................ 15-5Copying Features by Using Placement References ....................................... 15-5

Copying Features Using New References................................................ 15-6Copying Features with the FromDifModel and FromDifVers Options....... 15-6

Copying Features by Mirror............................................................................. 15-8Copying Features by Moving with Rotation and Translation......................... 15-10Copying Features by Selection ..................................................................... 15-11Making Dependent Copied Features Independent ....................................... 15-11

User-Defined Features ........................................................................................ 15-12

Contents - xiv Part Modeling User’s Guide

Required Information for UDFs ..................................................................... 15-12Restrictions on UDFs.............................................................................. 15-14Dimension Types .................................................................................... 15-14

Creating a UDF ............................................................................................. 15-15Defining Optional Elements .................................................................... 15-17

Example for Creating a UDF ......................................................................... 15-21DBMS Functions with UDFs.......................................................................... 15-24UDF Library Directory.................................................................................... 15-25

Placing a UDF...................................................................................................... 15-25Types of Group Created from a UDF ............................................................ 15-25

Changing the Group Type ...................................................................... 15-26Procedure for Placing a UDF in a Model....................................................... 15-26Redefining the References Element.............................................................. 15-29Defining Skipped References........................................................................ 15-30Failed Regeneration ...................................................................................... 15-31Feature and Dimension Names in a Group................................................... 15-32

Local Groups ....................................................................................................... 15-32Operations on a Group ........................................................................................ 15-33

Selecting a Group by Name .......................................................................... 15-34Replacing a Group ........................................................................................ 15-34

Replacement Procedure ......................................................................... 15-35Replacement Conditions......................................................................... 15-35Deleting a Replacement Group .............................................................. 15-36

Patterning a Group ........................................................................................ 15-36Using the Group Menu............................................................................ 15-37Rules to Remember................................................................................ 15-38

Mirroring the Model.............................................................................................. 15-39

Chapter 16: Modifying the Part 16-1Read-Only Features .............................................................................................. 16-2Modifying Dimensions............................................................................................ 16-2

Modifying Dimension Values ........................................................................... 16-3Modifying the Number of Decimal Places of Dimensions................................ 16-4Modifying Tolerance Values ............................................................................ 16-5Adding Text to a Dimension ............................................................................ 16-5Modifying Dimension Symbols ........................................................................ 16-6Making Copied Feature Dimensions Independent .......................................... 16-6Modifying the Dimension Format..................................................................... 16-7Modifying Dimension Locations....................................................................... 16-8Moving Dimension Text and Datum Name Text.............................................. 16-8Switching Dimension Arrowheads................................................................... 16-9

Contents - xv

Modifying Points in a Datum Point Array ............................................................... 16-9Modifying Features .............................................................................................. 16-11

Modifying Feature Names ............................................................................. 16-11Modifying Features with Multiple Sections .................................................... 16-12Modifying Merged and Cutout Reference Part .............................................. 16-12Modifying the Line Style of a Datum Curve................................................... 16-13

Redefining Features ............................................................................................ 16-14Redefining Features with Elements .............................................................. 16-15Redefining Features with No Elements......................................................... 16-15Redefining Patterns....................................................................................... 16-16Redefining Sections ...................................................................................... 16-18

Replacing Section Entities ...................................................................... 16-18Redefining Text Sections........................................................................ 16-19Adding or Replacing Sections in Blends................................................. 16-19

Redefining Dimensioning Schemes .............................................................. 16-22Side Effects of Modifying Schemes ........................................................ 16-23

Redefining Imported Geometry ..................................................................... 16-23Redefining Merged Surface Features ........................................................... 16-24Redefining Merged and Cutout Features ...................................................... 16-24

Redefining Datum Features................................................................................. 16-25Datum Points................................................................................................. 16-25Datum Planes................................................................................................ 16-25Coordinate Systems...................................................................................... 16-26Datum Curves from File ................................................................................ 16-26

Creating New Curves.............................................................................. 16-27Modifying Imported Curves..................................................................... 16-27Adjusting the Curve ................................................................................ 16-29Splitting a Curve ..................................................................................... 16-31Trimming or Extending a Curve .............................................................. 16-31Merging Curves ...................................................................................... 16-32

Composite Curves......................................................................................... 16-33Graphs .......................................................................................................... 16-34

Inserting Features................................................................................................ 16-34Reordering Features............................................................................................ 16-35Suppressing and Resuming Features ................................................................. 16-36

Suppressing Features ................................................................................... 16-37Resuming Features....................................................................................... 16-38

Deleting Features ................................................................................................ 16-39Deleting Suppressed Features...................................................................... 16-39Side Effects of Deleting Features.................................................................. 16-39

Contents - xvi Part Modeling User’s Guide

Rerouting Features .............................................................................................. 16-40Rerouting Features and Replacing References ............................................ 16-41

Simplified Representations .................................................................................. 16-42Creating a Simplified Representation............................................................ 16-43

Using the Features Option...................................................................... 16-45Using the Model Tree to Edit a Simplified Representation ..................... 16-47Using the Work Region Option ............................................................... 16-48Using the Surfaces Option...................................................................... 16-49Using the Accelerate Option ................................................................... 16-49Creating a Geometric Snapshot ............................................................. 16-50

Erasing a Simplified Representation ............................................................. 16-50Changing Part Accuracy ...................................................................................... 16-51

Modifying the Part Accuracy.......................................................................... 16-52Overriding the Lower Limit ............................................................................ 16-52Working with Absolute and Relative Accuracy .............................................. 16-52

Specifying Relative Accuracy ................................................................. 16-53Specifying Absolute Accuracy ................................................................ 16-53

Chapter 17: Regenerating the Part 17-1Resolving Feature Failures.................................................................................... 17-2

Resolving Feature Failures During Creation/Redefinition ............................... 17-2Using the Feat Failed Menu ............................................................................ 17-2

Working in the Resolve Environment........................................................ 17-3Using the Resolve Feat Menu .................................................................. 17-4

Relation Constraint Violation ........................................................................... 17-8Reducing the Regeneration Time .......................................................................... 17-8Regeneration Information ...................................................................................... 17-9Geometry Checking ............................................................................................. 17-10

Misalignment Example .................................................................................. 17-11

AppendixesAppendix A: Sketcher with Intent Manager A-1

About Sketcher Mode .............................................................................................. A-2Entering Sketcher Mode.................................................................................... A-2Using Sketcher with Intent Manager ................................................................. A-2Read Me File ..................................................................................................... A-2Terminology in Sketcher.................................................................................... A-3Basic Steps for Creating a Section.................................................................... A-4Using Shortcuts with the Right Mouse Button ................................................... A-5Using the Toolbar Icons .................................................................................... A-5Saving a Section ............................................................................................... A-5

Contents - xvii

Exiting Sketcher Mode ...................................................................................... A-6Creating Geometry in Sketcher Mode ..................................................................... A-6

Drafting Commands .......................................................................................... A-7Sketching Lines................................................................................................. A-7Sketching a Rectangle ...................................................................................... A-8Sketching an Arc ............................................................................................... A-8

Fillet Arc...................................................................................................... A-9Sketching a Circle ............................................................................................. A-9Creating Advanced Geometry......................................................................... A-10

Sketching a Conic..................................................................................... A-11Adding a Coordinate System .................................................................... A-11Sketching an Elliptic Fillet ......................................................................... A-12Sketching a Spline .................................................................................... A-12Using Sketcher Text ................................................................................. A-15Creating an Axis in Sketcher .................................................................... A-16

Sketcher Constraints ............................................................................................. A-16Graphic Display of Constraints........................................................................ A-17

Constraints for the Entities Created with Use Edge or Offset Edge ......... A-18Turning the Display of Constraints On or Off .................................................. A-18Strengthening a Constraint ............................................................................. A-18Creating Constraints ....................................................................................... A-19Obtaining Information About a Constraint ....................................................... A-20Deleting a Constraint....................................................................................... A-20Conflict Resolution .......................................................................................... A-20

Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry ......................................................................... A-21Strengthening Weak Dimensions.................................................................... A-21Deleting Weak Dimensions ............................................................................. A-21Turning the Display of Dimensions On or Off.................................................. A-22Relations ......................................................................................................... A-22Fractions ......................................................................................................... A-22Adding Dimensions ......................................................................................... A-22

Different Types of Dimension ................................................................... A-22Linear Dimensions .................................................................................... A-23Diameter Dimensions ............................................................................... A-23

Radial Dimensions .......................................................................................... A-25Angular Dimensions ........................................................................................ A-25Spline Dimensions .......................................................................................... A-26

Linear Dimensions .................................................................................... A-27Tangency Dimensions .............................................................................. A-27Radius-of-Curvature Dimensions.............................................................. A-27

Contents - xviii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Dimensioning Interpolation Points ............................................................ A-28Associating a Spline to a Coordinate System........................................... A-28

Conic Dimensions ........................................................................................... A-28The rho Dimension ................................................................................... A-29The Three-Point Dimension...................................................................... A-30

Dimensioning an Elliptic Fillet.......................................................................... A-31Perimeter Dimension....................................................................................... A-31Reference Dimensions .................................................................................... A-33Baseline (Ordinate) Dimensions...................................................................... A-33Replacing a Dimension ................................................................................... A-34Adding Relations to a Section ......................................................................... A-35

Modifying Dimension Values ................................................................................. A-35Negative Dimensions ...................................................................................... A-36

Updating Geometry................................................................................................ A-36Restoring Dimensions ..................................................................................... A-36

Modifying a Section ............................................................................................... A-37Scaling a Dimension........................................................................................ A-37Modifying a Section by Dragging..................................................................... A-38

Using the Drag Dim Val Option................................................................. A-38Using the Drag Entity Option .................................................................... A-39Using the Drag Vertex Option................................................................... A-39

Setting an Anchor Point................................................................................... A-39Modifying a Spline ........................................................................................... A-40

Displaying Spline Curvature ..................................................................... A-40Modifying the Spline Points Location........................................................ A-41Modifying the Tangency of a Spline.......................................................... A-42Modifying the Spline by Its Coordinates ................................................... A-43Modifying the Number of Points on a Spline............................................. A-45

Modifying Text Entities .................................................................................... A-46Using the Dialog Box to Modify the Text................................................... A-46

Moving Entities ...................................................................................................... A-47Deleting Entities..................................................................................................... A-48Undoing Sketcher Operations................................................................................ A-49Manipulating Sketcher Geometry .......................................................................... A-49

Intersecting Two Entities ................................................................................. A-49Trimming Entities............................................................................................. A-50

Trimming to a Bounding Entity.................................................................. A-50Trimming to a Specific Length .................................................................. A-51Trimming an Entity by an Increment ......................................................... A-52Trimming Two Entities to Each Other ....................................................... A-52

Contents - xix

Splitting or Trimming Entities with Dimensions......................................... A-52Dividing Entities............................................................................................... A-52Mirroring Geometry ......................................................................................... A-53Moving Sketcher Entities................................................................................. A-54

Dragging Individual Entities ...................................................................... A-54Dragging Multiple Entities ......................................................................... A-55Rotating Entities........................................................................................ A-55Moving Dimensions .................................................................................. A-55

Moving a Spline Created with the Control Poly Option ................................... A-55The Right Mouse Menu.................................................................................. A-56Copying Imported Drawings............................................................................ A-57

Section Geometry Information ............................................................................... A-57Setting the Sketcher Environment Options............................................................ A-59

Using the Grid ................................................................................................. A-60Modifying the Grid ........................................................................................... A-60Setting the Grid Snap...................................................................................... A-62Sketcher Color ................................................................................................ A-62Dimension Precision ....................................................................................... A-62

Resolving Problems in Sketches ........................................................................... A-62Inappropriate Sections .................................................................................... A-63Sketcher Accuracy .......................................................................................... A-63

Sketcher Hints ....................................................................................................... A-63Shortcut for Sketching Lines and Tangent Arcs.............................................. A-64Using Points to Locate Fillets and Arcs........................................................... A-64Using Move in Conjunction with Locking Dimensions..................................... A-64

Appendix B: Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B-1Creating Feature Sections ....................................................................................... B-2

Basic Steps for Creating a Section on the Model.............................................. B-3Entering the Sketcher Environment .................................................................. B-3

Setting Up the Sketching Plane .................................................................. B-4Orienting the Sketching Plane .................................................................... B-5

Sketching in 3-D Orientation ............................................................................. B-5Defining Model References for a Section.......................................................... B-6

Sketching Section Geometry ................................................................................... B-7Query Alignment ............................................................................................... B-7Creating Sketcher Geometry from Model Geometry ......................................... B-7

The Use Edge Option ................................................................................. B-7The Offset Edge Option ............................................................................ B-10Using Offset Edge to Offset a Loop .......................................................... B-14The Pick Curve Option.............................................................................. B-15

Contents - xx Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Reference Entities by Intersection .................................................... B-15Retrieving an Existing Section ............................................................................... B-15Dimensioning a Section to a Part .......................................................................... B-17

Tips for Dimensioning to Part Edges............................................................... B-18Known Dimensions.......................................................................................... B-19

Working in the Sketcher Environment ................................................................... B-20Sketcher Grid .................................................................................................. B-20

Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete Section ....................................................... B-21

Index

About This Guide - i

About This Guide

About This Guide explains the contents of this manual and theconventions used in it.

Topic Page

Purpose ii

Audience ii

Contents ii

Prerequisites iii

Documentation iii

Software Product Concerns and Documentation Comments v

ii - About This Guide Part Modeling User’s Guide

PurposeThe manual is designed with two purposes in mind:

• To help you learn how to create parts with Pro/ENGINEER.

• To describe the more advanced modeling and surfacemanipulation techniques.

AudienceThis guide is intended for a broad range of Pro/ENGINEER users—designers, mechanical engineers, and project managers. Thismanual is useful to all Pro/ENGINEER users.

ContentsThis manual contains the following chapters:

• Starting Out in Part Mode—Describes how to start creating apart with Pro/ENGINEER.

• Sketcher—Describes how to create sketches in a stand-aloneSketcher mode.

• Datums—Describes how to create datum features: datumplanes, datum points, datum curves, datum axes, coordinatesfeatures, graphs, evaluate features.

• Sketching on a Model—Describes how to create 3-D sections inthe process of feature creation.

• Feature Creation Basics—Describes how to create extruded andrevolved protrusions.

• Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features—Describes how tocreate sweeps, blends, and advanced features.

• Construction Features—Describes how to create constructionfeatures, such as holes, slots, and cuts.

• Rounds—Describes how to add rounds to part geometry.

• Tweak Features—Describes how to create tweak features, suchas draft, local push, and section dome.

• Creating Surface Features—Describes how to create surfacefeatures.

About This Guide - iii

About T

his Guide

• Creating Advanced Surface Features—Describes how to createadvanced surface features.

• Working with Quilts—Describes operations that you canperform on quilts.

• Freeform Manipulation—Describes how to dynamicallymanipulate a surface of a part or quilt.

• Patterning Features—Describes how to pattern features.

• Copying Features—Describes how to create and place groups offeatures, and how to copy features.

• Modifying the Part—Describes how to modify and redefine thepart.

• Regenerating the Part—Describes how to regenerate the partand resolve regeneration problems.

PrerequisitesYou should be familiar with your workstation and have someknowledge of your operating system.

DocumentationThe documentation is divided into several manuals that compose acomprehensive guide to Pro/ENGINEER. Each manual deals with amajor function of the software; you can usually determine whichmanual you need by reading the title. If not, each book has acorresponding index, and there is also a Master Indices manualthat indexes the entire Pro/ENGINEER documentation family. Fora complete list of Pro/ENGINEER user guides, see Chapter 1 ofIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

iv - About This Guide Part Modeling User’s Guide

Conventions

The following table lists conventions and terms used throughoutthis book.

Convention Description

Enhancements and other changes that arenew this release are documented beside the"New for 20" icon. Look for this icon in themargins of Release 20.0 books.

SMALLCAPS Pro/ENGINEER-type menu name (forexample, PART).

Boldface Windows-type menu name or menu or dialogbox option (for example, View), or utility(for example, promonitor).

Monospace(Courier)

Code samples appear in courier fontlike this .

SMALLCAPS Key names appear in smallcaps (forexample, ENTER).

Emphasis Important information appears in italicslike this.

Choose Highlight a menu option by placing thearrow cursor on the option, and pressing theleft mouse button.

Select A synonym for “choose” as above, select alsodescribes the actions of selecting elementson a model, and checking boxes.

Element An element describes redefinablecharacteristics of a feature in a model.

Mode An environment in Pro/ENGINEER inwhich you can perform a group of closelyrelated functions (Drawing, for example).

Model A part, subassembly or top level assembly.

Object The selected part of the model you view andmanipulate.

Option An item in a menu or an entry in aconfiguration file or a setup file.

About This Guide - v

About T

his Guide

Notes:

• Important information that should not be overlookedappears in notes like this.

• All references to mouse clicks assume the use of aright-handed mouse.

Software Product Concerns andDocumentation Comments

For resources and services to help you with PTC software products,see the PTC Customer Service Guide. It includes instructions forusing the World Wide Web or fax transmissions for customersupport.

In regard to documentation, PTC welcomes your suggestions andcomments. You can send feedback in the following ways:

• Send comments electronically to doc_webhelp@ptc.com.

• Fill out and mail the PTC Documentation Survey in thecustomer service guide.

1 - 1

1Starting Out in Part Mode

This chapter provides an overview of the part building process.

Topic Page

Setting Up the Part 1 - 2

Creating the First Feature 1 - 4

Adding Features 1 - 5

Creating Incomplete Features 1 - 5

Using the Model Tree in Part Mode 1 - 6

Modifying Geometry and Dimensions 1 - 7

1 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Setting Up the PartYou start the modeling process by opening a new part file, adding aset of default datum planes, and creating the first solid or surfacefeature. You then continue to add or remove material to achieve thedesired shape by creating various construction features.

Opening a Part File

To create a new part, choose File > New. Enter the name for thenew part in the New dialog box and click OK.

To retrieve a part, choose File > Open and select a part file fromthe appropriate directory.

Setting Up Units

Before you start to create features, make sure the unit value for thepart is correct by using Set Up, then Units. This is importantbecause certain aspects of the part cannot be modifiedappropriately if, for example, you decide to change the units of thepart from inches to centimeters.

If you change the units of a part, Pro/ENGINEER automaticallyscales the parameters in a relation. However, any constant valuesused in the part might have to be changed manually.

Using Layers

You can blank datum entities, coordinate systems, and dimensionsfrom subsequent displays by adding them to a layer and blankingthat layer.

Construction features (such as rounds) added to a layer are notaffected when the layer is blanked. However, you can add them to alayer and then use the Suppress, Resume, or Delete option in theFEAT menu to affect all these features. For more information onusing layers, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Creating a Model Grid

You can create a three-dimensional grid for the model using thePART SETUP menu. You can view this grid in Drawing mode only,where it can be displayed for a selected view or for an entire sheet.

Starting Out in Part Mode 1 - 3

Starting O

ut in Part

Mode

➤ How to Create a Model Grid

1. Choose Grid from the PART SETUP menu.

2. The system displays the MODEL GRID menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Set Origin—Specify the origin of the grid and select anexisting coordinate system. If the grid currently has a setorigin, you can change the origin by selecting anothercoordinate system.

• Delete Grid—Remove the grid.

• Grid Spacing—Specify a spacing different from thespacing set by the “model_grid_spacing” option in theconfiguration file. The grid spacing is measured from thecoordinate system you selected when you defined the gridorigin.

Choose Set Origin.

3. The MODEL GRID menu displays a submenu with the Grid Onand Grid Off options. The Grid On option allows you todisplay the grid if the model is in a valid orientation (that is,when one of the coordinate planes of the origin coordinatesystem is parallel to the screen).

The following configuration file options allow you to control themodel grid:

• solid_grid_neg_prefix—Allows you to specify the prefix to usefor negative numbers in the balloon capture of the grid. Thesystem default symbol is “-”.

• solid_grid_num_dig—Controls the number of decimal placesdisplayed in the balloon capture. The system default value is 0(that is, only integers will be displayed).

If you attempt to delete the coordinate system that acts as the gridorigin, the system notifies you that doing so will clear the griddefinition and asks for confirmation.

1 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating the First FeatureThe first feature you create in the model can be a solid, datum, or agroup of features copied from your UDF library.

Creating the Initial Solid Feature

The first solid feature is the “working block” of material that isrefined and modified until the final design. The first featureextrusions are always extruded in the positive direction (out of thescreen towards you).

Creating Datums as the Base Feature

The first feature in the part can be a datum feature. Creating a setof orthogonal datum planes as the base feature is helpful when thefirst solid feature is going to be a sphere, toroid, or sculpturedsurface because it usually does not have the planar surfaces neededto reorient the model or specify sketching planes.

➤ How to Create a Datum Feature as the First Part Feature

1. Choose PART > Feature > Create > Datum.

2. Select the datum feature type from the DATUM menu:

• Plane—Create a set of datum planes using options in theMENUDTM OPT menu:

- Default—Create three orthogonal datum planes thatintersect at the default origin. If you choose this option,three datum planes with the names DTM1, DTM2, andDTM3 appear in the center of the screen at right anglesto each other.

- Offset—Create three orthogonal datum planes withspecified offsets along the x-, y-, and z-axis. The systemprompts you for the offset value for the x-direction, y-and z-directions. The system assumes that the x-axis ishorizontal and pointing to the right, the y-axis isvertical and pointing up, and the z-axis is normal to thescreen and pointing towards you. You can specify offset= 0. The system creates three datum planes with thenames DTM1, DTM2, and DTM3. The system alsodisplays a coordinate system named DEFAULT, whichis located in the center of the screen.

• Coord Sys—Create a default coordinate system.

• Graph—Create a graph to be used for relations.

Starting Out in Part Mode 1 - 5

Starting O

ut in Part

Mode

Creating a User-Defined Feature as the First Feature

If you have the Pro/FEATURE module, you can create a group fromyour UDF library as the base feature (see Copying Features onpage 15 - 3), as long as it has no references to other features. Forexample, you might have a UDF that is a solid feature thatreferences two datum planes, which reference the defaultcoordinate system (created as the base feature). All the featuresmust then be included in the UDF to become the base feature for anew part.

Adding FeaturesAfter you have created the base feature, you can add other features.The order of creating features is important. A feature does not“know” anything about the features that are created later. Forexample, if you create a hole using the Thru All option, then add aprotrusion at its bottom, the hole will not penetrate the protrusion.You can change the order in which features are regenerated usingthe Reorder option in the FEAT menu (see Reordering Featuresonpage 16 - 1). Using this example, if you reordered the protrusionbefore the hole, the hole would then penetrate the protrusion.

For placement or dimensioning references, each feature depends onone or more of the earlier features and is considered to be the“child” of these features. This parent-child relationship is veryimportant when you modify a part. When you suppress or delete aparent, the system asks what action to take for its children,including whether to suppress or delete them. Note that you cannotreorder features so the child is “earlier” in the feature list than theparent. However, you can modify parent-child relationships usingReroute (see Rerouting Features on page 16 - 40), or Redefine >Scheme (see Redefining Features on page 16 - 14) in the FEATmenu.

Creating Incomplete FeaturesFor features that use the dialog user interface, you can suspendfeature creation without losing data that you have already defined.This produces an incomplete feature, which you can complete later(for example, when required geometric references are available forfeature definition). Because you have not finished feature creation,the system cannot generate geometry for the incomplete feature.

1 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

An incomplete feature differs from a failed feature in the followingrespect: it is intended to be left unfinished until the design intent isclarified or geometry it depends on becomes available. A fullydefined feature cannot be made incomplete.

Incomplete features are listed in the feature status column of theModel Tree as “Incomplete”.

The following operations cannot be performed on incompletefeatures:

• Pattern

• Copy

• UDF creation

• Local group

• Reroute

• Modify

• Feature relations

To leave a feature incomplete when creating a feature, choose OKfrom the dialog box. When the system asks you if you want to leavethe feature incomplete, choose “Yes.”

You can exit Sketcher with an incomplete section by choosing Donefrom the SKETCHER menu (for more information, see LeavingSketcher with an Incomplete Section on page 4 - 23).

To finish an incomplete feature, choose Redefine and completedefinition of all required elements.

Using the Model Tree in Part ModeIn Part mode, you can access some of the common featureoperations through the Model Tree tool. These shortcuts enable youto do the following:

• Open a menu to access those feature operations which are usedmost frequently. To do this, select a feature in the Model Treewith the left mouse button. Press the right mouse button toopen a menu. Note that the menu lists only commands thatare valid for the selected feature. The menu on the right of thescreen also restricts the choice of options in the menu.

Starting Out in Part Mode 1 - 7

Starting O

ut in Part

Mode

• Edit simplified representations of the model by excluding orincluding features through the Model Tree (this method isdescribed in Using the Model Tree to Edit a SimplifiedRepresentationon page 16 - 47).

Additionally, you can use the Model Tree to create parameters andset their values (for details, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER).

Modifying Geometry and DimensionsYou dimension part features as you create them. After the featureis created, you can display its dimensions at any time by choosingModify and selecting the feature.

Follow these recommendations when placing dimensions:

• Add relations immediately after feature creation (forinformation on relations, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER).This allows you to capture the design intent of your featureright away. For example, you can add a relation to center a sloton a particular protrusion.

• Place dimensions driven by relations on layers, then blank thelayers. This helps you understand which dimensions are reallydriving the model.

• You can change the “dim symbol” to explain the function ofimportant dimensions. For more information, see ModifyingDimension Symbols on page 16 - 6.

Fractions

When you enter a fraction dimension, you can enter it in decimalformat (1.125) or as a fraction equation (1+1/8).

To display dimensions as fractions, use the following configurationoptions:

• create_fraction_dim—Set to “yes” to display all the dimensionsas fractions.

• dim_fraction_denominator—The only denominators allowedare 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64. If you enter a decimal or fractionvalue that does not convert exactly to a fraction having one ofthese denominators, the value will be changed to the closestvalue. For example, entering “1+5/27” displays a value of“1-3/16”.

1 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• use_major_units—This option is not used when you are inSketcher mode, but controls the display of dimensions in themodel. Set this to “yes” to display dimensions as feet-inches ormeter-millimeter. For example, 25.75 can appear as 25-3/4 or 2’1-3/4”. Similarly, 1024 millimeters appears as 1024 or 1m24.Millimeters are never converted to fractions.

After a dimension exists as a fraction or a decimal, you can modifythe format of the dimension, as described in the Modifying the Partchapter.

Reference Dimensions

You can create reference dimensions on existing part geometry.These dimensions have the suffix “REF”, or are in parentheseswhen they are displayed. Reference dimensions are intended forinformation only. They have one-way associativity: you cannotmodify them, but they reflect modifications made to the basicdimensions of the part. For more information on referencedimensions, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Negative Dimensions Environment

Pro/ENGINEER allows you to enter negative dimension values forsketched sections. You set the mode of operating with negativedimensions using the configuration file option “show_dim_sign.”The possible modes are as follows:

• yes—Operate in a true signed dimension environment. In Partand Assembly modes, section negative dimensions aredisplayed with the negative sign. Negative dimensions alwaysdisplay the sign in Sketcher mode. When you modify adimension, you must enter its true signed value.

• no—Display all section dimensions in Part and Assembly modesas positive. This is the default value of the configuration fileoption. Modifying the value with a negative dimension causesthe section geometry to reverse (if possible), even though itstrue signed value is negative (because it is displayed aspositive).

2 - 1

2Sketcher

Sketcher mode enables you to create sections. This chapterdescribes how to use stand-alone Sketcher mode. For informationon sketching on a three-dimensional part, see the chapterSketching on a Model.

Topic Page

Working in the Sketcher Environment 2 - 2

Creating Geometry in Sketcher Mode 2 - 6

Manipulating Sketcher Geometry 2 - 20

Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry 2 - 25

Adding Relations to Sections 2 - 39

Moving Sketcher Entities 2 - 39

Regenerating a Section 2 - 42

Unregenerating a Sketch 2 - 49

Modifying a Section Sketch 2 - 50

Section Geometry Information 2 - 63

Sketcher Hints 2 - 65

2 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Working in the Sketcher EnvironmentSketcher techniques are used in many areas of Pro/ENGINEER.Using Sketcher mode, you create geometry without regard for theexact relationships between parts of the sketch or the exact valuesof dimensions. When you regenerate the section, Pro/ENGINEERmakes assumptions explicit. For example, a nearly horizontal linebecomes exactly horizontal. These assumptions are displayedgraphically, and are preserved through the feature dimensionmodification.

Using Sketcher Mode

The following basic procedure outlines how to create a section inSketcher.

➤ How to Create a Section

1. Sketch the section geometry.

Use Sketcher tools to create the section geometry. See CreatingGeometry in Sketcher Mode on page 2 - 6 for more information.

2. Dimension the section.

Use a dimensioning scheme that you want to see in a drawing,or that makes sense for controlling the characteristics of thesection. See Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry on page 2 - 25 formore information.

3. Regenerate the section.

Pro/ENGINEER analyzes the section and encodes necessaryassumptions and dimensions into a parametric representationof the sketch. See Regenerating a Section on page 2 - 42 formore information.

4. Add section relations.

Add relations to control the behavior of your section. SeeAdding Relations to Sections on page 2 - 39 for moreinformation.

Using the Toolbar Icons

Once you enter Sketcher, the toolbar displays the icons for the DispConst, Disp Verts, and Grid On/Off options.

Sketcher 2 - 3

Sketcher

Saving a Section

To save the section before exiting Sketcher, choose File, Save orselect the Save icon from the toolbar. The system creates a file withthe extension “.sec”.

Restarting a Sketch

To restart a sketch without quitting, delete everything from thescreen with the Delete All option in the SKETCHER menu, andthen start sketching again. For more information on the Delete Alloption, see Deleting Entities on page 2 - 62.

Sketcher Color

The default color for section geometry is cyan. You can change thiscolor by using the configuration file option “system_section_color.”You can also change the color by selecting Utilities > Colors >System. The new color applies to both new and modified geometry.

Setting the Sketcher Environment Options

The following procedure explains how to set the Sketcherenvironment.

➤ How to Set the Sketcher Environment Options

1. Choose Sec Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Sec Environ from the SEC TOOLS menu.

3. The SEC ENVIRON menu lists the following options:

• Disp Verts —Toggle the display of vertices by placing orremoving a checkmark. You can preset the display ofvertices by setting the configuration option“sketcher_display_vertices”.

• Disp Constr—Toggle the display of constraints by placingor removing a checkmark. You can preset the display ofconstraints by setting the configuration option“sketcher_display_constraints”. For more information onconstraint display, see Sketcher Constraints on page 2 - 42.

• Disp Dims—Toggle the display of dimensions by placing orremoving a checkmark.

• Grid—Access the grid options. For details, see the followingsection.

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• Num Digits—Change the number of decimal places fordimensions you will enter. For more information, seeDimension Precision on page 2 - 25. on page 2 - 25.

• Accuracy—Change Sketcher accuracy. For moreinformation, see Sketcher Accuracy on page 2 - 48.

Using the Grid

Sketcher mode supports both Cartesian and polar grids. When youfirst enter Sketcher mode, the system displays a Cartesian grid.Before beginning the sketch, the grid can be one of two sizes:

• For the first feature section of a part and for auxiliary sketchessuch as blind holes, the grid has a spacing equal to one modelunit. For example, sketching a box 4x6 grid spaces creates a boxmeasuring 4x6 units.

• Additional section sketches for a model use a grid for referenceonly. You can modify this grid spacing, but the first griddisplayed is scaled for the current part size and does not have avalue of one unit between grid lines.

Modifying the Grid

You can modify the grid spacing to suit the intended size of yoursketch, making it easier to adjust to actual dimension values whenyou are done.

To modify the grid, use the command sequence Sec Tools, SecEnviron, Grid, and choose an option from the MODIFY GRIDmenu.

The MODIFY GRID menu lists the following options:

• Grid On/Off—Toggle the display of the grid on or off.

• Type—Modify the type of the grid.

• Origin—Modify the origin of the grid.

• Params—Modify the parameters of the grid.

The following sections describe these options in more detail.

Displaying the Grid

To toggle the display of the grid, choose Grid On/Off from theMODIFY GRID menu. Note that this does not affect the snapping ofsketched entities to grid intersections. See Setting the Grid Snap onpage 2 - 6 for information on turning the grid snap on or off.

Sketcher 2 - 5

Sketcher

Modifying the Type of Grid

To change the type of grid being used, choose Type from theMODIFY GRID menu, then choose one of the GRID TYPE menuoptions:

• Cartesian—Use a Cartesian grid.

• Polar—Use a polar grid.

Moving the Grid Origin

You can set the grid intersection at the following locations:

• Sketched entity endpoint and center

• Sketched point and coordinate system

• Datum point and coordinate system

• Edge or curve vertex

To do so, choose Origin from the MODIFY GRID menu. Select theappropriate geometry to locate the origin.

Modifying the Grid Spacing

The Params option allows you to modify the grid spacing andangle. You can use this option when you first start a sketch (beforeany geometry has been created) to control the approximate size ofthe section. For example, if you have a blank sketch and a 20x17Cartesian grid in your window, and you change the X and Y spacingfrom 1.0 to 0.5, instead of seeing a 40x34 grid, you will havedecreased the size of the sketching area to 10 x8.5 units. If you havesketched at least one entity, when you modify the grid spacing thegrid spacing changes while the sketched entities remainunchanged.

To modify the grid spacing or angle, choose Params from theMODIFY GRID menu. The options available depend on the grid type.

For a Cartesian grid, the available options are as follows:

• X&Y Spacing—Set the spacing in both the X- and Y-directions to the same value.

• X Spacing—Set the X-direction spacing only.

• Y Spacing—Set the Y-direction spacing only.

• Angle—Modify the angle between the horizontal and theX-direction grid.

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For a polar grid, the available options are as follows:

• Ang Spacing—Set the angular spacing between radial lines.The specified value must divide evenly into 360.

• Num Lines—Set the number of radial lines. The angularspacing is 360 divided by the number of lines.

• Rad Spacing—Modify the spacing of the circular grid.

• Angle—Modify the angle between the horizontal and the 0degree radial line.

Setting the Grid Snap

With grid snapping turned on, each pick of the mouse causesPro/ENGINEER to snap a point to the intersection of grid lines. Bydefault, grid snapping is turned off.

To enable grid snapping, choose the Grid Snap option from theENVIRONMENT menu. You can also turn on grid snapping bydefault by setting the “grid_snap” configuration option to “yes”.

Creating Geometry in Sketcher ModeChoose Sketch from the SKETCHER menu to start sketchinggeometry. Except for entities created by using the Mouse Sketchcommand, you create all geometry by using the left mouse button.Using the middle mouse button to abort the process will allow youto restart the same creation process.

Using the Mouse to Sketch Geometry

You can use the mouse to directly sketch simple lines, circles, andarcs. In addition, you can use specific options to create variouskinds of entities.

➤ How to Set up the Mouse for Sketching

1. Choose Sketch from the SKETCHER menu. The GEOMETRYmenu appears.

2. Choose the Mouse Sketch option. As described in the followingsections, the three mouse buttons can be used to create lines(left button) and circles (middle button) anywhere in the sketch,as well as arcs (right button) that begin on an endpoint ofexisting geometry.

Sketcher 2 - 7

Sketcher

➤ How to Sketch a Line

1. Click the left mouse button at the location where you want tostart the line. A red “rubberband” line appears, attached to thecursor.

2. Click the left mouse button at the location where you want theline to end. Pro/ENGINEER creates a line between the twopoints and starts another rubberband line.

3. Repeat Step 2 until all the lines have been created.

4. Click the middle mouse button to end line creation. Therubberband line disappears.

➤ How to Sketch a Circle

1. Click the middle mouse button at the desired location for thecenter point. A red rubberband circle appears, centered on thispoint and attached to the cursor.

2. To size the circle, move the mouse away from the centerpoint.

3. To complete the circle, use the middle mouse button. Use theleft mouse button to abort the circle.

➤ How to Sketch an Arc

1. Click the right mouse button on the endpoint of an existingentity. A red rubberband arc appears, attached to the cursor atits other end. The arc will be tangent to the existing entity.

2. To size the arc, move the mouse away from the first pick.

3. To complete the arc, use the right mouse button. Use the middlemouse button to abort the arc.

➤ How to Sketch a Point

1. Choose Sketch from the SKETCHER menu and Point from theGEOMETRY menu.

2. Pick where you want to place the point. The system displays thepoint.

You can add points to a sketch to make it easier to dimensionsection geometry. Points can be sketched on geometry or away fromit. However, points placed off geometry are considered referencepoints. You can also select points for creating splines.

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When you add points to a sketch, unless their location is implicitlydefined, they must be dimensioned. A point is implicitly definedwhen it is placed at the end of a line, spline, or arc, at the center ofarcs and circles, or at the intersection of two entities.

Sketching Lines with the Line Option

You can create two types of lines: geometry lines and centerlines.Geometry lines are used to create feature geometry. Centerlines areused to define the axis of revolution of a revolved feature, to definea line of symmetry within a section, or to create construction lines.Centerlines are not used to create feature geometry.

Note: You must dimension the orientation of angledcenterlines.

➤ How to Sketch Lines With the Line Option

1. Choose Line from the GEOMETRY menu. The system displaysthe LINE TYPE menu.

2. Choose Geometry or Centerline from the top portion of themenu to indicate the type of line.

3. Choose a command from the bottom portion of the menu toindicate how you want to create the line. The possible optionsare as follows:

• 2 Points—Create a line by picking the start and endpoints. Geometry lines created using this option areautomatically chained together.

• Parallel—Pick an existing line to determine the directionof the new line, then pick the start and end points. For acenterline, only a single pick is needed to determine theparallel placement of the line—Pro/ENGINEER selects theends of the centerline to fit model or section outlines.

• Perpendicular—Pick an existing line to determine thedirection of the new line, then pick the start and end points.For a centerline, only a single pick is needed to determinethe perpendicular placement of the line—Pro/ENGINEERselects the ends of the centerline to fit model or sectionoutlines.

Sketcher 2 - 9

Sketcher

• Tangent—Pick an endpoint of an arc or spline to start thenew line and determine its direction, then pick the endpoint of the line. For a centerline, only a single pick isneeded to determine the tangent placement of theline—Pro/ENGINEER selects the ends of the centerline tofit model or section outlines.

• 2 Tangent—Pick two arcs, splines, or circles to determinethe direction of the new line. Pro/ENGINEER creates theline between the selected entities, and splits the entities atthe tangency points. A 2 Tangent line created toconstruction entities will not split the entity. Similarly, a2 Tangent centerline, created as a 2 Tangent line definedusing two circles, will not split the circles.

• Pnt/Tangent—Pick a point anywhere in the currentsection, then pick an arc, spline, or circle to which the linemust be tangent. Pro/ENGINEER creates the line.

• Horizontal—Create a line that is horizontal, relative tothe orientation of the section. For a geometry line, theendpoint is automatically the start point of a chainedvertical line. For a centerline, only a single pick is needed todetermine the vertical location of the line.

• Vertical—Create a line that is vertical, relative to theorientation of the section. For a geometry line, the endpointis automatically the start point of a chained horizontal line.For a centerline, only a single pick is needed to determinethe horizontal location of the line.

Note: You can continue to create lines that are parallel orperpendicular to a specified reference line withoutreselecting the Parallel or Perpendicular command.To choose a new reference line, press the middle mousebutton and pick the new reference line.

When you create a tangent line, if more than one tangency existsfor the entity selected, such as the spline in the following figure, thesystem creates the line to the tangency closest to your pick point.

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Tangent Line to a Spline and Circle

If two lines are drawn tangent to the same entity, that entity willbe divided at the tangency points so you can delete any unwantedsegments.

Sketching a Rectangle

You can create rectangles with the Rectangle option in theGEOMETRY menu. This option allows you to create a rectangle withvertical and horizontal sides by selecting the start and end points ofa diagonal.

➤ How to Sketch a Rectangle

1. Choose Rectangle from the GEOMETRY menu.

2. Select the start point by clicking with the left mouse button atthe desired location in the Sketcher window.

3. To size the rectangle, drag the endpoint of the diagonal.

4. To accept the rectangle, click the left mouse button. Click themiddle mouse button to abort the process.

The four lines are independent, as if you had sketched themseparately. The lines can be individually aligned, moved, trimmed,dimensioned, and so on.

Pick points

Sketcher 2 - 11

Sketcher

Sketching an Arc

The following procedure explains how to create an arc with the Arcoption.

➤ How to Sketch an Arc

1. Choose Arc from the GEOMETRY menu. The the ARC TYPEmenu appears.

2. Choose one of the following options from the ARC TYPE menu:

• Tangent End—This is the same as creating an arc usingMouse Sketch, except you must use the left mouse button.Pick an end of an existing entity to determine tangency,then pick a location to place the other endpoint of the arc.

• Concentric—Pick an existing circle or arc as a reference,then pick the start and end point of the new arc. As youcreate the arc, the system displays a radial line through thecenter of the arc to help you align the endpoint.

• 3 Tangent—Select three entities that the new arc will betangent to, then create the arc in the same direction as thereference picks.

• Fillet—Pick two entities between which to create a tangentarc. See Fillet Arcs on page 2 - 11 for more information.

• Ctr/Ends—Pick the center point of the arc, then pick theendpoints of the arc.

• 3 Point—Pick the endpoints of the arc, then pick a point onthe arc.

Fillet Arcs

Fillets create a rounded intersection between any two entities.When a fillet is inserted between two entities, the two entities areautomatically divided at the fillet tangency points. If the fillet isbetween two non-parallel lines, the lines are automatically trimmedto the fillet. If the fillet is between any other entities, the entitieswill be divided and the unwanted sections must be deletedmanually.

You cannot create a fillet arc between the following:

• Parallel lines

• A centerline and another entity

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Note: Filleting entities with dimensions may result in losingdimensions. For more information, see DividingEntities on page 2 - 20.

➤ How to Create a Fillet Arc Between Two Lines

1. Choose Fillet from the ARC TYPE menu.

2. Pick the first line using the left mouse button.

3. Pick the second line using the left mouse button.Pro/ENGINEER creates the fillet from the selected point that isclosest to the intersection point of the two lines, and trims thelines to the intersection points.

You can also create fillets between entities other than two lines, asshown in the following figure.

Fillets Between Different Entities

Filleting between two arcs, circles, or splines can result in anynumber of fillets. The size and location of the fillet depends on thepick locations. The letter pairs in the diagram shown in thefollowing figure illustrate the approximate pick locations to achievecertain concave or convex variations in the fillets.

•

•

•

••

•

Resulting geometry after deletingentities between division points

Fillets between lines,splines, and circles

Division points

Sketcher 2 - 13

Sketcher

Fillets Between Two Circles

Sketching Circles

You can create two types of circles: geometry circles andconstruction circles. Geometry circles are used to create featuregeometry. Construction circles are used as guides or references andare not used to create feature geometry. Like geometry entities,construction circles are displayed in cyan. However, constructionentities appear in phantom line style.

➤ How to Sketch Circles

1. Choose Circle from the GEOMETRY menu. The system displaysthe CIRCLE TYPE menu.

2. Choose Geometry or Construction from the top portion of themenu to determine the circle type.

3. Choose a command from the bottom portion of the menu toindicate how you want to create the circle.pickpick The possibleoptions are as follows:

• Center/Point—This is the same as creating a circle usingMouse Sketch, except you must use the left mouse button.

• Concentric—Pick a reference circle or arc, then a pointon the radius of the new circle.

• 3 Tangent—Create a circle tangent to three referenceentities.

• Fillet—Create a circle tangent to two specified entities.

• 3 Point—Pick three points that lie on the circle.

a

ab

bc

c

d

d

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Sketching Advanced Geometry

To sketch advanced geometry, choose the Adv Geometry optionfrom the GEOMETRY menu. The ADV GEOMETRY menu has thefollowing options:

• Conic—Sketch conic splines.

• Coord Sys—Add a coordinate system to the sketch.

• Spline—Sketch a spline.

• Elliptic Fillet—Create an elliptic arc.

• Text—Include a text entry in the sketch.

• Axis Point—Create an axis that is normal to the sketchingplane and goes through the pick point (available only in 3-DSketcher). For information, see Creating an Axis in Sketcher onpage Appendix A - 16.

• Blend Vertex—Sketch blended features with unequalnumbers of segments in their sections.

The following sections describe these options in detail.

Conics

The Conic option allows you to sketch a conic (see the followingfigure).

Conic

➤ How to Create a Conic

1. Choose Conic from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

2. Pick the first endpoint for the conic using the left mouse button.

3. Pick the second endpoint for the conic using the left mousebutton.

4. Pick the location for the shoulder using the left mouse button.The conic will rubberband as you do this. To abort the conic, usethe middle mouse button.

Sketcher 2 - 15

Sketcher

See Conic Dimensions on page 2 - 32 for information ondimensioning conics.

All conics must be able to determine their end tangency angles. Inthis way, conics are like splines with both end tangencies set (seeSplines on page 2 - 15). This tangency angle can come from adimension, an adjacent entity (including another conic), or acenterline.

Coordinate Systems

You can add coordinate systems to sections to be used with thefollowing:

• Splines—You can dimension splines to a coordinate system.This allows you to modify the spline points by specifying the X-,Y-, and Z-axis coordinates, with respect to the coordinatesystem.

• Reference—You can add coordinate systems to any sketch to aiddimensioning.

• Blend feature section sketches—Used to establish the relativeorigin for each of the sections used for blends.

➤ How to Add a Coordinate System to a Sketch

1. Choose Coord Sys from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

2. Pick a location to locate the coordinate system.

Note: As with points, coordinate systems must bedimensioned within a sketch, unless they are placed atthe endpoint of a line, spline, or arc, or at the center ofan arc or circle.

Splines

Splines are curves that smoothly pass through any number ofintermediate points. The tangency angle and radius of curvaturecan be set at the ends of a spline to control its shape further.

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Spline Curve

You can define spline tangency for the endpoints before you createthe spline using the Tangency menu options, or by modifying thespline after it is sketched.

If the spline is to be tangent to other geometry, the sketchedgeometry does not have to be present when you first sketch thespline. However, when the section is regenerated, either adjacententity or angular dimensions must exist. The tangency to thesketched entities will not actually be displayed until the section isregenerated.

Conversely, if a spline endpoint is dimensioned with an angulardimension and the endpoint has not been defined with a tangency,you must add the tangency, or remove the dimension. You mustalso set tangency if you are controlling curvature of the spline at itsendpoints with curvature dimensions.

You can modify tangency conditions after the spline has beencreated (see Modifying the Tangency of a Spline on page 2 - 56).

A closed spline must have a tangency condition of None and will bemade tangent at its endpoints. Closed splines that are non-tangentat their endpoints cannot be created.

In a spline with one or more tangent endpoints, if you move the firstor last interior point on the spline, the spline immediately adjuststo its new shape.

Creating a Spline

The following procedure explains how to create a spline.

Intermediate points

Endpoint

Sketcher 2 - 17

Sketcher

➤ How to Create a Spline

1. Choose Spline from the ADV GEOMETRY menu. The systemdisplays the SPLINE MODE menu, which is modal (each buttonstays selected until you explicitly select another button).

2. Choose an option from the SPLINE MODE menu. The possibleoptions are as follows:

• Sketch Points—Create a spline by picking screen pointsthrough which the spline will pass.

• Select Points—Create a spline by selecting existingSketcher points. Once the point has been selected, there isno further link between the point and the spline.

3. The system displays the TANGENCY menu. Select one of thefollowing options:

• None—Create a spline with no tangency.

• Start—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at the start.

• End—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at the end.

• Both—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at both ends.

• Control Poly—Create a spline withboth endpointstangent to a control polygon. Pick spline points as usual.The line entities that form the control polygon of the splinewill be added to the section database as parents of thespline. These lines can be dimensioned as if they wereregular sketched entities. If you delete the control polygon,the spline becomes a standard spline with no tangencyconditions. If you delete the spline, the entities of thecorresponding control polygon are also deleted.

• For a spline created using the control polygon, you cannotdimension to coordinate systems or to interpolation points,nor can you specify radius of curvature dimensions for it. Ifno entities of its control polygon are dimensioned, you canmodify the spline using the MOD SPLINE command optionsMove Pnts and Control Poly.

• Approx Chain—Create an approximate chain spline,which replaces a chain of entities. The spline willapproximate the chain very closely, but the curvature willvary continuously along the spline, smoothing out anyjumps in curvature in the original chain of entities.

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4. Click the left mouse button at the start point of the spline.

5. Continue the spline by selecting or sketching points using theleft mouse button. You may, at any time, click the right mousebutton to abort the spline.

...or...

If you are creating an approximate chain spline, select theentities (lines, arcs, splines, and conics) in the section that forma continuous chain. Pro/ENGINEER transforms the selectedentities to phantom line font and creates the approximate chainspline on top of the entities.

6. If you are sketching points, click the middle mouse button toend spline creation. The red rubberband spline is replaced by aspline between the first and last points placed.

...or...

If you are selecting Sketcher points, choose Done/Return tocomplete the spline. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to confirmdeletion of the sketched or imported points. Enter [yes] toremove the points from the sketch.

Using Approximate Chain Splines

Note the following rules for deleting approximate chain splines:

• If you delete an approximate chain spline, Pro/ENGINEERremoves it and turns the entities from the chain back intogeometry.

• If you delete an entity from the chain, Pro/ENGINEER deletesthe entire chain. The spline itself will remain in the section, butwill no longer be driven by the entity chain from which it wascreated. You can then modify the spline like any other spline inSketcher mode.

• If you restore a deleted chain, Pro/ENGINEER pops the wholechain back into the section. If you modified the spline in themeantime, the system regenerates it back to its original formand reattaches it to the controlling chain.

If you move the approximate chain using the Move Entity optionfrom the GEOM TOOLS, note the following:

• If you select an internal of the spline, Pro/ENGINEERtranslates it along with the construction entities.

• If you select an endpoint of the spline or the adjacentconstruction entity, the system applies an extend and rotatetransformation to both the spline and the chain.

Sketcher 2 - 19

Sketcher

• If you select an entity of the approximated chain,Pro/ENGINEER translates the spline together with the chain.

Using Sketcher Text

You can include text in a sketch for extruded protrusions that donot use the Thin option and cuts, trimming surfaces, and cosmeticfeatures. The characters that are in a sketch for an extrudedfeature must use the font font3d. For cosmetic features, any fontcan be used by modifying the text after creating the sketch (seeModifying Text Entities on page 2 - 61 for more information).

➤ How to Include a Text String in a Sketch

1. Choose Sketch and Adv Geometry.

2. Choose Text from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

3. Enter a single line of up to 79 characters of text, followed by acarriage return for each line of text you want to enter.

4. To complete the text entry portion of the process, enter acarriage return in an empty text input line.

5. Place the text by picking two opposite corners of a text boxusing the left mouse button. The box determines the originaltext height, width factor, and location. After you place the text,the box becomes invisible (see the following figure).

Text Placement Box

If you are creating Sketcher text, press the middle mousebutton to abort the current text placement only. You can thenselect another location for the text placement.

6. Dimension the text to the part or Sketcher geometry. Todimension the text, choose Dimension from the SKETCHERmenu, pick anywhere on the text, pick a geometry entity, andplace the dimension with the middle button. The dimension willbe created from the text origin (the lower-left corner of the textbox).

Text box

Text origin

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Blend Vertex

Blend vertices are used to create blended features with unequalnumbers of segments in their sections. For complete instructions onusing this option, see Open and Closed Blends on page 6 - 16.

Manipulating Sketcher GeometryTo access tools for manipulating sketcher geometry, chooseSKETCHER > Geom Tools. For 2-D Sketcher, the GEOM TOOLSmenu lists the following options:

• Intersect—Intersect two entities.

• Trim—Trim an entity using options in the DRAFT TRIM menu.

• Divide—Dividing an entity into multiple segments.

• Mirror—Mirror geometry about a centerline.

• Move Entity—Move geometry by dragging or rotating (seeMoving Sketcher Entities on page 2 - 39).

Dividing Entities

You can divide a section entity into two or more new entities usingthe GEOM TOOLS menu Divide command. When you chooseDivide and pick on an entity, Pro/ENGINEER divides the entity atthe pick locations, then replaces the original entity with the newentities.

You can also use the Intersect command to determine theintersection point of two entities that cross, and divide both of themat the point of intersection.

Dividing an Entity into Two or More Entities

The following procedure explains how to divide an entity.

➤ How to Divide an Entity into Two or More New Entities

1. Delete the dimensions for each entity you are dividing.

2. Pick the entity to be divided. For each pick, Pro/ENGINEERdivides the entity at that location and replaces it with two newentities.

3. If desired, continue to use the Divide command to divideentities. When you have finished, choose Done.

Sketcher 2 - 21

Sketcher

4. Dimension the divided entities and regenerate the section.

Dividing Two Intersecting Entities

The Intersect option determines the intersection point of twoentities that cross, and divides both of them at the point ofintersection. This provides a way to delete a portion of one or moreintersecting entities. You can also use the Trim option to trim(shorten or extend) a single entity where it intersects another (forexample, a bounding entity) without dividing the other.

➤ How to Divide Two Intersecting Entities

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Intersect from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Pick the first entity near the intersection point.

4. Pick the second entity near the intersection point.

5. Pro/ENGINEER splits the entities. If desired, delete anyunnecessary entities.

Notes:

• Centerlines, edges, axes, and planes can be used forintersections, but they cannot be split.

• You cannot divide entities that are tangent to each otherand do not actually intersect.

The following figure illustrates the Intersect option.

Trimming Entities

You can trim two entities to each other using the Trim and Corneroptions, or trim a single entity to another bounding entity using theTrim and Bound options.

•

Pick at these points.

Both circle and lineare divided here.

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Different Ways to Trim

The following procedures describe various trimming techniques.

➤ How to Trim a Single Entity to Another Bounding Entity

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu, Trim, and theDRAFT TRIM Bound option.

2. Select a bounding entity. This entity indicates the limit of theentity to be trimmed. The bounding entity is not changed in anyway during the operation. Centerlines, datum planes, datumaxes, and tangent edges are all valid bounding entities. Featureaxes and cosmetic feature entities are invalid choices forbounding entities.

3. Select the entity to trim. Pro/ENGINEER will shorten or extendthis entity up to the intersection with the bounding entity, or itsextension. If the trimmed entity is to be shortened, select theportion of the entity that will be kept.

4. Continue to trim any entities with that same bounding entity.

5. To select a different bounding entity, choose Trim again, or usethe middle mouse button.

6. To extend two entities so they intersect, first select one of themas the bounding entity and trim the other, then reverse theprocess.

The following figure illustrates the Trim/Bound option

➤ How to Trim an Entity to a Specific Length

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu, then chooseLength from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

Bounding entity

Select this line to shorten.

Select this lineto extend.

Sketcher 2 - 23

Sketcher

3. Enter the length.

4. Select an entity to trim. Select near the end of the entity tolengthen or shorten it.

5. If the dimension exists, Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want todelete the highlighted dimension. Answer “yes” to trim theentity; answer “no” to abort the process.

6. The system trims the specified entity to the specified length.

➤ How to Trim an Entity by an Incremental Length Change

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu, then chooseIncrem from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

3. Enter the incremental length. A positive value lengthens anentity, while a negative value shortens it.

4. Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want to delete the highlighteddimension. Answer “yes” to trim the entity; answer “no” to abortthe process.

5. The system trims the entity by the specified incremental value.

➤ How to Trim Two Entities to Each Other

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu, Trim, and theDRAFT TRIM option Corner.

2. Select any two entities (they do not have to intersect) on theportion of the entity that you want to keep.

3. Reply “yes” to the prompt that asks if you want to delete thehighlighted dimensions.

4. Repeat step 2, or choose another command.

Untrimming Entities

To undo the last completed trim action (while you are still using theDRAFT TRIM menu), choose Trim and then Untrim Last from theDRAFT TRIM menu.

Note: Portions of entities that have been removed using Trimcannot be brought back by using Undelete.

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Splitting or Trimming Entities with Dimensions

If splitting (intersecting or filleting) or trimming an entity causesexisting dimensions to be deleted, the system issues a warning.Pro/ENGINEER highlights the dimensions to be deleted in red. Ifyou answer “no” to the prompt, the system aborts the split or trim.If you enter “yes,” it splits or trims the entities and deletes thedimensions.

Mirroring Geometry

You can mirror Sketcher geometry entities about a sketchedcenterline. Use this when your sketch has symmetricalcharacteristics. You can solve half the sketch, then mirror it.Pro/ENGINEER uses the dimensions of one side to solve the other.This reduces the number of dimensions necessary to solve a sketch.

Note: You cannot mirror dimensions or text entities—onlygeometric entities.

➤ How to Mirror Sketched Geometry

1. Make sure the sketch contains a centerline.

2. Choose Mirror from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Pick the centerline geometry about which the entities will bemirrored. The system displays the MIRROR menu, which hasthe following options:

• Pick—Select individual entities for mirroring.

• All—Select all sketched entities for mirroring.

4. Select the geometry to mirror, then choose Done.

Copying Imported Drawings

You can create a new section by selecting and copying importedtwo-dimensional geometry into an empty Sketcher file using theCopy Draw option in the SEC TOOLS menu. First, import atwo-dimensional drawing in Drawing mode. When you choose theoption Copy Draw, Pro/ENGINEER asks you to name a drawingfrom which to copy. The system displays the imported geometry in aseparate window. Select all the entities to import. The systemplaces the copied entities in the section. You can dimension theentities, or move them using the Move option from the GEOMTOOLS menu.

Sketcher 2 - 25

Sketcher

Dimensioning Sketcher GeometryTo regenerate a section sketch successfully, you must dimension itproperly. There are two steps to dimensioning an entity: pick theentity or entities using the left mouse button, then place thedimension at the desired position using the middle mouse button.Pro/ENGINEER initially displays the dimensions in symbolicformat. The dimensions are given unique names (sd0, sd1, sd2, andso on) in Sketcher mode, which may change to a new symbolic namewhen the solid geometry is created.

When you choose the SKETCHER menu commands Dimension orAlign, you can dimension or align ends of sketched entities to“edge-on” surfaces, as well as to edges on the surfaces. An edge-onsurface is like a “side” view—for example, a plane appears as a line,and a tabulated cylinder appears as a curve. You can select a plane,cylinder, or tabulated cylinder as an edge-on surface.

You can use the AutoDim option to dimension the sectionautomatically.

To select a surface normal to the screen, pick the edge. If you usethe Query Sel command, Pro/ENGINEER displays a selection onthe surface itself, with red highlighting, while the edges youactually select are displayed in blue. In regular Pick selection, youget the surface selection.

Relations

You can create relations between dimensions in Sketcher mode.This allows you to lock in design relations as soon as you create thesection. For information on how to add relations to a section, seeAdding Relations to Sections on page 2 - 39.

Fractions

You can create dimensions in decimal format or by using fractions.For more information on using fractions, see Fractions onpage 1 - 7.

Dimension Precision

You can set the default number of decimal places by specifying theconfiguration file option “sketcher_dec_places”, or you can choosethe Num Digits option in the SEC ENVIRON menu.

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➤ How to Modify the Number of Decimal Places in the Dimension

1. Choose SEC TOOLS > Sec Environ > Num Digits.

2. Enter a value from 0 to 14.

3. Regenerate the sketch. Pro/ENGINEER rounds off dimensionvalues that have more than the specified number of decimalplaces.

Automatic Dimensioning

After you sketch a section, you can automatically dimension it bychoosing AutoDim from the SKETCHER menu. The system adds alldimensions that are necessary to constrain the section, and thenregenerates it. You can also use AutoDim on a partiallydimensioned section.

Once the system places all dimensions, you can move them to thedesired location by using Move from the GEOM TOOLS menu andthen Dimension from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

For information on how to use AutoDim with sections created in apart with existing geometry, see Using Automatic Dimensioning onpage 4 - 21.

Linear Dimensions

Linear dimensions indicate the length of a line segment or thedistance between two entities (lines, arcs, circles, points, andsplines).

Creating Linear Dimensions

The commands in the DIMENSION menu work in “continue” mode:you continue creating dimensions of one type until you chooseanother option.

You can create linear dimensions, as follows:

• To dimension the explicit length of a line—Pick the line, thenplace the dimension.

• To dimension the distance between two parallel lines—Pick thetwo lines, then place the dimension.

• To dimension the distance between a point and a line—Pick theline, pick the point, and place the dimension.

Sketcher 2 - 27

Sketcher

• To create a dimension between two points—Pick the points andlocation for the dimension. Note that centerpoints andcoordinate systems are included, but vertices are excluded. Thesystem displays the DIM PNT menu, which has the followingoptions:

– Horizontal—Indicate the horizontal distance between thepoints.

– Vertical—Indicate the vertical distance between thepoints.

– Slanted—Indicate the shortest distance between thepoints.

Note:

• You cannot dimension the length of a centerline.

• When you are creating a dimension between two arc orcircle extents (tangency points), only horizontal and verticaldimensions are allowed. Pro/ENGINEER creates thedimension to the tangency point closest to the pick point.

Diameter Dimensions

Diameter dimensions measure the diameters of sketched circlesand arcs, or diameters for sketching sections about an axis. Thefollowing sections describe how to dimension arcs and circles, andrevolved sections.

Dimensioning Arcs and Circles

To create a diameter dimension for an arc or a circle, pick the arc orcircle twice, then place the dimension.

Diameter Dimension for a Circle

Pick twice on circle.

Place dimension here.

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Dimensioning Revolved Sections

The following procedure explains how to dimension a section of arevolved feature.

➤ How to Create a Diameter Dimension

1. Pick the entity to be dimensioned.

2. Pick the centerline that will be the axis of revolution.

3. Pick the entity again.

4. Place the dimension.

Note: The diameter dimension for a revolved feature extendsbeyond the centerline, indicating that it is a diameterdimension, not a radius dimension.

The following figure shows how to create a diameter dimension fora revolved feature section.

Radial Dimensions

Radial dimensions measure the radii of circles or arcs, and circlesand arcs created by revolving a section about an axis. To create aradial dimension for an arc or circle, pick on the circle or arc, thenplace the dimension (see the following figure).

Section

Pick 1

Pick 2 - on centerline

Pick 3

Pick 4 - places dimension

Sketcher 2 - 29

Sketcher

To create a radial dimension for a section that will be revolved, pickthe entity, pick on the centerline axis, then place the dimension.

Angular Dimensions

Angular dimensions measure the angle between two lines, or theangle of an arc between its endpoints.

To create an angular dimension between lines, pick the first line,pick the second line, then place the dimension. Where you place thedimension determines how the angle is measured (either acute orobtuse).

The following illustrates angular dimensions.

Place the dimension.

Pick the arc segment.

Pick edges, thenplace a dimension.

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➤ How to Create an Arc Angle Dimension

1. Pick one endpoint of the arc.

2. Pick the other endpoint of the arc.

3. Pick the arc.

4. Place the dimension (see the following figure).

Arc Angle Dimension

Spline Dimensions

A spline is dimensioned using its endpoints or interpolation points.You can pick the endpoints of a spline and dimension them as youwould any point. You need only the dimensions of the endpoints ofthe spline to create the spline. If a spline is attached to othergeometry, dimensioning the geometry dimensions the spline.

You can dimension spline endpoints using linear dimensions,tangency (angular) dimensions, and radius of curvaturedimensions.

The Sketcher can solve for a point on a spline, given a tangencyangle as a dimension. The Sketcher looks for lines and centerlinesthat are tangent to the trimmed ends of splines created by the UseEdge option. If the angle of the line can be determined withoutsolving for the point, the Sketcher will solve the point by findingwhere the tangent to the spline has the specified angle.

The following sections describe linear dimensions, tangencydimensions, radius of curvature dimensions, dimensioninginterpolation points, and associating to a coordinate system.

Pick 1 - on endpoint

Pick 2 - on

Pick 3 - on arc

Pick 4 - places dimension

endpoint

Sketcher 2 - 31

Sketcher

Linear Dimensions

The following procedure explains how to create linear dimensions.

➤ How to Create Linear Dimensions

1. Select the spline, then select the spline endpoint. This ensuresyou have selected the correct endpoint when other geometryends near the spline end. However, if no other geometry isnearby, simply select the endpoint.

2. Select the model or Sketcher geometry to which to dimension.

Tangency Dimensions

You can create tangency dimensions for endpoints andintermediate control points of the spline. Note that the spline musthave tangency defined before you can use a tangency dimension atthe ends. You can modify the spline to add tangency and thencreate angle dimensions.

➤ How to Create a Tangency Dimension

1. Select the spline twice.

2. Select the endpoint where the tangency is defined or any splineinterpolation point.

3. Select the model or Sketcher geometry to which the splinetangency is defined.

4. Place the dimension.

Radius of Curvature Dimensions

The following procedure explains how to create radius of curvaturedimensions.

➤ How to Create a Radius of Curvature Dimension

1. The spline must have tangency defined before you can use aradius of curvature dimension. If no tangency exists and theendpoint is dimensioned with a radius of curvature dimension,you must modify the spline to add tangency, or Pro/ENGINEERwill report the dimension as extra.

2. Select the spline endpoint with the left mouse button.

3. Place the dimension with the middle mouse button.

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Dimensioning Interpolation Points

You can dimension the spline interpolation points (the points youpicked to define the spline).

➤ How to Dimension the Spline Interpolation Points

1. Select the spline. The system displays the interpolation points.

2. Select the interpolation point to dimension.

3. Select the model or Sketcher geometry to which you want todimension.

Note: When you have dimensioned a spline interpolationpoint, you can no longer modify the spline using theoptions in the MOD SPLINE menu. If you select thespline for modification, the system prompts you todelete the dimensions.

Associating to a Coordinate System

To dimension the interpolation points of the spline using coordinatevalues, you need to associate the spline to a coordinate system.

➤ How to Associate a Spline to a Coordinate System

1. Choose Dimension from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Pick the spline twice.

3. Select the coordinate system, then click the middle mousebutton. The spline is now associated to a local coordinatesystem. However, the system does not display any dimensions.

For information on how to modify spline points to change the shapeof the spline, see Modifying Spline Points on page 2 - 41.

Conic Dimensions

There are two dimensioning schemes to dimension a conic. Oneuses an “rho” value to define the shape of the conic. The otherrequires you to add a distinct Sketcher point to anchor the conic atthe selected location. The resulting conic is defined by the twoendpoints and the distinct third point.

➤ How to Dimension the Conic

1. Dimension the endpoints to locate the conic spline.

2. Create angular dimensions to define the endpoint tangency.

Sketcher 2 - 33

Sketcher

➤ How to Create a Conic Tangency Dimension

1. Select the conic, then select the endpoint where the tangency isto be defined.

2. Select the model or Sketcher geometry to which the splinetangency is defined (such as a centerline or straight edge).

3. Place the dimension.

Because a conic can get its end tangency from another conic, youneed to create only one tangency dimension if you intend for twoconics that have a common endpoint to be tangent.

For some end tangency angles, a conic cannot be regenerated. Forexample, it is not possible to make a single conic that representsone half or more of an ellipse. If a conic cannot be recreated, modifythe tangency angles. If no tangency angles are present, add them,because the problematic tangents must then be determined byadjacent entities.

The “rho” Dimension

The rho dimension of a conic segment PQ defines the shape of theconic. The rho dimension specifies a ratio along a vector from thechord (PQ) through a point C to the vertex (R). Point C is at themaximum distance (CD), measured by a normal from the chord PQto the conic segment PQ.

Conic “rho” Dimension

rho = a/(a+b)P

Q

aC

b

D

R

2 - 34 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Dimension the rho Parameter Value of the Conic

1. Pick once on the conic with the left button and create thedimension with the middle button. When you first regeneratethe conic, the rho is 0.5 by default.

2. You can modify rho to be one of the following values:

• For an ellipse: 0.05 < parameter < 0.5

• When you are creating a closed ellipse section from fourconic segments, the only value for rho that gives a trueellipse is (sqrt (2)—1). Enter this value exactly as shown(not as the approximation .4142).

• For a parabola: parameter = 0.5

• For a hyperbola: 0.5 < parameter < 0.95

Ellipse Consisting of Four Conics

The Three-Point Dimension

For conics that are defined by three distinct points, the systemdetermines the shoulder point from the user-defined point throughwhich it passes. If this is a model point (vertex or datum), you neednot add another dimension—you can align the conic to this modelpoint. However, if it is a Sketcher point or vertex, you mustdimension the point to regenerate the sketch.

Conic

“rho” dimension -enter as sqrt(2)-1

Angular dimensionat common endpoint

Linear dimensions

Centerlines

.414.414

.414.414

Sketcher 2 - 35

Sketcher

➤ How to Dimension a Conic Defined by Three Points

1. First perform the two rho dimensioning steps to define the conicendpoint and tangency dimensions (see The “rho” Dimension onpage 2 - 33).

2. Create a Sketcher point on the conic where the conic is toremain anchored.

Note: If you place the conic close enough to the sketch pointon a curve (such as during creation of a swept feature),the conic passes through that point, behaving the sameas a conic for which you define a third point.

Perimeter Dimension

You can use the Perimeter option in the DIMENSION menu todimension the total length of a chain or loop of entities. You mustselect a dimension that the system can adjust to obtain the desiredperimeter. This dimension is called the varying dimension. Whenyou modify the perimeter dimension, the system modifies thevarying dimension accordingly.

Note the following information about the perimeter dimension:

• You cannot modify varying dimensions, because they are drivendimensions.

• If you delete the varying dimension, the system deletes theperimeter dimension.

The following figure shows a sample sketch with a perimeterdimension.

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Using the Perimeter Dimension

➤ How to Add a Perimeter Dimension

1. Fully dimension the section so it can regenerate successfully.

2. Choose Dimension, Perimeter.

3. Select an entity from a chain or loop.

4. All vertices in the chain or loop highlight in white. Do one of thefollowing:

• If you want to select the entire chain/loop, choose Done Sel.

...or...

• If you want to select a portion of the chain/loop, select twovertices and then use options in the CHOOSE menu tohighlight the desired portion. Conclude the selection bychoosing Accept.

5. Select a dimension that the system can vary and regenerate thesketch. The perimeter dimension shows up with the currentvalue of the perimeter, and points to the chain/loop that it isdimensioning.

Note: Perimeter dimensions are not supported for parallelblends and variable section sweeps.

Varying dimensionWhen you modify the perimeter dimension, thevarying dimension adjusts accordingly.

Perimeter dimension

Sketcher 2 - 37

Sketcher

Ordinate Dimensions

You can create linear dimensions in ordinate format in Sketchermode. To do so, select the baseline geometry and create the baselinedimensions before you select any other geometry to dimension. Youcan establish the baseline dimension on lines, arc and circlecenters, and geometry endpoints (lines, arcs, conics, and splines).You can even select model geometry to dimension as a baseline.

Note that if the baseline resides in the model, the ordinatedimension to that baseline must also reside in the model.

Creating a Baseline Dimension

The following procedure explains how to create baselinedimensions.

➤ How to Create the Baseline Dimension

1. Choose Dimension, then Baseline from the DIMENSIONmenu.

2. Select the geometry to dimension as a baseline, then locate thedimension text. For lines, the baseline is oriented the sameway. For arc and circle centers, and geometry endpoints, chooseone of the following options from the VERT HORIZ menu:

• Vert—Orient the baseline vertically.

• Horiz—Orient the baseline horizontally.

The following figure illustrates how to create an ordinate baseline.

Creating an Ordinate Baseline

Pick 2 - place baselinedimension

Pick 1 - select entity

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Creating an Ordinate Dimension

The following procedure explains how to create an ordinatedimension.

➤ How to Create an Ordinate Dimension

1. Choose Dimension.

2. Select the baseline dimension, then select the entity todimension using the left mouse button.

3. Place the ordinate dimension using the middle mouse button.

The following figure illustrates how to create an ordinatedimension.

Creating an Ordinate Dimension

Replacing a Dimension

You can replace an existing Sketcher dimension with an equivalentone so that the new dimension retains the symbolic dimension (sd#)of the original. Replacing a dimension is useful when you want topreserve additional data associated with the original dimension (forexample, geometric tolerance symbol or extra text added inDrawing mode).

➤ How to Replace a Dimension

1. Choose SKETCHER > Dimension.

2. Choose Replace from the DIMENSION menu.

3. Select a dimension to replace. The dimension is deleted.

4. Create a new equivalent dimension.

Pick 1 - select baseline dimension

Pick 2 - select entityto dimension

Pick 3 - place dimension

Sketcher 2 - 39

Sketcher

Adding Relations to SectionsYou can add relations to sections while you are in Sketcher mode.Relations in Sketcher mode follow the same rules as in Part mode,except the parameters must belong to a part or assembly andcannot be created in Sketcher mode. The relations apply to thesection, but you can modify and use them in part or assemblyrelations.

➤ How to Create a Relation in Sketcher Mode

1. Choose Relation from the SKETCHER menu. The systemdisplays the dimensions as symbols.

2. Choose Add from the RELATIONS menu.

3. When you add the relation, use the Sketcher dimension symbol,sd#, or known dimension symbol, kd#. See Known Dimensionson page 4 - 20 for more information.

Note: Only Sketcher and known dimensions are allowed inrelations created within Sketcher mode.

You can also enter a section relation when you modify the drivendimension. After initial regeneration, enter the relation (forexample, sd4=sd2+sd3/2) when you are modifying dimensionvalues. Pro/ENGINEER displays the new relation and prompts youto accept it.

Moving Sketcher EntitiesThe Move Entity command in the GEOM TOOLS menu displays theMOVE ENTITY menu, which enables you to move Sketcher entities,including dimensions. The MOVE ENTITY menu lists the followingoptions:

• Drag Item—Drag a selected entity to a new location.

• Drag Many—Drag one or more selected entitiessimultaneously to a new location.

• Rotate90—Rotate the selected entities counterclockwise inmultiples of 90 degrees.

• Dimension—Move a Sketcher dimension to a new location.

Note: Pro/ENGINEER removes alignments that have becomeinvalid as a result of the move operation, and keepsthose alignments that are still valid.

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The following sections describe each of these options in detail.

Dragging Individual Entities

The following procedure explains how to use the Drag Item option.

➤ How to Drag a Single Sketcher Entity

1. Choose Drag Item from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Pick an entity or one of its endpoints. The system highlights theentity and attaches the entity to the cursor. If you pick anendpoint on a vertex, the system briefly highlights the point inred and briefly highlights the rest of the entity in blue toindicate that you have selected it. If you pick an endpoint thatis a common endpoint to more than one entity, all the entitiesmove.

3. Move the entity to its new location. Click the left mouse buttonto place the entity.

Dragging Multiple Entities

The following procedure explains how to use the Drag Manyoption.

➤ How to Drag Multiple Sketcher Entities

1. Choose Drag Many from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Select one or more entities to move, then choose Done Sel, orclick the middle mouse button to finalize your selections. Or,choose the Pick Many command to draw a pick box around theentities you want to select. All the entities completely withinthe pick box are selected.

3. Once you have selected the entities, pick a drag startingposition on one of them. The selected entities become attachedto the cursor at that position.

4. Move the entities to a new location and click the left mousebutton to place them.

Sketcher 2 - 41

Sketcher

Rotating Entities

The following procedure explains how to rotate entities.

➤ How to Rotate Sketcher entities

1. Choose Rotate90 from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Pick one or more entities to rotate. Choose Done Sel, or clickthe middle mouse button to finalize your selections. Or, choosethe Pick Many command to draw a pick box around theentities you want to select. All the entities completely withinthe pick box are selected.

3. Enter a multiple of 90 degrees by which to rotate the selectedentities. If desired, you can enter a negative value.

4. Pick a center point for the entities around which the geometrywill be rotated.

Moving Dimensions

The following procedure explains how to move dimensions inSketcher.

➤ How to Move a Sketcher Dimension

1. Choose Dimension from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Select the dimension that you want to move; the systemhighlights the dimension in red. The witness lines expand orcontract as necessary, and you can move the text box thatcontains the dimension value freely along the leader line.

3. To place the dimension in its new location, click the left mousebutton.

Moving a Spline Created with the Control Poly Option

You can move a spline that was created using the Control Polyoption in the TANGENCY menu using the options in the MOVEENTITY menu.

If you choose the Rotate90 or Drag Many option from the MOVEENTITY menu, the system moves the spline and the control polygonused to create it as a single unit.

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If you choose the Drag Item option, Pro/ENGINEER moves thespline in one of four ways, depending on what entities you pick. Thepossible ways are as follows:

• If you pick a point on the spline other than an endpoint, thesystem drags the spline and all the entities belonging to itscontrol polygon as a single unit.

• If you pick a point on the control polygon other than anendpoint, the system drags the spline and all the entitiesbelonging to its control polygon as a single unit.

• If you pick an endpoint on the spline, the system scales androtates the spline and all its control polygon entities as youdrag the endpoint.

• If you pick a vertex on the control polygon, the system movesthe two adjacent control polygon lines only as you drag thevertex. The spline changes its shape in the same way as if youhad selected the Control Poly option from the MOD SPLINEmenu.

Regenerating a SectionDuring regeneration, the system checks the dimensioning schemeand analyzes your section based on the geometry you have sketchedand the dimensions you have created. In the absence of explicitdimensions, the system can use implicit information based on thesketch.

If Pro/ENGINEER recognizes and accepts your dimensioningscheme, the section regenerates successfully, and the systemredraws it. In addition, the system replaces the symbolicdimensions with numeric values based on the size of the sketch.

Sketcher Constraints

If a sketch is not fully dimensioned with “known” dimensions oralignments, Sketcher begins to make assumptions. If Sketcher canassume enough constraints to find a unique solution to the sketch,it solves the sketch.

The following table lists assumptions that Pro/ENGINEER uses toregenerate a section.

Sketcher 2 - 43

Sketcher

Implicit Rules

Consider the following information on how Sketcher usesdimensions and constraints to solve the sketch:

• Use line options such as Parallel and Tangent to createvisually accurate sketches. Remember, however, that theseoptions do not constrain entities to be tangent or parallel. Forexample, if you sketch a line parallel to another line, “parallel”is not a “known” constraint for the line, and Sketcher does notnecessarily list Parallel as an assumed constraint. Moreover,Sketcher may even solve the sketch so that the line is no longerparallel, depending on what “known” dimensions andconstraints are assigned.

• Pro/ENGINEER does not display assumptions for “known”entities, such as edges selected while using Use Edge. Theseassumptions cannot be disabled.

Rule Description

Equal radius anddiameter

If you sketch two or more arcs or circles withapproximately the same radius, the system mayassume that the same radii are equal.

Symmetry Entities may be assumed to be symmetric about acenterline.

Horizontal andvertical lines

Lines that are approximately horizontal or verticalmay be considered to be exactly so.

Parallel andperpendicular entities

Lines that are sketched approximately parallel orperpendicular may be considered to be exactly so.

Tangency Entities sketched approximately tangent to each othermay be assumed to be tangent.

Equal segment lengths Lines of approximately the same length may beassumed to have the same length.

Point entities lying onother entities orcollinear with otherentities

Point entities that lie near lines, arcs, or circles maybe considered to be exactly on them. Points that arenear the extension of a line may be assumed to lie onit.

Equal coordinates Endpoints and centers of the arcs may be assumed tohave the same X- or the same Y-coordinates.

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Graphical Display of Sketcher Constraints

After a successful regeneration, the system shows the section withgraphical symbols denoting all constraints used to solve the sketch.The following table lists constraints with the correspondinggraphical symbols.

Sketcher Constraints

Manipulating Constraints

For a regenerated section, the system displays appropriategraphical constraints next to the entities. You can turn the displayof constraints on or off in one of the following ways:

• Choose Constraints from the SKETCHER menu and place orremove a checkmark in front of the Display option in theConstraints menu.

• Choose Sec Tools from the SKETCHER menu, then choose SecEnviron from the SEC TOOLS menu, and add or remove acheckmark in front of the Disp Constr option.

• To disable the constraints display by default, set theconfiguration option “sketcher_display_constraints” to “no.”

Constraint Symbol

Horizontal entities “H”

Vertical entities “V”

Line segments with equallengths

“L” with an index in subscript (for example: L1)

Perpendicular entities Perpendicularity symbol with or without anindex number in subscript

Parallel lines Parallel symbol with an index in subscript

Equal coordinates Small thick dashes between the points

Tangent entities “T”

Symmetry

Equal radii “R” with an index in subscript

Point entity

Sketcher 2 - 45

Sketcher

To work with individual constraints, choose Constraints from theSKETCHER menu and select one of the following options in theConstraints menu:

• Explain—Select a constraint symbol to highlight entities towhich it applies. A message in the Message window explainsthe selected constraint.

• Enable—Select a constraint symbol to enable.

• Disable—Select a constraint symbol to disable. The systemshows a disabled constraint in a circle with a line going across.For example, .

Overriding Implicit Rules

Sometimes Sketcher makes assumptions you do not want. Forexample, two adjacent lines may be assumed to be horizontal andvertical, respectively, while the angle between them is marked“extra”. You can disable the unwanted constraint, or you can avoidthe undesired assumption by exaggerating while sketching. If yousketch the nearly vertical line at 60 degrees, the system will notassume it is vertical. The angle can then be modified to the desiredvalue.

Terminating a Regeneration

Use the STOP sign button to terminate a regeneration of a sketchthat takes too long. The system considers a stopped regeneration aregeneration failure.

Unsuccessful Regeneration of a Section

If a section cannot be solved using the dimensioning scheme andimplicit sketched information, Pro/ENGINEER issues a messageand highlights the error. The basic categories of errors are asfollows:

• The sketch does not communicate the intent.

• The sketch is underdimensioned.

• The sketch is overdimensioned.

• The segment is too small.

• The segment is of zero length.

• There are inappropriate sections.

V

2 - 46 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The following sections describe these errors in more detail.

Sketch Misinterpretations

When you sketch entities, you generally need not be concerned withsketching precisely (lines sketched nearly horizontal or vertical aredetermined as such, and so on). However, if you sketch too far awayfrom your intended assumptions, Pro/ENGINEER will fail torecognize your intent. You will have to add dimensions, move theentities, or recreate the entities more closely to your intent.

The following figure shows two examples of sketchmisinterpretations.

Underdimensioning

If there is not enough information to solve the section,Pro/ENGINEER tells you the sketch is underdimensioned andhighlights all the unsolved vertices. Pro/ENGINEER then entersdimension “mode” so you can add dimensions. In the absence ofdimensions, Pro/ENGINEER may rely on implicit information tosolve the section.

Too far from Too far fromtangency horizontal

Sketcher 2 - 47

Sketcher

The following figure illustrates underdimensioned sections.

Overdimensioning

If you include too much dimensional information in a section,Pro/ENGINEER solves the section and issues an appropriatewarning message. If these dimensions are truly redundant, youshould delete them in Sketcher mode and add them later asreference dimensions. Dimensions that are flagged as extra do notaffect the geometry when modified, unless they are used to drivedimensions.

Pro/ENGINEER permits overdimensioning. An extra dimensioncan be used to measure a quantity without affecting it. Also, theremay be some valid dimensions that Pro/ENGINEER does notrecognize. Therefore, you can set up relations for extra dimensionswhich you want to use for driving other section dimensions.

Segment Is Too Small

The “segment is too small” problem occurs when a sketch entity isdrawn in a zoomed-in view and you attempt regeneration from azoomed-out view. You can usually correct the problem by zoomingback in and regenerating, or by increasing the Sketcher accuracy. Ifnot, you must delete the segment, or redraw it larger before thesection regenerates. See Sketcher Accuracy on page 2 - 48 for moreinformation.

Underdimensioned

Unsolved points

section

Solved, assuming segmentsare of equal length

2 - 48 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Zero-Length Segments

If you sketch a segment very small, Pro/ENGINEER issues amessage informing that there is a zero-length segment in thesection. Increasing the Sketcher accuracy might alleviate theproblem. If not, delete the segment, or redraw it larger before thesection regenerates. See Sketcher Accuracy on page 2 - 48 for moreinformation.

Inappropriate Sections

If Pro/ENGINEER knows the purpose for which a section will beused, it also checks to make sure the section is appropriate. Forexample, if you create a revolved feature, Pro/ENGINEER checks tomake sure you have a centerline and that the section is closed.

Sketcher Accuracy

Modify the Sketcher accuracy to help solve certain sectionregeneration problems. For example, if Pro/ENGINEER issues themessage that says an entity has zero length (because its length isless than the accuracy used by the Sketcher), increasing theaccuracy by entering a smaller number makes the length appear tobe non-zero. The system can then solve the section (assuming noother problems arise due to increasing the accuracy).

➤ How to Change the Sketcher Accuracy

1. Choose Sec Environ from the SEC TOOLS menu.

2. Choose Accuracy from the SEC ENVIRON menu.

3. At the prompt for the new accuracy, enter a value between1.0E-9 (0.000000001) and 1.0.

4. Regenerate the section.

If the section still fails to regenerate successfully, try increasing theaccuracy again (entering a smaller number), or evaluate the sectionfor other problems.

Note that the system remembers the relative accuracy of eachsection when you redefine a feature that contains the section.

Sketcher 2 - 49

Sketcher

Unregenerating a SketchYou can restore a section to the state it was in prior to regeneratingby using the Unregenerate option in the SKETCHER menu. Thisoption is available only when the section has been successfullyregenerated. When you select this option, your sketch geometryreverts back to what it was, but any dimensions that were modifiedremain with their modified values.

Unregenerating a Section and Disabling UnwantedConstraints

If a section has changed undesirably after a regeneration, you canundo the regeneration and then disable some of the constraintsused by Sketcher.

➤ How to Restore the Original Geometry and Disable Constraints

1. Unregenerate the section by using the Unregeneratecommand. The system restores the section to a“pre-regeneration” state.

2. Choose the Constraints option and disable unwantedconstraints.

3. Regenerate the section again.

For an example, refer to the following diagram.

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Example of Unregenerating the Section and Disabling Constraints

Modifying a Section SketchChoose Modify from the SKETCHER menu to modify the size andshape of the section. The MOD SKETCH menu lists the followingoptions:

• Mod Entity—Modify dimensions, splines, or sketch textentities. To modify a dimension, pick this dimension and entera new dimension value.

• Drag Dim Val—Select up to five dimensions. The systemdisplays a thermometer-type scale you can use to change theselected dimensions.

• Drag Entity—Select a dimension and then an entity to drag tothe desired location using the mouse buttons.

• Drag Vertex—Pick two dimensions, then a vertex, and dragthe vertex to the desired location using the mouse buttons.

1) Create angular, horizontal, and verticaldimensions for this section.

2) After regeneration, the system highlights theangular dimension as extra.

3) Unregenerate the section, disable theVertical constraint, and regenerate again.

4) The angle dimension is no longerextra. Modify the angle value asrequired.

Sketcher 2 - 51

Sketcher

• Set Anchor—Set the point that will be fixed during dragoperations. This option is available only when there is no solidobject present.

Restoring Dimensions

If a regeneration fails as a result of dimensional changes, thesystem displays the Section Fail menu with the following options.

• RestoreDim—Pick individual dimensions that you want torestore to their original values.

• RestoreAll—Restore all the dimensions to their originalvalues.

Unless you selected the RestoreAll option, you must stillregenerate the model successfully. If necessary, modify additionaldimensions, or delete features before regenerating.

Note: If a regeneration could not continue because valueswere changed in a relation, either edit the relation ormodify the dimensions used in the relation.

For more information, see Working in the Resolve Environment onpage 17 - 3.

Dynamic Modification

After you successfully regenerate the section, you can use DragDim Val, Drag Entity, and Drag Vertex options to dynamicallymodify the section. These options enable you to change dimensionsover a continuous range and watch the sketch update smoothly.The system maintains all constraints during the dynamicmodification and automatically regenerates the sketch.

As you dynamically modify a dimension, the sketch may failregeneration. For example, if the sketch cannot be regenerated soas to follow the cursor, it remains displayed in the last generatedposition until you move the cursor into a region where the sketchcan follow it. If the sketch fails regeneration, the system issues awarning message.

With the options Drag Vertex and Drag Entity, you drag thegeometry to the desired location, and Sketcher calculates thedimensions for you. With the Drag Dim Val option, you changedimensions by using a thermometer-type scale.

The following sections describe the different kinds of dynamicmodification in detail.

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Using the Drag Dim Val Option

The following procedure explains how to vary dimensions by usingthe Drag Dim Val option.

➤ How to Use the Drag Dim Val Option

1. Choose Drag Dim Val from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select up to five dimensions and choose Done Sel.

3. The system displays a thermotool with the Modify Dims slidersand the Scale slider. Use the appropriate Move Dims sliders tovary corresponding dimensions. Use the Scale slider to vary allthe selected dimensions at once. When you use the Scale slider,the system multiplies all dimensions in other sliders by thescale, except for dimensions that do not control length directly(for example, angular dimensions and conic rho dimensions).

4. By moving the mouse, slide the red arrows to point to newvalues. The Sketcher automatically changes the sketch toreflect your changes. The system displays only the dimensionsthat you are changing. If you are satisfied with the change, clickthe left mouse button in the top bar of the thermotool. To resetthe tool, click the right mouse button. Use the middle mousebutton to abort the process.

Note that you can change the Sensitivity value, which in effectchanges the range of the slider scales.

Using the Drag Entity Option

The following procedure explains how to drag an entity by using theDrag Entity option.

➤ How to Use the Drag Entity Option

1. Choose Drag Entity from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select a dimension to vary, then select an entity. When youmove the mouse, the Sketcher modifies the dimension to makethe entity follow the cursor. Note that only the selecteddimension changes; all the other dimensions remain fixed.

3. To accept the new value of the dimension, click the left mousebutton. To abort the changes and restore the original value,click the middle mouse button.

4. To continue the process, select another entity for dragging orpick a new dimension.

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Sketcher

Using the Drag Vertex Option

The following procedure explains how to drag vertices with theDrag Vertex option.

➤ How to Use the Drag Vertex Option

1. Choose Drag Vertex from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select two dimensions to vary, then select a vertex. The sketchadjusts so the vertex always stays on top of the cursor.

3. To accept the new value of the dimension, click the left mousebutton. To abort the changes and restore the original value,click the middle mouse button.

4. To continue the process, select another vertex for dragging orpick new dimensions.

Setting an Anchor Point

The notion of anchor point is applicable only when you are notsketching on preexisting geometry. The system stores the anchorpoint with the sketch.

Note that if you later create a coordinate system feature by usingthe default location, the system places it on the anchor point andupdates its location if the anchor point is changed while redefiningthe section of the base feature.

➤ How to Change the Anchor Point

1. Choose Set Anchor from the MOD SKETCH menu. This optionis available only when no three-dimensional geometry exists forlocating the section.

2. Select the point that you want to use as the anchor for thesketch.

Animated Modification with the Modify Entity Option

With Modify Entity in the MOD SKETCH menu, you can enter anew value for the selected dimension. To update the sketch afteryou have changed dimension values, regenerate the section withthe Regenerate command. The system then performs animatedmodification, enabling you to see how the size and shape of thesection changes according to new dimension values. The systemdynamically refits the section into the window, if necessary.

2 - 54 Part Modeling User’s Guide

If a regeneration fails, the system terminates the animatedmodification at the point of failure so you can see whichdimensional changes caused that failure. Use RestoreDim orRestore All to restore original dimesnions. Then you can try tomodify the section dimensions again.

Animated modification is enabled by default. If you want to turnanimation off, set the “sketcher_animated_modify” configurationoption to “no.”

➤ How to Modify the Value of a Dimension

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu. The Mod Entityoption is active by default.

2. Pick the dimension to be changed with the left mouse button.The system highlights the dimension in red.

3. Enter a new dimension value or relation. The modified valuechanges from red to white.

4. Modify any other values as necessary.

5. Choose Regenerate to recalculate and update the section.

Zero Dimension

You cannot enter an angular dimension value of zero in Sketchermode. The allowable range of values is 1.0000e-5 to 1.0000e+5. Twopossible ways to achieve a zero-value angular dimension are asfollows:

• Use Align to align an entity to the part.

• Enter a very small value, then delete the dimension afterregenerating the sketch. Pro/ENGINEER then assumes thatthe entities are aligned.

Negative Dimensions

For linear dimensions, you can enter a negative dimension value inSketcher mode. This causes the geometry to reverse direction. Thesign of the dimension is always maintained in the section sketch. InPart mode, the sign of the dimension always appears to be positive.

The following figure illustrates negative dimensions.

Sketcher 2 - 55

Sketcher

Relations

You can create a relation for section dimensions simply by enteringthe relation as you modify the dimension value. Pro/ENGINEERprompts you with the relation and asks if you want to keep it. Inthis way, you can build in the necessary relationships betweengeometry. You can also use the Relation option in the SKETCHERmenu (see Adding Relations to Sections on page 2 - 39 for moreinformation).

Modifying Spline Points

To modify the location and orientation of a spline, modify thelocation of its endpoints. As the endpoints move, Pro/ENGINEERresizes and rotates the spline to fit. The resulting spline isgeometrically similar to the original spline.

Note: You cannot move the endpoints of a spline if they aredimensioned.

To modify the shape of the spline, you must move the interpolationpoints. Several ways to do this are described in the followingsections.

When you modify the endpoints of a spline, Pro/ENGINEER adjuststhe spline point coordinates automatically. The adjustments are inaccordance with mathematical rules established inPro/ENGINEER.

Modify to -40.

2 - 56 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Modify a Spline

1. Modify the X,Y, Z coordinates and the tangency of the splineendpoints. Modifying the endpoints alters the other definitionpoints of the spline.

2. Modify the X, Y, Z coordinates of the other spline definitionpoints. You need to do this only if the Pro/ENGINEERadjustments to the spline are not satisfactory, or if the splineneeds to be explicitly defined with specified input values.

Modifying the Tangency of a Spline

After you create the spline, you can modify the tangency of theendpoints.

➤ How to Modify the Tangency of Endpoints

1. Choose Modify > Mod Entity.

2. Pick a spline.

3. Choose Tangency from the MOD SPLINE menu.

4. Pick the start or end point. The system displays the currentstatus of the point (tangent or non-tangent).

5. The system displays the MOD TANG menu, which has thefollowing options:

• Add—Add a tangency condition to the selected point.

• Remove—Remove a tangency condition from the selectedpoint.

6. To modify another endpoint, pick the other endpoint and chooseAdd or Remove.

7. Choose Done Modify to exit the MOD SPLINE menu.

Modifying the Spline Using the Mouse

The following procedure explains how to modify a spline by usingthe mouse and the Move Pnts option.

➤ How to Modify the Shape of the Spline

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu, then pick on thespline. The system displays the spline points as white circles.

2. Choose Move Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu. The systemdisplays the MOVE PNTS submenu, which has the followingoptions:

Sketcher 2 - 57

Sketcher

• Single Pnt—Move individual spline points. Pick a splinepoint to be moved using the left mouse button. The systemhighlights the point in red and the spline rubberbands untilyou click the left mouse button again.

• Pnt Range—Move a range of spline points using the leftmouse button to select them. You do this by picking twopoints to “bound” the range to be moved. You then selectany point within this range and pick a new position for thatpoint on a section plane. After you move the individualpoints, choose Done Move.

3. The spline immediately adjusts to display its new shape.Continue to pick and relocate points until you have moved allthe desired points.

4. When you have modified the spline as desired, chooseDone Modify and regenerate the section. If you decide not tochange the spline before choosing Done Modify, chooseQuit Modify to leave the spline unchanged.

Modifying the Spline Using the Control Poly Option

The Control Poly option enables you to intuitively modify theshape of a spline. When you choose Control Poly (short for“control polygon”), spline control points appear with line segmentsbetween them on the spline. The line segments begin and end at thebeginning and end points of the spline, and intermediate segmentsalways remain tangent to the spline. These line segments are visualaids for modifying the shape of the spline.

To move the spline control points, pick and drag them to a newlocation. The spline curve rubberbands with the point movement todisplay how the spline shape changes with the movement of thepoints.

Notes:

• You cannot move spline endpoints using the Control Polyoption.

• You cannot use Control Poly on a spline that has atangency condition defined for one end only.

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➤ How to Modify a Spline Using the Control Poly Option

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and pick the splinethat you want to modify. The system displays the MOD SPLINEmenu.

2. Choose Control Poly. The system displays the control polygonof the spline in white.

3. To adjust the shape of the spline, pick a point on the controlpolygon and drag it to a new location. You cannot pickendpoints. The spline rubberbands to its new shape as youmove the point.

4. To place the control point, click the left mouse button in thedesired location for the point.

Modifying the Spline by Its Coordinates

When a spline has been associated to a local coordinate system, youcan move the spline points by entering values relative to thecoordinate system. You can change the type of coordinate systembetween Cartesian (X, Y, and Z), cylindrical (radius, theta, and Z),and spherical (radius, theta, and phi) when you read or save pointsto a file. However, when you enter new values from the keyboard,you can enter Cartesian values only.

The MOD SPLINE menu options used for coordinates are as follows:

• Coords—Modify the X- and Y- coordinates of the points byentering values.

• Read Pnts—Read in coordinates from a specified text file.

• Save Pnts—Write the current coordinates into a specified textfile. You can then edit and read this file using the option ReadPnts.

• Info Pnts—Display the coordinates of a spline in anInformation Window. You must select the coordinate type youwant used in the value display.

➤ How to Modify Spline Point Coordinates by Entering Their Values

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu, then pick on thespline. The system displays the spline points.

2. Choose Coords from the MOD SPLINE menu. This option isvalid only if the spline was defined to a local coordinate system.

3. Pick the point you want to move.

Sketcher 2 - 59

Sketcher

4. Respond to the prompts by entering values for the X and Ycoordinates. Enter a new value, or accept the default value.

5. Choose Done Modify to save the changes.

Note: If you have a license for Pro/FEATURE, you can alsomodify the Z-coordinates of a spline when you createcertain features (for example, a sweep). For moreinformation, see Three-Dimensional Sweeps onpage 6 - 7.

Saving Spline Points to a File

You can save spline points to a file with values representingCartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinate systems.

➤ How to Save Spline Points to a File

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and pick on a spline.

2. Choose Save Points from the MOD SPLINE menu.

3. Enter a file name.

4. Choose the coordinate system type from the COORD TYPEmenu.

5. Pro/ENGINEER creates a spline point definition file with thecoordinate system type printed in the file. This is a standardtext file and can be edited using the operating system editor.You can then use the edited file by choosing Read Points.

Modifying Spline Points Coordinates through a File

The following procedure explains how to modify coordinates ofspline points by reading in a data file.

➤ How to Modify Spline Point Coordinates Using a File

1. Create a spline point definition file and modify it.

2. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu, then pick on thespline. The system displays the spline interpolation points aswhite circles.

3. Choose Read Points from the MOD SPLINE menu and enterthe name of the spline points.

4. Choose the coordinate system type from the COORD TYPEmenu.

5. The system reads the spline points file.

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6. If the number of points in the file is not equal to the number ofpoints in the spline, Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want toautomatically add to, or remove points from, the spline.Respond “yes” to adjust the number of spline points tocorrespond to the number of points in the file. Respond “no” toabort the reading of the point file.

If the spline does not appear as expected, you probably specifiedthe wrong coordinate system type. Pro/ENGINEER does notcheck what you selected in Step 4 against what is written in thespline file. Try reading in the file again and specifying adifferent coordinate system type.

If the spline endpoints are dimensioned, the system ignores themodifications to the endpoint coordinates.

Modifying the Number of Points on a Spline

After you have created a spline, you can add points to, or removethem from the spline.

➤ How to Add Points to a Spline

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and select the splineyou want to modify. The spline disappears and the systemdisplays the spline points.

2. Choose Add Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu, then choose oneof following options from the NEW POINTS menu:

• Interior—Add points to the interior of the spline. Pick anylocation on the spline between any two existing points.

• Exterior—Extend the spline by adding points beyond itscurrent endpoints. Pick the spline endpoint to extend, thenpick additional points.

Note: If you try to add a new spline point very close to anexisting point, Pro/ENGINEER may tell you that thenew point is too close to the existing point. In this case,add the new point farther away, then move it to thedesired location.

➤ How to Delete Points from a Spline

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and select the splineyou want to modify. The spline disappears and the systemdisplays its points.

2. Choose Delete Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu. The splinereappears in red and its points remain visible.

Sketcher 2 - 61

Sketcher

3. Pick a spline point to be removed. The point disappears.

➤ How to View the Current Coordinate Values of Spline Points

1. Pick a spline.

2. Choose Info Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the current values for splinecoordinates in the Information Window.

Note: You can use the Sparse option to decrease the numberof points on a spline, or the Smooth option to make thespline smoother. These options work the same way inSketcher mode as they do for redefining curves. SeeModifying Imported Curves on page 16 - 27 for acomplete description of these options.

Modifying Text Entities

When you choose Modify and select Sketcher text, the systemdisplays the MOD SEC TEXT2 menu, which lists the followingoptions:

• Text Line—Modify the text message.

• Text Style—Modify the text style.

If you choose the Text Line option, Pro/ENGINEER prompts youfor the new text string in the Message Window. The system thenreplaces the old text string with the new string.

If you choose Text Style, the system displays the Sketcher TextStyle dialog box, as shown in the following figure.

Dialog Box for Text Style

You can change the following text attributes:

• Font—Select a new font from this drop-down list (see thefollowing table). The available fonts are as follows:

2 - 62 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Height—Enter the new text height in this field.

• Angle—Enter the new text angle in this field. This value affectsthe rotation angle of the rectangle containing the text. Apositive value rotates the rectangle counterclockwise.

• Width—Enter the new text width factor in this field. Note thatthis option is not available in Part mode.

• Slant Angle—Enter the new text slant angle in this field. Thisoption affects how the text is slanted with respect to the sides ofthe rectangle that contains it.

The action buttons are as follows:

• Apply—Apply the new values to the text.

• Reset—Reset the value to the default value.

• Cancel—Exit from the dialog box.

To change any of the fields, enter the new value in the appropriatefield. Select the Apply button to apply the new value. When youhave finished changing the text style attributes, select the Cancelbutton.

Deleting Entities

Selecting Delete from the SKETCHER menu brings up theDELETION menu with the following options:

• Delete Item—Delete selected items.

• Delete Many—Delete several items by enclosing them in theselection box.

Font Name Description

font3d Pro/ENGINEER 3-D font used forextruded text (also the default forall text features)

font Pro/ENGINEER ASCII font

leroy Leroy

cal_grek Calcomp Greek characters

cal_alf Calcomp alphanumeric characters

Sketcher 2 - 63

Sketcher

• Delete All—Delete all section geometry, similar to erasingeverything off a sheet. Delete All affects only entities anddimensions and does not undo changes made to the Sketcherenvironment. If you have sketched multiple subsections for ablend, Delete All deletes all entities in all subsections. Todelete all the entities of the current subsection withoutaffecting those in other subsections, use Delete Many.

Note: When you redefine a section with Redefine/Scheme,Delete All deletes only all section dimensions withoutdeleting geometry.

• Undelete Last—Restore the most recently deleted entity, oneat time. Use this option repeatedly until you restore all itemsyou need. Any dependent entities, such as dimensions, alsoreappear with the restored entities. Undelete Last restoresentities only before you regenerate the section. After theregeneration, deleted items cannot be restored. Undelete Lastrestores all entities deleted with Delete All.

You can use Delete Item in combination with Delete Many.

Note: If two entities lie on top of each other, the systemdeletes the entity that was created first.

Section Geometry InformationThe Sec Info option in the INFO menu accesses information aboutthe section geometry. The following options are listed in the SECINFO menu:

• Entity—Select a single entity about which to get information.The system displays the type of geometry, endpoint tangencies,and endpoint coordinates (only if a coordinate system isselected).

• Intersect Pt—Select two entities to determine theirintersection points. If the selected entities do not physicallyintersect, the Sketcher extrapolates the entities to find anintersection. If the extrapolated entities do not intersect (forexample, parallel lines), the system does not return anintersection value. The system displays the angle of slope at theintersection point for both entities and the intersectioncoordinate values (if a coordinate system is selected).

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• Tangent Pt—Select two entities to determine where theirslopes are equal. The selected entities do not have to betouching. The system displays the angle of slope at thetangency points, the distance between the two tangency pointsand, if a coordinate system is selected, the coordinates of thetangency points.

• References—Graphically highlight the references used by thesection. The color code is as follows:

– Surfaces—Yellow

– Edges—Blue

– Axes, datums, and features—Red

• Angle—Measure the angle between any two lines. Select thetwo lines. Pro/ENGINEER displays the measured angle in theMessage Window.

• Distance—Measure the distance between any two parallellines, two points, or a point and a line.

• CrvtureDisp—Display the curvature of splines in the sectionusing the CRV DISPLAY menu options. The CRV DISPLAY menuoptions are as follows:

– Select Curve—Select a curve for curvature analysisdisplay.

– Scale—Change the scale of the curvature display.

– Density—Change the density of the curvature display.

• Grid Info—Display the current grid values in the MessageWindow (spacing and angle, in degrees).

For the options Entity, Intersect Pt, and Tangent Pt, you canalso choose a coordinate system to identify pertinent coordinatevalues for the Sketcher entities, as follows:

• Use Csys—Select a coordinate system from which to obtainentity coordinate values.You can select only Sketchercoordinate systems that were created in the current sketch.When you pick on the coordinate system, it highlights inmagenta until you do one of the following:

– Exit SEC INFO processing.

– Choose No Csys.

– Choose Use Csys again and pick another coordinatesystem.

Sketcher 2 - 65

Sketcher

– Choose an option from the SEC INFO menu that does notrequire a coordinate system.

• No Csys—The system does not give any coordinate values inthe section information. Pro/ENGINEER determines otherinformation, such as length or angles, relative to the sketchcoordinate system. The sketch coordinate system has the X-axisalong the horizontal and the Y-axis along the vertical.

Sketcher HintsThis section provides hints that may be helpful when you are inSketcher mode:

• Use the delete-dimension-undelete process when it is difficult toselect geometry for dimensioning.

• Use points to locate fillets and arcs.

• Use centerlines to locate points and lines.

• Use horizontal and vertical lines to draw tangent arcs.

• Exaggerate small angles when you create them, then modifythe values.

• Explicitly specify orientation of the sketch.

• Regenerate complex geometry one section at a time.

• Manipulate Sketcher constraints to obtain the desiredgeometry.

• Use automatic dimensioning to complete dimension schemesafter all critical design dimensions have been created manually.

Delete - Dimension - Undelete

When geometry lies on a centerline or axis, it may be difficult toselect the geometry for dimensioning. To select geometry that lieson a centerline or axis, use Query Sel. Optionally, you can deletethe center lines as follows.

➤ How to Delete the Centerline or Axis

1. Dimension the geometry.

2. Undelete the centerline or axis.

The following figure illustrates an example of when you would needto use this process.

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Deleting a Centerline When Dimensioning

Using Points to Locate Fillets and Arcs

When you create fillets between non-horizontal and non-verticallines, create a point at the intersection of the lines to dimension totheoretical sharps (see the following figure).

Using a Point When Dimensioning

This centerline has tobe temporarilydeleted to createdimension d1.

Sketcher 2 - 67

Sketcher

Using Centerlines to Locate Points and Lines

You can use centerlines to locate points and lines (see the followingfigures).

Using a Centerline to Locate Circular Entities

Using a Centerline to Locate a Sketched Feature at an Angle

This centerline locates the centerpoints of thetwo circular entities at the same horizontallocation.

This centerline locates the rectangular sketched feature atan angle so it can be dimensioned as if it were simplyvertical and horizontal lines.

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Using Horizontal and Vertical Lines to Draw Tangent Arcs

To ensure that an arc will be tangent to the horizontal (or vertical)plane, sketch a horizontal (or vertical) line, then use the rightmouse button to create the arc (see the following figure).

Sketching an Arc

If there is another line sketched at this point, use thedelete-sketch-undelete technique.

Creating Small Angles

To create small angles, you can slightly exaggerate the sketch soSketcher does not make any unintended assumptions about theangle and does not consider the angle dimension extra. Then youcan modify the angle to the required value (see the followingfigure). Alternatively, you can use the Constraints option todisable this constraint.

Creating Small Angles

If this line is already present,delete it, sketch the arc,undelete, then delete thetemporary line.

Draw this temporary line tocreate a tangent arc.

10.0

1.0

Sketched angle Modified angle

Sketcher 2 - 69

Sketcher

Specifying the Orientation of the Sketch

When you sketch geometry, you must create at least one horizontalor vertical line, or an explicit coordinate dimension forPro/ENGINEER to determine the section orientation. For example,when you create a triangle, as shown in figure a, the regeneratedsketch appears as in figure b. Note that the orientation of thetriangle has changed because the system assumed that one line washorizontal. To clearly communicate your design intent, you mustadd an explicit angle to the sketch (see c in the followingillustration).

Adding an Angle to Specify Orientation

Regenerating Complex Geometry

Sketch and regenerate complex geometry in steps, as shown in thefollowing figure.

12o

a) c)b)

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Regenerating Complex Geometry in Steps

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

3 - 1

3Datums

Datums are used as references for constructing the model. They arenot geometry features, but they aid in geometry construction byacting as references for when you sketch a feature, orient themodel, assemble components, and so on. Because of theirversatility, you use datums frequently.

Topic Page

Datum Display 3 - 2

Datum Planes 3 - 2

Datum Axes 3 - 8

Datum Points 3 - 10

Datum Curves 3 - 17

Coordinate Systems 3 - 53

Graphs 3 - 59

Creating an Evaluate Feature 3 - 60

3 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Datum DisplayTo control the display of datum planes, datum axes, datum pointsymbols and tags, and coordinate systems, choose View > DatumDisplay, and set the appropriate options in the Datum Displaydialog box.

Note: You can display all datum points with or without nametags.

You can also control the display of datum features by setting theappropriate configuration options to “yes” or “no” (see the followingtable).

Datum curves are unaffected by any of these options for datumdisplay. If you want to blank a datum curve, place it on a layer andblank the layer. Similarly, you can “turn off” the display ofindividual datum features or datum name text by placing them on alayer, then blanking the layer.

You can also reassign the colors of datums and datum tags bychoosing View > Model Setup > Color & Appearances.

Datum PlanesYou can use datum planes to create a reference on a part where onedoes not already exist. For example, you can sketch or placefeatures on a datum plane when there is no appropriate planarsurface. You can also dimension to a datum plane as if it were anedge. When you are constructing an assembly, you can use datumswith assembly commands.

Datum feature Configuration optioncontrolling display

Datum plane datum_display

Datum axis axis_display

Datum point datum_point_displaydatum_point_symbol_displaydatum_point_tag_display

Coordinate system display_coordinate_sys

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Datum planes are infinite. You can size datum planes, except thosemade on-the-fly, to visually fit a part, feature, surface, edge, axis, orradius (see Sizing Datum Planes on page 3 - 4).

You create a datum plane by specifying constraints that locate itwith respect to existing geometry. For example, you might make adatum plane pass through the axis of a hole and parallel to a planarsurface. The constraints you choose must locate the datum planerelative to the model without ambiguity (except for the optionThru Cyl).

Datum Plane Colors and Names

By default, datum planes have two sides: yellow and red. You usethe colors when you assemble components, orient views, and sketchreferences. Pro/ENGINEER displays datum planes as red or yellow,depending on which side is facing the screen. When you createdatum planes, the system assigns them names in sequential order(DTM1, DTM2, and so on). You can change the names of the datumplanes using the Setup option in the Part menu and the Nameoption in the PART SETUP menu.

Selecting Datum Planes

To select a datum plane, you can pick on its name, or select one ofits boundaries. The visual boundaries of the datums sometimes getin the way of selecting surfaces or edges of the model. If thishappens, use Query Sel, or set the configuration file option“select_on_dtm_edges” to “sketcher_only” so the visual edges of thedatum are selectable only when you dimension sketched sections.

Creating Datum Planes On-the-Fly

In the process of feature creation, the system lets you create adatum plane “on-the-fly” using the Make Datum option in theSetup Plane menu.

Consider the following rules about the datum planes createdon-the-fly:

• Datum planes that you create during feature creation areinternal to and belong to that feature.

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• Datum planes on-the fly become invisible after you create thefeature. Any associated dimensions positioning the datumplane are included with those of the feature. This gives youmore choices for varying dimensions when you create a featurepattern (see Rotational Patterns of Sketched Features onpage 14 - 9).

• Datum planes created on-the-fly cannot be referenced by otherfeatures.

• When you use Copy/Mirror to copy features and use datumplanes on-the-fly as the mirror plane, this datum plane staysvisible because it can be referenced by more than one feature.

Datum Planes for Creating Cross Sections

When you create datum planes on-the-fly to use in creating across-sectional view of a model or quilt, Pro/ENGINEER puts themon a layer named xsec_datums. The layer xsec_datums isautomatically blanked.

Sizing Datum Planes

Although datum planes are actually infinite planes, by default thesystem displays them scaled to the model size. The size of adisplayed datum plane changes with the dimensions of a part.

You can size all datum planes, except those made on-the-fly, tovisually fit a part, feature, surface, edge, axis, or radius using theRedefine command.

When you select the plane to redefine, the OPTIONS menu displaysthe following options for sizing the datum plane:

• Default—Size the datum plane to the model (part orassembly).

• Fit Part—Size the datum plane to the selected part. Thisoption applies to assemblies only.

• Fit Feature—Size the datum plane to a part or assemblyfeature.

• Fit Surface—Size the datum plane to any surface.

• Fit Edge—Size the datum plane to fit an edge.

• Fit Axis—Size the datum plane to an axis.

• Fit Radius—Size the datum plane to a specified radius,centering it within the outline of the model.

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Creating a Datum Plane

The following procedure describes basic steps for creating a datumplane.

➤ How to Create a Datum Plane

1. Choose FEAT CLASS > Datum or SETUP PLANE > MakeDatum (see Setting Up the Sketching Plane on page 4 - 3), thenchoose DATUM > Plane.

2. Choose the desired constraint option from the DATUM PLANEmenu.

3. Pick the necessary references on the model.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have established the necessaryconstraints.

5. Choose Done to create the datum plane, Restart to respecifyall the constraints, or Quit to abort.

Continuous Datum Plane Creation

Normally, you create a single datum plane, then you have to redothe menu picks Feature, Create, Datum, and so on to createadditional planes. However, when you set the configuration fileoption “repeat_datum_create” to “yes”, you can continue to makethe same type of datum feature (plane, axis, and so on) withoutredoing all the menu picks, until you want to end. This option doesnot work when you are making datum planes on-the-fly.

Creating Default Offset Datum Planes

If your first feature in the model is a solid feature, you can add a setof default planes that are offset from the default coordinate systemby using the Offset Planes option.

➤ How to Create a Set of Default Offset Datum Planes

1. Choose Feature > Create > Datum.

2. Choose DATUM > Offset Planes.

Note: If the model has already a coordinate system with thename “DEFAULT”, that coordinate system will be usedas a reference.

3. Enter the offset distances in the X-, Y-, and Z-direction withrespect to the default coordinate system.

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Datum Constraints that Can Only Be Used Alone

The following datum constraints can only be used alone, becauseeach completely locates the datum plane:

• Through/Plane—Create a datum plane coincident with aplanar surface.

• Offset/Plane—Create a datum plane that is parallel to a planeand is offset from the plane by a specified distance (see thefigure below).

• Offset/Coord Sys—Create a datum plane that is normal to oneof the coordinate system axes and offset from the origin of thecoordinate system. When you select this option, the systemprompts you to select the axis to which the plane will benormal. Enter the offset along this axis.

• BlendSection—Create a datum plane through the section thatwas used to make a feature. If multiple sections exist, as for ablend, the system prompts you for the section number.

The offset of an Offset, Plane and Offset, Coord Sys datum planeis a parameter that can be used (for example, in patterns orrelations) and modified.

Datum Constraints that Can Be Used Alone

The options Through > AxisEdgeCurv and Through > Cylindercan be used alone. When the options are used alone,Pro/ENGINEER establishes the orientation of the datum. Theseplacement types are intended for revolved geometry, where theorientation of the datum makes no difference (see the next figure).

Through/AxisEdgeCurv Datum Plane

Select this axis

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When you specify the orientation of these datum planes, useadditional constraints, otherwise the system may change theorientation when you modify the part.

Datum Constraints that Are Used in Pairs

The following constraints must be used in combination with otherconstraints:

• Through > AxisEdgeCurv

• Normal > AxisEdgeCurv

• Normal > Plane

• Parallel > Plane

• Tangent > Cylinder

• Through > Point/Vertex

• Angle > Plane

You can pair the Through > Point/Vertex option with the optionsThrough > AxisEdgeCurv, Through > Cylinder, Parallel >Plane, or Normal > Plane.

With Normal > Plane, two constraints of the type Through >Point/Vertex define the plane explicitly. If you specify Normal >Plane and one constraints of the type Through > Point/Vertex,Pro/ENGINEER creates the plane in the default orientation. Youcan also use Through > Point/Vertex to select three datum pointsthrough which the datum plane will pass.

You can use the option Through > AxisEdgeCurv to createdatum planes through imported wireframe geometry and datumcurves. The option can be used as a standalone when the selectedentity is a circle or an arc, or a spline that lies in a plane. When youuse lines, you need two lines to establish the proper constraints.

Offset and Angled Datums

The options Offset > Plane, Offset > Coord Sys, and Angle >Plane create datum planes whose location or orientation isgoverned by a parameter. These parameters are especially usefulwhen you are making patterns of datum planes.

The possible options for specifying the offset distance are as follows:

• Thru Point—Define the location by picking a point on themodel through which the datum plane will pass.

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• Enter Value—Enter a value for the offset and angle. An arrowappears on the part that indicates the positive direction of theoffset and angle. Use this option when the datum does not passthrough any other point on the model.

Datum Using Through with AxisEdgeCurv and Angle with Plane

Using a Composite Curve as a Reference

It is good practise to use a composite curve as a references, ratherthan its underlying segments. This will prevent the feature fromfailing if any segment has been deleted.

Note that when you constrain a datum plane to be normal to acomposite curve at the connection point of two non-tangentsegments of the curve, the feature’s orientation is determined bythe curve segments closest to the start of the composite curve.

Datum AxesLike datum planes, datum axes can be used as references forfeature creation. Datum axes are particularly useful for makingdatum planes, placing items concentrically, and creating radialpatterns. Datum axes, as opposed to feature axes, are individualfeatures that can be suppressed, blanked, or deleted.

Note: The system automatically creates an axis for extrudedarcs only when you set the configuration file option“show_axes_for_extr_arcs” to “yes”.

Datum references thissurface for angle.

Angle

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Datum

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The next figure illustrates how to use datum axes.

Datum Axes Names

Pro/ENGINEER names datum axes A_#, where # is the number ofdatum axes that have been created. You can change the defaultname of the axis (see Modifying Feature Names on page 16 - 11).You can select an axis by its name, or by selecting the axis itself.

Creating a Datum Axis

This section explains how to create a datum axis.

➤ How to Create a Datum Axis

1. Choose Datum from the FEATURES menu, then Axis from theDATUM menu.

2. Choose the desired constraint option from the DATUM AXISmenu. The possible options are as follows:

• Thru Edge—Create a datum axis through the specifiedstraight edge.

• Normal Pln—Create an axis that is normal to a surface,with linear dimensions locating it on that surface.

• Pnt Norm Pln—Create an axis through a datum point andnormal to a specified plane.

Normal throughpoint on surface(normal to surface)

Through cylinder

Through edge Intersection of twoplanes

Throughtwo points

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• Thru Cyl—Create a datum axis through the “imaginary”axis of any surface of revolution (where an axis does notalready exist). Select a cylindrical surface or revolvedsurface. Note that some features that only appear to becylindrical, such as a remove surface round, cannot beselected.

• Two Planes—Create a datum axis at the intersection ofthe two specified planes (datum planes or surfaces). Thetwo planes cannot be parallel, but they do not have to beshown to intersect on the screen.

• Two Pnt/Vtx—Create an axis between two datum pointsor edge vertices. Select the datum points or edge vertices.

• Pnt on Surf—Create an axis through any datum pointlocated on a surface. You did not have to create the pointusing the On Surface option. The axis will be normal tothe surface at that point.

• Tan Curve—Create an axis that is tangent to a curve oredge at its endpoint or any datum point on the curve. Selectthe curve or edge to be tangent to, then select an endpoint ofthe curve or edge.

3. Pick the necessary references for the selected option.

Continuous Datum Axes Creation

You can set a configuration file option to specify continuous datumaxes creation (instead of making multiple menu picks for each axis).To do this, set the configuration file option “repeat_datum_create”to “yes”. For more information, see Continuous Datum PlaneCreation on page 3 - 5.

Creating New Datum Points for a Datum Axis

In the process of defining a datum axis, you may need to create adatum point “on-the-fly”, for example, when you use thePnt on Surf or Pnt Norm Pln option. For more information, seeCreating Datum Points On-the-Fly on page 3 - 16.

Datum PointsDatum points are used to specify point loads for mesh generation,attach datum targets and notes in drawings, and create coordinatesystems and pipe feature trajectories. You can also place axes,datum planes, holes, and shafts at a datum point.

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By default, Pro/ENGINEER displays a datum point as an X, withthe associated text in the form PNTn, where n is the number of thedatum point. To select a datum point, pick on the datum point textor on the point itself.

You can change the display symbol used for datum points using theconfiguration file option “datum_point_symbol”. A datum point canuse any of the following symbols: CROSS, CIRCLE, TRIANGLE, orSQUARE.

You can rename datum points using the Name command in theSETUP menu (see Modifying Feature Names on page 16 - 11). For adatum point feature with multiple points, you can rename eachpoint individually. Datum points declared in a layout cannot berenamed.

Creating Datum Points Using Model Geometry

The following procedure explains how to create datum points usingmodel geometry.

➤ How to Create a Datum Point Using Model Geometry

1. Choose Point from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose one of the following options from the DATUM POINTmenu:

• On Surface—Create a datum point on a surface.Dimension the datum point from two planes or edges.Datum points created using this option can be patterned.You can select the locating dimensions to establish patterndirection. If you create a datum point on a surface thatbelongs to a quilt, the point references the whole quiltrather than the particular surface on which it was created.

• Offset Surf—Create a datum point offset in a specifieddirection from a surface at a specified distance from tworeferenced placement planes or edges.

• Curve X Srf—Create a datum point at the intersection of acurve and a surface. The curve can be a part edge, surfacefeature edge, datum curve, axis, or an imported datumcurve (see Importing Datum Curves on page 3 - 26). Thesurface can be a part surface, surface feature, or datumplane.

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• The system creates the datum point at the location at whichthe surface and the curve intersect that is closest to the“pick” used to select the curve. The system “remembers” theinitial pick location on the curve, not on the surface. Forexample, if you modify the angle used to place a datumplane, Pro/ENGINEER places the point at the nearestcorresponding intersection of the curve and planar surface.

• On Vertex—Create a datum point on the vertex of a partedge, surface feature edge, datum curve, or importedwireframe.

• Offset Csys—Create a datum point array at an offset fromone or more coordinate systems.

Note: You can only change the array of one or more datumpoints created using Offset Csys by using theRedefine command.

• Three Srf—Create a datum point at the intersection ofthree surfaces. Each surface can be a part surface, surfacefeature, or datum plane.

• At Center—Create a datum point at the center of an arc orcircle.

• On Curve—Create a datum point on an edge or curve witha parameter value for its location that references the lengthalong the curve from one of its vertices.

• Crv X Crv—Create a datum point on one curve that islocated where it is the minimum distance to another curve.The curves do not need to intersect.

• Offset Point—Create one or more datum points at anoffset from a point or vertex.

3. Choose Done from the DTM PNT MODE menu.

4. Select the necessary entities to constrain the location of thepoint.

Note: In certain cases, you cannot individually select multipledatum points created as a single feature. In these cases,Pro/ENGINEER does not allow you to pick the points.

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Creating Datum Point Arrays

A datum point array is a single feature consisting of one or moredatum points. You create these datum points by specifying threecoordinate values, relative to some coordinate system. You canenter the coordinate values from the keyboard, or they can be readin from a file.

You can create dimension patterns of datum point arrays.

➤ How to Create a Datum Point Array

1. Choose Point from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Offset Csys from the DATUM POINT menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the POINT ARRAY menu, which hasthe following options:

• With Dims—Create a parametric datum point array thatcan contain up to 100 points.

• Without Dims—Create a non-parametric datum pointarray. The system does not assign names or modifiabledimensions to individual points in the array. This point isrecommended when the number of points is large.

Note: The values in a non-parametric datum point array canbe changed using Redefine, References. However, thenumber of points in the array can only be added byusing Enter Points.

4. Choose Set Crd Sys to select or create a coordinate system.The system displays the GET COORD S menu. Choose Selectand select an existing coordinate system from the namelistmenu, or choose Create to create a new one (for moreinformation, see Coordinate Systems on page 3 - 53).

5. Set the coordinate system type by selecting Cartesian,Cylindrical, or Spherical from the SET CSYS TYP menu.

6. Choose one of the DTM PNT ARR menu options:

• Enter Points—At the prompt in the Message Window,enter the directional offsets (X, Y, and Z; r, theta, and Z; orr, phi, and theta) for one or more datum points. The datumpoint array table will not be saved to disk unless yousubsequently save the points using the option Edit Points

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in this menu, or Output in the PNT ARR TBL menu. In thiscase, these points appear in the NAMES menu namelistwhen you choose Redefine or Modify and select by name.Once added to an array table, these points also appear intable arrays for the Modify or Redefine commands.

• Edit Points—Use the system editor to enter rows of offsetsfor each datum point in the array, then exit from the editor.Pro/ENGINEER saves the array table for this array ofpoints in a disk file named coordsysname.pts.#, where # isthe version number that is automatically updated each timeyou write the file.

• Read Points—Read coordinates of the datum points froma file. Enter the name of an ASCII file that contains rows ofoffsets in the appropriate format, or the name of an IGESfile. The ASCII file format can contain point numbers in thefirst column. When the system reads the file, thesenumbers are ignored.

The ASCII file should be formatted so the three coordinatesfor each point are on one line. If more than three numbersare on one line, the system assumes the second, third, andfourth are the coordinates of interest. This means that youcan number datum points, if desired. You can separate thecoordinates using spaces or tabs, and the coordinates can beintegers or floating-point numbers. The file name shouldend with the extension “.pts”.

You can use any combination of these techniques for thecurrent coordinate system. When a datum point array iscreated, the system immediately displays points that havebeen successfully read or entered (before you select Done)as white X’s without tags.

7. If desired, you can set up a new coordinate system and specifymore points by repeating Steps 4 through 6.

8. When you have finished, choose Done. The system displays thedatum point names in yellow and displays their tags in white.

In the feature information, Pro/ENGINEER displays a table of thecoordinate system names and the offsets of the points for the datumpoint array.

Modify the array by choosing Modify from the PART menu andpicking a point in the array. For details, see Modifying Points in aDatum Point Array on page 16 - 9.

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Creating On Curve Datum Points

You can create a datum point on a curve or edge, with a parametervalue for its location that references the length along the curvefrom one of its vertices.

➤ How to Create a Datum Point on a Curve or Edge

1. Choose On Curve and Done from the DATUM POINT menu.

2. To dimension the point, choose one of the PNT DIM MODE menuoptions:

• Offset—Dimension the point to a planar surface. Select thesurface from which to measure the offset distance. Thedefault value given in the dimension prompt is the locationat which you selected the curve or edge. If you modify thelocation of the point on the curve, the dimension measuresthe distance from the surface to the point.

• Length Ratio—Express the distance from the point to thecurve vertex as a ratio of the total length of the curve,shown as a fraction in decimal form. Enter a ratio valuebetween 0 and 1, where 0 is at the vertex from which youare measuring, and 1 is at the other end of the curve. Forexample, entering .25 places the datum point at 1/4 of thecurve length from the vertex from which the measurementis made toward the end. The default value given in thedimension prompt is the location at which you selected thecurve or edge. Pro/ENGINEER displays the dimension as# REL.

• Actual Len—Dimension the point by measuring a specificdistance from the vertex of the curve. Enter a valuebetween 0 and the total length of the curve. The systemdisplays this range in the prompt for the value.Pro/ENGINEER displays the dimension as # LEN.

3. Select the edge or curve at the location where you want to addthe datum point.

4. If desired, continue adding points along this curve or edge.

5. Choose Done when you have finished adding points.

6. Enter dimensions for each of the datum points.

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Note: If you choose Length Ratio or Actual Len, thedimensions are only within a tolerance limitdetermined by the part accuracy and are not necessarilyexact. After you complete the feature, the systemdisplays the accuracy in a message. However, if youchoose Offset, the dimensions used are exact.

Creating Datum Points On-the-Fly

When you must select or create points while creating a feature, thesystem displays the GEN PNT SEL menu, which lists the followingoptions:

• Select—Select an edge vertex, curve end, or datum point.

• Unselect—Unselect a previously selected edge vertex, curveend, or datum point.

• Create Points—Create datum points.

➤ How to Create New Datum Points

1. Choose Create Points from the GEN PNT SEL menu.

2. The DTM PNT MODE menu appear with the following options:

• Add New—Create new datum points in the feature. selectan option from the DATUM POINT menu, and follow thesystem prompts to locate the points.

Note: For the current master feature, the DATUM POINTmenu shows only valid options for creating datumpoints.

• Change—Change the placement of an existing datumpoint. Select the point you want to change, choose an optionfrom the DATUM POINT menu, and define the point asusual.

• Remove—Remove selected datum points from the feature.

3. Once you create all required points, choose DTM PNT MODE >Done. Upon creation, the system automatically selects all newpoints for an operation.

Creating Offset Datum Points

Using the Offset Point option, you can create a datum point byspecifying an offset direction, then selecting another point (datumpoint, vertex, or coordinate system) from which the new datumpoint is to be offset.

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➤ How to Create an Offset Datum Point

1. Choose Offset Point from the DATUM POINT menu.

2. Select how to specify the offset direction using one of thefollowing options in the OFFSET DIR menu:

• Entity/Edge—The offset direction is along a straight edge,axis, or straight curve.

• Plane Norm—The offset direction is normal to a plane.

• 2 Points—The offset direction is indicated by a line passingthrough two points (two vertices, points, or coordinatesystems).

• Coord Sys—The offset is along the axes of a coordinatesystem.

3. Select the appropriate references for the direction of the newpoints.

4. Pick the points from which to offset. Choose Done Sel whenyou have finished.

5. Enter the offset distance along the direction shown (if youselected Coord Sys, the system prompts you for an offsetdistance along each axis in turn). A negative value creates anoffset in the opposite direction.

Datum CurvesYou use datum curves to create surfaces and other features, or assweep trajectories.

By default, Pro/ENGINEER displays datum curves in orange. Youcan modify this color using either the Appearances dialog box, or bysetting the configuration file option “system_curves_color”percentages for red, green, and blue.

Sketched Datum Curves

You sketch datum curves in the same manner as any otherfeatures. Sketched curves can consist of one or more sketchedsegment and of one or more open or closed loop. However, usingdatum curves for other features is usually restricted to a singlecurve (which can consist of many segments) of an open or closedloop.

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As you sketch the datum curves, Pro/ENGINEER creates a singlecomposite datum curve on top of discrete sketched datum curves.For this type of composite curve, you cannot redefine a start point.

The composite curve created from a sketched curve can be selectedas a trajectory, for example as a sweep trajectory. Use Query Sel toselect underlying sketched curve entities.

➤ How to Create a Sketched Datum Curve

1. Choose DATUM > Curve > Sketch > Done.

2. The feature creation dialog appears with two elements:

• Section—Sketch datum curves.

• X-hatching—(Optional) Add cross-hatching to the areabounded by the curve. This element is available only forclosed sections.

3. Set up a sketching plane using the SETUP SK PLN and SETUPPLANE menus.

4. Select the direction of viewing by choosing Flip or Okay fromthe DIRECTION menu.

5. Set up a horizontal or vertical reference for sketching.

6. Sketch the curve and dimension it. Choose Done to exitSketcher.

7. To add cross-hatching, choose X-hatching and Define fromthe dialog box. Choose one of the options in the DISPLAYHATCH menu, followed by Done. The options are:

• Display—Crosshatch the area bounded by a closed loopsection. The cross-hatch will be visible in all modes (if youhave Pro/DETAIL), but is modifiable in Drawing mode only.

• No Display—Do not create any crosshatching.

8. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Datum Curves at Surface Intersections

You can create datum curves at the intersection of any part surfaceor surface feature and a datum plane. Each pair of intersectedsurfaces produces a separate segment of the curve. Pro/ENGINEERcombines each connected segment loop into a composite curve (seeComposite Datum Curves on page 3 - 27).

Note: Datum curves cannot be created at the intersection oftwo datum planes.

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➤ How to Create a Datum Curve Through the Intersection ofSurfaces

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Intr. Surfs, then Done.

3. For each surface, choose one of the following options from theINTR SURFS menu and select the appropriate references:

• Single—Select single surfaces. This is a face of a part, or abounded portion of a surface. You can select severalsurfaces at one time with this option.

• Whole—Select a whole quilt or all the surfaces on a part.You can select only once with this option.

Note: If the first surfaces selected are solid, the secondsurface selection cannot be solid.

Datum Curves Created with the Thru Points Option

You can create a Thru Points datum curve as a spline, or asequence of alternating tangent lines and arcs.

➤ How to Create a Curve Through Datum Points or Vertices

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Thru Points, then Done.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the Datum Curve dialog box with thefollowing elements:

• Attributes—Specify whether the curve should lie on aselected surface. See Creating a Curve Through Points thatLie on a Surface on page 3 - 21.

• Curve Points—Select points for the curve to connect.

• Tangency—(Optional) Set up tangency conditions for thecurve.

Note: The Tangency element can be defined only if at leastone end segment of the curve is a spline.

• Tweak—(Optional) Modify the shape of the curve that goesthrough two points by using the polyhedron manipulation.See Tweaking a Spline Curve Between Two Points onpage 3 - 22.

4. The system displays the CONNECT TYPE menu. Select the typeof curve shape to create and the datum points and vertices thatwill use that shape. The possible options are as follows:

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• Spline—Construct a curve using a three-dimensionalspline that passes through the selected datum points andvertices.

• Single Rad—Construct a curve using the same radiusthrough all the bends.

• Multiple Rad—Construct a curve by specifying a radiusfor each bend.

Note: The Attributes element of the curve defined witheither the Single Rad or Multiple Rad option cannotbe changed to On Surface.

• Single Point—Select individual datum points andvertices. You could have created these points individually oras a datum point array.

• Whole Array—Select all the points in a DatumPoint/Offset Csys feature, in consecutive order.

• Add Point—Add to the definition of the curve an existingpoint, vertex, or curve end through which the curve willpass.

• Delete Point—Delete from the definition of the curve anexisting point, vertex, or curve end through which the curvecurrently passes.

• Insert Point —Insert a point between already selectedpoints, vertices, and curve ends. This option modifies thecurve definition to pass through the inserted point. Thesystem prompts you to select a point or vertex before whichto insert the point.

Note: You can add, delete, or insert points during the creationor redefinition of the curve.

5. Choose Done from the CONNECT TYPE menu to create thecurve, or Quit to abort the process.

6. To define tangency conditions, select the Tangency element andDefine in the dialog box. The system displays the DEF TANmenu with the following options:

• Start—Apply tangency condition at the start point of thecurve. The system displays a red point or circle cross-hair atthe start of the curve.

• End—Apply tangency condition at the end point of thecurve. The system displays a red circle cross-hair at theendpoint of the curve.

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• Crv/Edge/Axis—Select an edge, curve, or axis to specifytangency or normal direction at the start or end point, asprompted.

• Create Axis—Create an axis to specify tangency or normaldirection at the start or end point using the DATUM AXISmenu.

• Surface—Select a surface or plane to specify the tangent ornormal direction.

• Srf Nrm Edge—Select a surface to which the curve will betangent at its start or end point. Select an edge of thatsurface to which the curve will be perpendicular at its startor end point.

Note: The start or end point of the curve must lie on thesurface edge used for the normal reference.

• Clear—Remove the current tangency constraint at theselected end. To have no tangency constraint at either end,choose Clear for both ends.

• Tangent—Make the curve tangent to the reference at thisend.

• Normal—Make the curve normal to the reference at thisend.

• Curvature—Set continuous curvature for the curve endwhere the tangency condition is specified. Activate thisoption by placing a checkmark in front of it. This makes thecurvature at the end of the curve equal to that of theconnecting end of the tangent entity.

7. Specify the direction for the curve at this tangency location bychoosing Flip or Okay from the DIRECTION menu. The systemdisplays an arrow at the end of the curve.

8. If you created a datum curve through two points, you can“tweak” the curve in 3D space and dynamically update itsshape. To manipulate the curve, choose the Tweak element inthe dialog box and click on Define. Proceed as described inTweaking a Spline Curve Between Two Points on page 3 - 22.

Creating a Curve Through Points that Lie on a Surface

If you want to create a curve that lies on a specific surface, redefinethe Attributes element in the dialog box. Choose Attributes andclick Define. Choose the On Surface option from the CRV TYPEmenu, followed by Done.

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The options in the CRV TYPE menu are:

• Free—Connect the points without requiring the curve to lie ona surface. This option is set by default.

• On Surface—Create the curve so that it lies on a specificsurface patch. Specify the surface to which the curve will belongusing options in the GET SELECT menu. Select a surface or adatum plane.

Consider the following rules for a curve through points:

• The On Surface attribute does not apply to a curve definedwith the Single Rad or Multiple Rad option.

• Setting the On Surface attribute may conflict with some of theprevious conditions that you defined for that curve. Forexample, the points selected to define the curve lie on thesurface, and the tangency conditions must be possible for theselected surface. When the system detects a conflict, it promptsyou to resolve it by removing invalid references.

• When you change the attribute from Free to On Surface, anytweaking of the curve is removed.

Tweaking a Spline Curve Between Two Points

You can modify the shape of a spline curve created through twopoints by tweaking it in 3D space or on a specific surface; thesystem automatically updates the shape of the curve according toyour changes. In addition, a number of curve analysis tools areavailable for you to monitor various curve characteristics. To accessthis functionality, define the Tweak element in the dialog box.

Note: When you tweak the curve between two points, thesystem maintains tangency conditions that youassigned at the ends of the curve.

➤ How to Tweak a Datum Curve Created Through Two Points

1. Select the Tweak element in the dialog box and click Define.

2. Select an option from the CRV TWEAK menu:

• SetupDisplay—Set the display of the curve, showing itscurvature, inflection points, or “tweak” points.

• Add Points—Add tweak points to the curve.

• Delete Points—Delete tweak points from the curve.

• Move Points—Move tweak points of the curve.

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• Move Polygon—Move the control polygon of the curve.

• Reset Curve—Remove all changes you have made to thecurve.

A more detailed explanation of the CRV TWEAK menu optionsfollows.

You can tweak a curve by using the following methods:

• Move tweak points directly with the Move Points option in theCRV TWEAK menu.

• Move vertices of the curve’s control polygon with the MovePolygon option in the CRV TWEAK menu.

➤ How to Tweak the Curve

1. To move tweak points of the curve directly, choose MovePoints. To manipulate the control polygon, choose MovePolygon.

2. If the curve is not an On Surface curve, set up the movementplane and motion region using the following options:

• Movement Pln—Set up the movement plane by choosingone of the following options in the MOT PLANE menu:

- View Plane—The movement plane is parallel to thescreen.

- Select Plane—The movement plane is parallel to areference plane. Select the reference plane.

- Curve Plane—The movement plane passes throughthe curve’s normal and tangency vectors, created at themovement point. This option is not available for linearcurves.

• Poly Motion—Use the POLY MOTION menu to define theregion of the curve to which the changes will apply. This isthe same menu you use to set up the region for free-formsurface manipulation (see Setting the Poly Motion Regionon page 13 - 8).

• Crvtr Setup—Set curvature display by entering a relativescale for smoothness and relative smoothness density.

3. Choose Move Points from the CONTROL POLY menu. Pick thetweak point and drag it to its new location. The system updatesthe shape of the curve automatically.

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4. As you tweak the curve, use the Preview option in theCONTROL POLY menu to preview its shape before and aftermodification (see Previewing the Curve on page 3 - 25). You canset up the curve’s display to show its curvature, inflectionpoints, and tweak points.

5. When you finish, choose Done Poly from the CONTROL POLYmenu.

Tweaking an On Surface Curve

When you tweak a curve defined on a spline surface and the curveextends beyond the boundaries of the surface, the curve’s shapemay become unpredictable (see the next figure). This happensbecause the extended portion of the curve follows the surfacedefinition beyond the boundaries of the visible surface.

Tweaking an On Surface Curve

Modifying the Display of Curves

The following procedure describes how to set up the display optionsfor the curve.

➤ How to Set Up the Curve’s Display

1. Choose SetupDisplay from the CRV TWEAK menu.

2. Choose DisplayOnCrv from the SETUP DISP menu.

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3. The CRV OPTS menu appears. Place checkmarks in front of thedisplay options that you want to enable, and choose Accept.The options are:

• Curvature—Show smoothness of curvature.

• Inflections—Show inflection points (points on the curvewhere curvature changes the sign). The inflection pointsappear as yellow crosses.

• Points—Show tweak points of the curve as green crosses.

4. To adjust the curvature display, choose Parameters from theSETUP DISP menu. Set the following options in the SETPARAMS menu:

• Crvtr Scale—Set a value for the curvature scaleparameter. Increasing this value scales up the length ofnormal segments displayed.

• CrvtrDensity—Set a value for the curvature scale densityvalue. Increasing this value, increases the number ofnormal lines displaying curvature.

Note: These parameter settings remain valid for the currentPro/ENGINEER session.

Displaying Curvature on a Curve

Previewing the Curve

With the Preview option, you can compare a specific display option(for example, curvature) before and after the curve changes.

Datum curve

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➤ How to Preview a Modified Curve

1. Choose Preview from the CONTROL POLY menu.

2. In the PREVIEW menu, choose Crvs To Disp. Specify whetherto preview the modified curve, the old curve, or both curves bychoosing the appropriate options from the CRV TO DISP menu.

3. Indicate to which curve display options will apply by selectingDispOnNewCrv or DispOnOldCrv from the PREVIEW menu.

4. For the selected curve (new or old), modify the display to showcurvature, inflection points, or tweak points. Enable the desireddisplay options by choosing the Display On Crv option in theSETUP DISP menu. To adjust the curve’s curvature display,choose Parameters from the SETUP DISP menu (see Step 4 onpage 3 - 25).

Importing Datum Curves

An imported datum curve can consist of one or more segments.Multiple segments are not necessarily connected. The From Fileoption imports a datum curve from a Pro/ENGINEER “.ibl”, IGES,SET, or VDA file. Pro/ENGINEER does not automatically combinethe curves imported using From File into a composite curve.

Pro/ENGINEER reads all the curves from an IGES or SET file,then converts them to spline curves. When you import a VDA file,the system reads the VDA spline entities only.

The “.ibl” file format is very much like that of a blend file, exceptyou should precede the coordinates of each segment of the curvewith both “begin section” and “begin curve”. Two points in a sectiondefine a line, while more than two define a spline. To connect curvesegments, make sure the coordinates of the first point are the sameas the last point in the previous section.

You can redefine datum curves that are created from a file and youcan trim or split them with other curves that are imported from afile. See Datum Curves from File on page 16 - 26 for moreinformation.

A sample “.ibl” file follows. The point numbering (the first column ofnumbers) in an .ibl file is optional.

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➤ How to Import a Datum Curve

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose From File, then choose Done.

3. The system displays the GET COORD S menu. Create or select acoordinate system that the curve will reference.

4. Enter the file name. If it is an IGES, SET, or VDA file, includethe appropriate file extension when you enter the name.

Composite Datum Curves

You can interactively create composite datum curves by combiningseveral datum curves, part edges, and surface feature edges. Edgescan be selected in any order. Selected references must either formone continuous chain (with two open ends), or one closed loop (withno open ends). Pro/ENGINEER creates individual curves “on top of”each entity and a single composite curve on top of the combinedindividual curves.

Pro/ENGINEER combines each continuous chain of a new datumcurve into a composite curve with no redefinable start point.However, datum curves imported using the From File option (seeImporting Datum Curves on page 3 - 26) will likely have multiplechains. Pro/ENGINEER does not automatically combine these into

openarclengthbegin section ! 1begin curve1 20 30 40

2 40 50 70

3 30 60 80

begin section ! 2begin curve1 30 60 80

2 40 70 40

3 50 40 60

begin section ! 3

begin curve

1 50 40 60

2 40 20 30

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a composite curve, but you can pick them to define a compositecurve interactively. You can also create a composite curve with aredefinable start point by using the Composite option. For moreinformation, see Composite Curve with a Redefinable Start Pointon page 3 - 32.

When you pick a composite curve, the system highlights that entirecurve. To select an underlying edge or a component curve, useQuery Sel.

It is good practice to create a composite curve out of individualcomponents and use this curve as a feature reference. Thecomposite curve automatically updates when its underlyingsegments are changed.

Subsequent sketcher entities cannot directly reference compositedatum curves for alignment. Instead, you must align these entitiesto the underlying curves that make up the composite curves.

You can use the value of the trajectory parameter trajpar_of_pntwith composite curves in relations to locate a specific point alongthe composite curve (for more information, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER). This is particularly beneficial when you arelocating a specific cross section in a variable section sweep (seeUsing Relations in Sweeps on page 6 - 35).

Typically, you can create composite curves that exactly follow theoriginal curves and edges with the CURV TYPE menu option Exact.Alternatively, you can use the Approximate option from the CURVTYPE menu to create composite curves that approximate a chain oftangent (C1 continuous) curves by a single continuous curvature(C2 continuous) spline. When you use the option Approximate, thenew approximate curve always maintains the same endpoint andtangency at the endpoint as the original curve that it approximates.

Using Approximate Curves

Before you create approximate curves, you should be aware of thebenefits and cautions of using them.

When you use an approximate composite curve as a reference for asurface blend from boundary, you create a single surface patch,with the following benefits:

• Remove small surfaces from the design, preventing theoccurrence of small edges and misalignment that characterizesmall patches.

• Create a single surface with continuous curvature.

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• Attain better surface aesthetics.

Because an approximate curve is an approximation, the new curvedoes not exactly follow the original edges and curves. Therefore, youcould have the following problems:

• Gaps between the original reference and the approximatecurve, which prohibits merger by joining or intersecting ofsurfaces.

For example, a surface that is swept along the approximatecurve might not attach directly to the original surface, so thetwo surfaces cannot be quilted together (see Definition of aQuilt on page 10 - 2).

The solution to this problem is to extend one or both surfaces sothey intersect. However, the surfaces might never intersect,such as when the surface normals are parallel.

Alternatively, do not use the Approximate option if you needto merge the corresponding surfaces.

• No reference to the original edge and surface.

For instance, this prevents you from creating a sweep featurethat references the edge and surface normal.

The solution to this problem is to create a variable sectionsweep using the Pivot Dir option. This also prevents you fromcreating a variable section sweep feature with tangency to thesurface.

• Undesired inflection in the approximate curve.

This problem is illustrated in the following figure.

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Approximate Composite Datum Curve

Gaps in surfaces prevent the surfaces from merging;they cannot be stitched together.

Deviation of approximate curve from the original sketched curve.

Two curves

Approximate curve

Approximate curve

Original curve

Approximate curve

See details below of deviationof approximate curve from theoriginal sketched curve.

Surf1—extrudedfrom approximatecurve.

Surf2—extruded fromsketchedcurve.

Surf1

Surf2

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Creating a Curvature Continuous Surface

A. Surf2 is swept along the approximate curve normal to Surf1Surfaces are meshed for ease of viewing.

Approximate curve on edge ofSurf1

B. You can overcome the gaps caused by the approximate curve byextending one or both surfaces so they intersect.

Approximate curve

Approximatecurve

Approximate curveOriginal curve

Surf2

Surf 1

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Curvature of Approximate Curve Versus a Sketched Curve

Composite Curve with a Redefinable Start Point

The following procedure describes how to create a composite datumcurve with a redefinable start point.

➤ How to Create a Composite Datum Curve

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Composite and Done from the OPTIONS menu.

Inflections of curvature can becaused by the approximate curve,depending on the rate of changeof curvature of the approximatecurve from that of the originalcurve.

Sketched

Approximate

Note: Features that reference an approximate curve inheritinflections that exist in the curve. For example, a surface built onapproximate curve may have undesirable inflections.

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3. A feature creation dialog box appears with the followingelements:

• Attributes—Specify whether you want to create an exactor approximate curve.

• References—Specify geometric references.

4. The system displays the CURV TYPE menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Exact—Use the curves exactly as they are.

• Approximate—Approximate a chain of tangent curves bya single continuous curvature spline. Pro/ENGINEERreplaces multiple discrete segments of a curve with a single,smooth curve. If you sweep along the approximate curve orblend a surface, the resulting surface maintains thecurvature continuity and, therefore, does not have anybreaks in it.

5. Use the CHAIN menu options to select a chain of curves andedges to be used as geometric references (see the followingsection for chain selection). For an approximate curve, you mustselect a chain of tangent curves/edges. When finished defining achain, choose Done from the CHAIN menu.

6. Choose OK from the dialog box.

If you choose Approximate, you can select a chain of edges orcurves to be approximated by a continuous curvature spline. If theselected chain is tangent within 5 degrees, Pro/ENGINEERapproximates it by a continuous curvature spline. Otherwise, thesystem highlights the points of discontinuity and you can eitherreselect the chain or abort the feature creation.

Chain Processing

In many places in Pro/ENGINEER, you need to select a chain ofcurves and edges using options in the CHAIN menu.

➤ How to Select a Chain of Edges or Curves

1. The system displays the CHAIN menu.

2. Select the chain type and pick the defining entities. When youhave finished, choose Done from the lower part of the CHAINmenu. The CHAIN menu options are as follows:

• One By One—Define a chain by selecting individual edgesand curves, including composite curves, one at a time. Youcan select the edges or curves in any order.

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• Tangnt Chain—Define a chain by selecting an edge,including all the edges tangent to this edge.

• Curve Chain—Define a chain by selecting a curve. Thesystem displays the CHAIN OPT menu to allow you to selectadditional curves, including composite curves.

The CHAIN OPT menu options are as follows:

- Select All—Select all curves that are connected to thecurrently selected loop in the same feature.

- From-To—Select the “from” and “to” vertices or curveends. The system highlights the vertices of the loop ingreen. Once both are selected, the system prompts youto pick the portion of the loop to keep, using theCHOOSE menu options Accept and Next.

• Bndry Chain—Define a chain by selecting a quilt andusing its one-sided edges. If the quilt has more than oneloop, select a specific loop to define the chain. The systemdisplays the CHAIN OPT menu. Choose either Select All orFrom-To.

• Surf Chain—Define a chain by selecting a surface andusing its edges. If the surface has more than one loop, selecta specific loop to define the chain. The system displays theCHAIN OPT menu. Choose either Select All or From-To.

• Two Points—(This option is available only for surfacesfrom boundaries.) Connect two points to create a curve andspecify tangency conditions for this curve using options inthe DEF TAN menu. The possible options are as follows:

- Start—Specify tangency at the start of the curve.

- End—Specify tangency at the end of the curve.

- Crv/Edge/Axis—Select an edge, curve, or axis tospecify the tangency direction at the start or end point.

- Create Axis—Create an axis to specify the tangencydirection at the start or end point.

- Surface—Select a surface on which the start or endpoint of the datum curve will lie and to which thecreated curve will be tangent. The curve pivots so as tofollow its natural direction, while remaining tangent tothe surface.

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- Curvature—Set continuous curvature for the curveend where the tangency condition is specified. Activatethis option by placing a checkmark in front of it. Thismakes the curvature at the end of the curve equal tothat of the connecting end of the tangent entity.

- Srf Nrm Edge—Select a surface on which the datumcurve’s start or end point will lie and to which thecreated curve will be both tangent to the surface andnormal to one of the surface boundaries.

- Clear—Clear the tangency conditions.

• Select—Select a chain by displaying the CHAIN menu.

• Unselect—Remove a curve or edge from the currentselection for a chain. For chain types other thanOne By One, use the CONFIRMATION menu to confirm orcancel the Unselect command. For the chain typeOne By One, select the curves or edges to remove from thechain.

• Trim/Extend—Trim or extend the chain ends. Use theCHOOSE menu to determine the end to be processed. Thesystem displays the TRIM/EXTEND menu, which lists thefollowing options:

- Enter Length—Trim or extend by a specified amount.Enter a negative value to shorten the curve, or apositive value to extend the curve.

Note: A negative value is not allowed for trimming a splinecurve.

- Drag—Use the mouse to adjust the chain endinteractively (the left button finalizes the position, themiddle button aborts the move, and the right buttontoggles between pausing or continuing the operation).

- Trim At—Trim the end segment of the curve using theTRIM AT menu, which has the following options:

• Start Point—Select the start point of the chain.

Point A specified point (such as a datum point,vertex, or curve end

Curve An intersecting datum curve

Surface An intersecting surface or datum plane

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Redefining Composite Curves

You can redefine a composite curve from Exact to Approximate,or vice versa. When you attempt to redefine a composite curve fromExact to APPROXIMATE, the system checks if the curve is tangent.If it is not, the system aborts the redefinition process.

Redefining or replacing sketcher entities used as references for acomposite curve causes the curve to fail regeneration. To minimizethe possibility of such a problem, redefine the curve references toexclude the missing entity, then add the new entity to thecomposite curve after it has regenerated.

Naming Composite Curves

Composite curves do not have names when they are first created.To add a name to a composite curve, use Set Up, Name, andFeature (see Modifying Feature Names on page 16 - 11), then pickthe curve.

Datum Curves Using Cross Sections

A datum curve can be created from a planar cross section boundary(that is, the intersection of the planar cross section with the partoutline). However, you cannot use a boundary from an offset crosssection to create a datum curve.

➤ How to Create a Datum Curve Using a Cross Section

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Use Xsec and Done from the OPTIONS menu.

3. Select a planar cross section from the namelist menu of all theavailable cross sections.

4. The cross-section boundary is used to create a datum curve. If across section has more than one chain, each chain has acomposite curve.

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Projected Datum Curves

You create projected datum curves by sketching a section, orselecting an existing datum curve, and then projecting it onto oneor more surfaces. You can project datum curves onto solid surfaces,a set of non-solid surfaces, quilts, or datum planes.

The surface or quilt you project onto does not have to be planar (seethe following figure).

Projecting a Sketched Curve on a Surface

If you create a curve by sketching on plane, it can be patterned.

Projected curves cannot be cross-hatched. If you select across-hatched datum curve for projection, the system ignores thecross-hatching.

There are two types of curves that you can project; they are listed inthe PRJCRVTYPE menu:

• Sketch—Sketch a curve to project.

• Select—Select a curve or edge to project.

Select this surface.

Projectedcurve

Sketched curve

Sketchingplane

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Projecting Sketched Curves

You can sketch a curve and then project it normal to the sketchingplane, or normal to a reference surface or plane (see the followingfigure).

Projecting with the Sketch Option

➤ How to Create a Projected Datum Curve by Sketching

1. Choose DATUM > Curve.

2. Choose CURVE OPTIONS > Projected > Done.

3. Choose PRJCRVTYPE > Sketch > Done.

4. A feature creation dialog box appears with the following featureelements:

• Section—Sketch a curve to project.

• Surfaces—Select the surface to project onto.

• Proj Type—Specify the projection method.

Sketch a curve onthis surface.

Section inSketcher

Projected curve created with theNorm To Sket option

Projected curve created with theNorm To Surf option

Select the bottomsurface to project onto.

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5. Create or select the sketching plane. Specify the direction ofviewing the sketching plane. Specify a view orientation bypicking the sketcher reference plane.

6. The system prompts you to specify a direction of featurecreation, and displays an arrow. Choose Flip if desired, thenchoose Okay.

7. The system places you into Sketcher. Specify reference entitiesto dimension the curve to the model. Sketch and dimension thecurve. Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

8. Select the type of surface to project onto by choosing an optionform the PROJCRVREFS menu:

• Surfaces—Use the SURF SELECT and SURF OPTIONmenus to select the surfaces or quilt onto which to projectthe curve (see Selecting Surfaces on page 10 - 14). Whenfinished selecting surfaces, choose Done from the SURFSELECT menu.

• Datum Planes—Select or create datum planes onto whichto project the curve. Choose Select Plane or Make Planefrom the GET DTMSEL menu.

9. The system automatically defines the projection method asNorm To Sket. If you want to project the curve normal to thesurface, choose the Proj Type element in the dialog box andclick Define.

10. The PROJ TYPE menu lists the Norm To Sket and Norm toSurf options. Choose Norm to Surf option and Done to projectnormal to the reference surfaces.

11. Choose OK from the dialog box. Pro/ENGINEER creates thedatum curve by projecting the sketch onto the selected surfaces.

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Projecting 3D Curves and Edges

You can project a curve or edge along the specified direction ornormal to a reference surface or plane (see the following figure).

Projecting with the Select Option

➤ How to Create a Projected Datum Curve by Selecting Entities

1. Choose DATUM > Curve.

2. Choose CURVE OPTIONS > Projected > Done.

3. Choose PRJCRVTYPE > Select > Done.

4. A feature creation dialog box appears with the following featureelements:

• References—Select curves and edges to project.

Projected curve created withthe Norm To Surf option

Projected curve created withthe Along Dir option

Project this curve.

Define the direction of projection asnormal to the plane.

Select the bottomsurface to project onto.

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• Surfaces—Select the surface to project onto.

• Proj Type—Specify the projection direction.

5. Select curve segments and edges by using options in the CHAINmenu. You can select multiple chains. After you select a chain,choose Done Sel and proceed to select the next chain.Whenfinished selecting entities, choose CHAIN > Done.

6. Select the type of surface to project onto by choosing an optionform the PROJCRVREFS menu:

• Surfaces—Use the SURF SELECT and SURF OPTIONmenus to select the surfaces or quilt onto which to projectthe curve (see Selecting Surfaces on page 10 - 14). Whenfinished selecting surfaces, choose Done from the SURFSELECT menu.

• Datum Planes—Select or create datum planes onto whichto project the curve. Choose Select Plane or Make Planefrom the GET DTMSEL menu.

7. The system brings up the PROJ TYPE menu. Select one of thefollowing options, followed by Done:

• Along Dir—Project the curve along the specified direction.Use options in the GEN SEL DIR menu to specify thedirection of projection. The options are:

- Plane—Project the curve normal to a planar surface.Select a planar surface or datum plane, or create adatum.

- Crv/Edg/Axis—Project the curve along the directionspecified by an axis, edge, or curve. Select an axis, edge,or curve segment. If the edge or curve is not linear,select a datum point on it at which tangency will bedetermined.

- Csys—Select an axis of the coordinate system as theprojection direction. For additional information, seeCoordinate Systems on page 3 - 53.

The system displays a red arrow that indicates thedirection. Use Flip to toggle it, if necessary, then chooseOkay.

• Norm to Surf—Project the curve normal to the referencesurfaces.

8. Choose OK from the dialog box. Pro/ENGINEER projects thedatum curve onto the selected surface.

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Formed Datum Curves

You can transfer a datum curve onto a surface as a formed curve,much like you can transfer a decal to a surface. The formed curvepreserves the length of the original curve. In contrast, a projecteddatum curve “distorts” the original curve length. Datum curves canonly be formed on surfaces that can be developed, such as cones,planes and cylinders.

Formed Versus Projected Datum Curve

Forming a Datum Curve on Part Surfaces

The following procedure describes how to create formed datumcurves.

➤ How to Create a Formed Curve on Solid Part Surfaces

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Formed and Done from the OPTIONS menu.

3. Choose Solid Surfs from the SURFACE LIST menu.

4. Select or create the sketching plane, then specify the directionof viewing the sketching plane by choosing Flip or Okay.

5. The system prompts you to specify a direction of featurecreation, and displays a corresponding arrow. Choose Flip, ifdesired, then choose Okay.

6. Specify a view orientation by picking a Sketcher referenceplane.

Projectedcurve

Sketched curve Sketched curve

Formedcurve

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7. Sketch the datum curve. Using the Adv Geometry option,include in the sketch a coordinate system that determines thecurve reference point. Locate it on the sketch where you wantcurve projection to start (the curve will be formed outward fromthat point). Make sure the location does not correspond to apoint on the surface that is perpendicular to the screen (forexample, do not align it to the silhouette edge of a cylinder).

8. When you choose Done from Sketcher, Pro/ENGINEER createsthe curve by projecting the reference point onto the partsurface. As shown in the following figures, this point isprojected normal to the sketching plane. Pro/ENGINEER formsthe curve onto the first surface it encounters in the featurecreation direction, with the length of the curve segmentspreserved.

Formed Datum Curve Creation

Forming a Datum Curve on Surface Features

The following procedure explains how to create a formed curve onsurfaces.

➤ How to Create a Formed Curve on Surface Features

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Formed and Done from the CURVE OPTS menu.

Formed curve

Reference point(sketch coordinatesystem)

Sketched curve

Sketchingplane

Feature creationdirection

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3. Choose Quilt Surfs from the SURFACE LIST menu. If there isonly one surface feature in the part, the system highlights itautomatically. If there is more than one, select a surface featureonto which to form the curve.

4. Set up the sketch plane and direction of feature creation, thensketch the datum curve. Include in the sketch a coordinatesystem that determines the curve reference point. Locate it onthe sketch where you want curve projection to start.Pro/ENGINEER will form the curve outward from that point.

5. Choose Done from the SKETCHER menu. Pro/ENGINEERcreates the curve.

The following figure shows how to create a formed curve on a solidsurface.

Placement of Formed Datum Curve on a Solid Surface

Split Datum Curves

A split datum curve is a copy of another curve. The new datumcurve terminates at the intersection with a surface, datum point, ordatum plane. When creating the split datum curve, you can keepthe curve segment on one or both sides of the terminating entity.

Once you create a split curve, the original curve becomes invisible.

➤ How to Create a Split Datum Curve

1. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose Split from the OPTIONS menu.

3. The dialog box lists the following elements:

• Curve—Define the datum curve to split.

Sketchingplane

Feature creationdirection

Feature creation direction

Sketchingplane

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• Divider—Select the dividing entity.

• Flip—Define which portion of the curve to keep.

4. Select a datum curve to split. The curve cannot form a closedloop.

5. Select the dividing entity. You can pick a surface (solid surfaceor surface feature), datum point, or datum plane.

6. A green arrow indicates the portion of the curve to keep. Selectan option from the TRIM CURVE menu:

• Both—Select the entire curve.

• Flip—Flip the direction of the arrow to select the otherportion of the curve.

• Okay—Accept the selection.

• Quit—Quit the process.

7. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Offset from Surface Datum Curves

You can create a datum curve at an offset from an existing curve,and normal to a surface. A datum curve uses a reference curve, asurface from which to offset, and an existing graph feature tospecify the offset values. The graph curve can consist of one entityonly.

Note: Graphs used for creating offset datum curves shouldhave X-axis values ranging only from 0 to 1. If the rangeextends beyond 1, only the portion from 0 to 1 is used.

➤ How to Create an Offset Curve

1. Create a graph feature (see Graphs on page 3 - 59).

2. Choose Curve from the DATUM menu.

3. Choose OffsetFromSrf from the OPTIONS menu.

4. Select the reference datum curve to copy. It must lie on thesurface or plane from which the offset will be determined.

5. Select the start point for the curve using Flip and Okay. Thisis the origin for the graph offsets.

6. Select a surface or plane from which to offset, then specify thedirection in which to offset.

7. Select the graph feature that determines the offset values. UseSel By Menu and select its name.

3 - 46 Part Modeling User’s Guide

8. Enter a scale factor for the offset. Pro/ENGINEER creates thecurve.

To modify the scale factor of a curve created using the optionOffsetFromSrf, use the Modify command. Using Redefine andReferences, you can change the start point of the curve (usingPoint), the surface offset (using Surface), or the values of theoffset (using Graph and Scheme). If you try to redefine the graphsection, the system displays the CHILD OPTS menu. This menuallows you to delete or suspend the corresponding data curve, whichis a child of the graph feature. The following figure illustrates theOffsetFromSrf option.

Sample OffsetFromSrf Curve

The graph used to define offset curve. Avalue of 0 on the graph causes the curveto touch the surface.

Start point

Surface from which to offset

The graph feature controls the offsets from thesurface: the resulting offset curves with offsetvalue of 1.

Start point

Start point

Reference curve, on surfaceOffsetdirection

Datums 3 - 47

Datum

s

Datum Curve Offset From a Curve

You can create a datum curve at an offset from an existing curvealong a surface (see the following figure). You can modify both thedirection and offset distance using either a positive or negativedimension value.

Sample Curve Offset in a Surface from a Curve

➤ How to Create a Curve Offset From Another Curve

1. Choose FEAT > Create > Datum > Curve > From Curve >Done.

2. Select a curve to offset from.

3. Select a surface along which to offset the curve.

4. A red arrow shows the direction of offset. Choose Flip or Okayfrom the DIRECTION menu.

5. Enter the offset distance.

Reference curve, onsurface

Resulting offset curve withoffset value of “1”

3 - 48 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Datum Curve Offset From a Boundary

You can create a curve by offsetting from an existing surfaceboundary (see the next figure).

Sample Curve Offset in a Surface from a Boundary

➤ How to Create a Curve Offset From a Surface Boundary

1. Choose FEAT > Create > Datum > Curve > From Bndry >Done.

2. Use options in the CHAIN menu to select surface edges. You canonly select edges that belong to one surface. When finishedselecting edges, choose Done form the CHAIN menu.

3. Indicate where you want to specify the offset by selecting anoption from the GET EXT DIST menu. The possible options areas follows:

For these vertices, thedistance was measuredusing Along Edge

Reference boundary

Before After

Resulting datumcurve

Datums 3 - 49

Datum

s

• Vert By Vert—Specify the offset distance for vertices inthe selected chain of edges. The system highlights eachvertex in the selected chain consecutively to allow you tospecify the offset.

When you specify an offset distance for a vertex shared withanother edge from the selected chain, you can enter twodifferent offset values if an inner edge does not originate atthis vertex. However, if a vertex has a corresponding inneredge, you can specify only one offset distance for this vertex.

• Sel Pnt/Vert—Select a datum point or vertex for which theoffset will be specified.

Entering Two Offset Distances

4. For the selected point, specify the offset distance using theMEASURE DIST menu. A positive value offsets the curve insidethe boundary, while a negative value offsets the curve outsidethe boundary. Select from the mutually exclusive pairs ofoptions available for this operation.

Select one of these options:

• Specify Dist—Offset at a specified distance.

• Up To Vertex—Offset up to a vertex and choose from theMEASURE DIST menu. After the system highlights thevertex, choose Accept.

You can enter onlyone offset for thisvertex.

You can entertwo differentoffsets for thisvertex.

inner edge

3 - 50 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Select one of these options:

• Norm To Bnd—Measure the offset distance normal to theboundary. This option is for Specify Dist only.

• Along Edge—Measure the offset distance along thehighlighted edge (see the following figure). Once thereference is established, choose Accept and enter an offsetvalue.

Select one of these options (available for Specify Dist only):

• Next Normal—Indicate another boundary to referencemultiple surface boundaries.

• Next Along—Indicate another edge to reference multipleedges.

Select one of these options:

• Skip—Skip a point and move to the next one.

• Accept—Accept the specified options.

5. To continue specifying offsets at other points, repeat Steps 3and 4.

6. When finished specifying the offset distance, chooseDone/Return from the GET EXT DIST menu.

7. If you want to redefine the offset curve, choose Define from theSURF EXTEND menu. To obtain information about the offsetcurve, choose Info from the SURF EXTEND menu.

8. To complete the feature, choose Done Extend from the SURFEXTEND menu.

Restrictions on the From Bndry Option

You cannot successfully define a curve from a boundary (FromBndry) when your intent is not clear. For example, consider thefollowing figure. When three patches meet at a common vertex onthe boundary of a quilt and there is more than one two-sided edgeat the vertex, the system will not know your design intent if you aretrying to offset inside the boundaries. You cannot use this option tooffset from boundary B, which consists of Edge 1 and Edge 2.Instead, you can offset from Edge 1 and Edge 2 as separate chains(one at a time) using the From Bndry option, then connect theresulting curves with a projected sketched datum curve.

Datums 3 - 51

Datum

s

Restrictive Condition for Offset in Srf and From Bndry

Two-Projection Datum Curves

The 2 Projections option enables you to create a projected datumcurve from two sections on non-parallel sketching planes. Thesystem extrudes (or projects) these sections until they intersect andcreates a datum curve at the intersection.

➤ How to Create a Two-Projection Datum Curve

1. Use the command sequence Create, Datum, Curve.

2. Choose 2 Projections, then Done.

3. Select a sketching plane and reference plane for the first curve,then sketch, dimension, and regenerate the curve. ChooseDone.

4. Select a sketching plane and reference plane for the secondcurve, then sketch, dimension, and regenerate the curve.Choose Done. Pro/ENGINEER creates the two-projectiondatum curve.

Datum Curves from Equations

You can create a datum curve from an equation using the optionFrom Equation, as long as the curve does not intersect itself.

Boundary A

Boundary B

Vertex with twotwo-sided edges

Offset curvefrom boundary A

Two-sided edges

3 - 52 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Create a Datum Curve From an Equation

1. Choose Feature, Create, Datum, Curve.

2. Choose From Equation and Done.

3. A curve creation dialog box comes up with the followingelements:

• Csys—Define the coordinate system.

• Csys Type—Specify the type of the coordinate system.

• Equation—Enter an equation.

4. Use options in the GET COORDS menu to create or select acoordinatesystem.

5. Use options in the SET CSYS TYPE to specify the type of thecoordinate system. The options are: Cartesian, Cylindrical,Spherical.

6. The system displays an editor window so you can enter thecurve equation as a regular feature relation. The editor windowheader contains instructions for specifying the equation,depending on the type of coordinate system you have chosen.The equation is specified in terms of parameter t, which variesfrom 0 to 1, and three coordinate system parameters: X, Y, andZ for Cartesian; r, theta, and Z for cylindrical; and, r, theta, andphi for spherical.

Note: You cannot use the following statements in an equationthat defines a datum curve: abs, ceil, floor, else, extract,if, endif, itos, and search.

Copied Datum Curves

In Assembly mode, you can create a datum curve on any part in theassembly. In the process of defining the datum curve, the CURVEOPTS menu contains an additional option, the Copy command.This command copies composite curves from one of the members ofthe assembly. Pro/ENGINEER creates the resulting assemblydatum curve in exactly the same location as the datum curve fromwhich it was copied. The system also copies the referenced edgesand adjacent surfaces of the datum curve to the new datum curvefeatures. You can then use the copied curve as a sweep trajectorywith normal surfaces defined (see Rules for Defining a Trajectoryon page 6 - 2).

Datums 3 - 53

Datum

s

➤ How to Copy a Datum Curve From an Assembly Member

1. Choose Copy from the CURVE OPTS menu.

2. Pick a datum curve or composite curve to copy. The systemcreates the new curve in the assembly.

Coordinate SystemsCoordinate systems are reference features that can be added toparts and assemblies to do the following:

• Calculate mass properties.

• Assemble components.

• Place constraints for Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

• Provide manufacturing operation reference for tool paths.

• Use as a reference for locating other features (coordinatesystems, datum points, planes and axes, imported geometry,and so on).

Normally, you can create only a single coordinate system, then youhave to redo the menu picks Feature, Create, Datum, and so on.If you set the configuration file option “repeat_datum_create” to“yes”, you can to continue to make the same type of datum featureuntil you choose to end the process.

Referencing Model Geometry

You use the following options to reference model geometry:

• 3 Planes—Select three planes (planar surfaces or datumplanes), with their intersection as the origin of the coordinatesystem. The planes do not have to be orthogonal—the normal tothe first plane selected defines a direction for one axis, thenormal for the second direction defines the approximatedirection for another axis, and the system determines the thirdaxis using the right-hand rule.

• Pnt + 2Axes—Select a point as the origin, then define thedirection of one coordinate axis. The third pick defines theorientation of a plane through the origin and the first axis (theplane will be parallel to the second axis). If you select acoordinate system as the origin (the first pick for Pnt + 2Axes),the system displays the TRANS DIR menu. This menu allowsyou to translate the origin of the new coordinate system withrespect to the old one.

3 - 54 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• 2 Axes—Set the origin at the intersection of the two axes, thendefine the orientation of a plane through the origin and the firstaxis (the plane will be parallel to the second axis).

• Offset—Create a coordinate system by offsetting from areference coordinate system. Select a coordinate system tooffset from. To specify the location of the new coordinatesystem, use the Translate or Rotate option from the MOVEmenu.

• Offs By View—Create a coordinate system that is orthogonalto the screen (Z-axis normal to the screen and pointing at you)by offsetting from a reference coordinate system. The systemasks you to select the reference coordinate system and thenprompts you to specify two rotation angles and an additionaltranslation.

• Pln + 2Axes—Define the origin as the intersection of the planeand the first selected axis. The third pick defines theorientation of a plane through the origin and the first axis (theplane will be parallel to the second axis).

• Orig + ZAxis—Select a point as the origin, then define thedirection of the Z-axis first. Define the direction of theX-axis. The system determines the Y-axis using the right- handrule.

• From File—Use a data file to construct a new coordinatesystem relative to an existing coordinate system (see Using theTransformation Matrix File on page 3 - 56).

• Default—Use a default location for the coordinate system. Ifthe base feature is a solid feature, the default location is theanchor point of the section belonging to that feature. The X-axiswill point right along the section horizontal, while the Y-axiswill point up along the section vertical. The Z-axis is createdusing the right hand rule.

Creating a Coordinate System

The following procedure describes how to create a coordinatesystem.

➤ How to Create the Coordinate System

1. Choose Coord Sys from the DATUM menu.

2. Choose one of the following: 3 Planes, Pnt + 2Axes, 2 Axes,Pln + 2Axes, Orig + ZAxis, From File, or Default. Thenchoose Done.

Datums 3 - 55

Datum

s

3. Select the appropriate geometry. If an axis selection is required,the system displays the SET AXIS menu. The SET AXIS menulists the following options:

• Entity/Edge—Select a datum axis, straight edge, orstraight curve.

• Plane Norm—Use the normal to a plane. This option is notavailable while the origin is undefined.

• 2 Points—Select two points to define a vector.

• Orig + Pnt—Use the coordinate system origin and a pointto define a vector. This option is not available while theorigin is undefined. Note that whenever a point is required,you can select a datum point, vertex, curve end, or anothercoordinate system.

4. Except for Orig + ZAxis, once you select all the entitiessuccessfully, the system draws three arrows at the origin of thecoordinate system, indicating the default direction of the axes.One of the arrows is red. The system displays the COORD SYSmenu, which allows you to specify the orientation and directionof an axis. The choices are as follows:

• X-Axis—Set the highlighted arrow to be the X-axis.

• Y-Axis—Set the highlighted arrow to be the Y-axis.

• Z-Axis—Set the highlighted arrow to be the Z-axis.

• Next—Highlight another arrow (without designating thecurrent one).

• Previous—Highlight the previous arrow (withoutdesignating the current one).

• Reverse—Reverse the direction of the highlighted arrow.

5. Choose which axis you want the red arrow to represent.

6. The red arrow shifts to another axis. Repeat the process for thesecond axis.

7. Pro/ENGINEER creates the coordinate system. The systemdetermines the direction of the third axis using the right-handrule.

3 - 56 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating an Offset Coordinate System

The following procedure describes how to create a coordinatesystem.

➤ How to Create an Offset Coordinate System

1. Choose Feature, Create, and Datum.

2. Choose Coord Sys from the DATUM menu.

3. Choose one of the following options in the OPTIONS menu:

• Offset—Create a coordinate system that is offset fromanother.

• Offs By View—Create a coordinate system whoseXY-plane lies in the plane of the screen and whose origin isoffset from another, but lies in the same plane (which isparallel to screen when the coordinate system is created).

Choose Done.

4. Select a reference coordinate system by picking on its name.

5. Choose Translate or Rotate from the MOVE menu.

6. Select a translation or rotation axis from the correspondingmenu. Enter the values for the offset and angle.

7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 as many times as desired. The process hasa cumulative effect.

8. When you have finished, choose Done from the MOVE menu tocreate the coordinate system with the specified offset, or Quitto abort the creation of the coordinate system.

Using the Transformation Matrix File

A coordinate system that is created using a transformation matrixuses a data file to construct a new coordinate system relative to anexisting coordinate system. The file data defines two vectors, asfollows:

• The first vector specifies the X-axis direction.

• The second vector, which is in the XY-plane (in the generaldirection of the new Y-axis), determines the new coordinatesystem origin. Pro/ENGINEER constructs the Z-axis using theright-hand rule.

The following figure illustrates the transformation of the coordinatesystem.

Datums 3 - 57

Datum

s

Coordinate System Transformation

Transformation File Format

The transformation file, with the name filename.trf, has thefollowing format:

Transformation File Format

For example, the file below creates a new coordinate system withthe origin at (200, 0, 150), as determined from the referencecoordinate system. The new X-axis is pointing in the negativeX-direction and the new Y-axis is pointing in the positiveZ-direction, all relative to the reference coordinate system.

X

Y

Z

Tx

Ty

Tz

X1Y1

Z1

The X-axis direction is determined from thematrix file and is then translated to the newcoordinate system origin.

The XY-plane is constructed fromthe second vector in the file andtranslated to the new coordinatesystem origin.

New coordinatesystem origin

Translation coordinate locates the originof the new coordinate system.

Can be anything, because the Z-axis isdetermined using the right hand rule.

Determines the vector that lies in the XY-plane andthe general direction of Y-axis.

Determines the X-axis direction.

X1 X2 X3 TXY1 Y2 Y3 TYZ1 Z2 Z3 TZ

3 - 58 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Sample Transformation File

One way to generate a transformation file is described inIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Cartesian, Cylindrical, and Spherical Coordinate Systems

Pro/ENGINEER always displays coordinate systems with an X-, Y-,and Z-axis. When referencing a coordinate system to make otherfeatures (for example, a datum point array), the system caninterpret the coordinate system in three ways:

• Cartesian—The system interprets the coordinate values as X,Y, and Z.

• Cylindrical—The system interprets the coordinate values asradius, theta (θ), and Z.

• Spherical—The system interprets the coordinate values asradius, theta (θ), and phi (φ).

The following figure illustrates how these values are applied to thestandard X, Y, and Z coordinate system.

Coordinate System Types

! Comments can be added to the file with "!".

! X Y Z T

-1 0 0 200

0 0 0 0

0 1 0 150

Y

Z

X Y

Z

X Y

Z

X

Cartesian Cylindrical Spherical

Y

Z

X rθ

Zr

θ

φ

Datums 3 - 59

Datum

s

GraphsA graph feature allows you to associate a function with the part.Graphs are intended for use in relations, especially inmulti-trajectory sweeps.

Pro/ENGINEER usually evaluates a graph feature for its definedX-axis values. When the graph is evaluated beyond the definedrange, Pro/ENGINEER extrapolates the Y-axis values. The systemcalculates the extrapolated value for values of X lower than theinitial value by extending a tangent line back from the initial point.Similarly, the system calculates the extrapolated value for values ofX greater than the final value by extending a tangent line out fromthe final point.

Creating Graphs

The following procedure describes how to create a graph.

➤ How to Create a Graph Feature

1. Choose Datum from the FEAT CLASS menu, then Graph fromthe DATUM menu.

2. Enter a name for the graph.

3. Sketch the graph. The section must be open and can containonly one contour (chain) that can consist of lines, arcs, splines,and so on. Each point along the X-axis can have only onecorresponding Y value. A coordinate system must be present inthe section.

Note: Sketch centerlines through the coordinate system andgraph endpoints to help you establish alignment.

4. Dimension the section. After the system regenerates the sketchsuccessfully, choose Done. Pro/ENGINEER creates the graphfeature.

3 - 60 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Valid Graph

A graph feature is not displayed anywhere on the part—it is notpart geometry. Its existence is reflected in the part information.Use Sel By Menu to pick the name of the graph feature.

You can view or modify existing graph features using the Modifyand Redefine commands (see Graphs on page 16 - 34).

Creating an Evaluate FeatureUse the Evaluate option in the DATUM menu to create an evaluatefeature. An evaluate feature consists of one or more parameters,each of which gets its value from a measurement you perform onthe model. These measurement parameter values are updatedwhen you regenerate the feature.

The Evaluate option, which is available in Part, Assembly,Manufacturing, Mold, and Dieface modes, uses the MEASUREPARAM menu to process measurement parameters. This menuremains active until you choose Done.

➤ How to Create an Evaluate Feature

1. Choose Evaluate from the DATUM menu. At the prompt, entera name for the evaluate feature. The system displays theMEASURE PARAM menu, which lists the following options:

• Create—Create and name a measurement parameter.When you name the measurement, the system displays theGET MEASURE menu. The possible options are as follows:

- Edg/Crv Len—Measure an edge or a curve lengthusing the GET SELECT menu.

x

y

Valid graph Invalid graph

x

y Multiple solutions

Datums 3 - 61

Datum

s

- Edg/Crv Curv—Measure the curvature of an edge orcurve at a point on the edge or curve using theGET SELECT menu.

- Angle—Measure the angle between two selectedplanes, axes, planar edges, and curves.

- Distance—Measure the distance between anycombination of two points, vertices, planes, axes, andcoordinate systems using the FROM and TO menus.

- Area—Measure a surface or quilt area using theEVAL AREA menu.

- Diameter—Measure the surface diameter of anyrevolved surface of a part.

- Min Radius—Measure the minimum radius of anyrevolved surface using the MIN RADIUS andGET SELECT menus. The system places a red circle orcross hair marker temporarily at a location on theminimum radius.

- Srf Clearance—Measure the clearance between twosurfaces.

• Delete—Delete an existing measurement parameter.

• Redo—Redefine a measurement parameter.

• Info—Display measurement information for all theparameters.

• Show—Highlight the references of the selectedmeasurement parameters.

2. Choose Create from the MEASURE PARAM menu and name themeasurement parameter.

3. Choose the GET MEASURE option.

4. When you have made all the desired measurements, chooseDone from the MEASURE PARAM menu.

Using relations, the evaluate feature is used to create features inother models that are dependent on the measurement parameters.For details about relations, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

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Use one of the following formats to access measurement values inrelations:

measurement_name:fid_N

...or...

measurement_name:fid_feature_name

In these formats, measurement_name is the name of themeasurement within the evaluate feature, N is the internal featureidentifier number (as shown by using Info), and feature_name isthe name of the evaluate feature.

4 - 1

4Sketching on a Model

This chapter explains how to create feature sections by sketchingon the model.

Topic Page

Creating Feature Sections 4 - 2

Sketching Section Geometry 4 - 6

Retrieving an Existing Section 4 - 14

Dimensioning a Section to a Part 4 - 16

Regenerating a Section Sketch 4 - 22

Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete Section 4 - 23

4 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Feature SectionsWhen you create features, often you must create sections to definethe feature geometry.

When you sketch sections on a part, sketch only what is necessaryto do the job. If you do not want to create a new surface, do notsketch a line in the section. For example, when sketching the cornercut as shown in the following illustration, sketch the open sectionas shown, and not the closed section. If Pro/ENGINEER hasproblems intersecting the feature with the part, you must close thesection.

Sketching on a Part

When sketching on the model, you use the same tools as standaloneSketcher, plus additional techniques. The latter are described inthe following sections.

Note:

• If you have the Pro/PIPING license, you can use the centerlinesof pipe segments as references in the 3-D Sketcher just as youuse curves in the following descriptions.

• You cannot import any IGES features into Sketcherenvironment.

Sketch only these two lines (opensection). An open section iseasier to sketch and is moreefficient.

This closed section creates extrawork, but may be necessary, suchas in an Up To Surface cut.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 3

Sketching on a

Model

Basic Steps for Creating a Section on the Model

The following basic procedure outlines how to create a featuresection when working with the part.

➤ How to Create a Feature Section

1. Select and orient the sketching plane.

2. Sketch the section geometry.

3. Refine the section.

You may wish to change the dimensioning scheme or to applyconstraints.

4. Optionally, you may want to save the section.

5. Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

Entering the Sketcher Environment

Before you start creating a feature section, the system prompts youto do the following:

• Select or create a sketching plane (see Setting Up the SketchingPlane on page 4 - 3).

• Specify the direction of feature creation (see Selecting FeatureDirection on page 5 - 4).

• Orient the sketching plane (see Orienting the Sketching Planeon page 4 - 4).

After the sketching plane is defined, the system automaticallyplaces you in Sketcher so you can start creating the section.

Setting Up the Sketching Plane

All sections are created on two-dimensional planes. Therefore,when you sketch on a three-dimensional part, you must define andorient the sketching plane.

You can select a datum plane or a planar surface as the sketchingplane. Optionally, you can create a datum plane “on-the-fly” onwhich to sketch. The sketching plane is infinitely large.

4 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Specify the Sketching Plane

1. When the SETUP SK PLN menu appears, choose one of thefollowing options:

• Use Prev—Use the sketching plane and orientation of theprevious sketch.

• Setup New—Select or create a sketching plane and defineits orientation. Choose an option from the SETUP PLANEmenu:

- Plane—Pick an existing planar surface or datum.

- Make Datum—Create a datum plane to use as areference. See Datum Planes for information oncreating datum planes.

2. Define the feature direction, as described in Selecting FeatureDirection on page 5 - 4, and orient the sketching plane, asdescribed in Orienting the Sketching Plane.

It is possible to create several datum planes on-the-fly and use thelast one created as the sketching plane. To make such a chain ofinternal datums, create the first one by using Make Datum.Choose Setup New again and then choose Make Datum. Theplane that you previously created on-the-fly is then available as areference for the current one. You can use Make Datum repeatedlywithout Setup New. However, only the plane that you create orselect immediately after the last Setup New will be used for thesketching plane.

Orienting the Sketching Plane

Before you start sketching, you must orient the sketching plane tothe screen normal axis. Do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the default system orientation—You can let the systemorient the sketch for you by choosing Default from the SKETVIEW menu or by pressing the middle mouse button. TheDefault option is available only if the system has sufficientinformation to orient the plane. Using this option does not addnew parent/child relationships.

...or...

Sketching on a Model 4 - 5

Sketching on a

Model

• Specify a horizontal or vertical reference—Choose Top,Bottom, Right, or Left from the SKET VIEW menu and pickthe corresponding plane. The reference plane or edge must benormal to the sketching plane. If the Default option is notavailable, the Top option is the default selection in the SketView menu when you first start the session. Otherwise, theprevious selection becomes the default.

If you are creating a feature that is not aligned with the existingedges of the part, you may want to create a datum plane as ahorizontal or vertical reference that will be added. This is especiallyuseful when you create radial feature patterns (see the PatterningFeatures chapter for information about creating patterns). Whenyou create a datum plane as a reference, first select the directionyou want the plane to represent (Top, Bottom, and so on), thencreate it. The yellow side of the datum plane will face towards thespecified side of the screen.

Sketching in 3-D Orientation

The Use 2-D Sketcher option in the ENVIRONMENT menucontrols whether Sketcher reorients the solid object when it startsup. When this option is set (the default), Sketcher makes thesketching plane parallel to the screen. If this option is not set,Sketcher does not reorient the solid object when it starts.

Use the Sketch View option in the SKETCHER menu to reorientthe model so the sketching plane is parallel to the screen.

You can use the “sketcher_starts_in_2d” configuration option to setthe starting value of the Use 2D Sketcher option.

While in Sketcher, the model can be reoriented by using View >Orientation, or by using the CTRL key and mouse.

Sketcher Grid

When you enter Sketcher, the system displays the grid and enablesgrid snap for any sketching plane orientation except“perpendicular.” If you select a new origin for the grid, the systemprojects that point onto the sketching plane to determine the neworigin.

Note: Only the Cartesian grid is supported for sketching in3-D.

4 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Sketching Section GeometryWhen sketching on a part, you use the same techniques as in 2-DSketcher mode (see the Sketcher chapter), and also additional tools,detailed in the following sections.

Creating Sketcher Geometry from Model Geometry

The following tools in the GEOM TOOLS menu are used exclusivelyin 3-D sketching: Use Edge, Offset Edge, and Pick Curve.

The Use Edge Option

The Use Edge option in the GEOM TOOLS menu creates Sketchergeometry by projecting selected model edges onto the sketchingplane. The system aligns endpoints of the entity to the endpoints ofthe edge.

After you create geometry with the Use Edge option, you can useIntersect, Trim, Divide, and Fillet on it.

In Sketcher mode, the Use Edge option allows you to pick anexisting part axis to create a centerline that is automaticallyaligned to the axis.

Note: The Use Edge option is especially useful forduplicating splines in nonparallel planes.

Note the following restrictions:

• A circle is broken into two arcs. You must select each segmentseparately.

• You cannot select a composite datum curve for Use Edge.Instead, use Query Sel to select the underlying segments.

• A spline silhouette edge is not selectable for the Use Edgeoperation.

For the Use Edge option, you can orient the model any way that isconvenient (see the next illustration).

Sketching on a Model 4 - 7

Sketching on a

Model

Creating a Section Using Use Edge and Sketched Entities

➤ How to Create Geometry With the Use Edge Option

1. Choose Use Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

2. To create sketched entities offset from a single edge, choose SelEdge from the USE EDGE menu.

To create sketched entities from a loop of edges or entities,choose Sel Loop from the USE EDGE menu. Select a facecontaining the edges or entities. If more than one loop ispossible, use Next and Previous from the CHOOSE menu toselect the desired loop.

To create sketched entities from a chain of edges or entities,choose Sel Chain from the USE EDGE menu. Select thebeginning and ending entities of the chain. If you select curves,they must both belong to the same datum curve. If you selectedges, they must belong to the same surface or face. You canpick two edges on a part’s geometry or two one-sided edges of aquilt.

With Sel Chain, if you pick two entities that belong to an IGESwireframe or a datum curve in a uniquely defined plane, theSketcher tries to choose a chain that connects the entities andlies in that plane.

If more than one chain is possible, use Next and Previousfrom the CHOOSE menu to select the desired chain.

Sketching plane

Sketched geometrydimensioned to part

Select this contour,to be projected ontothe sketching plane.

can be used to intersectthe projected geometry.

4 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

3. The selected geometry is highlighted temporarily in blue, thenin sketching color (cyan or white). After the process has beencompleted, Pro/ENGINEER displays an appropriate message inthe Message window.

The following figure shows an example of using the Use Edgeoption.

Completed Feature Created with Use Edge

Determining the End of a Trimmed “Use Edge” Spline

Sketcher can determine the end of a trimmed Use Edge spline byusing the end tangency angle as a dimension. Sketcher looks forlines and centerlines that are tangent to the trimmed ends of thespline created by the Use Edge option. If the angle of the line canbe determined without determining where the point is, Sketcherdetermines the point location by finding where the tangent to thespline has the specified angle.

The Offset Edge Option

The Offset Edge option in the GEOM TOOLS menu creates Sketchergeometry by offsetting.

You can create offset entities from edges that are lines, arcs, orsplines. When you create an offset entity, each point of the originallines, arcs, or splines is first projected onto the sketching plane.Each point is then offset normal to the projected entities by thespecified distance. For example, creating an offset arc results in aconcentric arc of a different diameter, rather than in a translatedcopy of the same arc.

The completed section The completed feature

Sketching on a Model 4 - 9

Sketching on a

Model

Offset entities can be created from a single entire edge(untrimmed), a portion of a single edge (trimmed), a chain of edgesor entities, or a loop of edges or entities.

Note the following restrictions:

• A circle is broken into two arcs. You must select each segmentseparately.

• You cannot offset edges that have tangency that meets in asharpened point.

• When you select tangent edges to offset, select them all at thesame time using the Sel Chain option. Otherwise, the sectionwill fail regeneration because the individual offsets of thetangent entities will not be connected.

Invalid Tangency for Offset Edge

Select Loop cannot be used hereto create the offset edge because thetangency meets in a sharpened point.

Directionof offset

4 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Figure Created with Offset Edge, Sel Chain

The following sections describe how to use the Offset Edge optionto offset an entire edge, a portion of an edge, a chain, and a loop.

Using Offset Edge to Offset an Entire Edge

To use the whole edge to create an offset entity, you must create anuntrimmed offset edge from a single edge.

➤ How to Create an Untrimmed Offset Edge From a Single Edge

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Edge from the OFFSET SEL menu, or Sel Loop orSel Chain, if desired.

4. Select the desired edge. You can select two edges on a partgeometry, or two one-sided edges of a quilt.

5. If you chose Sel Edge, choose one of the options in theOFFSET TYPE menu:

• Fixed—Create an entity with fixed offset at any point.

• Tapered—Create an entity with different offsets for eachendpoint.

6. Choose Untrimmed from the OFFSET TYPE menu.

7. Choose Done.

8. If you chose Fixed, Pro/ENGINEER displays a red arrow nearthe middle of the edge. Enter an offset in the indicateddirection. If you chose Tapered, the system displays an arrowat each end and prompts for the offset value for both endpointsof the edge.

Select these edges toindicate the chain to offset.

Protrusion createdwith Offset Edge, SelChain

Sketching on a Model 4 - 11

Sketching on a

Model

The following figure shows an example of using the Offset Edge >Tapered options.

Feature Created with Untrimmed Offset Edge, Tapered

When you delete an offset edge, Pro/ENGINEER retains thecorresponding reference entities. If you do not use these referencesin the section, the system deletes them when you exit Sketcher.

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Portion of an Edge

To use a portion of the edge to create an offset entity, you mustcreate a trimmed offset edge from a single edge.

➤ How to Create a Trimmed Offset Edge From a Single Edge

1. Use the Point option from the GEOMETRY menu to place pointson the edge at the locations to which you will trim before youcreate entities offset from the edge.

2. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

3. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

4. Select the desired edge.

5. Choose either Fixed or Tapered from the OFFSET TYPE menu.

6. Choose the OFFSET TYPE menu option Trimmed. This optionrequires that you have first placed points on the edge at thelocations to which you will trim the edge.

7. Choose Done.

8. The system prompts you to select a point to trim the edge. Pickone of the points.

Protrusion created usingOffset Edge, Tapered

Select edge tooffset

Select edge tooffset.

4 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

9. Enter the offset value in the indicated direction.

10. Select the second point. If you chose Tapered, enter the offsetvalue for the second endpoint.

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Chain

You can offset a chain of edges and curves with the Offset Edge,Sel Chain options.

➤ How to Offset a Chain of Edges or Curves

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Chain from the OFFSET SEL menu.

4. Select the beginning and ending entities of the chain to beoffset. If you select curves, they must both belong to the samedatum curve. If you select edges, they must belong to the samesurface or face.

5. If more than one chain is possible, use Next and Previousfrom the CHOOSE menu to select the desired chain.

6. Enter the offset value. A red arrow indicates the defaultdirection of the offset. To offset in the opposite direction, enter anegative value.

Pro/ENGINEER offsets the whole chain in the same direction. Theentities are extended and trimmed, as necessary, to remainconnected.

When you use Offset Edge, Select Chain to offset a chain ofentities by a large distance, the system creates offset geometryaccording to the following guidelines:

• If the offset is inward along an arc and the offset value exceedsthe radius of the arc, the system removes the arc from the offsetchain. Similarly, the system might remove other entitiesbecause of excessive offset value. If you lower the offset valuelater, the entities reappear. The following figure illustratessuch a case.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 13

Sketching on a

Model

Offsetting a Curve

• If the offset value is more than the local minimum radius ofcurvature for entities that compose the offset chain, the systemcreates an offset chain that might have a different number ofentities. In the following example, offsetting a spline by a largevalue causes the resulting spline to be broken into severalpieces. If the offset value is changed, the system can “piece”together the broken spline so it becomes a single entity again.

Offsetting a Spline

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Loop

You can offset a loop of edges or Sketcher entities by using OffsetEdge, Sel Loop.

➤ How to Offset a Loop of Edges or Entities

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Loop from the OFFSET SEL menu.

4. Select a face containing the edges or entities to offset.

rOffset distance Offset distance

Original geometry

Offset geometry

Original geometry

Offset geometry

Original geometry Offset geometry

Offset distance

4 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

5. If more than one loop is possible, use Next and Previous fromthe CHOOSE menu to select the desired loop.

6. Enter the offset value. A red arrow indicates the defaultdirection of the offset. To offset in the opposite direction, enter anegative value.

The Pick Curve Option

The Pick Curve option is available only in 3-D sketching with nosketching plane assigned, such as when you create compositedatum curves.

With this option, you can select edges or three-dimensional curves,as you do for the Use Edge operation. You can pick two edges onthe geometry of a part, or two one-sided edges of a quilt. For eachentity selected, Pro/ENGINEER creates a three-dimensionalsketched entity (displayed in cyan) directly on top of it.

The system displays the CRV SKETCHER menu with the optionsdescribed in Datum Curve Offset From a Curve on page 3 - 47.

Retrieving an Existing SectionThe Place Section option in the SEC TOOLS menu allows you toretrieve a section from disk or from memory and place it on thecurrent sketch as an independent copy of the original section. Thetarget section can be empty or can contain existing entities (anddimensions). Placing a section does not alter other sketchedgeometry.

In a parallel blend, the retrieved section is added to the currentsubsection.

The Place Section option copies the entities and relations (if any)of the original section without reference to the original context inwhich they were created. Thus, the accuracy, grid parameters, andunits of measure are those of the current model.

The placed section behaves as a regular sketched section. After youplace the section, it is no longer associated with the source section.

You can easily replace the retrieved section with another one. Forparallel blends, you can place the retrieved section into differentsubsections with variations in rotation angle and size.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 15

Sketching on a

Model

➤ How to Retrieve an Existing Section

1. Choose Place Section from the SEC TOOLS menu.

2. Select a section file in the Open dialog box.

3. The system retrieves the section and displays it in asubwindow.

4. If the section sketch is being placed on a part sketching plane(not an auxiliary section, such as for a sketched blind hole or ashaft), you can modify the location, orientation, and scaling ofthe section. For these actions, continue with Step 5.

5. Enter a rotation angle for the sketch. Be aware that somedimensioning schemes may change because of the change ofsketch orientation, as shown in the following illustration.

Effect of Sketch Orientation on Dimensions

6. Select an origin point on the sketch for scaling. When scalingthe section using the mouse, the origin point remainsstationary.

7. Select a drag point on the sketch. This is the point that willfollow the mouse during positioning. The drag point cannot becoincident with the scaling point.

8. Enter a preliminary scale factor for the sketch.

9. Move the mouse from the subwindow to your part window. Thesection appears in red and follows your mouse pointer as itmoves around the screen.

10. Using the mouse, you can do any of the following:

• Click the left button to place the section. The sectionchanges from red to the normal section color and the systemdisplays any dimensions.

8.00

Original section Section rotated 90 degrees

Vertical dimension

0.00

4 - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Click the middle button to abort the section placement andreturn to step 5.

• Click the right mouse button to switch between scaling anddrag modes. When scaling, your scale origin remainsstationary, and moving the mouse increases or decreasesthe size of the section. Returning to drag mode causes thedrag origin to follow the mouse again.

11. Locate the section with respect to the part by dimensioning oraligning.

Dimensioning a Section to a PartSections sketched on a part must be dimensioned for size andrelative placement on the part. For dimensioning, the sketchingplane does not have to be parallel to the screen—the part can be inany orientation. In fact, sometimes dimensioning the section withthe model in a 3-D view helps avoid invalid dimensioning (see theillustration Dimensioning to Part Edges on page 4 - 20).

When sketching on a part, you can create the four dimension typesby using the DIMENSION menu:

• Normal—Create a dimension that references sketched entitiesonly, or between a sketched entity and part geometry. Thesedimensions are used to solve the section and eventually becomeregular part dimensions.

• Perimeter—Create a perimeter dimension. See PerimeterDimension on page 2 - 35.

• Reference—Create a dimension that you want to use forreference. Reference dimensions have the symbolic form rsd#.

• Known—Create a dimension that references part geometryonly. These dimensions are used to drive Sketcher dimensionsthrough a relation. They are necessary to solve the section, andare not displayed anywhere except in this section. Knowndimensions have the symbolic form kd#.

• Baseline—Establish a baseline for ordinate dimensioning. SeeOrdinate Dimensions on page 2 - 37 for more information.

In Sketcher mode, you can dimension to “known” entities, shown asphantom orange line.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 17

Sketching on a

Model

Aligning or Dimensioning to a Model Edge or Surface

Aligning or dimensioning to a model entity (edge, curve, and so on)adds the existing geometric entity to the list of “known” entitiesthat Pro/ENGINEER uses with its implicit rules to solve a section.All open ends must be explicitly aligned to the model edges.Aligning to a model edge does not automatically move sketchedgeometry to be coincident with the model. Instead, the systemconsiders the proximity of sketched geometry to aligned modeledges when solving the sketch.

You can align straight lines, circular edges and circular centers,and entity endpoints. Composite curves cannot be directlyreferenced when aligning sketcher entities. Instead, you must alignthe sketcher entities to the underlying curves that make up thecomposite curve.

You can also align to surfaces by selecting an edge of theperpendicular surface. Use Query Sel to toggle to the edge of thesurface (displayed in blue) for alignment. The system chooses theedge-on surface for aligning and dimensioning by default, ratherthan the edge of this surface.

There are two ways to align to an edge of a part using the Alignoption:

• You can select the model geometry to add to the list of knownentities before doing any sketching. To do this, select the modelgeometry with the left mouse button, then click the middlebutton. The system highlights the geometry and informs youthat the geometry is aligned.

• You can align the sketched geometry to the model by selectingone model edge and one sketched entity.

Known entities are displayed in orange phantom font. If you align asketcher entity to an edge or curve in a model, the edge or curve willbe displayed in phantom orange.

Avoiding Implicit Alignment

When geometry is close to a model edge, it may be within theaccuracy for the Sketcher to assume alignment, even though tovalidate the section you must explicitly align it. However, you maywant sketched geometry to be close to model geometry, while stillbeing able to maintain dimensional control on this placement. This

4 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

means you want to override a Sketcher assumption. To do this, setthe configuration file option “use_dimensioned_edges” to “no”. Thismeans that you do not want Pro/ENGINEER to assume anyimplicit alignment with edges to which features have already beenaligned or dimensioned.

Rules to Remember

When you align entities, remember the following rules:

• When you align a circular edge, both the size and location of thecircle are considered to be known.

• You can align splines and conics to edges as a way to establishtangency at their endpoints. The sketched conic or spline mustlie close to the edge, and must be close to tangent to be alignedsuccessfully. To align conics, select the endpoint, then pick theedge. To align splines, select the spline twice, then select theedge.

• It is possible to align to a “silhouette” edge of a cylinder, cone, orother revolved features, even though no physical edge existsthere. The silhouette edges must be on the sketching plane.

Aligning to Points

You can align and dimension entities to known points of the model.Known points are vertices, datum points, and axes normal to thesketching plane (so they are projected as a point). When you sketchon a part, you can align to the known points to capturerelationships between features.

The procedure of aligning to points is the same as for edges. Toselect a vertex, pick close to it. To select a datum point or axis, pickon the text.

You can also select the known points for dimensioning.

Unaligning Geometry

Geometry previously aligned in Sketcher mode can also beunaligned by choosing Unalign, Unalign Many, or Unalign All.The system highlights those entities that are explicitly aligned(using the Align option) in green.

Choose Unalign to remove the alignment from an individualentity, then select it. As each section entity is selected, the greenhighlighting disappears. If you remove the alignment from a modeledge, all section entities aligned to it will be unaligned.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 19

Sketching on a

Model

Unaligning Multiple Entities

The option Unalign Many simultaneously removes the alignmentfrom several section entities. After choosing Unalign Many, usethe Pick Many option in the Get Select menu to rubberband a boxaround the entities to be unaligned. All entities completely withinthe box are selected. Both Unalign Many and Pick Many canselect known entities (representing projections to the sketchingplane of referenced part geometry and displayed in orange phantomfont). If you choose Unalign Many and Query Sel, the systemprompts you with messages denoting section selections of regular orknown entities, and what kind of entity was selected.

Use Unalign All to unalign all aligned entities in the sketch. Whenyou choose this option, the system prompts you to confirm therequest. When you choose Done Sel or click the middle mousebutton, the selected entities will be unaligned.

When you remove the alignment an entity, you may need to adddimensions to solve the section.

Tips for Dimensioning to Part Edges

When dimensioning to a part edge, you must consider what type ofentity the part edge is. Splines and arcs may appear in thesketching plane as straight lines to which you can dimension. But,if the plane that was used as the sketching plane is modified (forexample, if the angle of a datum plane changed), the spline or arcno longer appears as a straight line. Thus, the dimensioningscheme becomes invalid, Pro/ENGINEER will not be able to placethe feature, and the feature creation or regeneration will fail.

One way to avoid this situation is to not dimension to splines orarcs that project onto the sketching plane as straight lines.However, if the situation does occur, modify the dimensioningscheme to dimension section geometry to linear geometry. You canorient the part in an iso-type view to help you select propergeometry on the part.

The next figure illustrates how to dimension to part edges.

4 - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Dimensioning to Part Edges

Known Dimensions

Known dimensions allow you to establish meaningful parametricdependencies when creating a section of a feature.

➤ How to Use Known Dimensions in Sketcher Mode

1. Sketch and dimension as usual.

2. Create Known dimensions on part geometry that will be usedto drive the feature section.

3. From the SKETCHER menu, choose Relation.

When the datum angle is modified, projectionof this edge on the sketching plane becomes aspline.

When dimensioning in3-D, select this edge.

This feature fails because d16cannot be placed. Feature regenerates successfully.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 21

Sketching on a

Model

4. Add relations connecting Normal section dimensions with theKnown ones (see the following illustration).

5. When the system updates the section, values of normaldimensions change according to the relations.

Dimensions driven by Sketcher relations cannot be modifieddirectly. To access Sketcher relations, choose Redefine andSection. You can also do it in Part mode by choosing Relations,Feat Rel, selecting the feature, and choosing Section.

Using Known and Normal Dimensions

Using Automatic Dimensioning

With automatic dimensioning, the system adds dimensions to yoursketch so it is fully constrained and then regenerates it. When youcreate a section in a part with existing geometry, the system mustlocate the section with respect to the part. For this, Sketcher uses“known” geometry. There are several ways to make geometry“known”:

• When you specify horizontal and vertical references fororienting the sketching plane, the system uses these as knowngeometry.

• You can make geometry known by referencing it before you useAutoDim (for example, by aligning it, using a model edge forsketching, or dimensioning to it.)

• When you align the section to the part geometry at the systemalignment query, that geometry becomes “known”.

sd1

kd3

sd2

kd4

sd0

Sketchedentity

Partgeometry

Add relations: sd1=kd3/2sd2=kd4/2

4 - 22 Part Modeling User’s Guide

To make any known geometry unknown, use the Unaligncommand.

➤ How to Dimension a Section Automatically

1. Sketch geometry and choose AutoDim.

2. If the system needs additional references for locating thesection with respect to the part geometry, it prompts you toselect these references by picking edges and vertices. Whenfinished, choose Done Select from the GET SELECT menu orpress the middle button.

3. The system adds all necessary dimensions to constrain thesection. Notice that projections of known geometry onto thesketching plane appear in orange with a dotted font.

4. The system checks the section if it should be aligned to the partgeometry. If such alignment is possible, the system brings upthe query menu so you can select the desired action. Choose oneof the following options:

• Align—Align geometry as prompted in the alignmentquery.

• Don’t Align—Do not align geometry for that alignmentquery.

• DontAlignAny—Do not align any geometry in the currentauto dimensioning operation.

5. After the system regenerates successfully, you can movedimensions to the desired location by using Move from theGEOM TOOLS menu and then Dimension from the MOVEENTITY menu.

Note: Any known geometry that is not used by the system isremembered by section and becomes its parent.

Regenerating a Section SketchDuring the section regeneration, Pro/ENGINEER checks thesection geometry for validity and whether the section is placedadequately with respect to the part. If the section to be sketched issmall, you should sketch in a sufficiently magnified view to avoidzero-length segments (see the following illustration).Pro/ENGINEER regenerates the section with respect to the scale ofthe part on the screen when the section was sketched.

Sketching on a Model 4 - 23

Sketching on a

Model

Magnified Sketching

Another way to avoid zero-length segments is to sketch the sectionlarger than actual size, then modify the dimension to the desiredsize.

Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete SectionYou can exit Sketcher with unfinished sections by choosing Donefrom the SKETCHER menu. This creates an incomplete section,which you can finish later. A feature that has an incomplete sectionbecomes an incomplete feature. For more information on how thesystem handles incomplete features, see Creating IncompleteFeatures on page 1 - 5.

➤ How to Exit Sketcher With an Incomplete Section

1. When you want to exit Sketcher with an unfinished section,choose Done from the SKETCHER menu.

2. The system informs you that the section is unresolved and asksyou for a confirmation to exit. Press ENTER.

3. You can leave feature creation by choosing OK from the featurecreation dialog box, or you can continue feature definition byselecting another element from the dialog box.

The following procedure explains how to complete the section.

➤ How to Complete a Section

1. Choose Redefine.

2. Select a feature with an incomplete section.

3. Choose Section from the dialog box.

4. Complete the section.

PartPart

Zoom in on section

Segment is not zerolength.

Section for protrusion is too small toregenerate — segment is consideredzero length.

5 - 1

5Feature Creation Basics

The most common way of adding material to a part is to create aprotrusion. When you create a protrusion, you select one of theforms (extrusion, revolution, and so on), sketch the feature’ssection, and define the protrusion attributes.

This chapter describes the most common basic forms—extrudedand revolved protrusions. Basic forms of protrusions are used tocreate various Pro/ENGINEER features (for example, a cut, quilt,and so on).

Creating other forms, such as sweeps and blends, is described inthe next chapter.

Topic Page

Creating a Protrusion 5 - 2

Thin Features 5 - 5

Creating an Extruded Feature 5 - 5

Creating a Revolved Feature 5 - 13

5 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a ProtrusionThe following procedure explains how to create a protrusion.

➤ How to Create a Protrusion

1. Choose Feature > Create > Solid > Protrusion.

2. Specify a method of adding material by choosing an option fromthe SOLID OPTS menu. The options are:

• Extrude—Create a feature by extruding its section. SeeCreating an Extruded Feature on page 5 - 13.

• Revolve—Create a feature by revolving its section. SeeCreating a Revolved Feature on page 5 - 16.

• Sweep—Create a feature by sweeping a section along atrajectory. See Sweep on page 6 - 2.

• Blend—Create a feature by blending multiple sections. SeeBlend on page 6 - 8.

• Use Quilt—Create a feature by adding material to a quilt.See Creating Solid Geometry Using Quilts on page 12 - 26.

• Advanced—Create features using advanced feature forms.See Advanced Features on page 6 - 23.

3. Select an option from the lower portion of the SOLID OPTSmenu:

• Solid—(Default) Create a feature as solid.

• Thin—Create a thin feature by specifying the feature’sthickness as a parameter. For information on how to createthin features, see Thin Features on page 5 - 5.

Choose Done from the SOLID OPTS menu.

4. Define the feature as prompted by the system.

The following figure shows the different protrusion features.

Feature Creation Basics 5 - 3

Feature C

reationB

asics

Different Types of Protrusions

It is good practice to create the simplest feature possible. Forexample, if an extruded cut will work, do not use a general blend.

Extrude

Revolve

subsection 1 subsection 2

subsection 3

Smooth

Straight

Blend

Sweep

trajectory

section

section

axis ofrevolution

section

5 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

To create a cut to remove material, you use the same techniques aswhen you add material. If you have sketched an open section, thesystem displays a red arrow indicating the side where material is tobe added or removed (see the next illustration). Use the Flip andOkay options in the SEL SIDE menu to specify the side.

Specifying the Side for a Cut Feature

Selecting Feature Direction

Before you start, Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to specify in whichdirection the feature should extend, or the direction of viewing thesketching plane.

➤ How to Specify the Direction of Feature Creation

1. Pro/ENGINEER displays a red arrow on the selected sketchingplane to indicate the default direction of feature creation. Thedirection of the arrow depends on the part orientation.

If the part is oriented such that the feature will be created“into” the screen, the arrow points directly into the screen withthe “feathered end” closest to you. If the part is oriented suchthat the feature will be created “out of” the screen, the arrowpoints out of the screen with the rounded “head end” towardsyou. In any other orientation, you will see the arrow from theside.

Flip

Flip arrow

Arrow points towardarea to be removed.

Okay

Feature Creation Basics 5 - 5

Feature C

reationB

asics

Direction Arrows

2. Pro/ENGINEER also displays the ARROW FLIP menu. ChooseFlip to reverse the direction of feature creation, or Okay toaccept the direction shown.

Note: To reset the size of the flip arrow, set the configurationoption “flip_arrow_scale”. The default size is 1.

Selecting the Sketching Plane and Feature Direction

After you specify the reference plane, the system orients thesketching plane so it is parallel to the screen. If you are creating afeature that adds material to the part (such as a protrusion), thesystem orients the plane so the feature “grows” towards you. If youare adding a feature that removes material (such as a slot),Pro/ENGINEER orients the plane so the feature extends away fromyou.

Thin FeaturesUse the Thin option in the SOLID OPTS menu to create simplifiedsection sketches with a uniform thickness (see the illustrationExtruded Thin Feature) by applying a thickness to the section as itis extruded, revolved, swept, imported, or blended (for blends thatare general, rotational, or closed).

Out of screenInto screen

Direction offeature creation

Select this planefor sketching.

5 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Extruded Thin Feature

Thin features can be used as a base feature or as cuts, slots, andprotrusions in secondary features. You can add material to create aa thin feature to either side of the sketched section. Choose Flip orOkay from the THIN OPT menu to specify the side or Both to addmaterial equally to both sides of the section. You can modify boththe section and thickness after the feature is created.

Revolved Thin Feature

Thin features follow the contour of the part if an endpoint of thesection is on a part edge (see the illustration Terminating ThinFeature Edges).

Sketch this section. Create this feature.

The thickness isto the outside.

Create this feature.Sketch this section.

The thickness isto the inside.

Feature Creation Basics 5 - 7

Feature C

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asics

Terminating Thin Feature Edges

If only one endpoint is on the part edge, the corresponding createdsurface will follow that edge (see the illustration Thin FeatureEndpoint on a Single Edge).

Thin Feature Endpoint on a Single Edge

If a thin section endpoint is located at a vertex, it lies on multipleedges. In this case, Pro/ENGINEER prompts you (with a small redcircle and crosshair at the section endpoint) to select the edge thatthe end surface will follow (see the illustration Thin FeatureEndpoint on a Vertex).

You cannot include text in a sketch of a thin feature (see UsingSketcher Text on page 2 - 19).

Note that the thickenedline follows the basefeature contour.

Sketch this line.

Create this feature.

Thin feature surfaceautomatically follows

Endpoint of original section

Original section

the edge.

5 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Thin Feature Endpoint on a Vertex

➤ How to Create Thin Extrusion

1. Choose SOLID > Protrusion > Extrude > Thin > Done.

2. Choose One Side or Both Sides.

3. Select a sketching plane and orient the section.

4. Sketch the feature section. Remember that thickness is beingadded automatically, so you can use a simplified “stick figure”approach to the sketch.

5. Choose a thin feature direction using the THIN OPT menu (seeThin Features on page 5 - 5).

6. Enter the thickness of the thin section.

7. Choose a depth option and enter a depth, if required. SeeSpecifying the Depth on page 5 - 9 for more information.

If an endpoint of the sketched feature terminates on a part vertexthat causes ambiguity, you must select the terminating edge orsurface for the highlighted endpoint of the sketched section.Otherwise, the thin feature will be terminated with its end facenormal to the sketched section—it will not follow the part contour.

Endpoint of original section is at this

Selectededge

Thin feature was createdvertex; the edge is ambiguous.to both sides of the

original section.

Feature Creation Basics 5 - 9

Feature C

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asics

Specifying the Depth

When you define the Depth attribute of a feature (for example, aprotrusion, cut, slot, hole, or surface feature), the SPEC TO (or SPECFROM) menu appears with the following options:

• Blind—Enter a dimension for the feature depth. You can thencontrol the feature depth by changing the depth dimension.

• 2 Side Blind—For a feature defined as Both Sides, enter aseparate depth value for each side with respect to the sketchingplane.

• Thru Next—Terminate the feature at the next part surface.

• Thru All—The new feature intersects all surfaces.

• Thru Until—Extend the feature until the intersection with thespecified surface.

• Pnt/Vtx—Specify the depth up to a plane parallel to thesketching plane, and passing through the selected datum pointor vertex.

• UpTo Curve—Specify the depth up to a plane parallel to thesketching plane, and passing through the selected edge, axis, ordatum curve.

• UpTo Surface—Specify the depth up to a selected surface.

Blind

A blind feature has a user-defined depth dimension that governs itsdepth.

A 2 Side Blind feature has two depth dimensions with respect tothe sketching plane.

In the special case of a sketched blind hole, the depth is indicated inthe feature section.

The “Through” Options

The system creates a “through” feature from the placement surfaceuntil its intersection with the specified termination surface.

Consider the following rules for using the through options:

• For all through intersections, the feature being created must lieentirely within the surface (or quilt) on which it is terminated.

5 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• When you use the Thru Until option for an extruded feature,the feature cannot terminate on a datum plane. Use theUpTo Surface option to select the terminating datum.

• When you use the THRU UNTIL option for a blend, you canselect a datum plane to terminate the feature, but the datumplane must be parallel to the sketching plane.

• Protrusions created with the THRU NEXT option cannotterminate on a datum plane.

• Thru Next, Thru Until, and Thru All are not available whenyou create surface features.

• Thru All is available for protrusions only if the part hasexisting geometry.

The next illustration shows the valid depth options for removingmaterial in holes, cuts, and slots.

Depth Options for Removing Material

Some tips for using the “through” options:

• Use a through option (Thru All, Thru Until, or Thru Next)when you want the feature to terminate on a specified surface.

• Use Thru Next when the feature should stop at the firstsurface it reaches.

• Use Thru All when the feature should stop at the last surfaceit reaches.

Thru Next

Thru All

Thru Until

Until surface

Thru All surface

Next surface

UpTo surface(extrude)

(blend) or

Placementsurface

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• Use Thru Until when you want to pick the terminationsurface.

• Through features do not have a parameter associated with theextrusion depth. Modifying the terminating surface alters thedepth of the feature.

The following illustration shows valid depth options for addingmaterial.

Depth Options for Adding Material

The “Up To” Options

The “up to” options are available for extruded (protrusions, cuts,and slots), revolved, and surface features.

When you use the UpTo Surface option, you can select an existingsurface or create a datum plane. Choose the desired method byselecting one of the following options:

• Select Surf—Select any part surface, quilt (composed of one ormore surfaces), or datum plane.

• Make Datum—Create a datum plane be used as an Up Toreference.

For solid features, you can select the surfaces of the following types:

• Another part surface, which need not be planar (see theillustration Using Both Sides and Up To Surface)

Thru UntilThru Next

Thru All (Blend)

From To (Blend),

BlindFrom surface

To surface

Next surface

Until surface

Thru All surface

or UpTo surface (Extrude)

Placementsurface

5 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• A datum plane, which need not be parallel to the sketchingplane

• Quilt composed of one or more surfaces

Note: For a surface feature, the terminating surface can onlybe a datum plane, which must be parallel to thesketching plane.

When creating features in Assembly mode, you can select geometryof another component as references for the “up to” options.

Using a quilt as the terminating surface allows you to createfeatures intersecting with multiple surfaces and is very useful forcreating patterns consisting of multiple terminating surfaces.

The next illustration shows an example of using a datum plane asan “up to” reference.

Using Both Sides and Up To Surface

Sketch on datumplane.

From surfaceUp To surface

Up To Surface

Up To surface

Feature createdusing Both Sides

Sketching plane

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Creating an Extruded FeatureThe Extrude option in the SOLID OPTS menu creates a featurethat is formed by projecting the section straight away from thesketching plane. It is the most basic and frequently-used formoption.

The following figure illustrates some sketched extruded features.

Sketching Extruded Features

Basic Procedure for Creating an Extruded Feature

➤ How to Create an Extruded Feature

1. Choose SOLID OPTS > Extrude > Done.

2. Specify the location of the extruded feature with respect to thesketching plane. The possible values are as follows:

• One Side—Specify the depth of the feature to one side ofthe sketching plane.

• Both Sides—Specify depth for both sides of the sketchingplane separately.

3. Specify the sketching plane.

Open section

Closed sectionmultiple contours Protrusion

Cut

5 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

4. Specify the direction of feature creation.

5. Orient the sketching plane.

6. The system places you in Sketcher. Select model references forplacing the section.

7. Sketch the section, then choose Done.

8. If prompted, specify the side to add or remove material usingFlip and Okay.

9. Define the Depth element.

10. Click OK in the dialog box.

Using One Side and Both Sides with Depth Options

If you choose One Side, the feature starts from the sketching planeand is extruded in the direction of feature creation according to theselected depth option.

If you choose Both Sides, for options other than Blind, you mustdefine the from and to sides of the feature. Which side is consideredfrom or to depends on the direction of feature creation.

Note the following rules for the “both sides” features:

• For a Blind feature, the depth you enter is dividedsymmetrically by the sketching plane (see the illustrationLocation of a Blind Feature Relative to the Sketching Plane onpage 5 - 15).

• The system applies the through options with respect to thesketching plane. For example, if you select Thru Next from theSPEC FROM menu, the system looks for the next valid surfacefrom the sketching plane, in the direction opposite to thedirection of feature creation (see the illustration Thru Optionsfor Both Sides on page 5 - 15).

• Up to options allow you to locate the feature completely asidefrom the sketching plane. They also allow you to use vertices,edges, datum planes, and non-planar surfaces as terminationreferences.

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Location of a Blind Feature Relative to the Sketching Plane

Thru Options for Both Sides

Open and Closed Sections for Extruded Features

Extruded sections can be open or closed. Note the following:

• Open sections cannot have more than one loop. All open endsshould be explicitly aligned to the part edges.

• Closed sections may consist of one or more closed outside loops,or of one outside loop with one or more inside loops. In the lastcase, Pro/ENGINEER takes the largest loop as the outside, andeach other loop is considered to be a hole in the large loop. Theloops must not intersect each other.

One side Both sides

Sketching plane

Direction of feature creation SPEC FROM optionThru Next

SPEC TO optionThru All

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Creating a Revolved FeatureThe Revolve option creates a feature by revolving the sketchedsection around a centerline (see the illustration Revolve Cut orSlot).

Revolve Cut or Slot

A revolved feature can be created either entirely on one side of thesketching plane, or symmetrically on both sides of the sketchingplane.

To create or redefine a revolved feature, specify the elements in thefollowing order:

• Attributes

• Section

• Direction

• Angle

Specifying the Revolved Feature Attributes

The ATTRIBUTES menu elements One Side and Both Sides areavailable for all but the first feature. For Both Sides (see the nextillustration), the feature will be revolved symmetrically in eachdirection for one half of the angle specified in the OPTIONS menu,whether preset or variable.

Axis of revolution

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Revolved Cut or Slot—Both Sides Option

Sketching the Revolved Feature Section

To create a revolved section, create a centerline and the geometrythat will be revolved about that centerline.

Rules for sketching a revolved feature:

• The revolved section must have a centerline.

• The geometry must be sketched on only one side of the axis ofrevolution.

• If you use more than one centerline in the sketch,Pro/ENGINEER uses the first centerline sketched as the axis ofrotation.

• The section must be closed.

Specifying the Angle of Revolution

Use the options in the REV TO menu to specify the angle ofrevolution of the feature, and whether that angle is to be measuredentirely on one side of the sketching plane, or symmetrically onboth sides of the sketching plane. The options are as follows:

• Variable—Specify any angle of revolution less than 360degrees. The angle is controlled by a dimension that the systemdisplays when you modify the part, and in drawings. Acorresponding dimension will not appear if you choose a presetangle.

Axis of revolution Sketching plane

60.00

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• 90—Create the feature with a fixed angle of 90 degrees.

• 180—Create the feature with a fixed angle of 180 degrees.

• 270—Create the feature with a fixed angle of 270 degrees.

• 360—Create the feature with a fixed angle of 360 degrees.

• UpTo Pnt/Vtx—Create the revolved feature up to a point orvertex. The revolved feature ends when the section planereaches the point or vertex (see the next illustration).

• UpTo Plane—Create the revolved feature up to an existingplane or planar surface that must contain the axis of revolution.If you are revolving to a datum plane, identify the plane anduse the flip arrow to indicate on which side of the axis ofrevolution to stop revolving when the feature reaches thedatum plane (as it is created in the direction of revolution). Thefeature ends when its revolving section plane reaches the plane(see the illustration Creating a Revolve Feature with UpToPlane on page 5 - 19). If you are revolving to a non-datum planesurface, indicate the side by the location at which you select thesurface as a reference (see the next illustration).

In the next illustration, the revolve feature is created using theUpTo Plane option by selecting DTM1. Depending on the directionof the axis of revolution, you will get two different results.

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Creating a Revolve Feature with UpTo Plane

Section

Direction of featurecreation

Axis of revolutionAxis of revolution

6 - 1

6Sweeps, Blends, and

Advanced Features

This chapter provides basic information on how to create sweeps,blends, and advanced feature forms.

Topic Page

Sweep 6 - 2

Blend 6 - 8

Advanced Features 6 - 23

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SweepA sweep is created by sketching or selecting a trajectory and thensketching a section to follow along it. You can create more advancedsweeps using the Advanced option (see Advanced Features onpage 6 - 23).

Swept Cut

Rules for Defining a Trajectory

A constant section sweep can use either a trajectory sketched at thetime of feature creation or a trajectory made up of selected datumcurves or edges. As a general rule, the trajectory must haveadjacent reference surfaces, or be planar. When you define a sweep,the system checks the specified trajectory for validity andestablishes normal surfaces. A normal surface is the surface whosenormal is used to establish the Y-axis of the trajectory. Whenambiguity exists, the system prompts you to select a normalsurface.

Depending on the type of chain selected as a trajectory, the systembehaves as follows:

• All chain segments reference edges—The normal surfaces arethe adjacent surfaces of the edges. If the edges are two-sided,the system prompts you to choose one set of surfaces.

• All chain segments reference entities that belong to a datumcurve, created by referencing surfaces (for example, by usingthe Projected option)—The normal surfaces are referencesurfaces of the curve. If the curve references two sets ofsurfaces, the system prompts you to choose one.

TrajectoryOpen section

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• All chain segments reference a sketched datum curve—thenormal surface is the sketching plane of the curve.

• The chain of edges/curves is planar (other than a straightline)—The normal surface is the plane defined by the chain.

• Datum curves that you select for the trajectory must be createdwith one of the following options:

– Sketch

– Intr. Surfs

– Use Xsec

– Projected

– Formed

– OffsetfromSrf

– 2 Projections

– from any curve that lies in a plane

Consider the following special cases:

• If a datum curve and its adjacent surfaces were bent by atoroidal bend feature, you can use that curve as a trajectory.

• If you extend the chain with Trim/Extend in the CHAIN menu,the system accepts that chain if it is planar.

The following figure illustrates a constant section sweep.

Constant Section Sweep

DTM1

Sweep uses as atrajectory a datum curvecreated from theintersection of twosurfaces.

6 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Note that a sweep may fail if:

• A trajectory crosses itself.

• You align or dimension a section to fixed entities, but theorientation of the section changes when its is swept along the3-dimensional trajectory (for more information, see Aligning toPart Geometry on page 6 - 33).

• An arc or a spline radius is too small, relative to the section,and the feature intersects itself traversing around the arc (seethe following illustration).

Self-Intersecting Feature

➤ How to Create a Swept Feature

1. Use the command sequence Feature, Create, Solid,Protrusion.

2. Choose Sweep and Done from the SOLID OPTS menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature creation dialog box forsweeps.

4. Sketch or select the trajectory using a SWEEP TRAJ menuoption. The trajectory can be open or closed. The options are asfollows:

• Sketch Traj—Sketch the sweep trajectory using Sketchermode.

• Select Traj—Select a chain of existing curves or edges asthe sweep trajectory. The CHAIN menu allows you to selectthe desired trajectory (see Chain Processing on page 3 - 33).

5. If the trajectory lies in more than one surface, such as atrajectory defined by a datum curve created using Intr. Surfs,the system prompts you to select a normal surface for the sweepcross section. Pro/ENGINEER orients the Y-axis of the crosssection to be normal to this surface along the trajectory.

Trajectory

R 1.0

R 1.5

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6. Create or retrieve the section to be swept along the trajectoryand dimension it relative to the crosshairs displayed on thetrajectory. Choose Done.

7. If the trajectory is open (the start and end points of thetrajectory do not touch (see the illustration Free and MergedEnds) and you are creating a solid sweep, choose an option fromthe ATTRIBUTES menu, then Done. The possible options are asfollows:

• Merge Ends—Merge the ends of the sweep, if possible, intothe adjacent solid. To do this, the sweep endpoint must beattached to part geometry.

• Free Ends—Do not attach the sweep end to adjacentgeometry.

Free and Merged Ends

8. If the sweep trajectory is closed (see the illustration SolidSweeps with Closed Trajectories on page 6 - 6), choose one ofthe following SWEEP OPT menu options and Done:

• Add Inn Fcs—For open sections, add top and bottom facesto close the swept solid (planar, closed trajectory, and opensection). The resulting feature consists of surfaces createdby sweeping the section and has two planar surfaces thatcap the open ends.

• No Inn Fcs—Do not add top and bottom faces.

The trajectory ends atintersection with solidgeometry, but thesweep end isunattached.

Merged ends Free ends

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9. Choose Flip, if desired, then Okay from the DIRECTION menuto select the side from which to remove material for swept cuts.

10. Select OK in the dialog box to create the sweep.

Solid Sweeps with Closed Trajectories

Note: When creating a surface sweep with a closed trajectory,the No Inn Fcs option may be used with an open orclosed section, but the Add Inn Fcs option requiresonly an open section.

Swept Feature Corners

The sweep will have a mitered corner if the trajectory has straightline segments that form an angle (see the following illustration).

Closed trajectory, No Inn Fcs.

Section must be closed.

Closed trajectory, Add Inn Fcs.

Section must be open.

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Sweep with Mitered Corner

Non-Tangent Trajectory Segments

Sweeps can be made along trajectories consisting of non-tangententities. However, as the section is swept along, the resultinggeometry should not have any gaps, as shown in the followingillustration.

Sweeping Along Non-Tangent Entities

Three-Dimensional Sweeps

With Pro/FEATURE, sweeps can be created along athree-dimensional path with a three-dimensional spline for thesweep trajectory. That is, Pro/FEATURE allows you to modify theZ-coordinates of spline points (all other Sketcher entities must lieon a two-dimensional sketching plane). In all other respects,three-dimensional sweeps are created in the way same as

Angles in sweep trajectoriescreate sweep corners.

Trajectory

WRONG

Trajectory

RIGHT

Gap in the sweepgeometry

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two-dimensional sweeps. Beyond the three-dimensional sweepsdescribed here, for such applications as creating springs, you cancreate an advanced feature helical sweep by sweeping a sectionalong a helical trajectory (see the illustration Sample Area Graphand Information Window on page 6 - 46).

Spring Created from a 3-D Spline

➤ How to Create a Three-Dimensional Spline

1. Create a two-dimensional spline and dimension it to a Sketchercoordinate system.

2. Modify the X-, Y-, and Z-coordinates for one or more splinepoints. You can modify the spline coordinates manually, or byusing a spline definition file. See the Sketcher chapter, for moreinformation on modifying splines.

Note: You cannot modify coordinates of the spline if itsendpoints are attached to other entities in the sketch.

BlendA blended feature consists of a series of at least two planar sectionsthat Pro/ENGINEER joins together at their edges with transitionalsurfaces to form a continuous feature. Blends with parallel sectionscan be created in basic Pro/ENGINEER, but the Pro/FEATURE andPro/SURFACE modules are required to create blends fromnon-parallel sections.

3-D spline

Cross Section

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Blend Types

Blend Type Section—Smooth—Straight

Parallel—Allblend sections lie onparallel planes inone section sketch.

Rotational—Blendsections are rotatedabout the Y-axis, upto a maximum of120 degrees. Eachsection is sketchedindividually andaligned using thecoordinate system ofthe section.

General—Sectionsof a general blendcan be rotated aboutand translatedalong the X-, Y-, andZ-axes. Eachsection is sketchedindividually, andaligned using thecoordinate system ofthe section.

Subsection 1 Subsection 2

Subsection 3

Section 1 and 3

Section 2

Sections 1 to 5(differ only in size)

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Techniques Common to All Blend Types

This section describes the techniques that are common to thecreation of to all blend types.

Blend Sections

The illustration Straight Parallel Blend shows a parallel blend forwhich the section consists of three subsections. Each segment in asubsection is matched with a segment in the following subsection;the blended surfaces are created between the correspondingsegments. With the exception of capping a blend (see CappingBlends on page 6 - 19), blends must always have the same numberof entities in each section. It is possible to make surfaces ofnon-parallel blends and parallel smooth blends disappear usingBlend Vertex (see Using a Blend Vertex on page 6 - 18).

Straight Parallel Blend

Starting Point of a Section

To create the transitional surfaces, Pro/ENGINEER connects thestarting points of the sections and continues to connect the verticesof the sections in a clockwise manner. By changing the startingpoint of a blend subsection, you can create blended surfaces thattwist between the sections (see the illustration Starting Points andBlend Shape on page 6 - 11).

The default starting point is the first point sketched in thesubsection. You can place the starting point at the endpoint ofanother segment by choosing the option Start Point from theSEC TOOLS menu and selecting the point.

Subsection 1

Subsection 2

Subsection 3

Each subsection contains foursegments.

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Starting Points and Blend Shape

Smooth and Straight Attributes

The following types of transition surfaces are used for creating theblend:

• Straight—Create a straight blend by connecting vertices ofdifferent subsections with straight lines. Edges of the sectionsare connected with ruled surfaces.

• Smooth—Create a smooth blend by connecting vertices ofdifferent subsections with smooth curves. Edges of the sectionsare connected with spline surfaces.

Smooth and Straight Blends

Start points

Smooth blend Straight blend

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The “From To” Depth Option

The From To depth option is applicable for blends only. TheFrom To option extrudes a feature from a selected surface toanother surface. It is designed to create features betweensculptured surfaces, but can be used for any type of surface, withthe following restrictions:

• Intersection surfaces must be physical surfaces, thereforedatum planes are not allowed as “From” or “To” surfaces.

• The feature section must intersect the From To surfacescompletely.

Creating a Blend

The following procedure explains how to create a blend.

➤ How to Create a Blend

1. Use the command sequence Feature, Create, Solid,Protrusion.

2. Choose Blend and Solid or Thin from the SOLID OPTS menu,then Done.

3. Choose options from the BLEND OPTS menu, then Done. TheBLEND OPTS menu options are as follows:

• Parallel—All blend sections lie on parallel planes in onesection sketch. For more information, see Parallel Blendson page 6 - 13.

• Rotational—The blend sections are rotated about theY-axis, up to a maximum of 120°. Each section is sketchedindividually and aligned using the coordinate system of thesection.

• General—The sections of a general blend can be rotatedabout and translated along the X-, Y-, and Z-axes. Eachsection is sketched individually and aligned using thecoordinate system of the section. For more information, seeGeneral Blend on page 6 - 22.

• Regular Sec—The feature will use the sketching plane.

• Project Sec—The feature will use the projection of thesection on the selected surface. This is used for parallelblends only. For more information, see Projected ParallelBlend on page 6 - 14.

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• Select Sec—Select section entities. This option is notavailable for parallel blends.

• Sketch Sec—Sketch section entities.

Parallel Blends

You create parallel blends using the Parallel option in theBLEND OPTS menu. A parallel blend is created from a single sectionthat contains multiple sketches, called subsections. First and lastsubsections can be defined as a point or a blend vertex.

Whenever you modify or redefine the section for a parallel blendfeature, the system displays the dimensions and contours for all thesubsections.

Note: If you make cuts in a parallel projected blend, thesections must be closed.

Parallel Blend Sections

A parallel blend section cannot be retrieved into Sketcher mode orinto any feature other than a parallel blend. You can retrieve asaved section using Place Section (see Sketching SectionGeometry on page 4 - 6) only when the blend is a secondary featureand is going to be placed on an existing feature. The retrievedsection will be added to the current subsection and can be placedinto different subsections with variations in rotation angle and size.

➤ How to Create a Parallel Blend

1. When you choose Done from the BLEND OPTS menu, thesystem displays feature creation dialog box and theATTRIBUTES menu. Choose either Straight or Smooth.

2. Create the first subsection using Sketcher. You determine thedirection of feature creation as you set up the sketching plane.

3. A parallel blend requires more than one subsection. To continuecreating other subsections, choose Sec Tools from theSKETCHER menu.

4. Choose Toggle from the SEC TOOLS menu. The first subsectionturns gray and becomes inactive.

5. Choose Sketch and sketch the second subsection. Make sure itsstarting point corresponds to the starting point of the first byselecting the Start Point from the SEC TOOLS menu.Dimension the subsection.

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6. If you are sketching more than two subsections, choose Toggleuntil all the current geometry is gray, then sketch thesubsection. Repeat this step until all subsections are sketched.Each subsection must be fully dimensioned to define itsgeometry and to locate it with respect to the other subsections.If you began your part with three default datum planes, everysubsection can be dimensioned to them. Otherwise, eachsubsection should be dimensioned to another subsection or alocal coordinate system.

7. To modify an existing subsection, toggle through until thesubsection you want is active. While you can place or move thestarting point of a subsection only when it is active, you canmodify the dimensions of any subsection at any time.

8. When you have sketched all the subsections, choose Done fromthe SKETCHER menu. Enter the distances between eachsubsection in response to the prompts.

9. Specify the Depth element.

10. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Note: Parallel blend sections cannot be saved and retrieved asordinary sections.

Projected Parallel Blend

Projected section blends allow you to create a sketch on a planarsurface or datum plane and project the sections onto any two solidsurfaces to create a blended feature.

Note: In Assembly mode, you cannot use an externalreference as a surface to project onto.

A projected parallel blend can have only two sections, each of whichmust lie within the boundaries of its selected surface, and cannotintersect other surfaces. When the sections are regenerated, thesystem projects them onto their selected surfaces, normal to thesketching plane (see the following illustration).

➤ How to Create a Projected Section Blend

1. Choose Project Sec from the BLEND OPTS menu.

2. Select or create the sketching plane.

3. Select the “from” and “to” solid surfaces onto which the blendsections will be projected.

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4. Sketch and dimension the two subsections, one for each surface,in the same order as you selected the From To surfaces (thefirst sketch will be projected onto the first surface selected).

The next figure illustrates a projected parallel blend.

Projected Section Blend

Non-Parallel Blends

Non-parallel blends (Rotational and General options) have someparticular advantages over parallel blends:

• Sections can be non-parallel, but do not have to be. Parallelblends can be created simply by entering a 0˚ angle betweensections.

• A section can be created by importing from an IGES file. SeeUsing IGES Files to Create Imported Sections for Non-ParallelBlends on page 6 - 17 for detailed information.

Sketched Versus Selected Sections

Non-parallel blend sections can be created by sketching them(using Sketch Sec), or by selecting three-dimensional entities(using the option Select Sec).

Note: The sections maintain their truedimensions when projected parallel to thesketching plane (DTM1).

Projected section 2

Projected section 1Sketching plane

“From” surface

“To” surface (bottom)

Section 1

Section 2

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The restrictions for selecting section entities are as follows:

• All the entities must lie in the same plane.

• For rotational blends, the planes of all sections must intersectat a single axis. For rotational blends with only two sections,there is never ambiguity. However, if more than two sectionsare defined and they do not form a single axis, the feature fails.

Open and Closed Blends

Non-parallel blends can be open or closed. If you specify Closed,Pro/ENGINEER uses the first section of the blend as the lastsection and creates a closed, solid shape.

Open and Closed Blends

Specifying Tangent Surfaces

You can create a smooth transition between the surfaces of a blendfeature and surfaces of an adjacent feature on the same part. Open,smooth blends can have a tangent surface specified for eachsegment in the first and last sections.

➤ How to Specify Surface Tangency Conditions

1. Choose the Tangency element and Define from the dialog box.

2. The system asks you if the blend should be tangent to anysurfaces at the first end.

3. If you answer “yes”, the system highlights each segment in thefirst section sequentially. Select a surface for each highlightedentity. If you do not want to specify tangency for the highlightedsegment, choose Done Sel to move to the next segment.

4. Repeat the process for the other end of the blend.

Closed blendOpen blend

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The following figure illustrates tangent surfaces.

Blend Tangent to Adjacent Surfaces

Using IGES Files to Create Imported Sections for Non-Parallel Blends

The following sections describe how to use IGES files to createnon-parametric and parametric sections for non-parallel blends.

Non-Parametric Section

Importing an IGES feature during feature creation can produce anon-parametric feature that has no dimensions to modifyinteractively. You can use the imported feature to define a section.

➤ How to Use an Imported Feature to Define a Section

1. When creating a non-parallel blend, select or sketch a section. Ifyou sketch a section, create a coordinate system and align thesection to the part.

2. Choose Interface from the SEC TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Import from the INTERFACE menu and IGES from theINTF IMPORT menu.

4. Enter an IGES file name for a two-dimensional section. AnInformation Window displays a summary of the IGES importdata.

Blends created in this way are subject to the following restrictions:

• Modifying the dimensioning scheme of the feature causesPro/ENGINEER to prompt you for a new IGES file name. Theremust be a one-to-one correspondence between existing IGESentities and the replacement IGES entities (the first entity inthe IGES file replaces the first entity in the section).

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• The IGES entities are placed using their absolute coordinatevalues. There is no option to scale or dimension the resultingsketch.

• The IGES file section must be closed and all endpoints must bematched exactly with another endpoint. Otherwise, import ofan IGES file may fail.

Parametric Section

You can create a parametric section using an IGES file byimporting the section into the Sketcher, dimensioning the entities,and regenerating the section. This type of section is more useful,because the resulting feature is fully parametric.

Functions Applicable to Both Types of Blends

This section describes how to use a blend vertex and cappingblends.

Using a Blend Vertex

With the exception of capping a blend (see Capping Blends onpage 6 - 19), each section of a blend must always contain the samenumber of entities. For sections that do not have enough geometricentities, you can add blend vertices. Each blend vertex adds oneentity to the section. However, a blend surface can be made todisappear using a blend vertex on a sketched or selected section.

A blend vertex acts as a terminator for the corresponding surface ofthe blend, but is counted in the total number of entities for asection. You can use a blend vertex in either a straight or smoothblend (including parallel smooth blends), but only in the first or lastsection.

➤ How to Add a Blend Vertex

1. Choose Adv Geometry from the GEOMETRY menu inSketcher.

2. Choose Blend Vertex from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

3. Select the vertex of an existing geometry entity. A circle will beplaced there. More than one blend vertex can be created at thesame point. Each additional vertex will create a concentriccircle of increasing diameter, as shown in the followingillustration, Adding a Blend Vertex.

You can delete a blend vertex entity using Delete > Query Sel.

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Adding a Blend Vertex

Capping Blends

The first and last sections of a blend can each be a point. This capsthe end of the blend feature with either a sharp or smoothtransition to a tip. The end subsection of a parallel blend mustalways form a sharp cap.

Smooth and sharp caps create very different features, as shown inthe following illustration. The smooth cap is created by forcing allgeometry to be tangent at the point section. The sharp cap allowsthe geometry to flow straight towards the point section. The bestway to control the shape of the feature as it approaches the cap is touse as many sections as are necessary to achieve the desired result.

Cap Type Affects the Feature Shape

Note the following information about capped blends:

• The Z-axis is normal to the surface at the point entity. Enteringrotation values for the X- and Y-axis affects the featuredefinition of a smooth cap.

Section 1 Section 2 Section 3

1

2 (blend vertex)

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

+ +

“Sharp” cap“Smooth” cap

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• For a smooth cap, the point entity must be located within theboundaries of the previous section (picture where it would be ifyou used the same dimensions, but had sketched it on theprevious section).

➤ How to Cap a Non-Parallel Blend

1. For the last section of the non-parallel blend, create acoordinate system and a point entity. Dimension the point, ifnecessary.

2. Regenerate the section and choose Done.

3. Choose an option from the CAP TYPE menu:

• Smooth—Create a cap that is smooth.

• Sharp—Create a cap that is sharp.

Rotational Blends

A rotational blend is created by sections that are rotated about theY-axis. You enter angular dimensions to control section orientationand can dimension sections from their Sketcher coordinate systemto control radial placement. You must add a section coordinatesystem in Sketcher mode. You cannot use the default coordinatesystem.

If you define a rotational blend as being closed, Pro/ENGINEERuses the first section as the last section and creates a closed solidfeature. There is no need to sketch the last section.

➤ How to Create a Rotational Blend

1. When you choose Rotational, other options, and Done fromthe BLEND OPTS menu, the system displays feature creationdialog box with the required elements Attributes and Section.You can also choose the Tangency element if you want tospecify optional tangency. When you have selected all theelements, click Define.

2. Choose from the mutually exclusive pairs of elements in theATTRIBUTES menu, then choose Done. The possible choices areas follows:

• Straight—Create a straight blend by connecting vertices ofdifferent subsections with straight lines. Edges of thesections are connected with ruled surfaces.

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• Smooth—Create a smooth blend by connecting vertices ofdifferent subsections with smooth curves. Edges of thesections are connected with spline surfaces.

• Open—Create an open solid shape.

• Closed—Create a closed solid shape. Pro/ENGINEER usesthe first section of the blend as the last section.

3. Use Sketch Sec to sketch the sections of the blend, or SelectSec to select three-dimensional entities. When sketching thesection, add a coordinate system using Coord System in theADV UTILS menu.

4. For sketched sections, first enter the Y-axis rotation angle forthe next section (120° maximum). After regenerating thesection, the system displays a separate window for you tosketch the next section. After sketching and regenerating thesection, choose Done from the SKETCHER menu. The systemprompts you whether to continue to the next section. If youreply “yes”, repeat this step until you are done with all thesections.

5. If you are creating a smooth blend and selected Tangency inthe dialog box, create the blend with surfaces tangent toadjacent geometry. See Specifying Tangent Surfaces on page 6 - 16 for more information.

6. When you have sketched or selected all sections, select OK inthe dialog box to create the feature.

Sketched Rotational Blend

Section 2 is rotatedat 45 degrees withrespect to Section 1around the Y-axis.

Section 3 is rotated at90 degrees with repsectto Section 2 about theY-axis.

Section 1

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General Blend

➤ How to Create a General Blend

1. When you choose General and Done from the BLEND OPTSmenu, the system displays the feature creation dialog box andthe ATTRIBUTES menu. Choose either Straight or Smoothfrom the ATTRIBUTES menu.

2. Use Sketch Sec to sketch the sections of the blend, or SelectSec to select three-dimensional entities. When sketching thesection, add a coordinate system using Coord System in theADV UTILS menu. For sketched sections, enter the X-, Y-, andZ-axis rotation angle (120° maximum) as prompted todetermine the orientation of the next sketch, or reply “no” to theprompt (after the second section is defined) whether to continueto next section.

General Blend Sections

3. Repeat step 2 until you are done with all the sections.

4. After all the sections of the blend are finished, enter an offsetdepth value for all sections but the first. This dimension is thestraight-line distance between coordinate system origins.

5. If you are creating a smooth blend and selected the OptTangency element in the dialog box, create the blend withsurfaces tangent to adjacent geometry. See Specifying TangentSurfaces on page 6 - 16 for more information.

6. If you are creating a smooth blend, select tangency and sectionoptions. You can create the sections of the blend by sketching(using Sketch Sec), or by selecting three-dimensional entities(using Select Sec). See Sketched Versus Selected Sections onpage 6 - 15 for more information.

7. When you have sketched or selected all sections, select OK inthe dialog box to create the feature.

SEC1 SEC2 SEC3

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General Blend

Advanced FeaturesThe Advanced option in the SOLID OPTS menu accesses options foradvanced features, some of which are combinations of blend andsweep functionality. The ADV FEAT OPT menu contains thefollowing options for creating swept, blended, and free-formfeatures:

• Var Sec Swp—Create a variable section sweep using a singlevariable or constant section.

• Swept Blend—Create a swept blend using multiple variablesections.

• Helical Swp—Create a sweep feature by sweeping a sectionalong a helical trajectory.

• Sect to Srfs—Create a transitional surface between a set oftangent surfaces and a sketched contour.

• Srfs to Srfs—Create a smooth transition between twosurfaces.

• From File—Create a blended feature by reading in data pointsfrom an ASCII file.

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Options Common to Variable Section Sweeps and SweptBlends

The following table lists terminology common to variable sectionsweeps and swept blends.

Option Definition

NrmToOriginTraj The section plane remains normal to theOrigin Trajectory throughout its length.The generic Sweep behaves this way.

Norm To Traj Two trajectories must be selected todetermine the location and orientation ofthe section. The Origin Trajectorydetermines the origin of the sectionalong the length of the feature. Thesection plane remains normal to theNormal Trajectory along the length ofthe feature.

Pivot Direction The section plane remains normal to theOrigin Trajectory as it is viewed alongthe Pivot Direction. The upwarddirection of the section remains parallelto the Pivot Direction (see the followingfigure).

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Orienting the Section Using the Pivot Direction

Variable Section Sweeps

A Variable Section Sweep enables you to create a feature bysweeping a section along the selected trajectories by controlling thesection’s orientation, rotation, and geometry along the trajectory.

If you have a Pro/FEATURE license, you can define a solid variablesection sweep feature using one or more longitudinal trajectoriesand a single section. With the optional Pro/SURFACE module, youcan select trajectories instead of sketching them and you can createvariable section sweeps of surfaces.

Projection of theOrigin Trajectory inthe Pivot Direction

Origin Trajectory Pivot Direction selected asthe X-direction of the CSI

Projection of theOrigin Trajectory inthe Pivot Direction

Origin TrajectoryPivot Direction selected asthe Y-direction of the CSI

a

b

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A variable section sweep allows you to create a swept feature bycontrolling the following characteristics:

• You can specify the section orientation and rotation. Thesection can be normal to:

– the Origin Trajectory—Choose NrmToOriginTraj from theSWEEP OPTS menu. This method requires selecting theOrigin Trajectory and the X-Trajectory. The X-Trajectorydefines the section’s horizontal vector. The origin of thesection (crosshairs) is always located on the OriginTrajectory with the X-axis pointing towards theX-Trajectory.

– reference direction—Choose Pivot Dir from the SWEEPOPTS menu. The Y-axis of the section is always normal tothe selected direction. The section normal trajectory isdetermined by projecting the Origin Trajectory in the PivotDirection onto a plane normal to the Pivot Direction. Thismethod requires selecting the Origin Trajectory anddefining the Pivot Direction.

– a selected trajectory (not the Origin Trajectory)—ChooseNorm To Traj from the SWEEP OPTS menu. This methodrequires selecting the Origin Trajectory and the trajectoryto which the section will be normal.

• You can define multiple additional trajectories to which thevertices of the section can be aligned (see the next figure). Asthe section plane is swept along the Origin Trajectory, itsintersections with the longitudinal curves represent the knownpoints for section alignment and dimensioning.

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Using Additional Trajectories

• You can specify whether you want to vary the section as itmoves along the sweep trajectories by defining the SectionType element in the Variable Section Sweep dialog box. ChooseConstant from the SECTION TYPE menu to maintain the samesection, or Variable from the SECTION TYPE menu to adjustthe section size as it sweeps along the trajectory. For moredetail, see Constant Versus Variable Section on page 6 - 33.

Origin Trajectory

X-Trajectory

Additional trajectories

Section:section verticesare aligned to trajectories.

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The following figure illustrates a variable section sweep createdwith the NrmToOriginTraj option. Notice how geometry changesdepending on how the section is defined.

Creating a Variable Section Sweep with NrmToOriginTraj

Origin Trajectory

X-Trajectory

b) Section alignedto the X-Trajectory

a) Section dimensionedonly to the Origin Trajectory

Swept sections vary as featurefollows the X-Trajectory.

X-TrajectoryOrigin Trajectory

Origin Trajectory

Origin TrajectoryOrigin Trajectory

X-TrajectoryX-Trajectory

X-Trajectory

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The following figure illustrates a variable section sweep that usesthe Pivot Dir option.

Pivot Dir Variable Section Sweep

The following figure illustrates a variable section sweep that usesthe NrmToOriginTraj option.

NrmToOriginTraj Variable Section Sweep

Restrictions

The restrictions on sweep trajectories (see Rules for Defining aTrajectory on page 6 - 2) also apply for variable section sweeps.Note the following rules for selecting a trajectory:

• For NrmToOriginTraj sweeps, the Origin Trajectory can onlyconsist of tangent entities. For Pivot Dir sweeps, projection ofthe entities must be tangent as viewed along the PivotDirection (the entities themselves could be non-tangent in 3-D).

The section remains normal to the pivot plane.

Side View

Origin Trajectory

Pivot plane

The section remains normal to the Origin Trajectory.Side View

X-Trajectory

Origin Trajectory

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• When you create a variable section sweep with the Norm ToTraj option, the entities in the Origin Trajectory must betangent.

• The X-Trajectory and the origin trajectories cannot intersect,through they can meet at one of their ends.

• All additional trajectories of the feature must intersect thesweep’s sketching plane. The additional trajectories do not needto be as long as the Origin Trajectory; the sweep feature will becreated as far as the endpoint of the shortest trajectory.Modifying the lengths of trajectories will modify the length ofthe sweep.

• All trajectories must be continuous.

• You can use a composite curve as a trajectory.

Creating a Variable Section Sweep

The following procedure explains how to create a variable sectionsweep.

➤ How to Create a Variable Section Sweep

1. Choose Advanced and Done from the SOLID OPTS orSRF OPTS menu. The system displays the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

2. Choose Var Sec Swp, then Done from the ADV FEAT OPTmenu. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature creation dialog boxand the VAR SEC SWP menu.

3. Choose an option from the SWEEP OPTS menu, then chooseDone. The options are as follows:

• NrmToOriginTraj—Select the Origin Trajectory.

• Pivot Dir—Use the GEN SEL DIR menu to specify the PivotDirection. The possible options are as follows:

- Plane—Select a plane or create a new datum plane towhich the direction will be normal.

- Crv/Edg/Axis—Select as the direction an edge, curve,or axis. If you select a non-linear edge or curve, thesystem prompts you to select an existing datum pointon the edge or curve to specify a tangent.

- Csys—Select an axis of the coordinate system as thedirection.

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• Norm To Traj—Select the Origin Trajectory and anadditional trajectory to which the section will remainnormal.

4. Sketch or select the Origin Trajectory using the VAR SEC SWPmenu options, then choose Done. The possible options are asfollows:

• Sketch Traj—Sketch a new trajectory to use for the sweep.

• Select Traj—Define a chain from curves and edges (suchas a datum curve) to use as the sweep trajectory.

• Sel Tan Traj—Define a chain from curves and edges to useas a trajectory and specify a tangency condition by selectingtangency reference surfaces (see Specifying TangencyConditions on page 6 - 16).

• Remove Traj—Remove a trajectory that you previouslysketched or selected. You cannot remove the OriginTrajectory.

5. If you chose Pivot Dir in Step 3, go to Step 8; otherwise,proceed as follows.

Sketch or select the X-Trajectory, which defines the horizontalvector of the section. The sketching plane is located at a datumpoint or the endpoint of the Origin Trajectory. The orientationof the sketch plane is such that the positive X-axis passes fromthe endpoint of the Origin Trajectory through the point at theintersection of the second trajectory with the normal plane.

6. If you chose Norm To Traj in Step 3, select the trajectory towhich the section will be normal. Choose an option in the SECORIENT menu, followed by Done:

• Norm to Surf—Select a surface that determines thesection’s upward direction, then select or sketch thetrajectory that defines the section plane normal. ChooseFlip an Okay to select the upward direction. This option isavailable only if the Origin Trajectory belongs to a surface.

• Use Norm Traj—Select a trajectory that defines thesection plane normal.

7. If the Origin Trajectory has datum points, the systemhighlights an endpoint of the Origin Trajectory so you candefine the start point. Choose an option from the SEC POINTmenu to select the start point:

• Origin Start—Use the highlighted endpoint as the startpoint for the Origin Trajectory.

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• Pick Point—Pick a datum point on the Origin Trajectoryto be its start point.

Note: For a Norm To Traj swept blend, the system checks ifthe normal plane to the selected trajectory has a definedintersection with the Origin Trajectory. If theintersection cannot be found, the system issues awarning so you can redefine the normal trajectory.

8. You can sketch or select as many additional longitudinaltrajectories as you want, such that if the section is dimensionedto or aligned to these trajectories, the sweep feature also followsthese trajectories as it travels along the origin. The trajectoriescan be accessed by selecting the Trajectories element in thedialog box. You can remove a trajectory by choosing RemoveTraj from the VAR SEC SWP menu.

9. Choose Done to complete the trajectory definitions.

10. Sketch the sweep section. The section can be dimensioned toknown points (to the points of intersection of the longitudinalcurves with the sketching plane). The section remains alignedand dimensioned to the point as it sweeps along the curve.Userelations to create a meaningful parametric section.

Notes:

• When you dimension the section to known points or partedges, consider the relative position of the X-Trajectorythroughout the length of the Origin Trajectory. Dimensionsthat are valid at the start point of the sweep could becomemeaningless as the section turns around the origin.

• To capture your design intent when sketching a variablesection sweep section, you can use known dimensions andgraph evaluation. You can map a graph, or any function,along the variable section sweep Origin Trajectory usingthe trajectory parameter, trajpar, in a relation. Foradditional information, see Using Relations in Sweeps onpage 6 - 35.

11. Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

12. Click OK in the dialog box.

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Constant Versus Variable Section

If you define the Section Type element in the Variable SectionSweep dialog box as Constant, the system maintains the samesection geometry along the trajectory. This can be useful when thesection geometry references adjacent part geometry (for example,when you used Use Edge from the GEOM TOOLS to create thesection). Depending on whether you define the section as Variableor Constant, you get two different geometries of the variablesection sweep (see the next figure).

Using Constant and Variable Options

Aligning to Part Geometry

Consider the following recommendation: Do not align or dimensionthe section to part geometry unless the alignment or dimensionscan be held throughout the sweep, as this alignment may becomeinvalid as the section is swept along its trajectory (see the nextfigure).

Using Constant

Using Variable

The section created with Use Edgefollows the Origin Trajectory.

OriginTrajectory

For the Variable option, thesection is constantlyreevaluated along thetrajectory.

For the section created withUse Edge, the systemprojects the referencedgeometry at every point ofthe trajectory to define thesection.

Origin Trajectory

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Example of invalidated Alignment

Specifying Tangency Conditions

If you chose Sel Tan Traj to specify a tangent trajectory, you mustspecify a control surface for each segment of the trajectory. Whenthe sweep section is created, the direction tangent to the controlsurface will be shown as a centerline and can be used for sectiondimensioning (see the following illustration, Sweep Tangent to aSurface).

➤ How to Specify Tangency Conditions

1. After you selected the trajectory, the system highlights defaulttangent surfaces.

2. The system displays the DEFAULT TAN menu. Choose Acceptto accept all the default surfaces, or choose Reject to selectindividual tangent surfaces.

When you start sketching the sweep section, all the specifiedtangencies are displayed as centerlines. You can use them fordimensioning in Sketcher mode; this way, a sweep surface can beforced to stay tangent to the adjacent part surface.

X-Trajectory

Origin Curve

Aligned entities

As the section is swept along the trajectory, alignment ofthe section side edge and the base side edge becomesinvalid, and the feature fails.

Sweep section

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Sweep Tangent to a Surface

Using Relations in Sweeps

Using the trajectory parameter, trajpar, in a relation for variablesection sweeps allows you to map a graph, or any function, alongthe sweep Origin Trajectory (see the following illustrations,Mapping a Graph to a Variable Section Sweep and Variable SectionSweep Driven to a Point). The value of trajpar changes from 0 to 1as the section is swept along the Origin Trajectory. When a sweep iscreated along a composite curve, you can evaluate the trajpar ofthis curve at a specific point, the trajpar_of_pnt, and use this valuein relations. For an example, see Parametric Graph Relations onpage 6 - 37. If you set relations when sketching the section,connecting section dimensions with the trajectory parameter bysome function, the section changes according to this function as it isswept along the Origin Trajectory.

Origin Trajectory

X-vectortrajectory

Additional trajectory

Control surface

The sweep is created tangentto the selected surface.

Tangency centerlineSweep section

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Mapping a Graph to a Variable Section Sweep

Variable Section Sweep Driven to a Point

0

1Origin

trajectory

X-Trajectoryd0

x

y

1

sd0 = evalgraph (“form1”, trajpar)

Graph name: form1

sd0

sd1

Origintrajectory

X-Trajectory

Section sketch

Graph name: gr1 Graph name: gr2

Sketcher relations:sd4 = evalgraph (“gr1”, 200*trajpar)sd5 = evalgraph (“gr2”, 250*trajpar)

Origin

X-Trajectory

Section

Completed sweep

trajectory

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You can also create variable section sweep features with sectionsdriven to zero area at the endpoint (see the preceding illustration,Variable Section Sweep Driven to a Point), or at some intermediatepoint of the trajectory of the feature (see the following illustrationOrigin Trajectory and Graph Relations).

Note: The surface cannot be degenerate at the starting pointof the trajectory. The dimension driven by a graph mustevaluate to a non-zero value when you create the sweepsection.

Origin Trajectory and Graph Relations

Parametric Graph Relations

If the driving graph is apt to change, you can include thedimensions of the graph instead of absolute values in the Sketcherrelations of the sweep. The sweep then updates automatically withthe changes to the driving graph.

Origin X-TrajectorytrajectoryGraph name: gr1

Sketcher relation for the sweep section:sd3 = evalgraph (“gr1”, 250 * trajpar)

Section

This surface is driven to zero.

Origin Trajectory X- trajectory

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➤ How to Create Parametric Graph Relations

1. Before creating the sweep, choose Feat Info for the graphfeature and determine the part dimension symbolscorresponding to the appropriate section dimension of thegraph.

2. When you dimension the sweep section, enter the relation forthe corresponding graph dimension. In the previous example,the relation would be as follows:

sd3 = evalgraph (“gr1”, d0 * trajpar)

Modifications to the graph function may change its shape so thesweep feature geometry cannot be created. If the sweep feature failsbecause of modifications to the driving graph, you have two options:

• Choose Undo Changes to restore all the dimensions of thegraph.

• Choose Quick Fix and then Redefine to redefine the sweeptrajectories and section Origin Trajectory. For moreinformation, see Resolving Feature Failures on page 17 - 2.

Swept Blends

A swept blend requires a single trajectory (the Origin Trajectory)and multiple sections. To define the Origin Trajectory of the sweptblend, you can either sketch a curve or select a chain of datumcurves or edges. You sketch the sections to be blended at specifiedsegment vertices or datum points on the Origin Trajectory. Toorient a section, you can specify the rotation angle about the Z-axis,and/or use the Pick XVector or Norm to Surf options.

Note the following restrictions:

• A section cannot be located at a sharp corner in the OriginTrajectory.

• For a closed trajectory profile, sections must be sketched at thestart point and at least one other location. Pro/ENGINEER usesthe first section at the endpoint.

• For an open trajectory profile, you must create sections at thestart and end points. There is no option to skip placement of asection at those points.

• Sections cannot be dimensioned to the model, becausemodifying the trajectory would invalidate those dimensions.

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• A composite datum curve cannot be selected for definingsections of a swept blend (Select Sec). Instead, you must selectone of the underlying datum curves or edges from which acomposite curve is determined.

• If you choose Pivot Dir and Select Sec, all selected sectionsmust lie in planes that are parallel to the Pivot Direction.

If you have a Pro/SURFACE license, you can control swept blendgeometry by using an area graph and by controlling the perimeterof the feature between the sections.

An area graph represents the exact area of the cross section of theswept blend at selected locations on the Origin Trajectory. You canadd or remove points on the Origin Trajectory at which to specifythe swept blend sectional area. You can also change the graph valueat user-defined points (see Modifying Swept Blend Geometry Usingan Area Graph on page 6 - 45).

Creating a Swept Blend

To create a swept blend, you can define the trajectory by sketchinga trajectory, or by selecting existing curves and edges andextending or trimming the first and last entity in the trajectory.

➤ How to Create a Swept Blend

1. Choose Advanced from the SOLID OPTS menu, and SweptBlend and Done from the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

2. Choose the desired options from the BLEND OPTS menu, thenchoose Done from the BLEND OPTS menu. The possible optionsare as follows:

• Select Sec—Select existing curves or edges to define eachsection using the CRV SKETCHER menu.

• Sketch Sec—Sketch new section entities to define eachsection.

• NrmToOriginTraj—Select the Origin Trajectory.

• Pivot Dir—Use the GEN SEL DIR menu to specify the PivotDirection. The possible options are as follows:

- Plane—Select a plane or create a new datum plane towhich the direction will be normal.

- Crv/Edg/Axis—Select as the direction an edge, curve,or axis. If you select a non-linear edge or curve, thesystem prompts you to select an existing datum pointon the edge or curve to specify a tangent.

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- Csys—Select an axis of the coordinate system as thedirection.

• Norm To Traj—Select the Origin Trajectory and anadditional trajectory to which the section will remainnormal.

Note: For a Norm To Traj swept blend, the system checks ifthe normal plane to the selected trajectory has a definedintersection with the Origin Trajectory. If theintersection cannot be found, the system issues awarning so you can redefine the normal trajectory.

3. A Swept Blend dialog box appears with the following elements:

• Pivot Dir—(If selected) Specify the Pivot Direction.

• Normal Traj—(If selected) Select the normal trajectory.

• Origin Traj—Specify the trajectory that defines thesection origin.

• Sections—Define the sections.

• Blend Control—(Optional) Define how to control the blendgeometry along the Origin Trajectory.

• Tangency—(Optional) Specify tangency conditions for thefeature.

4. Define the type of Origin Trajectory by choosing an option fromthe SWEEP TRAJ menu:

• Sketch Traj—Sketch the Origin Trajectory.

• Select Traj—Define the Origin Trajectory using existingcurves and edges. Choose Done from the CHAIN menuwhen finished defining the chain.

Note: The Origin Trajectory can have sharp corners (adiscontinuous tangent to the curve), except at theendpoint of a closed curve. At non-tangent vertices,Pro/ENGINEER mitres the geometry as in constantsection sweeps (see Swept Feature Corners onpage 6 - 6).

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5. If you selected the NrmToOriginTraj option, the systembrings up the SEC ORIENT menu. Select one of these options,followed by Done:

• Pick XVector—Select an axis, straight edge/curve, orplane normal to determine the section’s positive X-axis. Useoptions in the GEN SEL DIR menu to select a horizontalreference. The system displays a red arrow, indicating thepositive direction for the X-vector. Choose Flip or Okay todetermine the direction for the operation.

Note: The Pick XVector option is available only for thetrajectories defined with the Select Traj option.

• Automatic—The system automatically determines thesection’s orientation.

If you select this option for the first section, then the X-axisis determined by the curvature vector at the beginning ofthe Origin Trajectory.

When you select Automatic for a section other than thefirst, the system determines the X-vector automaticallybased on the previous section orientation and the behaviorof the Origin Trajectory.

• Norm to Surf—Use the adjacent surface section normal todetermine the section upward direction. If you select thisoption for the first section, then all sections use the samereference surfaces as the upward direction.

If the Origin Trajectory has only one adjacent surface, thenthe system automatically selects this surface, highlighted inblue, as the reference for the section orientation. A redarrow appears, indicating the upward direction. ChooseFlip or Okay to specify the upward direction.

If the Origin Trajectory has two adjacent surfaces, thesystem prompts you to select a surface for the sectionorientation. The default surface is highlighted in blue. Youcan accept the default surface or select the other one. A redarrow appears, indicating the upward direction. ChooseFlip or Okay to specify the upward direction.

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6. The system highlights endpoints and vertices along the OriginTrajectory. Use options in the CONFIRM menu to select pointsat which you want to specify additional sections.

• Accept—Sketch or select a section at this highlightedlocation.

• Next—Go to the next point.

• Previous—Return to the previous point.

7. If you chose Norm To Traj in Step 6, select the trajectory towhich the section will be normal. Choose an option in the SECORIENT menu, followed by Done:

• Norm to Surf—Select a surface that determines thesection’s upward direction, then select or sketch thetrajectory that defines the section plane normal. ChooseFlip an Okay to select the upward direction. This option isavailable only if the Origin Trajectory belongs to a surface.

• Use Norm Traj—Select a trajectory that defines thesection plane normal.

8. For each vertex or datum point where you define a section,specify the section’s rotation angle about the Z-axis (with avalue between –120 and +120 degrees).

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Section Definition

9. Select or sketch the entities for each section, depending onwhether you chose Select Sec or Sketch Sec, respectively.Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

10. When all cross-sections are sketched or selected, unless youwant to define optional elements, select OK in the dialog box togenerate the swept blend feature. If you want to define optionalelements, continue as described in the following sections.

Note: Each section remains displayedas the next section is created.

This point was added using an

The sections must besketched at the first and lastOrigin Trajectory points.

Area Graph.

Origin Trajectory

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Completed Swept Blend

Controlling the Perimeter of the Swept Blend

The Blend Control element lets you select a method forcontrolling the shape of the swept blend between its sections. Whenyou choose Blend Control and Define from the dialog box, theBLEND CONTROL menu appears with the following options:

• Set Perimeter—Control the shape of the feature by controllingits perimeter between the sections. If two consecutive sectionshave equal perimeters, the system attempts to maintain thesame cross-section perimeter between these sections (see thenext illustration, Using the Set Perimeter Option). For sectionsthat have different perimeters, the system uses smoothinterpolation along each curve of the trajectory to define theperimeter of the feature between its sections.

Note: You cannot specify both perimeter control and tangencyconditions for the swept blend—only one of theseconditions is allowed.

• Area Graph—Control the shape of the feature through controlpoints and area values (see Modifying Swept Blend GeometryUsing an Area Graph on page 6 - 45).

• None—Do not set any blend control for the feature.

• Center Crv—Show a curve connecting the centroids of thefeature’s cross-sections. This option is available only with theSet Perimeter option.

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Using the Set Perimeter Option

Modifying Swept Blend Geometry Using an Area Graph

The Area Graph option lets you add or remove control pointsto/from the Origin Trajectory at which you can specify or changearea values.

The GRAPH menu options are as follows:

• Define—Define an area graph using the DEFINE GRAPHsubmenu. The Define Graph submenu options are as follows:

– Add Point—Define a control point using theGET DTM POINT submenu to select or create a datum pointon the Origin Trajectory, then enter the area values.

– Remove Point—Select a control point to remove.

– Change Value—Select a control point and enter a newarea value.

Note: If a value is zero on the area graph at a parameter, theswept blend self-intersects. To correct this, add controlpoints to change the area graph value to a positivevalue.

• Info—Display an Information Window (see the followingfigure), which contains the following information:

– The normalized length of a parameter (point or crosssection) measured from the starting point of the currentsegment of the Origin Trajectory, in the form i.rrrr. AOrigin Trajectory consists of one or more segments. Theinteger, i, identifies on which of the segments of the Origin

Section 1,

Section 2,

If Per. 1 = Per. 2,

Origin Trajectory

Perimeter 2

Perimeter 1

then Per. 3 = Per. 1 = Per. 2

Perimeter 3

6 - 46 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Trajectory the parameter is located. The value of i rangesfrom 0 to n, where 0 corresponds to the first segment and nto the last segment. The decimal .rrrr is the ratio of thelength from the starting point on the segment to theparameter location.

– The section area values at each parameter.

– The driving dimension, if any, for the value of auser-defined area.

– The location type specifies whether the area is at a sectionor at a user-defined point.

Sample Area Graph and Information Window

Dashed lines atfixed cross-section

Area graph Solid lines atuser-definedlocations

csys

locationsAreavalues

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Helical Sweep

You create a helical sweep by sweeping a section along a helicaltrajectory. The trajectory is defined by both the profile of thesurface of revolution (which defines the distance from the sectionorigin of the helical feature to its axis of revolution) and the pitch(the distance between coils). The trajectory and the surface ofrevolution are construction tools that do not appear in the resultinggeometry. See the following illustration Types of Helical SweepFeatures for an example of the different types of helical sweepfeatures.

The Helical Swp option in the ADV FEAT OPT menu is availablefor both solid and surface features. Use the following ATTRIBUTESmenu options in mutually exclusive pairs to define the helicalsweep feature:

• Constant—The pitch is constant.

• Variable—The pitch is variable and defined by a graph.

• Thru Axis—The cross section lies in a plane that passesthrough the axis of revolution.

• Norm To Traj—The cross section is oriented normal to thetrajectory (or surface of revolution).

• Right Handed—The trajectory is defined using the right-hand rule.

• Left Handed—The trajectory is defined using the left-handrule.

6 - 48 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Types of Helical Sweep Features

➤ How to Create a Helical Sweep with Constant Pitch Value

1. Choose Advanced and Done from the SOLID OPTS menu, thenHelical Swp and Done. The system displays the featurecreation dialog box.

2. Define the feature by selecting from the ATTRIBUTES menu,then choose Done.

3. Pro/ENGINEER places you in Sketcher mode. Sketch theprofile of the surface of revolution. Specify the sketching planeand its orientation, and the axis of revolution.

Using the Norm To Traj option Using the Thru Axis option

This section is This section is in a plane whichnormal to trajectory passes through the axis of revolution

Using the Left Handed option Using the Right Handed option

Axis of revolution

Using the Variable optionUsing the Constant option

Variable distance between the coilsConstant distance between the coils

Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features 6 - 49

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4. Sketch, dimension, and regenerate the profile (see the followingillustration, Profile for a Helical Sweep). Follow these rules:

• The sketched entities must form an open loop.

• You must sketch a centerline to define the axis ofrevolution.

• If you chose Norm To Traj, the profile entities must betangent to each other (C1 continuous).

• The profile entities must not have a tangent that is normalto the centerline at any point.

• The profile starting point defines the sweep trajectorystarting point. You can modify the starting point using theoptions Sec Tools and Start Point.

Profile for a Helical Sweep

5. When you have finished sketching the section, choose Donefrom the SKETCHER menu.

6. Enter the pitch value (the distance between the coils).

7. For a surface feature, specify if the feature will have closed oropen ends by selecting Open Ends or Capped Ends from theSURF END menu (see Open and Closed Blends on page 6 - 16),then Done.

8. Pro/ENGINEER places you in Sketcher mode to sketch thecross section that will be swept along the trajectory. Sketch thecross section based about the visible cross hairs. Dimension andregenerate the cross section (see the following illustration,Cross section of the Helical Sweep).

This line will be rotatedabout the centerline to

This centerline isthe axis of revolution.

define the surface ofrevolution.

6 - 50 Part Modeling User’s Guide

9. When the cross section is finished, choose Done from theSKETCHER menu. See Helical Sweep Feature with ConstantPitch for an illustration of the resulting feature.

Cross section of the Helical Sweep

Helical Sweep Feature with Constant Pitch

Variable Pitch Helical Sweeps

You can also create a helical swept feature with a variable pitch. Inthis case, the distance between the coils is controlled by a pitchgraph. The initial graph (see the following illustration, Initial PitchGraph) is created when you specify the pitch value at the start andend points. You can then add more control points to define acomplex curve that governs the distance between the coils along theaxis of revolution.

This circular section willbe swept along the trajectory.

Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features 6 - 51

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Special considerations for using the Variable option are as follows:

• In a pitch graph, control points with different pitch values areconnected by a monotonic curve. Control points with equal pitchvalues are connected by a line.

• In the resulting geometry, the average distance between coilsalong each portion of the axis (the segment between two controlpoints in the pitch graph) is the average of the pitch valuesgiven at two consecutive control points.

➤ How to Create a Helical Sweep With a Variable Pitch Value

1. Complete Steps 1 through 4 from the procedure How to Createa Helical Sweep with Constant Pitch Value on page 6 - 48.

2. While in the profile section, sketch points to be used as thecontrol points in the pitch graph. These control points definehow the pitch value changes along the axis of revolution. Tosketch points, choose Sketch, Point, then select points on theprofile geometry and dimension them. It is easier to dimensionthe control points if you put them on the centerline that definesthe axis of revolution.

3. After you regenerate your profile sketch successfully, chooseDone from the SKETCHER menu.

4. Enter pitch values at the trajectory start and end.

5. While the profile section is displayed in the original window,the system displays a subwindow with the initial pitch graph init (see the following figure).

Initial Pitch Graph

The start point

The end point

Pitc

h va

lue

Distance along theaxis of revolution

6 - 52 Part Modeling User’s Guide

6. Finalize the graph by transferring the pitch control points fromthe profile sketch onto the graph (see the following illustration,Finalizing the Pitch Graph). Choose Define from the GRAPHmenu.

Using options in the DEFINE GRAPH menu, do one of thefollowing:

• Add Point—Add a reference point to the graph by selectinga point in the profile section, or the start or end point. Enterthe desired pitch value at this point. The system locates theselected control point along the X-axis of the graph anddraws a line with the length equal to the specified pitchvalue.

• Remove Point—Remove a pitch control point by picking itin the profile section.

• Change Point—Change the value of the pitch at anyselected control point, including the start or end point.Select a point in the profile section to change its value andenter the new value.

Finalizing the Pitch Graph

7. After the graph is defined, choose Done/Return from theDEFINE GRAPH menu. To check the graph data, choose Info inthe GRAPH menu. The system displays the Information Windowwith the pitch data table.

8. Choose Done from the GRAPH menu.

Pick each controlpoint in the profilesection and enterthe correspondingpitch value.

The resultinggraph

Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features 6 - 53

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9. Pro/ENGINEER places you in Sketcher mode to sketch thecross section that will be swept along the trajectory. Sketch,dimension, and regenerate the cross section.

10. When you have finished, choose Done. The resulting feature isshown in the following figure, Helical Sweep Feature withVariable Pitch.

Helical Sweep Feature with Variable Pitch

Section-to-Surfaces Blends

If you have the optional Pro/SURFACE module, the ADV FEAT OPToption Sect to Srfs allows you to create a transitional surfacebetween a set of tangent surfaces and a sketched contour. Thisoption can be used for creating surface and solid features.

The sketched contour and the set of surfaces selected for thetangent boundary must both be closed.

➤ How to Create a Section-to-Surfaces Blend

1. Choose Sect to Srfs from the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

2. Pick surfaces to form the tangent boundary. The surfaces mustbe tangent to each other. Pick all the surfaces, then chooseDone Sel.

3. Select or create the sketching plane for the section boundary.

4. Specify the direction of feature creation and enter Sketchermode.

5. Sketch the section boundary, dimension and regenerate.

6. Choose Done from the SKETCHER menu. Pro/ENGINEERcreates the feature.

6 - 54 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Section-to-Surfaces Blend

Surfaces-to-Surfaces Blends

If you have the optional Pro/SURFACE module, the ADV FEAT OPToption Srfs to Srfs allows you to create a smooth transitionbetween two surfaces. This option can be used for creating surfaceand solid features.

The surfaces used for this feature must have matching tangencypoints for each point on their surfaces, such as two spheres have.The surfaces must be inclined toward each other by at least a 30°angle.

➤ How to Create a Surfaces-to-Surfaces Blend

1. Choose Srfs to Srfs from the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

2. Select the first surface to form the tangent surface boundary.

3. Select the second surface. Pro/ENGINEER creates the blend.

Select all rounded surfaces. Sketch the section.The rounded surfaces must be tangent.

Sweeps, Blends, and Advanced Features 6 - 55

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Surfaces-to-Surfaces Blend

Importing Blends

Blends can be created by reading in data points from an ASCII file.The data file defines the type of blend, as well as the Cartesiancoordinates of all the blend section points. All blend section pointsare located relative to a single coordinate system.

If you are importing data points from a measuring device, youshould import them as curves first to insure smoothness. There areseveral techniques in Pro/ENGINEER for smoothing importedcurves. You can then create a blended surface from the smoothedcurves.

Blend File Format

Use the From File option to import the blend data file with theextension “.ibl”. The system prompts you to select or create acoordinate system to locate the imported blend data.

A straight blend is createdbetween the surfaces.

Pick these two surfaces.

6 - 56 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Sample Blend File

The following figure shows an imported blend.

closed

arclength

begin section ! 1begin curve ! 11 20 20 02 20 30 03 30 40 0

begin curve ! 21 30 40 02 50 40 03 60 30 0

begin curve ! 31 60 30 02 60 20 03 50 10 0

begin curve ! 41 50 10 02 30 10 03 20 20 0

begin section ! 2begin curve ! 11 25 25 502 30 30 50

begin curve ! 21 30 30 502 50 25 50

begin curve ! 31 50 25 502 40 15 50

begin curve ! 41 40 15 502 25 25 50

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Imported Blend

Notes:

• Two points in a curve define a line; more than two pointsdefine a spline.

• The endpoint of one curve and the start point of the nextcurve must be coincident. For closed sections, this is true forthe last point of the last curve and the first point of the firstcurve. There can be only one closed curve for each section,and that curve must consist of at least two segments.

When the points that are used to create a blend section from a filedo not all lie on a plane, the system creates the best fit plane andprojects the points down onto the plane.

To modify the blend created from the imported data, choose Modifyand edit the blend data file. This creates a new file, “feat_#.ibl”, inyour current working directory. Modifications of a blend feature donot affect the original file from which it was created.

7 - 1

7Construction Features

After you create the first solid feature, you can add constructionfeatures to achieve the desired geometry of the part.

Features that you create using the Tweak option are described inthe next chapter.

Topic Page

Protrusions 7 - 2

Slots and Cuts 7 - 3

Holes 7 - 3

Shafts 7 - 12

Chamfers 7 - 13

Necks 7 - 15

Flanges 7 - 16

Ribs 7 - 17

Shells 7 - 20

Pipe 7 - 22

Cosmetic Features 7 - 29

7 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

ProtrusionsAfter you have created the initial solid feature, you can addmaterial by creating secondary features with the Protrusionoption in the SOLID menu. In creating a protrusion, you choose oneof the forms and follow the procedure described in Creating aProtrusion on page 5 - 2.

A protrusion cannot be unattached with one-sided edges.

Sketching Multiple Contours

When you sketch a protrusion, it is possible to sketch severalsections or contours on the same sketching plane (see the followingfigure). These contours may not overlap; however, they can benested. Two contours must be separate from each other and behavelike two different protrusions. However, they have the same depthand will always be selected together.

You can also sketch geometry to create a void inside a protrusion.You can sketch one or more loops within this outside loop to createvoids in the protrusion.

Multiple Contour Protrusions

A protrusion with two outside loops

A protrusion with oneoutside loop and twoinside loops

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Slots and CutsTo remove material from a part, use one of the following features:

• Slot—Remove material within a section. If the section is open,the system tries to guess from which side to remove thematerial.

• Cut—Remove material from a specified side. See Thin Featureson page 5 - 5 for more information.

➤ How to Create a Cut or Slot

1. Choose Feature from the PART menu, then Create from theFEAT menu.

2. Choose Slot or Cut from the SOLID menu.

3. Choose the desired option from the SOLID OPTS menu.

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays the appropriate dialog box. Proceedcreating the feature according to the chosen form, and the solidor thin option.

HolesThe Hole option creates many types of holes—through,counterbored, and blind (see the following figure). All the holes arebased on two basic types of hole geometry:

• Straight hole—An extruded slot with a circular section. Itpasses from the placement surface to the specified end surface.

• Sketched hole—A revolved feature defined by a sketchedsection. Counterbored and countersunk holes, for example, arecreated as sketched holes.

The hole feature is different from a slot or cut in the followingaspects:

• The hole feature has a predefined placement scheme which canbe more desirable than the dimensioning scheme of a slot.

• Straight holes do not require a sketch.

7 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Different Hole Types

You select the options to determine the dimensioning scheme forplacement, whether it is straight or sketched. If you choosestraight, you also specify where the hole terminates. You canchange the placement constraints for an existing hole, and thedimensioning scheme for a blind hole.

Straight Holes

All straight holes are created with a constant diameter.

➤ How to Create a Straight Hole

1. Choose Hole from the SOLID menu.

2. The system displays the HOLE OPTS menu. Choose Straight,then Done.

3. Set up the placement scheme (see Placing a Hole on page 7 - 7).

4. The system displays the SIDES menu. Choose One Side orBoth Sides, then Done.

5. Select the extent to which the hole will be created, then chooseDone. The SPEC TO menu options are as follows:

• Blind—Create a hole with a flat bottom.

• Thru Next—Create a hole that continues until it reachesthe next part surface.

• Thru All—Create a hole that intersects all the surfaces.

Thru All

Counterbored hole(sketched hole)

Straight hole

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• Thru Until—Create a hole that goes through all thesurfaces until it reaches the specified surface.

• UpTo Pnt/Vtx—Create a hole with a flat bottom thatcontinues until it reaches the specified point or vertex.

• UpTo Curve—Create a hole with a flat bottom thatcontinues until it reaches the specified curve that you drawin a plane parallel to the placement plane.

• UpTo Surface—Extrude the hole from material until thebottom of the hole conforms to the selected boundingsurface.

6. Enter the depth of the hole.

7. Enter the diameter of the hole.

8. Click OK in the dialog box to create the hole.

The following figure illustrates a straight hole.

Straight Hole End Constraint Types

Blind hole, drilledto specified depth

Hole drilled upto point PNT0.

Hole drilled upto datum curve

Hole drilled up todatum plane DTM8

7 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Sketched Holes

A sketched hole is created by sketching a section for revolution inSketcher mode, then placing the hole onto the part. Sketched holesare always blind and one-sided.

➤ How to Create a Sketched Hole

1. Choose Hole from the SOLID menu. Choose Sketch and Donefrom the HOLE OPTS menu.

2. The system displays the feature creation dialog box.

3. Choose the dimensioning scheme for the hole using thePLACEMENT menu options (see Determining DimensionReferences on page 7 - 8).

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays a grid in a subwindow. Sketch thecross section of the hole, dimension it, and regenerate it. Ifnecessary, modify the dimensions. Choose Done.

5. Set up the placement scheme (see Placing a Hole on page 7 - 7).

6. Click OK in the dialog box to create the hole.

Sketched holes must have a vertical centerline, with at least oneentity normal to this axis of revolution. The system aligns thissurface with the placement plan and the remainder of the sketchedfeature cut from the part, as a revolution of the sketched profile.When two normal entities exist in the sketch, the “top” entity (whenlooking at the sketch in the default sketch orientation) is alignedwith the placement plane (see the following figure).

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Sketched Hole Placement Conventions

Placing a Hole

The placement sequence involves two steps—specifying theplacement plane on which the feature is created and selecting thedimension references.

Selecting the Placement Surface

You place holes on datum planes or planar part surfaces. The holeis always placed normal to the placement surface. To create a holedirectly on a curved surface, the hole must be a radial hole and thesurface must be convex (cones or cylinders). Optionally, you can usethe On Point placement option that will merge the end of the holeto any surface on which the point is defined. You can use datumplanes to create holes through other surfaces (see Placing Holes ona Concave Surface on page 7 - 11).

➤ How to Place a Hole on a Datum Plane

1. Pick the datum plane name.

2. Pick a point on the datum plane.

3. For a One Side hole, the system displays a red arrow. Choosethe direction of hole creation using the options Flip and Okay.

WRONG RIGHT RIGHT

The “top” surface will bealigned with theplacement plane.

This surface will be alignedwith the placement planeand the hole cut from thepart interior.

Hole cannot be placed (nonormal surface to alignwith the placement plane).

7 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Determining Dimension References

After you position the hole on a plane, Pro/ENGINEER promptsyou to specify the dimensioning references that correspond to thechosen option. The PLACEMENT menu options are as follows:

• Linear—Dimension the hole from two edges (using lineardimensions).

• Radial—Place the hole around an axis (using polardimensions).

• Coaxial—Place the hole coaxially, by using an existing axis (noplacement dimensions will be created).

• On Point—Place the hole center directly on an “on surface”datum point. The feature will be created normal to the surfaceon which the point is located. The ends of the hole are mergedwith the surface.

When you select axial references, pick on the dashed line of theexisting axis. When you select other references, you can pick thefollowing:

• Any edge in a plane normal to the placement surface

• Any plane normal (perpendicular) to the placement surface,including datum planes

When you place a hole very close to a dimension reference, thesystem asks you to confirm if the hole is to be aligned to thereference. Upon confirmation, the system aligns the hole. If youchoose not to align the hole, the system prompts you to specify thedimension of the hole, relative to the reference.

Linear References

To specify the references for a linear scheme, pick two edges, planarsurfaces, or axes, or any combination thereof (see the next figure).

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Using Linear Placement

Radial References

When you create a radial hole, you can dimension the hole relativeto a reference axis by using the radial, diameter, or lineardimension type. You can redefine the dimension type by choosingthe Dim Type element from the dialog box for this feature.

➤ How to Specify the References for a Radial Hole

1. Select the placement plane.

2. Select the reference axis.

3. Select the reference plane.

4. Specify the angle that defines the placement of the hole relativeto the reference plane.

5. Select the dimension type for locating the hole relative to thereference axis. Choose one of these options in the DIM TYPEmenu, and then choose Done:

• Diameter—Use a diameter dimension with the diametersymbol (see example a in the figure below).

• Radius—Use a radial dimension shown with the “R” prefix(see example b in the figure below).

• Linear—Use a linear dimension.

6. Enter a value for the dimension to locate the hole relative to theaxis.

d1

d2

7 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The following figure shows placement of a radial hole by usingradial and diameter dimensions. Notice that when you chooseModify, for radial and diameter dimension types the systemdisplays a bolt circle. Note that the bolt circle does not show up forthe dimension of this feature in drawings.

Diameter and Radial Dimension Types

The next figure shows placement of a radial hole with the lineartype dimension.

b) Radial Dimension Type

Radial hole

a) Diameter Dimension Type

Radial holeReference axis Reference axis

Bolt circle

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Linear Dimension Type

Placing Holes on a Concave Surface

Pro/ENGINEER does not allow you to place radial holes directly onconcave cylindrical or conical surfaces, because the hole ends do notcut through the concave surface (see the following example).

To place a hole on a convex surface, use the linear dimensioningscheme.

Note that for a cylindrical concave surface, you can use theThrough > Axis, Angle > Plane datum to place the hole (specifythe hole as One Side). In this case, the angular dimension drivingthe hole placement will be at 90˚ to the hole’s axis (see the followingfigure).

Lineardimension

Reference plane forangular (polar)dimensioning

b) On cylinder or cone

Reference plane forradial dimensioning

Angular dimension

a) On plane

Lineardimension

Axis for radialdimensioning

Ends of the hole do notintersect the concavesurface.

Hole

Concave surface

7 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Placing a Hole on a Concave Surface

ShaftsShafts are analogous to sketched holes. Both are created bysketching sections of revolution, then placing them on the model.However, shafts add material instead of removing it. As withsketched holes, you must sketch the centerline axis of revolution asvertical, and place the topmost portion of the section on theplacement plane. Because material is added for a shaft, the shaftprojects away from the part instead of into the part. See SketchedHoles on page 7 - 6 for information on creating sections for shaftsand placing them on a part.

The following figure illustrates a shaft feature.

Shaft Feature

1) Select this plane asplacement plane.

4) Select as seconddimensioning reference.Select this axis for

Through/Axis.

2) Pick on the axis forhole’s placement point.

3) Select axis asdimensioning reference.

Select this plane forAngle/Plane.

Shaft

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ChamfersYou can create both edge and corner chamfers usingPro/ENGINEER. The following sections describe edge and cornerchamfers in detail.

Edge Chamfers

An edge chamfer removes a flat section of material from a selectededge to create a beveled surface between the two original surfacescommon to that edge. You can select multiple edges to create anedge chamfer.

Edge Chamfer

There are four dimensioning schemes for edge chamfers:

• 45 x d—Create a chamfer that is at an angle of 45 degrees toboth surfaces and a distance d from the edge along eachsurface. The dimension appears as “45° x d”, but you can modifythe distance, d, only. You can create 45 x d chamfers only on anedge formed by the intersection of two perpendicular surfaces.

• d x d—Create a chamfer that is at a distance d from the edgealong each surface. If you modify the chamfer, the systemdisplays the distance as the only dimension.

• d1 x d2—Create a chamfer at a distance d1 from the selectededge along one surface and a distance d2 from the selected edgealong the other surface. The system displays both distancesalong their respective surfaces when you modify the chamfer.

Select this edge.

7 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Ang x d—Create a chamfer at a distance d from the selectededge along one adjacent surface, at a specified angle to thatsurface. The system displays both values as dimensions whenyou modify the chamfer. You can use this option between twoplanar surfaces only.

Chamfer Dimensioning Schemes

Corner Chamfers

A corner chamfer removes material from the corner of a part.

➤ How to Create a Corner Chamfer

1. Choose Chamfer from the SOLID menu, then choose Cornerfrom the CHAMF menu.

2. Select the corner you want to chamfer.

3. The system displays the PICK/ENTER menu, which allows youto specify the location of the chamfer vertex on the highlightededge. The PICK/ENTER menu options are as follows:

• Pick Point—Pick a point on the highlighted edge to definethe chamfer distance along that edge.

• Enter-input—Type in a value for the chamfer distancealong the highlighted edge.

45

d2

d1

45 x d d x d

d1 x d2 Ang x d

d

Referencesurface

Referencesurface

d

d

d

d

90

angle

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4. Pick or enter values to describe the chamfer lengths along theedge. After you have selected the first vertex, Pro/ENGINEERhighlights the other edges, one at a time, so you can place theother two vertices

5. To create the chamfer, click OK in the dialog box.

The following figure shows a corner chamfer.

Corner Chamfer

NecksA neck is a special type of revolved slot that creates a groove arounda revolved part or feature. You always create a neck on aThrough > Axis datum plane and sketch it inside the part. Youmust align both ends of the section to the revolved surface of theparent feature.

➤ How to Create a Neck

1. Choose Neck from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose an option from the ANGLE menu to specify the numberof degrees in the revolution.

3. Create or select a Through > Axis datum plane as thesketching plane.

4. Sketch the neck cross section open with the ends aligned to thesilhouette edge of the part or feature.

5. Sketch the centerline that becomes the axis of rotation.

7 - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

In creating a neck, Pro/ENGINEER revolves the section around thepart to the specified angle measure, removing the material insidethe section.

The following figure illustrates a neck feature.

Neck Feature

FlangesA flange is analogous to a neck, except it adds material to therevolved solid. Therefore, you should sketch the section outside thepart.

➤ How to Create a Flange

1. Choose Flange from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose an option from the ANGLE menu to specify the numberof degrees of revolution.

3. Set up or select a Through/Axis datum plane as the sketchingplane.

4. Sketch the flange cross section open with the ends aligned tothe silhouette edge of the revolved part or feature.

SectionView of section

The completed feature

Sketching the section

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5. Sketch the centerline that will become the axis of rotation.

The following figure illustrates a flange feature.

Flange Feature

RibsA rib is a special type of protrusion designed to create a thin fin orweb that is attached to a part. You always sketch a rib from a sideview, and it grows symmetrically about the sketching plane.Because of the way ribs are attached to the parent geometry, theyare always sketched as open sections. A rib must “see” materialeverywhere it attaches to the part; otherwise, it becomes anunattached feature.

There are two types of ribs—straight and rotational. The followingsections describe ribs in detail.

The completed feature

SectionView of section

Sketching the section

7 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Straight Ribs

Ribs that are not created on Through/Axis datum planes areextruded symmetrically about the sketching plane. You must stillsketch the ribs as open sections.

Because you are sketching an open section, Pro/ENGINEER may beuncertain about the side to which to add the rib. The systemdisplays the DIRECTION menu after the rib section has beenregenerated. Pro/ENGINEER adds all material in the direction ofthe arrow. If the incorrect choice is made, modify the arrowdirection using the FEAT menu option Redefine.

Straight Rib

Rotational Ribs

You create rotational ribs on Through > Axis datum planes. Yousketch the rib to the silhouette of the parent feature. To create thesolid geometry, Pro/ENGINEER revolves the section about the axisof the parent, making a wedge that is symmetrical about thesketching plane. Pro/ENGINEER then trims the wedge with twoplanes parallel to the sketching surface; the distance between theseplanes corresponds to the thickness of the rib. You can place arotational rib on any surface of revolution (see the following figure).Note that the angled surface of the rib is conical, not planar.

Side view Front view

Section sketch Material is added toboth sides of datum.

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Rotational Rib

The following figure shows valid and invalid rotational ribs.

Valid and Invalid Rotational Ribs

Material is added toboth sides of datum.

conical surface

The rib cannot be revolvedabout both protrusions.

The rib does not passthrough the axis.

InvalidValid

7 - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

ShellsThe Shell option removes a surface or surfaces from the solid, thenhollows out the inside of the solid, leaving a shell of a specified wallthickness. When Pro/ENGINEER makes the shell, all the featuresthat were added to the solid before you chose Shell are hollowedout. Therefore, the order of feature creation is very important whenyou use shell.

Creating Shells

➤ How to Create a Shell

1. Choose Shell from the SOLID menu.

2. The system displays the feature creation dialog box. If desired,select the optional element Spec Thick to specify thicknessesindividually. Click Define.

3. Select a surface or surfaces to be removed. When you havefinished, choose Done Refs from the FEATURE REFS menu.

4. Enter the thickness of the wall. This thickness applies to allsurfaces except those to which you assign a different thickness.

5. If you chose the Spec Thick element, Pro/ENGINEER displaysthe SPEC THICK menu, which lists the following options:

• Set Thicknss—Set thicknesses for the individual surfaces.

• Reset to Def—Reset the surfaces to the default thickness.

Choose Set Thicknss. Select a surface and enter the thickness.Continue this process until you have specified all the surfacesyou want. When you have finished, choose Done from the SPECTHICK menu.

6. To create the shell, select OK from the dialog box (see thefollowing figure). If you entered a positive value for thethickness, material will be removed, leaving the shell thickness“inside” the part. However, if you entered a negative value, theshell thickness is added to the “outside” of the part.

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The following figure shows a sample part to be shelled.

Creating a Shell

Restrictions on Shells

Note the following restrictions on creating shell features:

• You cannot add shells to any part that has a surface that movesfrom tangency to a point.

• You cannot select a surface to be removed that has an adjacentsurface to which it is tangent.

• You cannot select a surface to be removed that has a vertexcreated by the intersection of three curved surfaces.

Thru hole

Shell created around allexisting features withconstant thickness

Reorder hole to comeafter shell.

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• If the part has a corner between more than three surfaces, theshell feature may be geometrically undefined; in this case,Pro/ENGINEER highlights the trouble area. The surface to beremoved must be surrounded by edges (a fully revolved surfaceof revolution is not valid) and the surfaces that intersect theedge must form an angle through the solid geometry of lessthan 180 degrees. As long as this condition is met, you can pickall the sculpted surfaces as the surface to be removed.

• When you select surfaces that have other surfaces tangent tothem for independent thickness, all surfaces that are tangentmust have the same thickness, or the shell feature fails. Forexample, if you shell a part that contains a hole and you wantthe thickness of the hole wall to be different from the overallthickness, you must pick both surfaces (cylinders) that make upthe hole, then offset them the same distance.

• A shell creates geometry with constant wall thickness. If thesystem cannot create a constant thickness, the shell featurefails.

PipeThe pipe feature is a three-dimensional centerline that representsthe centerline of a pipe. Given the diameter of a pipe (and, for ahollow pipe, the wall thickness), a pipe connects selected datumpoints either with a combination of straight lines and arcs ofspecified bend radius, or a spline.

After the pipe feature has been created, you can determine itslength by using Info from the toolbar.

Creating a Pipe Feature

Before you start to create a pipe feature, reference datum pointsmust already exist.

➤ How to Create a Pipe Feature

1. Choose Feature either from the PART menu in Part mode, orfrom the ASSEMBLY menu in Assembly mode. Then, chooseCreate from the FEAT menu and Solid from the FEAT CLASSmenu. The system displays the SOLID menu.

2. Choose Pipe, then choose from the following option pairs:

• Geometry—Create a pipe feature with a hollow or solidgeometry.

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• No geometry—Create the pipe trajectory only.

• Hollow—Create a hollow pipe with a specified wallthickness.

• Solid—Create a pipe with solid geometry (a rod).

• Constant Rad—The bend radius for all arc segments ofthe pipe will be the same.

• Multiple Rad—The bend radius for each arc segment isspecified and can be modified separately.

3. Choose Done from the OPTIONS menu.

4. If you selected Hollow, enter the values for the outsidediameter and wall thickness in response to the prompts.

5. The system displays the CONNECT TYPE menu, allowing you toadd, delete, and insert points to redefine a pipe trajectory, aswell as specify tangency to a linear trajectory.

6. You can create the pipe trajectory by connecting the datumpoints. One of the CONNECT TYPE menu options can be usedinterchangeably on the same pipe to construct the trajectory.The options are as follows:

• Spline—Create the trajectory as a three-dimensionalspline passing through the datum points.

• Single Rad—Create the trajectory by connecting datumpoints with alternating straight lines and arcs with aconstant radius, starting and ending with straight lines.The datum points are connected with straight lines, thenthe breakpoints are filleted with the arcs of the specifiedbend radius.

• Multiple Rad—Create the trajectory by connecting datumpoints with alternating straight lines and arcs with avariable radius, starting and ending with straight lines.The datum points are connected with straight lines, thenthe breakpoints are filleted with the arcs of the specifiedbend radii.

You can connect datum points in a datum point array using oneof the CONNECT TYPE menu options:

• Single Point—Select individual datum points. Thesepoints can have been created individually or as part of adatum point array.

• Whole Array—Connect in consecutive order all the pointsin a datum point array (see Creating Datum Point Arrayson page 3 - 13).

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7. You can add, delete, or insert points while creating orredefining the pipe feature using the following options:

• Add Point—Add to the definition of the curve an existingpoint, vertex, or curve end through which the curve willpass.

• Delete Point—Delete from the definition of the curve anexisting point, vertex, or curve end through which the curvecurrently passes.

• Insert Point—Insert a point between already selectedpoints, vertices, and curve ends. This modifies the curvedefinition to pass through the inserted point. The systemprompts you to select a point or vertex before which toinsert.

8. Use one of the techniques below to complete the creation of thepipe trajectory, depending on the option you chose:

• Spline—Start picking points; the system connects themwith a spline.

• Single Rad—Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to enter a bendradius value after you have selected the third datum pointof the trajectory. The system uses this radius for all theother bends in the current pipe feature.

• Multiple Rad—Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to enter aradius value for each bend defined by three consecutivepoints. The SEL VALUE menu lists all the existing radiusvalues for this pipe. Either select one of the listed values, orchoose the New Value option and enter the new value.

• Spline (alternating with either Single Rad orMultiple Rad)—Create a trajectory for the first option,then the other. Connect the trajectory points accordingly.

Note: As you select datum points, the system constructssegments of the pipe feature. If a segment cannot beconstructed, Pro/ENGINEER ignores the last datumpoint selection.

9. When you have finished creating the trajectory, choose Done.

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The next figure illustrates a pipe feature.

Pipe Feature with Geometry

Specific Aspects of Pipe Creation

The following sections describe the specific aspects of pipe creation.

Modifying and Redefining a Pipe Feature

When the pipe has been created, you can modify the diameter, wallthickness (if any), and bend radii.

You can redefine the feature attributes by toggling between thefollowing OPTION menu options:

• Geometry and No geometry—If you choose Geometry,Pro/ENGINEER constructs the pipe feature with hollow or solidgeometry. If you choose No geometry, the system constructsthe pipe trajectory with no hollow or solid geometry.

• Hollow and Solid.

Hollow pipe

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You cannot redefine the pipe trajectory type. In addition, youcannot toggle between the following pipe attributes:

• Line/Arc and Spline

• Constant Rad and Multiple Rad

You can redefine the feature references. When you chooseReferences from the REDEFINE menu, Pro/ENGINEER redisplaysthe CONNECT TYPE and GET SELECT menus.

Note: You can insert datum points as you redefine a pipefeature. To do this, the datum points must be older thanthe pipe feature. If they are not, you can reorder them(see Reordering Features on page 16 - 35).

Creating Pipes in Assembly Mode

You can construct pipes in Assembly mode as either a part featureor an assembly feature.

When you create a pipe as a part feature in Assembly mode, you canuse datum points on other parts. However, when you attempt toretrieve and regenerate the model in Part mode, the system issuesa warning if some of the datum points belong to other parts.Although the system displays the pipe trajectory, it will not showthe “external” datum points. To resolve the conflict, you can changethe pipe trajectory in Part mode by modifying the remaining datumpoints.

A pipe can also be an Assembly feature (see the next figure),although it will have no geometry. The process of creating anAssembly pipe feature is the same as described previously, but thesystem does not display the Geometry and No geometry options.

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Creating a Pipe Feature in Assembly Mode

Creating a Part Consisting Only of a Pipe Feature

To create a part consisting only of a pipe feature, start with threedefault datum planes, create a datum point array, then create apipe.

Creating Pipe Connections

For two separate pipes to be connected without creating anunattached feature, you must align their segments.

➤ How to Create Pipe Connections

1. Create both datum point arrays using the same coordinatesystem.

2. Create an intermediate one-point array using that coordinatesystem.

3. Write relations to determine coordinates of the intermediatepoint, relative to those of its neighbors. For instance, in theexample below, the relations are as follows:

DX6 = (DX2 + DX3) / 2

DY6 = (DY2 + DY3) / 2

DZ6 = (DZ2 + DZ3) / 2

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To find the dimension symbols corresponding to the X, Y, and Zcoordinates of the points, use the Info option. For moreinformation, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

4. Create the pipes, using the intermediate point as the last pointin one pipe and the first in another.

5. Regenerate the model.

The following figure illustrates a compound pipe.

Compound Pipe

Specifying Part Accuracy for Pipes

The part accuracy value is very important, especially when you arecreating long, thin pipes. For more information, see Changing PartAccuracy on page 16 - 51.

Creating Pipes with Multiple Radii

If you create a pipe with multiple radii, make sure all the radialvalues are different. Otherwise, the system creates only onedimension for equal radii and you will not be able to control themindividually. If equal radii are required, modify the pipe after it hasbeen created.

First array

Second arrayFirst pipe created through points 0,1, 2, and 6 with bend radius R1;second pipe created through points6, 3, 4, and 5 with bend radius R2.

Intermediate point,located on the lineconnecting points 2and 3.

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Cosmetic FeaturesThere are four types of cosmetic features: sketched, thread, groove,and user-defined. The following sections describe these types indetail.

Sketched Cosmetic Features

Sketched cosmetic features are “drawn” on the surface of a part.They include such things as company logos or serial numbers thatare stamped on an object. Sketched cosmetic features are also usedto define the boundaries of a region for FEM partial loads. Otherfeatures cannot reference the cosmetic feature (dimensions,Use Edge, and so on).

Sketched cosmetic features do not have to be regenerated ordimensioned. However, when in a non-parametric state, theirsection or location cannot be modified. If you want a non-parametricsection and you dimension the section anyway, you can useSketcher mode to modify the shape of the feature. Then delete allthe dimensions before you choose Done. When the system promptsthat the section is unresolved, enter “yes” to continue.

Unlike other features, cosmetic features can have a line style (seeRedefining Datum Features on page 16 - 25). You can use theCosm Font option from the GEOM TOOLS menu to set the color,font, and style of the feature. Each individual geometry segment ofthe feature, whether a single feature or a pattern, can be set to aline style; they do not all have to be the same. When you redefine acosmetic feature, the line style cannot be changed. If the line styledoes not have the default width, or if it uses a user-defined font, itis replaced with the appropriate default values.

Regular Section

A regular section cosmetic feature stays right where you sketch it,whether “in space” or on a part surface. It is a flat feature.

Regular section cosmetic features can be cross-hatched when theyare created. The cross-hatching is displayed in all modes, but ismodifiable only in Drawing mode. In Part and Assembly mode, thecross-hatch will be displayed at 45˚. If you create a cosmetic featureas a pattern, any changes to a member of the pattern, includingcross-hatch modification, also changes every other member of thepattern.

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Creating a Sketched Cosmetic Feature

➤ How to Create a Sketched Cosmetic Feature

1. Choose Cosmetic from the FEAT CLASS menu, then Sketchfrom the COSMETIC menu.

2. Choose Regular Sec, and Xhatch or No Xhatch.

3. Set up sketching references and sketch the feature. You candimension and regenerate the section even if it will benon-parametric.

4. If the feature is to be non-parametric, delete all the dimensionsbefore you select Done, without regenerating the sketch. WhenPro/ENGINEER prompts that the section is unresolved, enter“yes” to create the non-parametric feature.

5. The system displays the cosmetic feature in cyan. If youselected Xhatch, the cross-hatch is displayed in yellow.

The following figure illustrates a feature with cross-hatching.

Patterned Cosmetic Feature with Cross-Hatching

Projected Section

Projected section cosmetic features are projected onto a single partsurface; they cannot cross part surfaces. They cannot becross-hatched or patterned.

➤ How to Create a Sketched Cosmetic Feature That is Projected

1. Choose Cosmetic from the FEAT CLASS menu, then Sketchfrom the COSMETIC menu.

2. Choose Project Sec and select the surfaces onto which thefeature will be projected.

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3. Use the FEATURE REFS menu to set up sketching referencesand sketch the feature. You can dimension and regenerate thesection even if it is to be non-parametric.

4. If the feature is to be non-parametric, delete all the dimensionsbefore you select Done, without regenerating the sketch. WhenPro/ENGINEER prompts that the section is unresolved, enter“yes” to create the non-parametric feature.

The following figure illustrates a sketched cosmetic feature that isprojected.

Sketching a Projected Section Cosmetic Feature

Cosmetic Threads

A cosmetic thread is a cosmetic feature that represents thediameter of a thread. It is displayed in magenta. Unlike othercosmetic features, you cannot modify the line style of a cosmeticthread, nor are threads affected by hidden line display settings inthe ENVIRONMENT menu. Threads are created with the defaulttolerance setting of limits.

Cosmetic threads can be external or internal, and blind or through.You create cosmetic threads by specifying the minor or majordiameter (for external and internal threads, respectively), startingsurface, and thread length or ending edge. For a starting surface,you can select a quilt surface, regular Pro/ENGINEER surface, orsplit surface (such as a surface that belongs to a revolved feature,chamfer, round, or swept feature). For an “up to” surface, you canselect any solid surface or a datum plane.

Surface forprojection

Resulting feature

Sketched section

7 - 32 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Note: A thread that uses a depth parameter (a blind thread)cannot be defined from a non-planar surface.

Note that a blind external cosmetic thread fails if the minordiameter is equal to the diameter of the placement surface.

The following table lists the parameters that can be defined for athread at its creation, or later when the thread is added. In thistable, “pitch” is the distance between two threads.

You can manipulate thread parameters as you can manipulateother user-defined parameters—you can add, modify, delete, ordisplay them using options from the MODEL PARAMS menu. Toaccess the MODEL PARAMS menu, choose Parameters from theappropriate SETUP menu, then choose Feature from theOBJ PARAMS menu and select a thread to have its parametersmodified. For more information, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER.

Parameter Name Parameter Value Parameter Description

MAJOR_DIAMETER Number Thread major diameter

THREADS_PER_INCH Number Threads per inch (1/pitch)

THREAD FORM String Thread form

CLASS Number Thread class

PLACEMENT Character Thread placement(A-external, B-internal)

METRIC TRUE/FALSE Thread is metric

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Sample threads appear in the following figure.

Sample Threads

Creating Threads

You can create cosmetic threads using cylinders, splines, andnon-normal planes as the references.

➤ How to Create a Cosmetic Thread

1. Use the command sequence Feature, Create, Cosmetic.

2. The system displays the COSMETIC menu. Choose Thread.Pro/ENGINEER displays the COSMETIC THREAD dialog boxthat lists the required elements for the thread—Thread Surf,Start Surf, Direction, Depth, Major Diam, and Note Params.

3. Select the cylindrical thread surface.

4. Select the starting surface of the cosmetic thread.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays a red arrow that indicates thedirection of feature creation. Choose Flip, if necessary, thenOkay.

6. The system displays the SPEC TO menu with the optionsBlind, UpTo Pnt/Vtx, UpTo Curve, and UpTo Surface.Choose one of the options, then Done. If you selectUpTo Surface, you can select a solid surface or datum plane,or you can create a datum plane “on-the-fly”.

b) External thread from the round upto the chamfer

a) Internal thread from the round upto the chamfer

7 - 34 Part Modeling User’s Guide

7. The system then prompts for the necessary depth information,depending on which option you chose. For example, if you choseBlind, the system prompts for the depth.

8. Enter the diameter of the thread. The system displays a defaultvalue of the diameter of the cylinder.

Whether a thread is external or internal is determined by thegeometry of the thread surface. If it is a shaft, the thread isexternal; if it is a hole, the thread is internal.

For an internal thread, the default diameter value is 10% largerthan the hole diameter. For an external thread, the defaultdiameter value is 10% smaller than the shaft.

9. Pro/ENGINEER displays the FEAT PARAM menu with theoptions Retrieve, Save, Mod Params, and Show. If desired,select one of these options. Choose Done/Return.

10. If you are satisfied with the definition of the thread, click OK inthe dialog box. The system creates the cosmetic thread.

The parameters file lists all the information on the threadparameters. You can edit the parameter file as needed. Forexample, the system prompts you twice for information about thediameter. One benefit of this redundancy is that you can place ametric thread on an English unit part, and vice versa.

Note the following:

• Options that can be specified in both the parameter file and thecreation user interface are displayed with the values from thecreation user interface by default. If you change these values, orif you read in another parameter file, these new values remainin the file. However, the values in the creation user interfaceremain unchanged. For example, if you specified a threaddiameter of 2.5, then change the parameter file so the diameteris 3.5, the thread diameter remains 2.5. Note that if you modifythe values in the parameter file, they lose their associativitywith the model.

• The associativity between the parameter file and the creationuser interface exists only during feature creation. After youaccept the default values, or make changes in the parameterfile, these values remain the same until you select the optionNote Params from the SEL ELEMENTS file. Even if youredefine the feature and the diameter or the thread type, theparameter file remains unchanged unless you manually changeit.

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• Pro/ENGINEER calculates the THREAD PLACEMENT valuein the parameter file based on whether the thread is external(the thread surface geometry is a shaft) or internal (the threadsurface geometry is a hole).

• The system displays the values of the feature in the dialog box,which may not be the same as the values in the parameter file.However, if you choose the Feat Info option, Pro/ENGINEERdisplays both the values you specified during feature creationand the values in the parameter file.

The following figure illustrates “blind” and “through” threadfeatures.

Sample Blind and Through Threads

Creating Custom Cosmetic Threads

A thread is a grouped cosmetic feature. You can create your own(custom) thread by creating a new group. After the custom threadexists, you can step through the appropriate directory path to reachit. However, the menu option “UP” is not available for customcosmetic threads.

To create a cosmetic thread as a UDF, set the configuration fileoption “allow_udf_style_cosm_threads” to “yes”.

To create a custom cosmetic thread, create a UDF and store it in acustom directory in the same path as the external and internaldirectories: <loadpoint>/intudfs/threads. You can then select thisgroup using the option Search/Retr.

a) Blind thread b) Through thread

surface

EndingedgeThread

surface

Threadsurface

Length

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Note: Custom cosmetic threads stored in the loadpoint may bepreserved during a system update installation.Therefore, be sure to back up the custom cosmeticthread directory before updating an installation.

The benefit of using a UDF as a thread feature is that threadparameters can be assigned to a cosmetic thread. These parameterscan then be shown in a drawing by choosing Detail, Show, Note,Feat & View to select a feature in a picked view.

To include thread parameters in an assembly drawing, you mustadd the part that contains the thread to the drawing.

Creating Custom Cosmetic Threads

You can create a custom cosmetic thread that matches the profile ofa surface by using Pro/SURFACE.

To create a custom cosmetic thread that will match the profile ofthe surface it goes through.

➤ How to Create a Custom Cosmetic Thread

1. Create a simple part on which you want to create the thread.For example, extrude a cylinder, then extrude a radial holethrough it.

2. Create an extruded surface that completely goes through thesolid material, using a circle as its section. This will be the mainfeature of the thread.

Note: When you create the surface features, try to pick theminimum number of references to make a simpler UDF.

3. Create a surface copy feature using the SURF FORM Copyoption to copy the surface whose profile you want to match. Ifthis thread is being created on an existing hole, use the Filloption from the SRF GATHER menu when you copy the surfaceto fill in the hole. Choose Loops from the GATHER FILL menu,then pick the edge of the hole on the surface.

4. Create a surface TRIM feature, choosing Use Quilt from theSOLID OPTS menu as the trim type. Pick the thread as thesurface to trim and the copied surface as the surface to createthe trim.

5. Group the surface features together in a UDF.

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Groove

A groove is a projected cosmetic feature. You create a groove bymaking a sketch and projecting it onto a surface. However, thegroove feature cannot cross surface boundaries. Because it is acosmetic feature, you can modify the display of its geometry usingRedefine > Line Style (for more information, see Modifying theLine Style of a Datum Curve on page 16 - 13). Groove features canbe patternized.

You can use the groove feature in the manufacturing process withthe Groove option, where the tool follows the groove path.

Creating a Groove

➤ How to Create a Groove

1. Choose Cosmetic from the FEAT CLASS menu.

2. Choose Groove from the COSMETIC menu.

3. Select the surface onto which to project the feature.

4. Set up the sketching plane and reference.

5. Sketch the groove section.

6. Choose Done after the section is successfully regenerated. Thegroove feature is projected onto the selected surface and has nodepth.

The following figure illustrates how to create a groove feature.

Creating the Groove Feature

Sketching the groove feature

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User-Defined Cosmetic Features

The option User Defined accesses groups from the FEAT CLASSmenu. It functions like the option Create from the GROUP menu(see User-Defined Features on page 15 - 12).

8 - 1

8Rounds

This chapter describes how to add rounds to a part using theRound option in the SOLID menu.

Topic Page

About Rounds 8 - 2

Creating a Simple Round 8 - 3

Variable Radius Rounds 8 - 9

Creating Advanced Rounds 8 - 11

Creating Full Rounds 8 - 25

Creating a Round Through a Curve 8 - 28

Changing the Attachment Type 8 - 29

8 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

About RoundsUse the Round option to create a round between surfaces or inplace of a middle surface.

Consider these recommendations for creating rounds:

• Try to add rounds as late in the design as possible (but beforemachining features).

• You can place all the rounds on a layer and then suppress thatlayer to speed up your working session.

• To avoid creating dependent children of the round features, donot dimension to edges or tangent edges created by rounds.

Simple and Advanced Rounds

You can create two different types of rounds—simple and advanced.Which type of round you create depends on the complexity of thereference geometry and on your need to customize the defaultround geometry.

Generally, after you specify placement references and the radius ofthe round, the system generates the default round geometry byusing some default attributes (for example, the round shape, crosssection, and so on). The system normally terminates the roundgeometry whenever it encounters a non-tangent edge (see thefollowing figure).

Terminating a Surf-Surf Round at a Non-Tangent Edge

Non-tangent edge

Rounds 8 - 3

Rounds

A simple round uses the rolling shape and circular cross section.When you create an advanced round, you can define several “roundsets” (segments of the round feature). The system creates defaulttransitions between the round sets, allowing you to modify thetransition later.

The following sections describe how to create simple and advancedrounds in detail.

Creating a Simple RoundThe following procedure lists basic steps to create a simple round.

1. Choose Round from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose Simple and Done from the ROUND TYPE menu.

3. A dialog box appears, listing elements of the round feature.

4. The Attributes element in the feature list is selected by default.Use the RND SET ATTR menu options to specify the attributes ofthe round.

Specify the type of round by selecting one of these options:

• Constant—Create a round between two sets of surfaceswith a constant radius.

• Variable—Create a round between two sets of surfaceswith variable radii. Specify radii at the ends of the chain ofedges or at the ends of the spine (when the spine isrequired) and, optionally, at additional points along theedges or along the spine.

• Thru Curve—Create a round between two surfaces byfollowing a curve. See Creating a Round Through a Curveon page 8 - 28.

• Full Round—Create a round by removing a surface: theconsumed surface becomes a round.

Specify the type of references for placing the round by selectingone of these options:

• Edge Chain—Place a round by selecting a chain of edges.To select the chain, use options in the CHAIN menu (seeUsing the Chain Menu Options on page 8 - 4).

• Surf-Surf—Place a round by selecting two surfaces.

• Edge-Surf—Place a round by specifying a chain of edgesand a surface.

8 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Edge Pair—Place a full round by specifying a pair of edges.

See Examples of Round References on page 8 - 5, for moreinformation on selecting geometric references.

5. Choose Done from the RND SET ATTR menu.

6. Select placement references, as the system prompts you.

7. For a constant radius round, enter the radius for the round (seeEntering Radius Values on page 8 - 6). For variable radiusrounds, specify the radii, as described in Creating Full Roundson page 8 - 25.

8. Optionally, for other than a full round, define the extensionboundaries of the round by specifying the Round Extentelement. See Resolving Placement Ambiguityon page 8 - 7.

9. If necessary, define the Attach Type element (see Changing theAttachment Type on page 8 - 29).

10. When you finish defining the feature, choose OK from thedialog box.

Using the Chain Menu Options

When you select reference edges with the Edge Chain option, thesystem displays the CHAIN menu. Note that you can choose morethan one option: choose an option, select the references as promptedby the system, and then choose the next option.

The CHAIN menu lists the following options:

• One By One—Define a chain by selecting individual edges andcurves, one at a time.

• Tangnt Chain—Define a chain by selecting an edge. Alltangent edges are included in the selection.

• Surf Chain—Define a chain of edges by selecting a surface.

• Unselect—Unselect references selected with one of the aboveoptions.

When you finish defining the chain of edges, choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

Rounds 8 - 5

Rounds

Examples of Round References

The following table shows examples of how to use the Edge Chain,Surf-Surf, Edge-Surf, and Edge Pair options when you selectgeometric references for a round.

Different Methods of Selecting Round References

Reference Type Original Geometry Rounded Geometry

(a) Edge Chain/One By One

(b) Edge Chain/Tangnt Chain

(c) Surf-Surf

Select these edges. Resulting round

An edge from a tangent chain Resultinground

Select these two surfaces.

Resulting round

8 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Entering Radius Values

To enter radius values for a round, use options in the RADIUS TYPEmenu. They are as follows:

• Enter—Type in the radius value. The system prompts you toenter a value. If you want to use one of the previous values,press <Esc> and select a value from the SEL VALUE menu. Thefirst radius value that appears in the SEL VALUE menu is thedefault value calculated by the system. For a variable round,the system places all radius values that you entered (with theEnter option) in this menu for subsequent use.

• Pick On Surf—Select a point on the surface for the round topass through. For an Edge Chain round, select an edge from thechain.

• Thru Pnt/Vtx—Select a datum point or vertex for the round topass through.

Note: When the system prompts you to enter a radius value,the Enter option is preselected and you can type in thevalue in the Input Window. If you want to use the PickOn Surf or Thru Pnt/Vtx option, press the <Esc> keyor pick the red icon (located next to the InputWindow) to cancel the input mode, then select thedesired option.

(d) Edge-Surf

(e) Edge Pair(full round)

Reference Type Original Geometry Rounded Geometry

Select thisedge. Select this

surface.

Resulting round

Select this pair of edges

Rounds 8 - 7

Rounds

Resolving Placement Ambiguity

When there is more than one possible placement location for theround set, the system prompts you to indicate the desired location.In such situations, the system displays one case and prompts you toselect the location by using options in the CHOOSE menu. Theseoptions are as follows:

• Next—Show the next possible geometry.

• Accept—Accept this geometry.

The following figure shows two possible locations of the round setfor a round created as Surf-Surf round.

Resolving Placement Ambiguity

Specifying the Round Extent Element

Specify the optional element Round Extent if you want to extendthe round feature beyond the selected references. This element isavailable for simple and advanced rounds.

When there are two possible locations for theround set, select the desired location with theNext and Accept options.

Possiblelocations of theround set.

Select these two surfaces asplacement references.

8 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Specify the Round Extent Element

1. Select the Round Extent element and click Define in thedialog box.

2. The RND EXTENT menu appears with the following options:

• Term Surfs—Specify terminating surfaces by picking onthe model surfaces. You can select any number ofterminating surfaces. You cannot select a surface that istangent to one of the surfaces between which you want tocreate a round.

• Auto Blend—Create blend transitions when a non-tangentedge is encountered.

Place a check mark in front of the option(s) that you want tospecify and choose Done. You can use these options separatelyor in combination.

The following figure demonstrates the difference between a roundwithout terminating surfaces (example a) and the one that usesterminating surfaces and blend transitions (example b).

Creating Terminating Surfaces and Blend Transition

a b

The Round Extent element isnot defined.

Define the Round Extent element andselect Term Surfs and Auto Blend

Select these surfaces. Blend transition at corners Select this surface asterminating surface.

Rounds 8 - 9

Rounds

The following figure demonstrates the use of the Auto Blendoption.

Using the Auto Blend Option

Variable Radius RoundsFor a variable radius round, you must specify the radii at theendpoints of the chain of edges, and, optionally, at the selecteddatum points along these edges. If the edges being rounded are notexplicitly selected (for example, if you used the Surf-Surf option),you must select the spine so you can enter the radii for itsendpoints, vertices, and additional points.

The next figure shows a simple variable round. Adding optionalintermediate points provides additional control over the radius ofthe round.

After the system creates this round segment,define the Round Extent element and selectthe Auto Blend option.

Note: the round is shown with a mesh forillustration purposes.

The round geometry stops at thenon-tangent edges.

8 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a Variable Radius Round

For an advanced variable round, within each round set the systemcan calculate the minimum radius of the round between points withknown radii. This can be done in one of the following ways—byapproximating the radius value along the spine with a standardspline function (default), or by using the smallest user-specifiedvalue as the minimum radius value for each round set. To select thedesired method, define the Round Shape element in the Rounddialog box and select Spline or Min Radius from the ATTRIBUTESmenu. For more information, see Defining the Round ShapeElement on page 8 - 14.

➤ How to Create a Simple Variable Radius Round

1. Start creating a round as usual. Choose Round, Simple, andDone.

2. Specify attributes and placement references for the round.

3. For placement types other than Edge Chain, define the spinefor the variable round. Select continuous curves or edges byusing options in the CHAIN menu. When you finish, chooseDone from the CHAIN menu.

4. The GEN PNT SEL menu appears so you can specify additionaldatum point for which you want to enter a radius value. If noadditional points are required, choose Done from the GEN PNTSEL menu and enter the radii only for the endpoints of thechain/spine. To select existing datum points, choose Select. Tocreate new datum points on the spine, choose Create Point.The system automatically selects the new datum points for theoperation. After you finish defining intermediate points, chooseDone from the GEN PNT SEL menu.

You must enter the radius values for these vertices.

Optionally, you can create datum points to enter additional radii.

Rounds 8 - 11

Rounds

Note: To automatically select all points at tangent edgesalong the spine, choose Select All.

5. The RADIUS TYPE menu appears so you can enter the radiusvalues for vertices and datum points.

6. Continue creating the round as usual.

When you create an advanced round with variable radii, you definethe variable radii within each round set. After you have defined theattributes for the current set, the system prompts you to do thefollowing:

• Specify the spine, if required.

• Select and/or create additional points.

• Enter radius values for all selected points.

The following figure shows an example of an advanced variableradius round.

Advanced Variable Radius Round

Creating Advanced RoundsUse advanced rounds when you need more control over theresulting round geometry. Advanced rounds, as opposed to simplerounds, enable you to define the following:

• Multiple round sets.

• Round shape: Rolling Ball or Normal to Spine.

• Cross section of the round: Circular or Conic.

Three round sets Additional points

8 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• The type of transition between round sets.

• The type of corner transition for intersecting round sets andcorner transitions between new and previously createdgeometry.

Generally, when you add a round, the system attempts to generateintermediate round geometry by using a few basic guidelines thatyou specify (for example, geometric references, radius of the rounds,and so on) and certain default attributes, defining the shape andtransitions of the round feature. With advanced rounds, you cancustomize the default geometry by defining attributes andtransitions of the round.

Round Sets

An advanced round is made up of one or more “round sets”, orsegments of the round. Each round set may have unique attributes,references, and radius values. As you define each round set, thesystem generates intermediate geometry. After all round sets aredefined, the system creates default transitions between round sets,which you can then customize.

A sample advanced round with three round sets appears below.

Defining Round Sets

Round set 2 Default corner transition

Round set 3

Round set 1Round these edges.

Rounds 8 - 13

Rounds

When you define a round set, the Round Set dialog box appearswith the ROUND SETS menu. The options in the ROUND SETS menuare as follows:

• Add—Create a new round set by specifying its attributes,geometric references, and radius of the round.

• Remove—Remove a round set. Select the set to remove bychoosing from the RND SET SEL menu.

• Redefine—Redefine a round set. Select the set to redefine bychoosing from the RND SET SEL menu.

• Done Sets—Exit the ROUND SETS menu.

After you define round sets, you can modify or remove them bydefining the Round Sets element in the dialog box.

Basic Procedure for Creating an Advanced Round

➤ How to Create an Advanced Round

1. Choose Round from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose Advanced and Done from the ROUND TYPE menu.

3. A dialog box appears, listing elements of the round feature.

Note: At this point, you can pre-set attributes of the round bychoosing Done Sets from the ROUND SETS menu,selecting the Round Shape element, and then clickingDefine in the dialog box. Alternatively, you canredefine the Round Shape element later in the processof round creation. For more information on the RoundShape element, see Defining the Round Shape Elementon page 8 - 14.

4. To define the first round set, choose Add from the ROUND SETSmenu.

5. The dialog box for the current round set appears.

6. Define the attributes of the current round set, as you do forsimple rounds (follow Steps 4 and 5 of the procedure onpage 8 - 3).

7. Specify references for placing the round set.

8. For other than a full round, enter the radius for the round set(see Entering Radius Values on page 8 - 6). For variable rounds,see Creating Full Rounds on page 8 - 25.

8 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

9. Optionally, you can define the Round Extend element if youwant to extend the round set beyond its current boundaries. SeeResolving Placement Ambiguity on page 8 - 7.

10. After the round set is defined, click OK in the Round Set dialogbox.

11. To add another round set, choose Add from the ROUND SETSmenu, and then define the round set by repeating the Steps 5through 10.

12. When you finish defining round sets, choose Done Sets fromthe ROUND SETS menu.

13. If you want to define the transition type between round sets,select the Transitions element and then click Define. For moreinformation on transition types, see Defining the TransitionsElement on page 8 - 15.

14. If necessary, define the Attach Type element (see Changing theAttachment Type on page 8 - 29).

15. To complete the round feature creation, click OK in the dialogbox.

Defining the Round Shape Element

When you create an advanced round, the system uses defaultattributes to create intermediate round geometry. By default, theround shape is defined as the Rolling Ball model and Circularsection. The default corner transition is Corner Sphere.

If you want to set different default attributes for the entire roundfeature, define the Round Shape element in the feature list. Selectthis element, and then click Define in the dialog box.

When the ATTRIBUTES menu appears, select an option from eachsubmenu.

Define the method of creating the round by choosing one of theseoptions:

• Rolling Ball—The round is created by rolling a ball.

• Norm To Spine—The round is created by sweeping an arc orconic cross section normal to a spine. Select a spine for this typeof round. This option is not available for full rounds.

Define the cross section of a round by choosing one of theseoptions:

• Circular—The cross section of the round is circular.

Rounds 8 - 15

Rounds

• Conic—The cross section of the round is conic. Specify a conicparameter for the round (from 0.05 to 0.95). This option is notavailable for full rounds. For the conic round, the system adds anew element, Conic Parameter, to the dialog box, so you canredefine it at any time.

Define the default transition type for a corner round by choosingone of these options:

• Corner Sphere—The corner round is a sphere whose radiusequals that of the largest round set. This option is availableonly for circular cross-sections.

• Corner Sweep—The corner round is a sweep that wrapsaround the edge with the largest radius. This option is availableonly for circular cross-sections.

• Patch—The corner round is a patch transition between threeedges.

Note: You can later customize the default corner geometry bydefining the Transitions element. For more informationon corner transitions, see Creating Corner Transitionson page 8 - 19.

Define the minimum acceptable variable radius value:

• Spline—Approximate the radius by a spline.

• Min Radius—Maintain the minimum radius at the smallestuser-specified value within each variable round set.

Defining the Transitions Element

The Transitions element allows you to specify howPro/ENGINEER should handle the intersections of round sets. Thefollowing types of transitions appear in the TRANS TYPE menu:

• Stop—The system stops the round geometry at the specifiedpoint, or extends it to an intersecting solid surface.

• Blend Srfs—The system creates a blend transition betweentwo round sets.

• IntersctSrfs—The system intersects the round set geometrywith the next adjacent round set.

• Continue—The round set geometry continues into the nextadjacent round set.

• Corner Sphere—The system creates a corner round as asphere whose radius equals that of the largest round set. Youcan modify the radius of the sphere.

8 - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Corner Sweep—The system creates a corner round as a sweepthat wraps around the edge with the largest radius.

• Patch—The system creates a corner round as a patchtransition between any number of intersecting round set edges.

Note: The Corner Sphere and Corner Sweep transitionsapply only to corner intersections between three roundset edges. The Patch transition applies to cornertransitions between three or four round edges. For moreinformation on these transitions, see Creating CornerTransitions on page 8 - 19.

The following table shows examples of different transition types.

Transition Type Sample Transition Comments

Stop Round geometry terminatesat the selected surface.

IntersectSrfs Round set geometry extendsuntil it is intersected by anadjacent round set.

Blend(for cornerintersections oftwo round sets)

The roundstops here.

Blendtransition

Rounds 8 - 17

Rounds

Blend Srfs(for blending twocollinear roundsets)

This is a true Rolling Ballmodel—as if a marble wererolled along the references,and the resulting roundgeometry is the area thatthe marble could notintersect. Pre-existing edgesof the part are maintained.

Continue(for blending twocollinear round setswith the sameradius value)

The resulting geometrylooks as if the round wasplaced first, and thengeometry was cut away.

Corner Sphere(for cornertransition of threeintersecting roundsets)

This type of cornertransition was referred toas Corner Round in previousreleases. The systemcreates a Ball corner at theintersection of three roundsets. By default, the spherehas the same radius as thelargest round set. You canmodify the radius of thesphere as well as thedistance between the sphereand the round sets.

Corner Sweep(for cornertransition of threeintersecting roundsets)

Round geometry wrapsaround the round set withthe largest radius. Theresulting geometry looks asif the round set with thelargest radius was createdfirst, and then theremaining two sets werecreated subsequently.

Transition Type Sample Transition Comments

Blendtransition

Transitions

Sphere

8 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Consider the following tips for a round with user-definedtransitions:

• When you copy, reroute, or place a group with an advancedround which contains user-defined transitions, the systemremoves user-defined transitions from the resulting feature (inthe copied/rerouted/placed version of the round feature).Redefine the round transitions in the new feature, asappropriate.

• If a round feature fails due to missing transition references, thesystem prints an error message and instructs you to redefinethe Transitions element by selecting references for eachtransition. If a transition has invalid references, first removethat transition and then recreate it with new valid references.

Patch(for cornertransition of threeconverging roundsets)

Patched surface is createdbetween intersection pointsof three or four round sets.You can select three or moreround reference edges tocreate a patch transition,and you can select onesurface on which you wantto place fillet curves.

Patch(for cornertransition of four ormore converginground sets)

Select four edge referencesfor this patch transition.

IntersectSrfs(for cornertransition of two ormore converginground sets)

Transition Type Sample Transition Comments

Rounds 8 - 19

Rounds

➤ How to Define the Transitions Element

1. Select the Transitions element in the dialog box and clickDefine.

2. Pro/ENGINEER displays the ROUND TRANS and TRANS TYPEmenus so you can specify the transition types to use betweenround sets. The ROUND TRANS menu options are as follows:

• Add—Add a transition.

• Remove—Remove a transition.

• Redefine—Redefine a transition.

3. Choose Add and select one of the transition types from theTRANS TYPE menu (see page 8 - 15).

4. For the selected type of transition, the system prompts you topick the required number of edges, defining the boundary of thetransition. Choose Done Sel to finish selecting references for aspecific transition. You can select references for severaltransitions at the same time.

5. After you create a transition, you can remove or modify it bychoosing Remove or Redefine, respectively. The systemdisplays the TRANSITIONS menu, which lists all theuser-defined transitions (not the transitions that are created bydefault). Select the transition you want to modify.

6. When you finish defining the transitions, choose Done Transfrom the ROUND TRANS menu.

7. The system creates the specified transitions.

Creating Corner Transitions

You can set the default type of corner transition by specifying theRound Shape element in the dialog box, and then choosing thedesired corner transition from the ATTRIBUTES menu (see Definingthe Round Shape Element on page 8 - 14). You can change thedefault corner transition at any point while defining the round.When you reset the default corner transition, the systemautomatically changes the corner geometry according to the newsetting.

8 - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Possible combinations of corner transitions appear in the followingfigure.

Various Corner Transitions

Notes:

1. R1, R2, and R3 are radii of respective round sets.

2. A patch corner transition can be created on three or four roundedges.

3. You can modify a patch corner transition to add a fillet curve toone surface between round edges (fillet surfaces are indicatedwith an arrow in this illustration).

Corner Sphere

Corner Sweep

Patch

Modified Patch(one fillet surface)

Modified Patch(one fillet surface)

Modified Patch(one fillet surface)

R1= R2 = R3 (R1 = R2) < R3 (R1 = R2) > R3 R1 < R2 < R3

Rounds 8 - 21

Rounds

The default corner type applies to all default corner transitions inyour round feature. If you want to customize a particular cornertransition, choose the Transitions element and then Define fromthe dialog box. The following corner transitions appear in theTRANS TYPE menu:

• Corner Sphere—The corner transition creates the spherewith the largest radius of the round sets to be blended (see thefollowing figure). You can customize the default corner spheretransition by entering the radius of the sphere and transitiondistances between the sphere and rounded edges.

Corner Sphere Transition

• Corner Sweep—The corner transition is created as asweep that wraps around the round set with the largestradius (see the figure below). If two of the three round setsare larger than the third set and have equal radii, thesystem creates a sphere at the corner transition.

Corner Sweep Transition

The corner sweep wraps around the round set with the largest radius.

The largest radiusThe largest radius

8 - 22 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Note: When you create a Corner Sweep transition and theround sets are defined as Variable radii, the systemcreates the transition based on the radius values at theend of each set where these round sets are intersected.

• Patch—The corner transition is a patch geometry betweenthree or more surfaces (see the following figure). Optionally,you can customize the patch by placing a fillet curvebetween any two adjacent round edges.

Patch Transition

Creating a Patch Transition

➤ How to Create a Patch Transition

1. Define round sets.

2. Select the Transitions element and then Define in the dialogbox.

3. Choose Patch and Done from the TRANS TYPE menu.

4. Select the edges of the round surfaces to be blended together.Choose Done Sel.

5. The system creates an intermediate patch geometry. If you aresatisfied with the geometry, choose Accept and Done from thePATCH menu.

6. If you want to customize the patch geometry by placing filletcurves between adjacent round edges, continue with the nextstep.

7. Choose Modify and Done from the PATCH menu. Select asurface where you want to place a fillet curve and choose DoneSel. The system highlights the selected surface and promptsyou to enter the radius of the fillet curve.

a) Default Corner Patch Transition b) Customized Corner Patch Transition

Fillet is added atthis location.

Rounds 8 - 23

Rounds

8. Choose Done Trans from the TRANS TYPE menu to finalize thetransition.

Defining a Stop Transition by Terminating Surfaces

When you create a stop transition, you can select adjacent surfaceswhose extensions will be used to terminate the round. This enablesyou to create a different round geometry depending on whichsurfaces you select to define the transition (see the next figure).

➤ How to Modify a Stop Transition

1. Define round sets.

2. Select the Transitions element and Define in the dialog box.

3. Choose Stop and Done from the TRANS TYPE menu.

4. Select the edges of the round surfaces to trim and choose DoneSel.

5. The system creates an intermediate transition geometry. If youare satisfied with the geometry, choose Accept and Done.

6. If you want to select terminating surfaces, choose Modify andDone.

7. Select surfaces that will be extended to trim the roundgeometry and choose Done Sel.

8. Choose Done Trans from the TRANS TYPE menu to finalize thetransition.

These three surfaces wereselected to define the Stoptransition.

This surface was selected to definethe Stop transition.

8 - 24 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Transitions with Existing Geometry

You can create a corner transition between the new round andexisting round geometry by using the Corner Sphere, CornerSweep, or Patch transition. In addition, you can create cornertransitions between the round and other existing geometry (forexample, chamfer, cut, and so on) by using the Patch transition.

Note: Creating a patch transition with existing geometry issupported only for three converging round set edges. Apatch transition with more four round sets must becreated in one operation.

➤ How to Create a Corner Transition With Existing Geometry

1. Start creating an advanced round as usual.

2. After you have defined one or two round sets, define theTransitions element from the dialog box. Choose CornerSphere, Corner Sweep, or Patch from the TRANS TYPEmenu.

3. Select one (if you defined a single round set) or two (if youdefined two round sets) corner transition references and chooseDone Sel.

4. The system searches the area around the selected referencesand creates a corner round geometry based on the references itfinds.

The next figure shows a round with the Corner Sphere transition tothe existing round.

Rounds 8 - 25

Rounds

Creating a Corner Sphere Transition to Existing Geometry

Creating Full RoundsUse the Full Round option to create a round by replacing a surfacewith a round. The Full Round option is available for simple andadvanced rounds. You can apply a full round to solid or surfacegeometry.

The next figure shows an example of a simple full round.

Simple Full Round

Select this edge as areference forcreating a cornertransition.

Corner Sphere Transition

Create a roundon this edge.

Existing roundgeometry

Full round

8 - 26 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The following figure shows an example of an advanced full round.Notice that if the system encounters a non-tangent edge, itterminates the round geometry at this location. Therefore, you needto define two round sets for this part (see example b in the followingfigure). You can change the user-defined transition type to achievethe desired geometry. Notice that the Continue and Blend Srfstransition types create different geometries (see examples c and din the following figure).

Advanced Full Round

a b

d c

Create two round sets(you can use the same

references).

Round this surface

Non-tangentedge

Transition type Blend Srfs Transition type Continue

View A View A

Rounds 8 - 27

Rounds

Consider the following restrictions when you create full rounds.You cannot create a full round if:

• More than two sets of edges border the same surface.

• You define the Round Shape element as Conic.

• You define the Round Shape element as Norm to Spine.

➤ How to Create an Advanced Full Round

1. Choose Create, Round.

2. The Round feature creation dialog box appears with the ROUNDTYPE menu. Choose Advanced and Done from the ROUNDTYPE menu.

3. Choose Add from the ROUND SETS menu to create a first roundset.

4. The Round Set dialog box appears. From the RND SET ATTmenu, choose Full Round. From the lower submenu, chooseone of these placement options, followed by Done:

• Surf-Surf—Select two surfaces bounding the surface to bereplaced by a round. Select the surface to be replaced by theround.

• Edge-Surf—Select an edge and a surface bounding thesurface to be replaced by a round. Select the surface to bereplaced by the round. See the next figure.

• Edge Pair—Select a pair of edges bounding the surface tobe replaced by the round.

5. Choose OK from the Round Set dialog box.

6. To select another round set, choose Add from the ROUND SETSmenu and repeat Steps 4 through 5.

7. When you finish selecting the sets, choose Done Sets.

Surface reference

Resulting round

SIDE VIEW

Surface to be removed

Edge reference

8 - 28 Part Modeling User’s Guide

8. The system creates an intermediate geometry. If you want tochange the transitions, choose the Transitions element fromthe dialog box.

9. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Creating a simple full round is similar to creating an advanced fullround, except that when you create a simple full round, you canspecify only a single set of references and you cannot modify thetransition type.

Creating a Round Through a CurveUse the Thru Curve option in the RND SET ATTR menu to create around through a curve. This type of round is formed by rolling a balltangent to two surfaces. The radius of the round at each point alongthe spine is determined by the selected curve. The following figureillustrates a round through curve.

➤ How to Create a Round Through a Curve

1. Choose Round > Simple or Advanced > Done.

2. From the RND SET ATTR menu, choose Thru Curve, EdgeChain or Surf-Surf, and Done.

3. If you selected Edge-Chain, pick an edge between two surfacesto be rounded. If you selected Surf-Surf, pick two referencesurfaces.

4. Pick a curve at which the round will terminate.

5. Complete the round creation as with other types of rounds.

Select this curve.

Rounds 8 - 29

Rounds

Changing the Attachment TypePro/ENGINEER predefines the attachment type of a round asMake Solid. This means that the resulting feature will intersect theexisting geometry when it is created (or previewed). For example, ifthe round geometry cannot be attached to the part, redefine theround type from Simple to Advanced, and the attachment typefrom Make Solid to Make Surface. This allows you to save theround geometry until you have fixed some geometry errors.

➤ How to Change the Attachment Type of a Round

1. Select the Attach Type element in the dialog box, then clickDefine.

2. The system displays the ATTACHMENT menu, which lists theappropriate subset of the following options:

• Make Solid—The round will intersect with the existinggeometry.

• Make Surface—The round will not intersect with theexisting geometry.

• Same Quilt—The feature intersects the reference quilt.This option is not available for solid references.

• New Quilt—The feature creates a new quilt. This option isnot available for solid references.

3. Choose the desired attachment type, then click OK in the dialogbox. Pro/ENGINEER updates the part to reflect your changes.

The following table shows possible attachment types for differentcombinations of geometric references of the round feature.

Attachment Types

Geometric Referencesof the Round

DefaultAttachment Type

OptionalAttachment Type

Solid-Solid Solid Surface

Quilt-Quilt (same quilt) Same quilt New quilt

Quilt-Quilt (different quilts) New quilt N/A

Solid-Quilt Surface N/A

9 - 1

9Tweak Features

This chapter describes how to create features by altering surfaces ofthe part using the Tweak option in the SOLID menu.

Topic Page

Tweak Features 9 - 2

Drafts 9 - 3

Local Push 9 - 20

Radius Dome 9 - 21

Section Domes 9 - 23

Offset 9 - 28

Ears 9 - 29

Lip Feature 9 - 33

Toroidal Bend 9 - 35

Spinal Bend 9 - 39

9 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Tweak FeaturesPro/ENGINEER offers several features to deform or alter (“tweak”)the surface of the part. The TWEAK menu lists the followingoptions:

• Draft—Add a taper of a specific angle to a surface. You musthave a Pro/FEATURE license to create any drafts exceptNeutral Plane (with constant draft angle). See Drafts onpage 9 - 3 for more information.

• Local Push—Deform a surface by pushing or pulling on acircular or rectangular region of a surface. See Local Push onpage 9 - 3 for more information.

• Radius Dome—Create a dome on a limited region of a surface.See Radius Dome on page 9 - 21 for more information.

• Section Dome—Create a dome from sketched sections. Youmust have a Pro/FEATURE license to use this option. SeeSection Domes on page 9 - 23 for more information.

• Offset—Create a feature by offsetting either a whole surface ora specified area with a constant thickness. You must have aPro/FEATURE license to use this option. See Offset onpage 9 - 28 for more information.

• Replace—Replace a part surface with a surface feature (seethe Creating a Replace Feature on page 12 - 28). You must havea Pro/SURFACE license to use this option.

• Ear—Create a protrusion that is extruded along the top of asurface and bent at the base. See Ears on page 9 - 29 for moreinformation.

• Lip—Create a lip on selected edges that can be used forinterlocking parts. This feature cannot be created as anAssembly feature, but the dimensions on mating parts can becontrolled through relations. You must have a Pro/FEATURElicense to use this option. See Lip Feature on page 9 - 33 formore information.

• Patch—Replace a part of a surface (or surfaces) by a surfacefeature (see Surface Patching on page 12 - 29). You must have aPro/SURFACE license to use this option.

• ToroidalBend—Bend a selected solid, surface, or datumfeature in two directions to produce a toroidal or revolvedshape. You must have a Pro/FEATURE license to use thisoption. See Toroidal Bend on page 9 - 35 for more information.

Tweak Features 9 - 3

Tw

eak Features

• Spinal Bend—Bend an object about a curved spine bycontinuously repositioning cross-sections along a curve. Youmust have a Pro/SURFACE license to use this option. SeeSpinal Bend on page 9 - 39 for more information.

• Free Form—Tweak a surface by dynamic manipulation. Youmust have a Pro/SURFACE license to use this option. Fordetailed information, see the Freeform Manipulation chapter.

• Draft Offset—Create a surface offset with drafted surfaces.You must have a license for Pro/FEATURE in order to use thisfeature. See Creating Draft Offsets on page 12 - 22.

DraftsThe Draft feature adds a draft angle to individual surfaces, or to aseries of selected planar surfaces. The following table lists theterminology used in drafts.

Term Definition

Draft surfaces Model surfaces selected for drafting.

Neutral plane(or Pivot plane)

Draft surfaces are pivoted about theintersection of the neutral plane with thedraft surfaces.

Neutral curve The curve on the draft surfaces that isused as an axis of rotation for draftsurfaces—draft surfaces are rotatedabout the neutral curve.

Draft direction Direction that is used to measure thedraft angle. It is defined as normal to thereference plane.

Draft angle Angle between the draft direction and theresulting drafted surfaces. If the draftsurfaces are split, you can define twoindependent angles for each portion of thedraft.

Direction of rotation(or Referencedirection)

Direction that defines how draft surfacesare rotated with respect to the neutralplane or neutral curve.

Split areas Areas of the draft surfaces to which youcan apply different draft angles.

9 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The range for the draft angle is -30 to +30.

Consider the following when creating drafts:

• You can draft only the surfaces that are formed by tabulatedcylinders or planes.

• The draft direction must be normal to the neutral plane if adraft surface is cylindrical.

• You cannot draft surfaces with fillets around the edgeboundary. However, you can draft the surfaces first, then filletthe edges.

The following figure shows a sample draft feature created using aneutral plane and a draft angle -8o.

Sample Draft

Drafts are created by pivoting draft surfaces around a neutral planeor a neutral datum axis. Choosing Draft from the Tweak menubrings up the Draft Opts menu with the following options:

• Neutral Pln—Draft the surfaces by pivoting around a neutralplane.

• Neutral Crv—Draft the surfaces by pivoting about a neutraldatum curve or edge.

Surfaces selected for drafting can be split; the following types ofsplit drafts are supported:

• Drafts that are split at a plane

-8o

Neutral plane Draft direction

Positive direction of rotation(yellow arrow)

Both surfaces of the cylinderare selected for drafting.

Tweak Features 9 - 5

Tw

eak Features

• Drafts that are split at the neutral curve:

– one-sided Split at Crv drafts

– two-sided Split at Crv drafts with one dependent angle

– two-sided Split at Crv drafts with two independent angles

• Drafts that are split at a parting quilt:

– one-sided Split at Srf draft

– two-sided Split at Srf drafts with one dependent angle

– two-sided Split at Srf drafts with two independent angles

• Drafts that are split using sketched geometry

Different variations of the draft feature are shown in the followingfigure.

9 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Different Types of a Draft Feature

Drafts may use a variable or constant draft angle. Specify the typeof angle by selecting one of the following options in theATTRIBUTES menu:

• Constant—Apply a constant angle to the draft along the entiredrafted surface.

• Variable—Apply a variable draft angle at discrete points alongthe drafted surface. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to enter avalue for the vertices at the intersection between the draftdirection plane and the draft surfaces. Optionally, you canselect or create additional datum points, and then specify adraft angle at those locations. To select existing datum points,choose Select from the GEN PNT SEL menu. To add datumpoints, choose Create Point from the GEN PNT SEL menu.

Drafts

Neutral Plane

Neutral Curve

No Split

Split at Surface

Split at Curve

Both Sides

One Side

Dependent Angle

Independent Angle

Split at Sketch

Split at Plane

No Split

(All drafts use Constant or Variableangle options except Split at Skt)

Both Sides

One Side

Dependent Angle

Independent Angle

Tweak Features 9 - 7

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Note: Variable draft angle cannot be used with Split at Sktdrafts.

For the chosen draft type, specify the corresponding attributes byusing the ATTRIBUTES menu (see Neutral Plane Draftson page 9 - 7 and Neutral Curve Drafts on page 9 - 14).

Neutral Plane Drafts

Pro/ENGINEER rotates the surfaces being drafted around theirintersection with the neutral (pivot) plane.

When creating a neutral plane draft, you need to define the type ofsplit by choosing one of these options in the ATTRIBUTES menu:

• No Split—Do not split the selected surfaces when creating thedraft.

• Split at Pln—Split the draft surfaces at the neutral plane.

• Split at Skt—Split the draft surfaces using a sketch.

The next figure shows different types of neutral plane drafts.

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Different Types of Neutral Plane Draft

As you create a draft, the Draft dialog box displays the elementname, information about the element, and the current status of theelement. The specific elements listed are a function of the type ofdraft being processed.

➤ How to Add a Draft Angle to One or More Surfaces

1. Choose Tweak from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose Draft from the TWEAK menu.

3. From the DRAFT OPTS menu, choose Neutral Pln and Done.

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature creation dialog box fordrafts.

Original part

Neutral plane

c) Using Split at Skt

a) Using No Split

Neutral plane

b) Using Split at Pln

Neutral plane

Draft surface

Sketch ofthe split

Reference plane fordefining the draftdirection

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5. Using the ATTRIBUTES menu, select the draft options asfollows:

• Choose the type of split by selecting No Split, Split at Pln,or Split at Skt.

• Choose the type of draft angle by selecting Constant orVariable.

• Choose Done.

6. Select or create the neutral plane for the draft using the Planeor Make Datum option in the SETUP PLANE menu. Theintersection of the neutral plane and draft surfaces determinesthe axis of rotation. Note that the draft surfaces must beperpendicular to the neutral plane.

7. Continue with the specific procedure for the required draft type.The descriptions of these procedure follow.

➤ How to Create a No-Split Neutral Plane Draft

1. After you have completed Steps 1 through 7 on page 9 - 8,specify the draft direction by selecting a reference plane. Thedraft direction is perpendicular to the reference plane. Choosean option from the REF DIR menu:

• Use Neut Pln—Use the neutral plane as the referenceplane.

• Select—Select a reference plane. Pro/ENGINEER displaysthe GEN SEL DIR and SETUP PLANE menus so you can setup the reference plane. You can select a datum plane as thereference plane.

2. If you choose Variable, specify datum points for which youwant to enter the draft angle value.

3. A yellow arrow displays the positive direction of rotation axis.Enter the value for the draft angle.

4. To complete the feature creation, click OK in the dialog box.

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➤ How to Create a Split-at-Plane Neutral Plane Draft

1. After you have completed Steps 1 through 7 on page 9 - 8,specify a reference plane. The reference plane is used todetermine the direction from which the draft angle is measured.Select a planar neighbor of the draft surfaces as the referenceplane. Choose an option from the REF PLANE menu:

• Use Neut Pln—Use the neutral plane as the referenceplane. This options is available only when the neutral planeis adjacent to draft surfaces.

• Select—Select a reference plane. Pro/ENGINEER displaysthe GEN SEL DIR and SETUP PLANE menus so you can setup the reference plane.

Note: The reference plane cannot be a datum plane.

2. If you chose Variable, specify datum points for which you wantto enter the draft angle value.

3. A yellow arrow displays the positive direction of rotation axis.Enter the value for the draft angles.

4. To complete the feature creation, click OK in the dialog box.

Creating a Split-at-Sketch Neutral Plane Draft

The Split at Skt option creates drafts that are divided by sketched“parting lines”. Each side of the parting lines has a separate draftangle (see the following figure).

You create a split at sketch draft by specifying the neutral planeand sketching the split lines (the lines where the drafted surfacewill be divided into two areas). Split lines can be sketched eitherdirectly on the part surface or on a datum plane. After you havecreated the draft section, it is projected through the part, in thedirection normal to the sketching plane. You can specify anysurfaces onto which the draft section can be projected so thesurfaces are completely divided by the split lines, including surfacesnormal to the sketching plane (where the split line is projected as apoint).

The neutral (pivot) plane in split-at-sketch drafts always serves asthe draft direction reference; you cannot select a separate draftdirection reference. Pro/ENGINEER rotates the surfaces to bedrafted around the intersection with the neutral plane. Thedirection of rotation depends on the sign of the draft angle and theindicated positive direction of the rotation axis.

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➤ How to Create a Split at Sketch Draft

1. Complete Steps 1 through 7 on page 9 - 8.

2. Select or create the sketching plane using the SETUP SK PLNand SETUP PLANE menus.

3. Sketch the split lines. The draft section may be open (seeexample a in the following figure) or closed (see example b inthe following figure). Dimension the section, regenerate, andchoose Done.

4. Pro/ENGINEER indicates the side with a red arrow, andindicates the positive direction of the rotation axis with theyellow arrow. Enter a draft angle with the appropriate sign,using the right-hand rule.

5. Repeat Step 3 for the second side.

6. When you have finished, select OK from the dialog box.

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Split at Sketch Drafts

Multiple Draft Areas

You can create more than two draft areas on one surface in stages.First, sketch two areas and create a split at sketch draft. Then,create a second split at sketch draft on the same surface. Finally,sketch the third area and, for the rest of the surface, specify a draftangle of 0 degrees.

The next figure illustrates multiple draft areas.

Neutral plane

Sketched parting lines

Neutral plane

Sketched parting lines

a) Open Section

b) Closed Section

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Multiple Draft Areas

Using the Loops Surfs Option to Select Draft Surfaces

When selecting draft surfaces, you can use the Loop Surfs optionfrom the Surf Option menu to select surfaces for drafting (see thefollowing figure). When the draft surfaces form a single continuousloop, the same draft angle is added to all of the surfaces.

Sample No Split Draft with the Loop Surfs Selection Option

When you select multiple loops, the system rotates the inner andouter surfaces in the opposite directions (see the next figure).

Parting linesfor second draft

Surface selectedfor second draft(draft angle forthis area is 0)

Parting linesfor first draft

Loop edge

Face for loop

Material added

and neutral plane

The original part (left)—the part with drafts (right)The draft angle is the same for all the surfaces.

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Part with Two Draft Loops

Neutral Curve Drafts

You create a neutral curve draft using the Neutral Crv option topivot draft surfaces about a neutral datum curve or edge. Youwould use a neutral curve draft if the neutral and reference planesare not parallel. In addition, neutral curve drafts allow the use ofnon-planar curves while in plane driven drafts the intersection ofthe neutral plane and draft surfaces is always planar.

Neutral curve drafts may have split and non-split draft surfaces. Todetermine the type of split, choose one of the following options inthe ATTRIBUTES menu:

• No Split—Do not split the selected surfaces when creating thedraft.

• Split at Crv—Split the draft surfaces at a neutral curve tocreate one-side or two-side draft, while the neutral curveremains fixed.

• Split at Srf—Split the draft surfaces at a parting quilt on oneside or both sides of the parting quilt, while each neutral curveremains fixed. The quilt should intersect the drafted surfacesand split them. For this type of draft, you need to specify twoneutral curves, on both sides of the split.

Face for loop andreference plane

Material removed

Loop edge

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Different Types of Split Drafts

Drafts created with Split at Crv or Split at Srf option can beone-sided or two-sided. Select the desired type by choosing one ofthese options in the ATTRIBUTES menu:

• Both Sides—Create a draft on both sides of the neutral curve(if you are using Split at Crv) or parting quilt (if you are usingSplit at Srf).

• One Side—Create a draft on one side of the neutral curve (ifyou are using Split at Crv) or parting quilt (if you are usingSplit at Srf).

For drafts created on both sides of the split, you can specify a singleor two independent draft angles for both portions of the split draft.To indicate how you want to enter the draft angle, choose one of thefollowing options in the ATTRIBUTES menu:

• Independent—Specify a draft angle on each side of the split.The angles are independent of each other such that the draftsdo not necessarily meet at the parting curve or quilt. Thesurfaces pivot about the neutral curve.

• Dependent—Specify a draft angle on one side of the split. Thesystem determines the other draft angle such that the twodrafts meet at the parting curve or quilt.

a) Using No Split b) Using Split at Crv c) Using Split at Srf

Draft surfaces

Neutral curveParting quilt

Neutral curve

Neutral curves

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The following figures illustrate one- and two-sided Split at Srfdrafts.

One Side Split at Srf Draft

Both Sides Split at Srf Draft with Two Independent Angles

Draft direction

Draft surface

Parting quilt

Neutral curve

Draft angle= 14

Draft surface Neutral curve 1

Draft angle 1

= 8Neutral curve 2

Draft angle 2

Parting quilt

= 14 Draft direction

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Creating a Curve-Driven Draft

The following procedure explains basic steps to create acurve-driven draft.

➤ How to Create a Neutral Curve Draft

1. Use the command sequence Feature, Create, Tweak, Draft.

2. Choose Neutral Crv and Done from the DRAFT OPTS menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature creation dialog box andthe ATTRIBUTES menu.

4. From the ATTRIBUTES menu, select the following:

• Specify the type of split by choosing No Split, Split at Crv,or Split at Srf.

• Specify whether the draft is to be created on one or bothsides of the neutral curve/parting quilt by selecting BothSides or One Side.

• If you selected Both Sides, define the angle by choosingIndependent or Dependent.

• Specify whether the draft angle is to be constant or variablealong the neutral curve by choosing Constant or Variable.

• Choose Done to conclude.

Note: If you selected the Variable option, you must specify atleast two variable draft angle points.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays the SURF SELECT and SURFOPTIONS menus (see Using the Include Commandon page 10 - 15 for more information on these menus). Selectthe surfaces to draft. When you have finished, choose Donefrom the SURF SELECT menu.

6. Specify a neutral curve using the CHAIN menu. For detailedinformation on how to use the CHAIN menu, see ChainProcessing on page 3 - 33.

7. For a draft using Split at Srf and Both Sides, specify a secondneutral curve.

8. For a Split at Srf draft, specify the parting quilt.

9. Specify the draft direction using the GEN SEL DIR menu. Themenu options are as follows:

• Plane—Select a plane or create a new datum plane towhich the draft direction will be normal.

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• Crv/Edg/Axis—Select an edge, curve, or axis in the draftdirection. If you select a non-linear edge or curve, thesystem prompts you to select an existing datum point on theedge or curve to specify a tangent.

• Csys—Select an axis of the coordinate system to indicatethe draft direction.

10. For a one-side draft, specify the side on which to create thedraft. The system displays an arrow, along with the DIRECTIONmenu. Choose Flip or Okay.

11. Enter the draft angle as follows:

• For a no-split draft or the draft on one side, specify the draftangle, with material removal in the direction of a displayedarrow. To add material in the direction of the arrow, enter anegative angle.

• For a draft on both sides, specify the draft angle on eachside of the neutral curve, with material removal for eachportion in the direction of a displayed arrow. To addmaterial in the direction of the arrow, enter a negativeangle. The draft surfaces will pivot about the neutral curvesat the specified angle.

• For a draft on both sides with a dependent angle, specifythe original angle. The system calculates the draft anglethat corresponds to the second neutral curve such that thetwo drafts meet at the parting curve or quilt.

12. Click OK in the dialog box to create the draft.

No-Split Neutral Curve Draft

Draft surface

Neutral curve

Draft angle= -15

Draft direction

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Restrictions on Curve Driven Drafts

Consider the following restrictions when creating curve drivendrafts:

• For drafts split by a quilt, the parting quilt must intersect alldrafted surfaces (see the figure below).

Selecting a Parting Quilt

• A neutral curve cannot be shorter than the drafted surfaces (seethe following figure).

Selecting a Neutral Curve

Modifying Draft Angles

To modify a draft angle, choose Modify and pick on the draft anglefeature; the system displays the angle value. Note that all thevalues are displayed as positive, no matter what sign you specifiedwhen you created the feature. To change the angle value but retainthe direction, enter a positive value. To change the direction ofrotation, enter a negative value.

RIGHTWRONG

Draft surfaces

RIGHTWRONGDraft surface

Neutral curve Neutral curve

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Local PushA local push deforms a surface by pushing or pulling on a circular orrectangular region on the surface. The following figure illustratesthe process of creating a local push.

Local Push Feature

➤ How to Create a Local Push

1. Choose Tweak from the SOLID menu and Local Push from theTWEAK menu.

2. Set up a sketching plane and sketch the local push boundaries(sketch the section).

3. Pick the surfaces on which to apply the local push.

The following sections describe the boundary and the sketchingplane for the local push.

Pushes (2) with

Sketched boundariesSketching plane Surface to be pushed

positive deformation

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Sketching the Local Push Boundary

Sketching a local push boundary is different from all other sketchesin that the system displays a rubberband rectangle instead of arubberband line when you click the left mouse button. All othersketcher options are identical when creating a local push.

You can create multiple boundaries for the local push. To sketch arectangular local push boundary, do the following:

1. Locate the pointer on the sketching grid and click the leftmouse button. The system displays a pick box.

2. Enclose the desired area within the selection rectangle andclick the left mouse button. This region can extend beyond thesurface.

To sketch a circle, use the middle button.

Pro/ENGINEER always prompts for a surface for placement of thelocal push for two reasons:

• Local pushes can be sketched across surface boundaries and canbe created on more than one surface.

• The surface that is the sketching plane does not necessarilyhave to be the surface upon which the local push is placed. Thelocal push is placed upon the surface that is selected after theprompt.

Defining the Local Push Height

After you create the local push, the system gives it a default height,measured from the sketching plane. You can modify this parameterto create the desired deformation of the surface. A positive valuedeforms the local push out from the part surface, while a negativevalue deforms it into the surface of the part.

Radius DomeThe Radius Dome option allows you to create a dome feature. Aradius dome deforms a surface and is parameterized by one radiusand one offset distance (see the following figure). It is useful forcreating qualitative deformations on a surface. If you want moreprecise control over the geometry, use a section dome feature. Asection dome a Pro/FEATURE license.

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Radius Dome Feature

➤ How to Create a Radius Dome

1. Choose Tweak, then Radius Dome from the TWEAK menu.

2. Pick a surface to dome. The surface to dome must be a plane,torus, cone, or cylinder.

3. Select a datum plane, planar surface, or edge to which toreference the dome arc.

4. Enter the dome radius. The radius value can be positive ornegative, resulting in a convex or concave dome.

5. Pro/ENGINEER creates the domed surface using twodimensions— the radius of the dome arc and the distance fromthe arc to the reference datum plane or edge. The radius of thedome is the radius of an arc that passes through the two edgesof the domed surface. Thus, a larger radius value results in lesselevation from the original surface. The placement dimensionaffects the dome steepness: the closer the dome arc to themiddle of the domed surface, the less the dome elevation.

6. On non-rectangular surfaces, Pro/ENGINEER trims the dometo the part edges (see the next figure).

Reference edge Surface to be domedd

r

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Radius Dome Feature on a Cylinder

Section DomesA section dome replaces a planar surface with a sculptured surface.This surface can be defined by a sweep or a blend. The swept domeuses two perpendicular cross-sections to create the sculpturedsurface. The blended dome uses parallel sections blended togetherto create the new surface. With the blended dome, you can use areference profile to help generate the sections. A section dome isavailable to licensees of Pro/FEATURE only.

Before creating the section dome feature, consider the followingrestrictions:

• The surface to be domed must be horizontal when you sketchthe sections.

• Specify the sketching plane for the section dome as you wouldnormally sketch on a part. Because the cross-sections must beperpendicular to the profile, it may be necessary to reorient theview between sketches (using the View option in the Mainmenu).

• Pro/ENGINEER adds or removes material while creating asection dome, depending on how high or low the section issketched in relation to the specified surface. For example, if thesections are attached to the surface, some material around theedges will be removed.

• Sections should not be tangent to the sides of the part.

Reference datum

Surface to be domed

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• You cannot add a dome to a surface that is filleted along anyedge. If you want a fillet, add the dome first, then fillet theboundary.

• It is not necessary to have the same number of segments foreach section.

• Sections should be at least as long as the surface and do nothave to be attached to the surface.

• Sections must be sketched to be open.

➤ How to Create a Section Dome

1. Choose Tweak from the SOLID menu, then Section Domefrom the TWEAK menu.

2. The system displays the SECTION DOME menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Sweep—Create a dome by sweeping the first profile alongthe second profile, sweeping the second profile along thefirst profile, then using the mathematical average of thetwo surfaces to create the dome.

• Blend—Create a dome by blending two or more sections.

• No Profile—Create a blended dome without using aprofile. This option is not accessible when you have selectedthe Sweep option.

• One Profile—Create a dome feature using a referenceprofile.

Creating a Swept Section Dome

You can create a swept section dome using a profile and one sectionthat is perpendicular to it. The next figure illustrates a sweptsection dome.

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Swept Section Dome

➤ How to Create a Swept Section Dome with a Profile

1. Choose Sweep and One Profile from the SECTION DOMEmenu.

2. Pick the planar surface to be domed.

3. Create the profile by indicating the sketching plane, thensketching and regenerating the section.

4. Return to the default view and choose Done.

5. Create one section perpendicular to the profile by selecting orcreating a sketching plane and sketch the section.

6. Choose Done to complete the dome.

Pro/ENGINEER sweeps the first section along the second section tocreate a swept surface. The system then sweeps the second surfacealong the first to create another swept surface. The final dome isthe mathematical average of the two swept surfaces. A dome isalways be created over the entire specified surface. If the sectionsare sketched where they do not cover the entire surface,Pro/ENGINEER continues the dome as necessary to complete it.

In addition, the second section does not have to be dimensioned to,or intersect the profile section. If the second section is notdimensioned to the profile, the profile can be modified withoutaffecting the position of the second section. To dimension to theprofile, select on the horizontal or vertical axis.

Profile

Section

The domed surface

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Creating a Blended Section Dome Without a Profile

You can create a blended section dome feature without using aprofile. In this case, the system creates the domed surface byblending parallel sections.

➤ How to Create a Blended Section Dome Without a Profile

1. Choose Blend and No Profile from the SECTION DOME menu.

2. Select the planar surface to dome.

3. Specify a sketching plane for the first section and sketch thefirst section. When selecting a sketching plane, the viewingdirection arrow indicates the positive direction for offsetsections. Choose Done when you have finished.

4. Enter the distance between the first section and the new sectionto sketch. The orientation of the sections is the same. Sketchthe new section and choose Done when you have finished. Atleast two sections must be used for this option. Note that theprevious sections are toggled to a light gray color when yousketch the new section. Be sure to orient the start points of thesections so the correct points are connected for the dome. Thestart point is displayed as a small circle on the sketch. Toreorient the start point, select Start Point from the SECTOOLS menu and pick a new start point on the section.

5. If other sections are required, enter “yes” to continue and enterin new sections as needed. If no other sections are required,answer “no” to the prompt. Pro/ENGINEER then generates thedome.

Blended Section Dome Without a Profile

Note that the entire surfacewas domed - even though only twosections were sketched.

Section 1 Section 2

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Creating a Blended Section Dome with a Single Profile

You create a blended section dome with one profile and two or moresections. Pro/ENGINEER adds or removes material, as necessary,from the edges of the specified surface to create the dome. Whethermaterial is added or removed depends on the sections beingsketched. A section that dips below the surface removes material. Asection that is above (to the positive side of) the surface addsmaterial.

The profile and the sections of a single-profile blended dome are notnecessarily related. This feature allows you to dimension to theprofile by selecting the horizontal and vertical centerlines displayedwhile sketching a section. The centerlines are put there for yourconvenience, but you do not have to dimension to them. If you donot dimension to the profile, you can modify the profile withoutaffecting the resulting dome. If you dimension to the profile,modifying the profile automatically moves the sections and modifiesthe dome.

➤ How to Create a Blended Dome With One Profile

1. Choose Blend and One Profile from the SECTION DOMEmenu.

2. Pick the surface to dome.

3. Specify a sketching plane for the profile and sketch the section.After regeneration, choose Done.

4. Create the first section by indicating a sketching plane that isperpendicular to the profile. The viewing direction of the sectionindicates the positive offset direction for additional sections.After orienting the sketching plane, the system displays a set ofcrosshairs at the intersection of the sketching plane and theprofile. When you sketch the section, the system displays acircular start point at the beginning of the sketch. All startpoints for additional sections should be lined up. When youhave finished with the sketch, choose Done.

5. Sketch the next section by choosing the sketching plane andcompleting the sketch. At least two sections are required for ablended dome.

6. If another section is required for the dome, answer “yes” to theprompt asking if you want to proceed to the next section, thensketch the next section. Note that the previous parallel sectionstoggle to a light gray color. If no other section is required for thedome, answer “no” to the prompt to complete the dome.

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A dome is always created over the entire specified surface. If thesections are sketched where they do not cover the entire surface,Pro/ENGINEER continues the dome as necessary to complete it.

Blended Section Dome with One Profile

OffsetYou can create an offset feature on a surface by choosing Tweak,Offset. This displays the Options menu. The Options menucommands are grouped in mutually exclusive pairs, as follows:

• Normal Off—Offset in a direction normal to the originalsurface.

• Transl Off—For selected surfaces, translate the offset aspecified distance in a given direction. For sketched regions,translate the offset a specified distance normal to the sketchingplane. Curved surfaces do not change shape when they aretranslated.

• Sket Region—Offset an area of the surface defined by asection.The section of an offset feature is sketched on a plane.The section is projected onto the selected surfaces along thesketch plane normal direction. Then, the offset is applied to givethe feature depth.

• Whole Surf—Offset a whole surface, defined by a loopselection.

• SideNrmToSrf—Make the side surfaces of an offset areanormal to the original surface.

• SideNrmToSkt—Make the side surfaces of an offset areanormal to the sketching plane.

Section dimensioned to profile

Profile

Section dimensioned to part

Centerlines

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Whether you are offsetting a whole surface or an area of thesurface, you can select several surfaces to offset. A positive offsetvalue adds material to the surface, while a negative offset valueremoves material from the surface (see the following figure).

Offset Area Feature

EarsAn ear is a protrusion that is extruded along the top of a surfaceand can be bent at the base (see the next figure).

DTM2

Section sketched on anoffset datum plane

with positive offset with negative offset

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Ear Feature

There are two types ear features:

• Variable—The ear is bent at a user-specified, modifiable angle,measured from the surface from which the ear is extruded.

• 90 deg tab—The ear is bent at 90°. No dimension is created forthe angle.

You can redefine ears from one type to another. The dimensioningof the two types of ear is as follows:

• Variable ear—The length of the sketched section represents theoverall length of the inside edge (including the length of thebent portion).

• Tab—The length of the sketched section represents the distancebetween the bottom and the top of the outside edge (includingthe projection of the bent portion on the plane of the straightportion).

SectionSketching plane(hidden surface)

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The following figure illustrates the differences in the dimensioningof the two types of ears.

90 deg tab Versus Variable Ear Dimensions

Sketching the Ear Section

When you sketch an ear, remember the following rules:

• The sketching plane must be perpendicular to the surface towhich the ear will be attached.

• The section for the ear must be open with the endpoints alignedto the surface to which the ear will be attached.

• The entities that are attached to the surface must be parallel toeach other, perpendicular to the surface, and long enough toaccommodate the bend.

The radius of the bend is measured from the sketching plane out ofthe screen.

Length1

Length2

length1+ length2 = 70Overall height = 70

90 deg tab Variable ear

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The following figure illustrates how to dimension an ear to the part.

Dimensioning an Ear to the Part

Pro/ENGINEER bends the ear at the specified angle, measuredfrom the surface from which the ear is extruded. The ear bendstowards you, out of the screen, and is extruded into the screen tothe specified thickness.

Straight edgeParallel lines

to edge••

perpendicular

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The following figure illustrates the bend dimensions of an earfeature.

Ear Feature Bend Dimensions

Lip FeatureYou can create a lip feature on mating surfaces of two differentparts in an assembly to ensure that the interlock geometry is thesame on both parts. A lip is created as a protrusion on one part anda cut on another. A lip is not an assembly feature—it must becreated on each part separately. You can set appropriateconnections between dimensions on both parts through relationsand parameters.

A lip is constructed by offsetting the mating surface along theselected edges. The edges must form a continuous contour, eitheropen or closed. The top (or bottom) surface of the lip copies thegeometry of the mating surface; you can draft the side surface withrespect to the lip direction. Lip direction (the direction of the offset)is determined by the normal to a reference plane. The draft angle isthe angle between the normal to the reference plane and the sidesurface of the lip.

Bending line(normal to page)

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The following figure shows the lip feature parameters.

Lip Feature Parameters

Usually, the reference plane is coincident with the lip (mating)surface. You must select a separate reference plane in the followingcases:

• The mating surface is not a plane.

• You want the lip creation direction not to be normal to themating plane. The lip feature will then be distorted.

At any point of lip feature creation, the normal to the matingsurface must be either coincident, or form a slight angle with thenormal to the reference plane. The closer the normals, the less thelip geometry distortion.

➤ How to Create a Lip Feature

1. Choose Lip from the TWEAK menu.

2. Select adjacent edges to form a lip. You can select edges usingSingle, Chain, or Loop (the same way as for a round feature).Choose Done when you have finished.

3. Select the mating surface (the surface to be offset).

4. Enter the lip offset from the selected surface.

5. Enter the side offset (from the selected edges to the draftsurface).

6. Select the drafting reference plane.

7. Enter the draft angle.

Selected edge

Draft angle

Side offset

Lipoffset

Mating surface(could be reference plane too)

This surfacerepeats theshape of themating surface.

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8. Pro/ENGINEER creates the lip feature (see the followingfigure).

Lip Feature Creation

Toroidal BendThe ToroidalBend option bends solids, non-solid surfaces, ordatum curves into toroidal (revolved) shapes. For example, youcould use this option to create an automobile tire from a flat solidobject. The feature creates two bends at the same time. The firstbend is a sketched section that defines the sectional curvature ofthe toroid shape. The second bend is determined by two parallelplanes that define the radius of the toroid.

Select this plane.

Enter the positiveoffset from themating surface.

Enter the negativeoffset from themating surface.

Select this surface(and edges).

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The following figure illustrates how to use the ToroidalBendoption to create a tire.

Sample Tire Creation

➤ How to Create a Toroidal Bend Feature

1. Choose Tweak from the SOLID menu.

2. Choose ToroidalBend from the TWEAK menu.

3. The system displays the OPTIONS menu. Choose Variable, 90,180, 270, or 360 to indicate the angle of the bend. Next, indicatewhether to extrude on one side or both sides of the sketchingplane, then choose Done.

4. The system displays the DEFINE BEND menu with the followingoptions:

• Add—Select objects to bend.

• Remove—Unselect objects from the bend feature.

Solid base object

Added optional cutsfor treads

Toroidal bend feature

Object with optional features

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5. Choose Add and pick the surfaces, curves, or any other objectsto include in the bend. The features selected to be bent can be ofany type or shape (such as solid, non-solid surface, or datumcurve). If you choose to bend datum curves, they are displayedin both the bent fashion and in their original location. Thesefeatures, if included in the toroidal bend feature, must notexceed the geometric boundaries of the surface to be bent. Forexample, if the datum curve (circle) in the following figureexceeds the bounds of the base solid, the toroidal bend will fail.

Note: To modify the selected features, you must pick on thedisplayed original unbent feature (see the followingfigure). If you use Query Select in the GET SELECTmenu, you can pick on the toroidal bend and chooseNext to display the original solid or quilt, highlightedin red.

Sample of Applying Toroidal Bend

6. Choose Done to finish picking the objects to bend.

7. Pick a sketching plane and a sketcher reference plane to sketchthe sectional bend profile.

8. Sketch a chain of tangent entities with open ends thatresembles the desired shape of the cross section of the toroidand dimension it to the existing geometry. The entity can beany geometric entity (spline, arc, line, and so on). See Step 3 inthe following figure.

Datum curve

Datum surface

Sketched curve and surfaceincluded in the toroidal bend

After toroidal bend

This original entity

to modify.must be selected

Bent instances of curve and surface

of 360 degrees

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Create a sketcher coordinate system and dimension it to theexisting geometry. The X-vector of the coordinate systemdefines a neutral plane in the bent object. This point does nothave to lie on the geometric entity, but for geometric clarity, itis recommended. See Step 3 in the following figure.

The neutral plane defines the theoretical plane of zerodeformation (elongation or compression) along the sectionalthickness of the bent material. The material that lies outsidethe plane is elongated to compensate for the bend deformation,and the material that lies on the inside of the bend iscompressed to accommodate the deformation (see the followingfigure).

Neutral Plane Defined by an X-Vector

9. Regenerate the section and return to the default view of themodel.

10. Pick two parallel planes to pull toward each other and definethe radius of the bend. These parallel planes only define theradius of the toroid; all geometry will be bent, regardless of theplane location. The section that you sketched in Step 7 will bevisible while you do this. For a 360 degree bend, these planesmeet. In the bend used to create the tire in the illustrations, theplane at each end of the solid feature was chosen.

11. Pro/ENGINEER creates the toroidal bend.

Neutral plane

Region of elongation

(no deformation)

Region of compresseddeformation

deformation

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The following figure illustrates the steps for creating a toroidalbend.

Creating a Toroidal Bend

Spinal BendThe Spinal Bend option bends a solid or quilt about a curved spineby continuously repositioning cross-sections along a curve. Planarcross-sections perpendicular to an axis are repositionedperpendicular to the trajectory with no distortion. All compressionor distortion is done longitudinally along the trajectory.

1. 2.Base object. Select the features to bend.

Sketch the bend profile and3.

Sketched 3-point arc Sketcher coordinate systemthe axis of revolution.

Surface picked tobend(includes cuts)

Sketching plane(DTM 3)

Cuts added to base object(optional)

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➤ How to Create a Spinal Bend

1. Choose Spinal Bend from the TWEAK menu.

2. Specify the feature attributes by choosing from the OPTIONSmenu. The options are as follows:

• Sketch Spine—Sketch the spine (trajectory).

• Select Spine—Select an edge or chain of edges to define a“spine” trajectory. For more information on the CHAINmenu, see Chain Processing on page 3 - 33.

• No Prop Ctrl—Do not adjust the resulting geometry.

• SecProp Ctrl—Adjust the resulting geometry to controlthe distribution of a varying cross section mass propertyalong the spine. See the Introduction to Pro/ENGINEERmanual for more information. This property is defined byrelations. Choose one of the following options:

- Linear—The section property varies linearly betweenthe values at the start and end points.

- Graph—The section property varies, per the graphvalues, between the values at the start and end points.

The resulting spinal bend feature is defined by the same familyof cross-sections, regardless of whether you choose No PropCtrl, SecProp Ctrl and Linear, or SecProp Ctrl and Graph.However, the distribution of the cross-sections in the spinalbend differs for each of these choices.

3. Select a solid or quilt feature to bend (see the following figure).You can bend only one quilt feature, or you can bend all thesolid features in the part. If you select a solid feature, thesystem makes the original solid feature invisible after thespinal bend feature is created. However, the feature and itsgeometry can still be selected. If you select a quilt feature, theoriginal quilt feature remains visible.

4. Sketch or select the spine, per the selection made in Step 2. Thespine must be C1 continuous (tangent). If the spine is not alsoC2 continuous (curvature continuous), the feature surfacesmight not be tangent. If you chose SecProp Ctrl, the planethat passes through the start point of the spine, and is normalto the spine, must intersect the original quilt or solid feature.

5. If you chose No Prop Ctrl, go to Step 8.

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6. If you chose SecProp Ctrl, Pro/ENGINEER displays theSKETCHER menu. Sketch the coordinate system to be used inthe calculation of cross section properties. This coordinatesystem will be projected onto the plane of each cross section.

7. Enter feature relations that define the symbol “SEC_PROP” asa function of the mass properties of the original quilt or solidcross-sections. For more information on relations, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER. The right side of the relationscan include the following:

• AREA

• CENTROID_X, CENTROID_Y—Coordinates, with respectto the sketched coordinate system, of the center of area ofthe cross section

• IXX, IXY, IYY—Planar moments of inertia of the crosssection, with respect to the sketched coordinate system

• IXX_AT_CENTROID, IXY_AT_CENTROID,IYY_AT_CENTROID—Planar moments of inertia of thecross section, with respect to a coordinate system at thecentroid and with axes parallel to the specified coordinatesystem

• PRINCIPAL1—Greater planar principal moment of inertia

• PRINCIPAL2—Lesser planar principal moment of inertia

8. Use the SETUP PLANE menu to specify a second plane, whichmust be parallel to the first, to define the volume of the originalquilt or solid to be bent. If you chose the SecProp Ctrl option,both planes must intersect the original quilt or solid. Thesystem creates and displays the first plane, which defines thevolume. It is normal to the spine, passes through the start pointof the spine, and can be referenced when you are creating thesecond plane.

9. If you chose Graph, select an existing graph feature (seeGraphs on page 3 - 59). The graph must pass through the points(0, 0) and (1, 1) and must be monotonically non-decreasing (thatis, with no horizontal tangent to the curve) in the interval 0 to1.

10. If you chose SecProp Ctrl, the system places each cross sectionof the original quilt or solid at the trajectory parameter(trajpar) on the spine, according to the following formula:

G Trajpar( ) F p( ) F p0( )–F p1( ) F p0( )–---------------------------------=

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In this equation, the variables are as follows:

• G()—If you chose Graph, this is the function defined by thereference graph feature. If you chose Linear, this is thefunction defined by trajpar itself (the identity function).

• F()—The cross section property function defined by featurerelations.

• p—The properties of the original quilt or solid cross section(AREA, CENTROID_X, and so on).

• p0, p1—The properties of the first and last cross sectionsdefined by the two planes specified in Step 8.

The following figure illustrates a linear spinal bend.

Linear Spinal Bend with SEC_PROP = AREA

Spine

Before Spinal Bend After Spinal Bend

Feature to be bent

Cosmetic Mesh View of Linear Spinal Bend

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If you use Query Select in a GET SELECT menu, you can pick onthe spinal bend and choose Next to display the original solid/quilt,highlighted in red (see the following figure).

Modifying or Redefining a Spinal Bend

Using the REDEFINE menu, you can redefine the following forspinal bends:

• Attributes—Redefine the attribute value SecProp Ctrl orNoProp Ctrl; Linear or Graph.

• Section—Redefine the spine, if sketched; redefine the crosssection, if you chose SecProp Ctrl.

• References—Reselect the quilt, graph, end plane, or crosssection properties.

.

(1) Linear spinal bend afterselecting to redefine.

(2) Redefine spinal bend to use SectionProperty Control and Graph.

(4) Spinal bend redefined as NoProp Control.

(3) Cosmetic mesh view afterredefining section property control toGraph.

Original feature appearsin red.Pick the spinal bendfeature

9 - 44 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Redefine the Attributes of a Spinal Bend

1. Choose Redefine, Attributes.

2. If you next choose SecProp Ctrl, Pro/ENGINEER displays adefault coordinate system and asks you to sketch a coordinatesystem for the first section. You can either align the sketchedcoordinate system to the default or offset it. Regenerate thesection.

➤ How to redefine the references

1. Choose Redefine, References.

2. Choose one of the following SPINAL BEND menu options:

• Quilt/Solid—Redefine the spinal bend to be a quilt or solid.

• End Plane—Redefine the second plane picked in Step 8.

• Equations—Redefine the relations.

• Graph—Redefine the graph feature.

10 - 1

10Creating Surface Features

With a license for Pro/SURFACE, you can create non-solid surfacesusing some of the same techniques as when creating solid geometry,plus more sophisticated surface modeling methods.

Using surface features, you can create a patchwork of connectedsurfaces that is referred to as a quilt in Pro/ENGINEERdocumentation.

Topic Page

Definition of a Quilt 10 - 2

Defining a New Surface Feature 10 - 5

Creating a Quilt by Copy 10 - 14

Creating a Fillet Quilt 10 - 21

10 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Definition of a QuiltIn Pro/ENGINEER, when you create or manipulate non-solidsurfaces, you are working with quilts. A quilt represents a“patchwork” of connected non-solid surfaces. A quilt may consist ofa single surface or a collection of surfaces (see the following figure).

Quilts with a Single and Multiple Surfaces

A quilt contains information describing the geometries of all thesurfaces that compose a quilt, and information on how quiltsurfaces are “stitched” (joined or intersected). A part can containseveral quilts.

Creating or manipulating quilts is done through the use of a“surface feature”. To access the surface feature functionality, chooseSurface from the FEAT CLASS menu.

Naming a Quilt

You can assign a name to an entire quilt or an individual surfaceusing the command sequence Set Up/Name/Other. Then, a namedquilt or surface can be selected by its name with the Sel By Menuoption in the GET SELECT menu.

Extruding this arc ....

Extruding this curve ....

Creates this multiple surface quilt.

Creates this single surface quilt.

Surfaces of the quilt

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Major Surface Operations

Selecting Surface from the FEAT CLASS menu displays either theQUILT SURF or SRF OPTS menu, depending on whether surfaces orcurves exist in your model. If no surface features or datum curvesexist in the model, the system displays the SRF OPTS menu, whichallows you to create a new surface. For a description of the options,see Surface Forms on page 10 - 5.

If surface features are already present in your model,Pro/ENGINEER displays the QUILT SURF menu with the followingoptions:

• New—Create a new surface. For a basic procedure, seeCreating a Surface Feature on page 10 - 5.

• Merge—Merge two quilts into a single quilt. See MergingQuilts on page 12 - 2.

• Trim—Trim a quilt. See Trimming Surfaces of Quilts onpage 12 - 5.

• Extend—Extend surfaces of a quilt. See Extending Surfaces ofQuilts on page 12 - 10.

• Transform—Translate, rotate, or mirror datum curves andsurfaces. See Transforming Quilts on page 12 - 21.

• Draft—Modify a quilt by adding a draft angle to its surfaces.Draft features can be applied only to inner quilt surfaces. Theprocedure for creating drafts is the same as for solid features(Solid/Tweak/Draft). See Drafts on page 9 - 3.

Note: The resulting drafted surfaces must remain innersurfaces.

• Area Offset—Create new surfaces by offsetting an area of aquilt. The procedure for creating area offsets is the same as forcreating solid features (Solid/Tweak/Offset). See Offset onpage 9 - 28 for more information.

• Draft Offset—Create a surface offset with drafted sidesurfaces.

Note: If your model does not contain surfaces but has datumcurves, the QUILT SURF menu displays only twooptions: New and Transform.

You can redefine a surface feature as any other feature using theRedefine option (see Redefining Features on page 16 - 14 for moreinformation).

10 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Standard feature operations can be performed on surface featuresin the same way as on regular solid features. For example, a surfacefeature can be suppressed, patterned, put on a layer, deleted, andso on.

Displaying Quilts

One-sided, or outer edges of quilts, are displayed in yellow.Two-sided, or inner edges of quilts, are displayed in magenta.

Blanking Quilts

To turn off the display of individual quilts, you can place them on alayer and then blank the layer.

Note: You can blank individual quilts in a merge feature. Ifthe first quilt in the merge is blanked, the whole mergeis blanked. If only the second quilt is blanked, themerge will not be blanked.

Assigning Colors to Quilts and Surfaces

You can choose a color from the existing user-defined colors andassign this color to a specified side of the quilt or surface.

To assign colors to the quilt, choose View > Model Setup > Color& Appearances. Assign the color using the Appearances dialogbox and select Surface as the object type. Each side can be coloreddifferently, and it is only visible when shaded edges do not changecolor with this method.

Shading Quilts

To shade an entire model, choose View > Shade.

You can set the shading by default by using View > ModelDisplay > Shading, or by setting the “shade_surface_feat”configuration option.

For information on plotting shaded surfaces, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER.

Meshing Quilts and Surfaces

You can mesh individual surfaces or an entire quilt by choosingView > Advanced > Mesh Surface. In the Mesh dialog box,choose the object type—Surface or Quilt.

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Defining a New Surface FeatureYou can create a surface feature before creating the first solidfeature after creating three orthogonal datum planes as the basefeature (see Creating Datums as the Base Feature on page 1 - 4).

The following sections describe how to create a new surface feature.

Creating a Surface Feature

➤ How to Create a Surface Feature

1. From the FEAT CLASS menu, choose Surface.

2. If this is the first surface feature to be created, the systemdisplays the SRF OPTS menu. Otherwise, choose New from theQUILT SURF menu.

3. Select the desired option from the SRF OPTS menu (see SurfaceForms on page 10 - 5). Create the feature according to theprocedure for the feature form option that you specified.

Surface Forms

You can create surface features using any of the following option inthe SRF OPTS menu:

• Extrude—Create a quilt by extruding the sketched section to aspecified depth in the direction normal to the sketching plane.See Creating an Extruded Feature on page 5 - 13 for completeinformation on creating extruded features.

When you use Up To Surface as a depth option, the newsurface can be extruded to planar surfaces, a quilt, or a datumplane that is parallel to the sketching plane. To select a quiltsurface, use Query Sel. The new surface must not exceed theboundaries of the terminating surface.

• Revolve—Create a quilt by rotating the sketched section aspecified angle around the first centerline sketched in thesection. The rotation angle can be specified as 90, 180, 270, 360,UpTo Pnt/Vtx, or UpTo Plane. See Creating a RevolvedFeature on page 5 - 16.

• Sweep—Create a quilt by sweeping a sketched section along aspecified trajectory. You can sketch the trajectory, or use anexisting datum curve. See Sweep on page 6 - 2.

10 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Blend—Create a smooth quilt connecting several sketchedsections. Parallel blends can only be Blind. You can alsocreate Rotational or General blends (if you have aPro/FEATURE license), or blends From File. See Blend onpage 6 - 8.

• Flat—Create a planar quilt by sketching its boundaries. SeeCreating a Flat Surface Feature on page 10 - 7.

• Offset—Create a quilt offset from a quilt or surface. SeeCreating Surfaces by Offsetting on page 10 - 8.

• Copy—Create a quilt by copying existing quilts or surfaces.Specify a selection method and select surfaces to copy.Pro/ENGINEER creates the surface feature directly on top ofthe selected surfaces. See Creating a Quilt by Copy onpage 10 - 14.

• Fillet—Create a new quilt from the geometry of asurface-to-surface round between the surfaces of a solid modelor quilts. See Creating a Fillet Quilt on page 10 - 21.

• Advanced—Access the ADV FEAT OPT menu, allowing you tocreate surfaces using complex feature definitions. See AdvancedFeatures on page 6 - 23 for information on using the ADV FEATOPT menu options Var Sec Swp, Swept Blend, Helical Swp,Sect to Srfs, Srfs to Srfs, From File, and TangentToSrf.For a description of the Free Form option, see the FreeformManipulation chapter. For a description of the Boundariesoption, see Creating a Quilt by Defining Its Boundariesonpage 11 - 2. For a description of the TangentToSurf option,see Creating Quilts with the TangentToSrf Option onpage 11 - 25.

Attributes Unique to Surfaces

You can specify whether a surface feature will have open or closedends and whether swept blends and variable section sweeps arejoined to existing quilts or unattached. The following sectionsdescribe these topics in detail.

Open or Closed Ends

When creating a surface feature with the Extrude, Rotate,Sweep, or Blend option from the SRF OPTS menu, you can create aquilt that describes a closed volume by capping the ends of thefeature, or you can leave the ends open.

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Indicate whether you want to create an open or closed volumesurface feature by selecting one of the following options from theATTRIBUTES menu:

• Open Ends—Create a surface feature without closing theends. For example, an extruded circular section results in anopen-ended tube with the open ends displayed with yellowedges.

• Capped Ends—Create a surface feature with a closed volume.For example, an extruded circular section would result in aclosed cylinder so all edges of the quilt are two-sided, shown inmagenta. Note that the section must be closed for this option.

Joined or Unattached Sweeps

A sweep created along the outer edges of another quilt, or alongdatum curves created on these edges may be joined with thereference quilt. A swept blend can be joined along the origintrajectory.

Once you have selected a valid reference edge or a datum curve, thesystem displays the SRFS JOIN menu with the following options:

• Join—Join the surface feature with the existing quilt.

• No Join—Create a surface feature that is not attached to theexisting quilt.

When sketching the section of a variable section sweep, make sureat least one section entity has its endpoint at the section origin (theintersection of centerlines). This produces a common edge alongwhich the two quilts will be joined.

You can redefine the Join/No Join attribute when you redefine thefeature’s trajectory with the Modify option.

Creating a Flat Surface Feature

The Flat option enables you to create a planar surface feature ofany shape.

Note: In order for you to be able to modify the location of theflat surface by changing the location or orientation ofthe sketching plane, use an offset or angular datumplane as its sketching plane.

10 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Create a Flat Surface Feature

1. Choose Flat and Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

2. The Flat Surface dialog box appears, listing feature elements.

3. Select or create the sketching and reference planes.

4. Sketch a closed section for the surface.

5. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Creating Surfaces by Offsetting

The Offset option in the SRF OPTS menu enables you to create asurface feature, which is offset from the solid surfaces or quilt andhas the same shape as the original surfaces. A sample surface offsetappears below.

Creating an Offset Surface

You can specify the offset method by defining the Offset Typeelement in the dialog box. For information on the benefits andlimitations of different offset methods, see Using Different OffsetMethods on page 10 - 10.

➤ How to Create Offset Surfaces

1. Choose Offset and Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

2. A dialog box appears, listing elements to be defined:

• Surface—Specify the surfaces from which to offset.

• Distance—Specify the offset distance.

• Offset Type—(Optional) Specify the offset method. Bydefault, the system offsets normal to the original surfaces.

• Leave Out—(Optional) Leave out failed surfaces or anyother selected surfaces from the offset operation.

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3. Select a surface or quilt to offset.

4. Enter a distance value for the direction indicated. You can entera negative value to offset in the opposite direction.

Note: The offset distance should be less than a radius ofcurvature of the original surfaces.

5. If you want to change the default offset method, choose theOffset Type element and Define.

Note: Changing the offset type from Normal to Surf toControlled Fit or Auto Fit and vice versa will causeall children of the offset feature to fail.

The OFFSET TYPE menu lists the following options:

• Normal to Surf—(Default) Offset the surface normal tothe original surface.

• Controlled Fit—Create a “best-fit” offset by scaling theoriginal surface about the specified coordinate system andtranslating along the specified axes. The system promptsyou to select a coordinate system. Once you select thecoordinate system, the system adds the correspondingelement, Scaling Csys, to the dialog box. The systemprompts you to specify the direction along which the scaledgeometry can be translated with respect to the selectedcoordinate system. In the TRANSLATION menu, place acheck mark in front of the directions that you want tospecify, X Axis, Y Axis, and Z Axis, and then choose Done.

• Auto Fit—The system scales the surfaces with respect tothe automatically determined coordinate system andtranslates them as necessary. No additional user input isrequired.

6. Choose Preview from the dialog box.

7. If the system cannot construct geometry with the offset typeNormal To Surf, you can exclude some surfaces by definingthe Leave Out element. For details, see Leaving Out SurfacesDuring the Offset Operation on page 10 - 13.

8. To complete the feature creation, click OK in the dialog box.

10 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using Different Offset Methods

The following figure illustrates the difference in the offset geometrycreated by using the Normal To Surf, Controlled Fit, and AutoFit methods. In this example, the Controlled Fit method allowsyou to select the coordinate system for translation and restrict thetranslation of the scaled geometry along the Y-axis so the resultingquilt terminates at the same level as the original quilt. Notice thatthe resulting radius of curvature differs depending on the offsettype used.

Using Different Offset Methods

Original quilt

Using Auto Fit

Using Controlled Fit

Using Normal to Surf

Using Normal to Surf

Using Controlled Fit

Using Auto Fit

Offsets from the original quilt

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Consider the following recommendations for using the offsetmethods:

• If Normal To Surf fails, use Auto Fit. The Auto Fit methodautomatically calculates the best directions to translate thesurfaces so they appear as original ones. However, this methoddoes not guarantee the uniform offset normal to surfaces. If theresults of Auto Fit are not satisfactory, use Controlled Fit toaid in calculation.

• It is recommended to use the methods that involve scaling ofgeometry (Auto Fit and Controlled Fit) with convex geometryonly. For non-convex geometry, the offset distance may vary, asshown in the next figure.

Offsetting Complex Surface Shapes

• When you use Auto Fit or Controlled Fit to create an offset,the system will attempt to make the distance between theoriginal and the offset quilt no less than the input value.

• The location of the coordinate system that you select for theControlled Fit option affects how the quilt is scaled. In thefollowing example, the offset quilt is created using theControlled Fit option with the translation restricted along theX- and Y-axes. In the example a, scaling is done with respect tothe CS0 coordinate system; in the example b, scaling is donewith respect to the CS3 coordinate system. Notice that thelocation of the coordinate system determines which edgesremain coplanar.

Original Surface Using Auto Fit

Resulting surface

Resulting surface

Using Normal To Surf

10 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Selecting the Coordinate System for the Controlled Fit Option

Original quilt

a) Offset created using CS0

Offset quilt

Original quilt

Because translation is not allowedalong the X- and Y-axes, the edgesand vertices that lie in the planethat goes through the origin of theCS0 coordinate system (the YZ-and XZ-planes, respectively)remain fixed.

These vertices are coplanarbecause translation is not allowedalong the Y-axis.

These vertices are coplanarbecause translation is notallowed along the X-axis.

b) Offset created using CS3

Because translation is not allowedalong the X- and Y-axis, the edgesand vertices that lie in the planethat goes through the origin of theCS3 coordinate system (the YZ-and XZ- planes, respectively)remain fixed.

These vertices are coplanarbecause translation is notallowed along the Y-axis.

Original quiltThese vertices are coplanarbecause translation is notallowed along the X-axis.

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Leaving Out Surfaces During the Offset Operation

Define the Leave Out element of the offset feature if you want toexclude some surfaces from the offset operation. This may be usefulwhen the original geometry is too curved and the offset featurecannot be successfully created. Alternatively, you can use the AutoFit option to let the system create an approximate offset.

➤ How to Define the Leave Out Element

1. If the system cannot construct geometry normal to the originalsurface, you can exclude the surfaces that are too curved. Selectthe Leave Out element in the dialog box and click Define.

2. The system highlights the failed surfaces (those that are toocurved) in green, and asks you if you want to exclude them.

3. Choose Confirm from the CONFIRMATION menu to exclude thehighlighted surfaces.

4. Additionally, you can add other surfaces to the “leave out” setby using options in the SURF SELECT menu. When finishedselecting surfaces to be excluded, choose Done from the SURFSELECT menu.

5. Choose Preview or OK from the dialog box.

An example of leaving out surfaces appears next.

Leaving out Surfaces in the Offset Feature

This surface was left out.

Offset surface feature

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Creating a Quilt by CopyThe Copy option in the SRF OPTS menu enables you to create aquilt directly on top of selected surfaces. The resulting quiltcontains surfaces that are the same shape and size as their parentsurfaces.

➤ How to Access the Surface Copy Functionality

1. Choose Surface, New.

2. Choose Copy and Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

3. A dialog box appears, listing elements for the surface copyfeature:

• Surfaces—Define surfaces to be copied. See SelectingSurfaces.

• Excld Loop—(Optional) Exclude loops from the surfaces tobe copied. This option is used with the surfaces that containseveral outer loops (i.e., islands). See Excluding Loops fromthe Surface Selection on page 10 - 19.

• Fill Loop—(Optional) Fill inner contours in the surfaces tobe copied. See Filling Loops on page 10 - 20.

4. Define each feature element as described in the sections thatfollow. Once all elements are defined, choose OK from thedialog box. Upon completion, the system highlights the edges ofthe surface copy feature: outer (i.e., one-sided) edges—in yellow,and inner edges—in magenta.

Selecting Surfaces

The following procedure explains how to select surfaces for anoperation.

➤ How to Define Surfaces to Be Copied

1. When you start the surface copy operation, the first step is tocollect surfaces with the Include command. There are variousmethods that you may use singularly or in combination toindicate to the system which surfaces you want to collect.

2. If you need to exclude some of the surfaces that you collectedwith the Include command, unselect them with the Excludecommand.

3. If you need to redefine any of the previous actions, use theRedefine command.

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4. Additionally, you may need to review the collected surfaces ordelete some of them from the selection.

When defining surfaces to be copied, you will use the followingoptions in the SURF SELECT menu:

• Include—Include feature references in the current selection byusing options in the SURF OPTIONS menu. See Using theInclude Command on page 10 - 15.

• Exclude—Exclude feature references from the currentselection by using options in the SURF OPTIONS menu. SeeUsing the Exclude Command on page 10 - 18.

• Redefine—Redefine feature references. See Using theRedefine Command on page 10 - 19.

• Delete—Delete all references specified during a particularaction. Specify the action that you want to delete by selectingfrom the SURF ACTS menu. For example, if you have includedsurfaces for copying using the Indiv Surf option, Delete willunselect all the surfaces that were selected with this action.

• Delete All—Delete all references that you specified whencollecting surfaces for the current feature. When prompted toconfirm your request, choose Confirm or Cancel from theCONFIRMATION menu.

• Show—Show all feature references. When showing surfacesselected for the operation, choose a display method from theSHOW OPTS menu:

– Wireframe—Show selected surface in wireframe.

– Mesh—Mesh selected surfaces.

Using the Include Command

To include surfaces in the surface copy operation, choose Includefrom the SURF SELECT menu and choose a desired method from theSURF OPTIONS menu:

• Indiv Surf—Select individual surfaces.

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• Surf & Bnd—Select surfaces by defining a seed surface andbounding surfaces. The Seed Surface option in the SURF&BNDmenu is active by default so you can pick the seed surface. Oncethe seed surface is specified, you need to define boundingsurfaces using the Boundary option in the SURF&BND menu.Bounding surfaces are not included in the set. Choose a desiredmethod for defining the surface boundaries from the BNDMETHOD menu:

– Indiv Surfs—Select surfaces that will act as boundingsurfaces.

– Loop Surfs—Select bounding surfaces by defining loopsurfaces. Pick a surface to define a loop. If the pickedsurface contains more than one loop, the system will askyou to select an edge that will indicate the desired loop. Allthe surfaces that lie along this loop will become boundingsurfaces.

• Loop Surfs—Select surfaces by defining loop surfaces. Pick asurface to define a loop. If the picked surface contains morethan one loop, the system will ask you to select an edge that willindicate the desired loop. All the surfaces that lie along thisloop will be collected.

• Quilt Surfs—Select a quilt. All surfaces in the selected quiltwill be collected.

• Solid Surfs—Select a part or assembly component whosesurfaces you want to copy. All surfaces in the selected solid willbe collected.

• Done—Accept all selected surfaces. All selected surfaceshighlight in blue.

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Copying Part Surfaces

Using the Indiv Surfs Option

a

b

Using the Surf & Bnd Option

Select thesesurfaces

Select thissurface as the“seed” surface

Copy surfaces ofthis solid feature tocreate a quilt

Select thesesurfaces

Select this surfaceas the boundingsurface

In both cases, the resulting quiltis created on top of the solidfeature.

10 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using the Exclude Command

If you need to exclude entire surfaces from the selection, chooseExclude from the Surf Select menu and use options in the SURFOPTIONS menu to select surfaces that need to be excluded from thesurface copy operation. The surface collection mechanism is thesame as that for including surfaces.

Once all surfaces are selected properly, choose Done from the SURFSELECT menu.

The following figure illustrates how the exclude operation works. Inthis example, surfaces were initially selected by using the LoopSurfs option. Then, one surface was excluded from the selection byusing Exclude > Indiv Surfs.

Excluding a Surface from the Surface Selection

a) Surfaces indicated by arrowswere selected with the Loop Surfsoption.

b) Choose Exclude and unselectone surface using Indiv Surfs.

c) The resulting surfaces, collected for thesurface copy operation, are meshed.

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Using the Redefine Command

After you select Redefine, you need to specify the action that youwant to redefine by selecting from the SURF ACTS menu. This menulists actions that may be changed in order to alter the results of thesurface collection. The name of the entry will indicate the type andorder of the action. For example, an entry Surf&Bnd Inc 1 in theSURF ACTS menu indicates the first Include action that wasperformed using the Surf & Bnd option. As you move the cursorover the items in the Surf Acts menu, the corresponding selectionswill highlight in the model window. Once you selected the action,proceed to redefine it using the applicable menu options.

When redefining the results of actions performed with the Surf &Bnd option, consider the following rules:

• Selecting a new seed surface automatically deletes the old one.

• When you redefine the bounding surfaces selected with theIndiv Surfs option, you can continue adding new surfaces withthe Pick or Query Sel option, or you can unselect any of theexisting bounding surfaces using Unsel Item.

• When you redefine a bounding loop selected with the optionLoop Surfs, old loop surfaces are automatically removed soyou can define new loop surfaces.

• When you change the method used to define the boundary, allpreviously selected references will become obsolete, and thesystem will ask you to confirm their deletion.

Excluding Loops from the Surface Selection

If you want to exclude some of the surface loops from the selection,select the Excld Loop element in the dialog box and chooseDefine.

When the Feature Refs menu appears, the Add option is active bydefault. Pick an edge that belongs to the loop that you want toexclude. Choose Done Sel and Done Refs.

Excluding loops can be useful when a surface has multiple outerloops. For example (see the following figure), if a cut was added to asurface, Pro/ENGINEER will still regard the resulting surfaces asone, and select all surface loops which belonged to the originalsurface. You can then selectively exclude/restore individual surfaceloops.

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Excluding Surfaces

Filling Loops

Filling loops in seed surfaces must be done before you startselecting surfaces with the Surf & Bnd option.

If you want to fill loops that exist in the surfaces selected forcopying, select the Fill Loop element in the dialog box and chooseDefine.

The GATHER FILL menu lists the following methods of filling loops:

• All—Fill all inner contours that belong to the selected surfaces.

• Loops—Fill a selected inner contour. Pick an edge that belongsto the contour that you want to fill.

To finalize the filling operation, choose Done Refs from theFEATURE REFS menu.

Originalsurface

As a result, only this surface isselected for copy.

Select this edge to define theloop bounding the surface tobe unselected.

When you select this surfaceboth pieces of the originalsurface will highlight.

Cut dividing the surface

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Creating a Fillet QuiltUsing the Fillet option from the SRF OPTS menu, you can create asurface-to-surface round between solid surfaces or quilts as a quilt.

To create a fillet, choose Fillet and Done from the SRF OPTS menu,and create a fillet quilt as you create general rounds (see theRounds chapter).

Note the following differences for quilts created with the Filletoption:

• The default reference type is Surf-Surf.

• The default attachment type is New Quilt.

11 - 1

11Creating Advanced Surface

Features

This chapter explains how to create surface features usingadvanced modeling techniques.

Topic Page

Advanced Surface Types 11 - 2

Creating a Quilt by Defining Its Boundaries 11 - 2

Creating Quilts with the TangentToSrf Option 11 - 25

11 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Advanced Surface TypesTo access advanced surface types, choose Advanced from the SRFOPTS menu. The ADV FEAT OPT menu lists the following options:

• Swept Blend—Create a quilt using a swept blend geometry.See Swept Blends on page 6 - 38.

• Helical Swp—Create a quilt using the helical sweep geometry.See Helical Sweep on page 6 - 47.

• Boundaries—Create a quilt from its boundaries. See Creatinga Quilt by Defining Its Boundaries on page 11 - 2.

• Sect to Srfs—Create a quilt as a blend from a section totangent surfaces. See Section-to-Surfaces Blends on page 6 - 53.

• Srfs to Srfs—Create a quilt as a blend from a surface totangent surfaces. See Surfaces-to-Surfaces Blends onpage 6 - 54.

• From File—Create a blend from file. See Importing Blends onpage 6 - 55.

• TangentToSrf—Create a surface as a blend from a edge/curveto tangent surfaces. See Creating Quilts with the TangentToSrfOption on page 11 - 25.

• Free Form—Create a surface by dynamic manipulation. Seethe Freeform Manipulation chapter.

Creating a Quilt by Defining Its BoundariesThe Boundaries option in the ADV FEAT OPT menu allows you tocreate a surface feature by specifying its boundaries. The surfacemay be created in one of two ways:

• By blending datum curves, part edges, and vertices

• As a conic surface

Surface Types Created Using the Boundaries Option

When you choose Boundaries from the ADV FEAT OPT menu, thesystem displays the OPTIONS menu. The possible options are asfollows:

• Blended Surf—Create a surface feature by specifyingbounding curves, edges, or datum points in one or twodirections.

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• Conic Surf—Create a conic surface by selecting two oppositeboundaries and one control curve.

• Approx Blend—Create a blended surface using boundarycurves or edges and additional curves. The system evaluatesthe curves or edges and creates a blended surfaceapproximating the reference entities, enabling you to controlthe amount of deviation from the curves.

• N-Sided Surf—Create a blended surface from more than fourbounding curves or edges.

Creating a Blended Surface

A blended surface is created between reference entities that definethe surface in one or two directions.

The first and last entities selected in each direction define thesurface boundary. Adding more reference entities allows you tomore fully define the surface shape.

The following figures illustrate one- and two-directional blendedsurfaces.

Creating a Surface Feature by Blending Curves in One Direction

Resulting Surface

2

3

Select these curves in order1-2-3, or 3-2-1.

1

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Creating a Surface Feature by Blending Curves in Both Directions

➤ How to Create a Blended Surface

1. Choose FEAT > Create > Surface > New > Advanced >Done.

2. Choose ADV FEAT OPT > Boundaries > Done > Blended Surf> Done.

3. The system displays a dialog box, listing elements of the surfacefeature. They are:

• Curves—Specify geometrical references for this feature.

• Bndry Conds—(Optional) Define Boundary Conditions.

• Control Pts—(Optional) Specify blend control points.

• Bndry Inflnc—(Optional) Define boundary influence onthe surface shape.

• Advanced—(Optional) Use advanced surface control tools.

• Stretch—(Optional) Modify the surface shape bystretching. The Stretch option is available for theboundary blend only if a Boundary Condition is set to anoption other than Free.

4. Proceed to specify the feature elements.

For information on specifying reference entities, see SpecifyingReference Entities on page 11 - 5.

For information on specifying Boundary Conditions, seeDefining Boundary Conditions on page 11 - 9.

Curves selectedin the first direction

Resulting surface

1

2

3

Curves selected in the seconddirection in order 1-2-3, or 3-2-1.

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For information on specifying blend control points, seeSpecifying Blend Control Points on page 11 - 12.

For information on setting the side curve influence, seeDefining the Boundary Influence Element on page 11 - 15.

For information on setting the “tangent inner edge” condition,see Defining the Advanced Element on page 11 - 18.

For information on how to stretch the surface, see Modifyingthe Surface Shape by Stretching on page 11 - 20.

5. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Specifying Reference Entities

The rules for selecting reference entities are as follows:

• Curves, part edges, datum points, and ends of curves or edgescan be used as reference entities.

• In each direction, reference entities must be selected inconsecutive order.

• For blended surfaces defined in two directions, the outerboundaries must form a closed loop. This means that the outerboundaries must intersect. If the boundaries do not terminateat the intersection points, the system automatically trims themand uses the relevant portion.

• If you want to use edges or more than one datum curve as oneboundary, use the Chain option in the SELECT ITEM menu.

• Boundaries cannot be defined in the second direction only. Forboundary blends in one direction, make sure to use theFirst Dir option.

• Curves selected for blending need not contain the same numberof points.

An example of using all three types of reference entities for creatinga boundary blend surface is shown in the next figure.

11 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Reference Entities for Creating a Blended Surface

When you specify curves or edges defining the shape of the blendedsurface, the system remembers the order in which referenceentities were selected and assigns an appropriate number to eachchain.

➤ How to Select Reference Entities in the First or Second Direction

1. Start defining a surface as described in Steps 1 through 3 onpage 11 - 4.

2. When you start specifying reference entities, the First Dir andAdd Item options in the CRV_OPTS menu are highlighted bydefault. Select the entity type from the SELECT ITEM menu andstart selecting reference items. The SELECT ITEM menu liststhe following entity types:

• Curve—Select a simple or composite curve. After you selecta curve, the system highlights it in blue. You can thencontinue selecting curves, or you can choose another entitytype from the SELECT ITEM menu.

• Point/Vertex—Select a datum point or the endpoint of acurve or edge.

• Chain—Select a chain of edges or curves using options inthe CHAIN menu. After selecting a chain of entities, chooseDone.

3. While specifying reference curves, you can use the followingoptions in the CRV_OPTIONS menu:

• Add Item—Add a new curve or chain of entities to the endof the reference list.

This surface wascreated using theBlended Surf option. Select this point using the

Point/Vertex option.

Select this curve usingthe Curve option.

Select this edge using theChain option.

Trim the edge at this pointusing Trim/Extend.

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• Remove Item—Remove a curve or chain of entities fromthe reference list by choosing from the SPECIFY menu.

• Redo Item—Modify a selected curve or chain of entities byreselecting, or trimming or extending items. Select thecurve or chain to be modified using the SPECIFY menu.

• Insert Item—Insert a curve or chain of entities in thereference list before the specified item.

• Show Item—Show all the items in the chain by choosingthe name of the chain from the CRV_OPTIONS menu.

4. After you have specified reference entities in the first direction,you can start selecting entities in the second direction bychoosing Second Dir from the CRV_OPTIONS menu.

...or...

If you want to skip selecting reference entities in the seconddirection, choose Done Curves.

5. When you have finished selecting entities in the seconddirection, choose Done Curves from the CRV_OPTIONS menu.

6. Proceed to specify other feature elements.

Using Antitangent Curves as Surface Boundaries

You can create a boundary blend surface between two antitangentboundaries.

The following figure shows two antitangent curves, trimmed at acommon point. Notice that the angle between tangency vectors ofthe two curves is 180 degrees.

Antitangent Boundaries

Creating a blended surface using two antitangent curves willproduce a surface as shown in the next figure.

Curve A Curve B

Tangency vectorof Curve A

Tangency vectorof Curve B

180

11 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using Two Antitangent Curves as Surface Boundaries

Note: Specifying tangency conditions for both antitangentboundaries may create contradictory constraints for theresulting geometry. As a result, the feature may fail orproduce a surface that does not comply with thespecified tangency conditions.

Working with Tangent Boundaries

A blended surface feature cannot be created when bounding curvesbecome tangent to each other. The following figure shows how tocreate a surface feature with this type of boundary.

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Blending a Surface with Tangent Boundaries

Defining Boundary Conditions

By setting Boundary Conditions, you can create blended surfacesthat are tangent to adjacent references (quilts or solid surfaces), arenormal to a reference surface or plane, or have continuouscurvature across the boundary with another surface.

3

21

Repeat Step 2for this side.

You cannot create a surface through all the curves (marked withcrosses) at one time, since these curves are tangent. Theworkaround is shown in steps 1 through 3, below.

Create a surface usingthese curves and settangency conditions.

Create a surface usingthese boundaries.

Select this surface tobe tangent to.

Select this curve as thetangency boundary.

11 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Define Boundary Conditions

1. From the dialog box, choose Bndry Conds and Define.

2. The BOUNDARY menu lists all surface boundaries. As you movethe cursor over the boundary name, the correspondingboundary highlights in cyan. Choose the boundary for whichyou want to set Boundary Condition.

3. For the selected boundary, the system brings up a dialog withthe Bndry Cond element selected for definition.

4. Select the type of Boundary Condition by choosing one of thefollowing options in the BNDRY COND menu, followed by Done:

• Free—No tangency conditions are set along the boundary.

• Tangent—The blended surface is tangent to the referencesurface along the boundary.

• Normal—The blended surface is normal to the referencesurface or datum plane.

• Crvtr Cont—The blended surface has curvature continuityacross the boundary. For restrictions, see Restrictions forUsing the Crvtr Cont Option on page 11 - 12.

5. For conditions other than Free, select reference surfaces, asdescribed in Defining Surface References for BoundaryConditions, which follows.

6. When the boundary is defined, choose OK from the Boundary #dialog box.

7. Select another boundary from the BOUNDARY menu to continuesetting Boundary Condition, or choose Done.

8. Define other optional feature elements or complete featurecreation by choosing OK from the Blended Surface dialog box.

Defining Surface References for Boundary Conditions

When you define Boundary Conditions, the system attempts toselect default references based on the boundaries specified. You canaccept the system defaults, or you can select your own references bydefining the Ref Type element in the Boundary # dialog box.

Consider the following information about the Ref Type element:

• If Tangent or Crvtr Cont was specified and the boundaryconsists of a chain of one-sided edges or a curve from one-sidededges, the element Ref Type is set to Default, and theboundary automatically has the same reference surfaces as theone-sided edges.

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• If Normal was specified and the boundary consists of asketched curve, the element Ref Type is set to SketchingPlane, and the boundary automatically has the same referenceplane as the curve. If Normal was specified and the boundaryconsists of a chain of one-sided edges or a curve from one-sidededges, the element Ref Type is set to Default, and theboundary automatically has the same reference surfaces as theone-sided edges.

• For all other combinations of Boundary Conditions andboundaries, the element Ref Type is set to Selected Surface,and the ENTITY menu prompts you to select a referencesurface/plane for each segment of the boundary.

To define Boundary Conditions for a multi-segment boundary,follow the procedure below. For a single-segment boundary, startwith Step 2.

➤ How to Specify References for Conditions Other Than Free

1. For a multi-segment boundary, you must select referencesurfaces for each boundary segment. Select a segment bychoosing the entity name in the ENTITY menu. Notice that asyou move the cursor over each entity name, the correspondingboundary segment highlights in cyan.

2. For the selected segment, the system tries to find a defaultreference surface and, if found, highlights it in red. You canaccept the default, or you can select a different referencesurface, as described in the next step.

Note: If the system cannot find a default reference, it lets youpick your own, as if you chose the Select option fromthe SELECT REFS menu (see the next step).

3. To select a reference surface, other than the default one, choosethe Ref Type element and click Define in the Boundary #dialog box. This brings up the REF TYPE menu. Choose one ofthese options, followed by Done:

• Default—Use the system default reference.

• Sketch Plane—Use the curve’s sketching plane as thedefault reference. This option is available only for sketcheddatum curves.

11 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Select—Select a reference surface for each boundarysegment. The system highlights the first boundary segment(or the entire one-segment boundary) so you can select thecorresponding reference. Select reference surfaces for allboundary segments. Notice that as you move the cursorover the entity name, the corresponding boundary segmenthighlights in cyan.

4. After reference surfaces are specified for the entire boundary,choose OK from the Boundary # dialog box and continue settingBoundary Conditions for the remaining boundaries.

Note: To reselect reference surfaces, redefine the Sel Refelement in the Boundary # dialog box.

Restrictions for Using the Crvtr Cont Option

Consider the following restrictions for using the Crvtr Contoption:

• You cannot specify Crvtr Cont for a multi-segment boundary.

• For a two-directional boundary blend, you can specify CrvtrCont only in one direction. In addition, if you choose the CrvtrCont option, then all curves in the other direction must also becurvature continuous to the surface.

Specifying Blend Control Points

You can control the shape of the surface by using blend controlpoints. For curves in each direction, you can specify points to beconnected with each other.

Using blend control points may help you to implement the designintent more accurately by allowing you to create surfaces with anoptimal number of edges and surfaces. By eliminating unnecessarysmall surfaces and extra edges, you can achieve a smoother surfaceshape and avoid undesirable twisting and stretching of surfaces.

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The Effect of Using Blend Control Points

Two types of points can be selected as control points:

• Vertices of the datum curves or edges used to define theboundary

• Datum points that lie on the curve

For each set of blend control points, the system assigns a sequentialnumber.

➤ How to Specify Blend Control Points in the First/Second Direction

1. After you have defined references for the blended surface, youcan optionally define blend control points.

2. Choose the Control Pts element and click Define in thesurface creation dialog box.

3. When you start specifying blend control points, the First Dirand Add Set options in the OPTIONS menu are highlighted bydefault. All vertices in the first boundary are highlighted in red.

4. Select a vertex or datum point from the first boundary.

5. All control points from the consecutive chain will highlight inred. Select a matching blend control point.

6. Continue likewise for all chains in the specified direction. Afterone set of blend control points is defined, you can specifyanother set of blend control points by choosing Add Set. Youcan also use the following options in the OPTIONS menu:

• Remove Set—Remove a set of blend control points fromthe selection. Select the name of the set from the SPECIFYmenu.

b) Using blend control points

This surface featureconsists of 3 surfaces.

a) Blending without control points

This surface featureconsists of 5 surfaces.

This is a smallsurface.

11 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Redo Set—Respecify points in the set. Select the name ofthe set from the SPECIFY menu.

• Show Set—Show a set of blend control points. Select thename of the set from the SPECIFY menu.

7. To specify blend control points in the second direction, chooseSecond Dir from the OPTIONS menu and continue as in Steps4 through 6.

8. When you have finished defining blend control points, chooseDone from the OPTIONS menu.

If you did not specify blend control points for a boundary blendsurface with curves in one direction, and if the curves consist ofonly one spline entity with the same number of spline points, theBLEND TYPE menu will appear with the following options:

• Arc Length—The curves will be blended using the generalblending routine: the curves will be divided into equal piecesand blended piece-by-piece.

• Pointwise—The curves will be blended point-by-point: point 1in the first curve will be connected with point 1 in the secondcurve, and so on.

Note: If pointwise blending is not possible, the system usesthe Arc Length method.

You can select endpoints of curves/edges as blend control points tocontrol the shape of the surface. When you specify correspondingpoints on each of the curves/edges in the same direction, the systemconnects them point-by-point and blends the correspondingportions between the points piece-by-piece.

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Blending Multi-Segment Curves

Defining the Boundary Influence Element

You can control geometry of a blended surface so that the shape andproperties of side curves are propagated into the shape of theblended surface. Note that although the system changes thegeometry of the blended surface with respect to the specified sidecurve influence, in some cases the resulting changes may not bevisually apparent without using surface visualization/analysistools.

When you enable side curve influence, the following occurs:

• In a one-directional blended surface, for boundary conditionsspecified as Tangent or Curvature Continuous, the systemmakes the side edges of the blended surface tangent to the sideedges of the reference. The following figure demonstrates theeffect of side curve influence on a one-direction blended surface.

Corresponding control points on each curve areconnected; the rest of the curves are blendedpiece-by-piece.

Second control point

First control point

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• In a two-directional blended surface, the system propagates thebehavior of the side curves (that border the selected boundary)into the surface shape along the specified boundary (see thefollowing figure).

The following figure demonstrates the effect of side curve influenceon a two-direction blended surface. Note that the blended surface isshown with Porcupine curvature to illustrate the subtle differencesin the surface shape. Notice that when side curve influence is used(example b in the following figure), porcupine curves maintain thesame curvature pattern of the side curves longer than in the surfacewithout side curve influence (example a in the next figure).

b) Side Curve Influence is on.a) Side Curve Influence is off.

These side curves are used fordetermining the shape of the sideboundaries (curves a and b) of theblended surface.

Select these boundaries.

Blended surface, created tangentor C2 to the reference surfaces

Bounding curves

a

b

Side curves

cd

Side curves

Reference surfaces

Curve a

Curve b

Boundary 1

If you apply side curveinfluence to Boundary 1,then the shapes of the sidecurves a and b arepropagated into the surfaceshape along Boundary 1.

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The Effect of Using the Side Curve Influence

Tips for Using the Side Curve Influence

There may be cases when the system cannot create a blendedsurface without using the side curve influence. One such caseappears in the following figure.

a) No side curve influence b) Using side curve influence

The arrows point to the curves whereSideCrvInflnc is specified. Thesecurves’ properties are propagated intothe blended surface.

Side curve influence specified

You must enable the side curveinfluence in order to create a blendedsurface with tangency between thesetwo parallel planes.

You can create this blendedsurface only with the sidecurve influence applied.

Blended surfaceSide curves

Bounding curves

11 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Enabling the Side Curve Influence

The following procedure explains how to set side curve influence.

➤ How to Enable Side Curve Influence

1. Choose the Bndry Inflnc element and click Define in theBlended Surface dialog box.

2. Select a boundary by choosing its name from the BOUNDARYmenu. Notice that as you move the cursor over each boundaryname, the corresponding boundary highlights in cyan.

3. The INFLUENCE menu appears. Place a checkmark in front ofthe SideCrvInfInc option to enable side curve influence for theselected boundary.

4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 to apply this option to other boundaries.

5. Choose OK from the dialog box.

Defining the Advanced Element

Define this element to set the “tangent inner edge” condition for oneor both directions of a blended surface. This condition applies onlyto surfaces with multi-segment boundaries.

When the TanInrEdge option is selected, the system attempts tocreate a blended surface with patches that are tangent across inneredges. In some cases, when geometry is complex, dihedral angles atinner edges may deviate from 0.

Notes:

• When the TanInrEdge option is not set, the system doesnot attempt to make patches tangent across inner edges.

• When tangency across inner edges is not critical, it may bebeneficial not to set TanInrEdge. Specifying less stricttangency conditions may yield a surface shape which maybe more suitable for a particular design.

The next example illustrates the effect of using the TanInrEdgeoption.

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Using the TanInrEdge Option

➤ How to Set the TanInrEdge Option

1. Choose Advanced and Define in the Blended Surface dialogbox.

2. The ADV TECH menu appears. To enable inner edge tangency inthe first or second direction, place a checkmark in front of theDir1 TanInrEdge or Dir2 TanInrEdge option, respectively.

3. Choose Done from the ADV TECH menu.

a) TanInrEdge is off b) TanInrEdge is on

Notice that in examples a and b, the inner edges of the new blended surface have differentprofiles. When TanInrEdge is on, the inner edges may have greater curvature, as thesystem attempts to satisfy the tangency requirement across these edges so that dihedralangles on these edges are equal to zero.

Multi-segmentboundary

Create a blended surfacebetween these boundariesand tangent along themulti-segment boundary withthe reference quilt.

Patches are tangentacross these edges.Tangency across these

edges is not required.

11 - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Modifying the Surface Shape by Stretching

You can stretch the surface by dragging the stretch vector or byentering the stretch factor.

Note: The Stretch option is available for the boundary blendonly if the Boundary Condition is set to other thanFree.

The following rules apply to the stretch factor:

• Default stretch factor is 1.0.

• The stretch factor cannot equal 0 for a blended surface.

• Negative values are not allowed for a two-directional blend.

• Setting the stretch factor to a negative values flips tangency fora one-directional surface blend.

➤ How to Modify the Surface Shape by Stretching

1. Choose Stretch and Define from the Blended Surface dialogbox.

2. The STRETCH menu displays the following options:

• SetupDisplay—Setup the surface display. See Using theSetupDisplay Option on page 13 - 5.

• Srf Analysis—Obtain surface analysis information fromusing options in the SURF INFO menu.

• StretchFactor—Specify the stretching method bychoosing Drag or Enter from the FACTOR OPTS menu. TheStretchFactor option is available only if the featurecreates a single surface patch.

To stretch a shape dynamically, choose Drag, select thestretch vector attached to the boundary of the surface, anddrag it. You can also stretch the surface using the slidingscales in the MOVE STRETCH slider.

If you want to stretch the surface by entering the stretchfactor, choose Enter and enter the coefficient for thedirection indicated by the highlighted stretch vector.

3. When you finish stretching, choose Done from the STRETCHmenu.

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Creating a Conic Surface

There are two types of conic surfaces listed in the OPTIONS menu:

• Shouldr Crv—The surface passes through the control curve.In this case, the control curve defines the location of conicshoulders for each cross section of the surface.

• Tangent Crv—The surface does not pass through the controlcurve. In this case, the control curve defines the line whichpasses through the intersections of the conic sections’asymptotes.

Rules for selecting curves/edges:

• Only single-segment composite curves can be selected asboundary or control curves.

• When selecting with the Chain option, the chain can not havemore than one edge/curve component.

➤ How to Create a Conic Surface

1. Choose Create, Surface, New.

2. Choose Advanced and Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

3. Choose Boundaries and Done from the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

4. Choose Conic Surf, Shouldr Crv or Tangent Crv, and Donefrom the BNDRS OPTS menu.

5. A dialog box appears, listing the following elements of thesurface feature:

• Curves—Specify geometrical references for this feature.

• Conic Param—Specify the conic parameter.

6. The Boundaries option in the CRV_OPTS menu is active.

7. Define opposite boundaries of the conic surface by selecting twocurves/edges.

8. After bounding curves are defined, choose Shoulder Crv orTangent Crv from the OPTIONS menu and select the coniccurve in the same way as you selected bounding curves.

9. Choose Done from the OPTIONS menu.

10. Enter the conic parameter value; it must be between 0.05 and0.95. Sections of the surface will be one of the following types,according to their conic parameter value:

• 0.05 < parameter < 0.5—ellipse

11 - 22 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• parameter = 0.5—parabola

• 0.5 < parameter < 0.95—hyperbola

11. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.

Creating a Conic Surface

Creating an Approximate Blend Surface

Rules for selecting curves/edges:

• Only single-segment composite curves can be selected asboundary or control curves.

• When selecting with the Chain option, the chain can not havemore than one edge/curve component.

➤ How to Create a Blended Surface by Approximation

1. Choose Create, Surface, New.

2. Choose Advanced and Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

3. Choose Boundaries and Done from the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

4. Choose Approx Blend and Done from the BNDRS OPTS menu.

5. A dialog box will appear, listing elements of the surface feature.They are:

a) Surface Shouldr Crv b) Surface Tangent Crv

Boundaries

Control curve

Intersectionof asymptotes

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• Curves—Specify geometrical references for this feature.

• Smoothness—Specify the smoothness coefficient.

• Num U Patch—Specify the number of patches in theU direction.

• Num V Patch—Specify the number of patches in theV direction.

6. Select reference entities to define the surface in one or twodirections, and proceed as described in Specifying ReferenceEntities on page 11 - 5.

Note: For curves selected in two directions, the boundarycurves must form a closed loop.

7. Specify the additional reference entities to adjust the surfaceshape. Choose Approx Dir from the OPTIONS menu andproceed in the same manner as when selecting curves in thefirst/second direction.

8. When you have finished defining geometrical references, chooseDone Curves from the OPTIONS menu.

9. Enter a value for a smoothness parameter. The value must bebetween 0 and 1, with 1 being the maximum smoothness.

10. Enter the number of surface patches in each direction. Thegreater the number of patches, the closer the surface will followthe curves. If Pro/ENGINEER cannot construct the surfaceusing the number of patches specified, you can enter a differentnumber of patches.

11. Choose Preview from the dialog box. The system will print themaximum deviation of the surface from the optional curves. Ifthis is acceptable, choose OK from the dialog box to finalize thefeature. If you want to decrease the deviation, choose Defineand respecify parameters of the approximate surface.

11 - 24 Part Modeling User’s Guide

N-Sided Surface

The N-Sided Surf option in the BNDRS OPTS menu enables you tocreate blended surfaces from more than four bounding curves oredges. An example of an N-sided surface appears next.

Example of an N-Sided Blended Surface

➤ How to Create a Surface From More Than Four Boundaries

1. Choose FEAT > Create > Surface > New > Advanced >Done.

2. Choose ADV FEAT OPT > Boundaries > Done > N-Sided Surf> Done.

3. The system displays a dialog box, listing elements of the surfacefeature. They are:

• Curves—Specify geometrical references for this feature.

• Bndry Conds—(Optional) Define Boundary Conditions.

4. Select at least five boundaries in the consecutive order for theN-sided surface. Using the One By One option in the CHAINmenu, select at least five curves/edges forming a loop. Whenfinished, choose Done from the CHAIN menu.

Note: The boundaries of the N-sided surface cannot includetangent edges/curves.

5. To define Boundary Conditions, choose Bndry Cond andDefine from the dialog box.

N-sided patch

1

2

4

3

6

5

Creating Advanced Surface Features 11 - 25

Creating A

dvancedS

urface Features

6. The BOUNDARY menu lists all surface boundaries. As you movethe cursor over the boundary name, the correspondingboundary highlights in cyan. Choose the boundary for whichyou want to define Boundary Conditions.

7. For the selected boundary, the system brings up a dialog boxwith the Bndry Cond element selected for definition.

8. Specify the boundary condition by choosing one of the followingoptions in the BNDRY COND menu, followed by Done:

• Free—No tangency conditions are set along the boundary.

• Tangent—The blended surface is tangent to the referencesurface along the boundary.

• Normal—The blended surface is normal to the referencesurface or datum plane.

9. For conditions other than Free, accept the defaults or selectreference surfaces, as described in Defining Surface Referencesfor Boundary Conditions on page 11 - 10.

10. To complete the feature creation, click OK in the dialog box.

The shape of the N-sided patch depends on the geometry of theboundaries to be patched together. For some boundaries, theN-sided patch may produce geometry with undesirable shape andcharacteristics. For example, bad geometry may occur if:

• The boundaries have inflections

• The angles between the boundary segments are very large(more than 160 degrees) or very small (less than 20 degrees)

• The boundaries consist of very long and very short segments

If the N-sided patch does not create a satisfactory geometry, youcan either create a series of N-sided patches on a smaller number ofboundaries, or use the Blended Surf functionality.

Creating Quilts with the TangentToSrf OptionUse the TangentToSrf option to create a new quilt that is tangentto a surface.

➤ How to Create a Quilt With the TangentToSrf Option

1. Choose Surface and New from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose Advanced followed by Done from the SRF OPTS menu.

11 - 26 Part Modeling User’s Guide

3. Choose TangentToSrf followed by Done from theADV FEAT OPT menu.

4. The dialog box appears, listing feature elements.

5. Specify the trajectory of the tangent draft using options in theCHAIN menu.

6. Select curves on the parting surface to define the trajectory ofthe non-solid tangent draft.

7. Specify the pull direction by selecting a plane normal to the pulldirection.

8. Select the approximate location on the reference model wherethe draft should be tangent to the reference above the draftline. It is recommended to pick near the draft curve (if present)above the parting surface.

9. The INSPECT menu opens, allowing you to perform thefollowing actions:

• Change—Modify the non-solid tangent draft by changingits pull direction, draft line, point of tangency, or closing itsopen ends. To close the open ends of the non-solid tangentdraft, you must specify surfaces to close to.

• Show—Display the non-solid tangent draft.

• Info—Open a window listing information about the featureincluding: parent feature, internal feature ID, and featurename.

To create a solid draft from a non-solid draft, you should create bothsides, cap the ends, and merge the quilted surfaces, then create thesolid protrusion using either the Use Quilts or Patch command.

Note: The system cannot generate drafts (solid or non-solid) ifany portion of the draft line is parallel to the pulldirection.

12 - 1

12Working with Quilts

This chapter describes various surface operations.

Topic Page

Merging Quilts 12 - 2

Adding Rounds on Surface Edges 12 - 5

Trimming Surfaces of Quilts 12 - 5

Extending Surfaces of Quilts 12 - 10

Transforming Quilts 12 - 21

Creating Draft Offsets 12 - 22

Creating Solid Geometry Using Quilts 12 - 26

Retrieving Pro/DESIGNER Data 12 - 36

12 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Merging QuiltsTwo adjacent or intersecting quilts can be merged together. Theresulting quilt is a separate feature, coincident with the twooriginal quilts. If the quilt is deleted, the original surface featureswill remain.

Note: The surface merge feature is not available in Assemblymode.

➤ How to Merge Two Quilts in a Single Quilt

1. Choose Surface from the FEAT CLASS menu.

2. Choose Merge and Done from the QUILT SURF menu.

3. Select the option for the merge:

• Join—Merge two adjacent quilts. To be merged, theone-sided edges of one quilt must lie on the other quilt. If aportion of one of the surfaces extends beyond theboundaries of the other, you are asked to pick the portion ofthe original quilt that will be present in the resulting quilt.

• Intersect—Merge two quilts that intersect. The resultingquilt consists of portions of the original quilts that areadjacent to the intersection boundary. The system will askyou which portion of each quilt you want to keep in theresulting quilt.

4. Select the two quilts to merge.

Note: It makes a difference which quilt is selected first in themerge. See the following section for an explanation ofthe parental hierarchy of quilts.

5. If any portion of a surface needs to be trimmed, use the Flipand Okay options to indicate which portion of the original quiltshould be kept (see the figure Merging Quilts by Intersection onpage 12 - 3).

6. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for additional quilts to merge. Notethat every two quilts that are merged produce a new quiltfeature.

7. Choose Done to complete the merging of the quilts.

8. Conclude feature creation using options in the FEATURE EDITmenu.

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Merging Quilts by Intersection

Parental Hierarchy of Quilts

Every merging of two quilts produces a new quilt feature. Whenmerging two or more quilts, the parental hierarchy of quiltsdetermines how the quilts are affected by such commands asRedefine and Delete. For all merge operations, the quilt selectedfirst becomes the parent quilt. The second quilt is merged into thefirst.

A merged quilt consists of three portions: two or more quilts thatprovide the geometry, and a merge feature that contains theinformation for the surface intersection or union, that is, joining(see the figure Example of Merging Quilts on page 12 - 4). Theoriginal surfaces are parents of the merge feature. Pro/ENGINEER

.

Accept this direction.

will keepthis

will keepthis

Accept this direction.

Select these two quilts

12 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

determines the parent of each successive quilt by the first selectedfeature of the merge before it. For example, in the following figure,each of the surfaces were added sequentially during the samemerge procedure. The quilts containing surfaces S1 and S2 weremerged by feature M1. The resulting quilt containing S1 and S2was then merged with the quilt containing S3 by merge feature M2,and so on. The parents of M3 are S1 and S4 and the parents of M4are S1 and S5 (see the following figure).

Example of Merging Quilts

When you create a datum point or a datum curve projected onto aquilt, the parent of the datum feature is the first parent of the quilt(the first reference selected in the quilting process).

Deleting surfaces:

• Deleting S3 will require deleting M2 and redefining M3.

• Deleting S1 will require deleting M1, M2, M3 and M4, since it isa parent for all of them.

• Deleting M3 will delete only M3.

There is a special case for deleting a quilt feature (see the followingfigure). M2 defines the intersection of S3 with both S1 and S2.When you delete M1, Pro/ENGINEER will indicate that thehighlighted portions of the first surface (S1 and S2, combined) nowbelong to different surfaces (S1 and S2, separately).

S1S2

S3 S4

S5

S1

S2S3

S4S5

M1

M2

M3

M4

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Example of Deleting a Quilt

Adding Rounds on Surface EdgesYou can add a constant or variable radius round on two-sidedsurface edges: edges created at the joint of surface segments orintersection of quilts. In addition, you can create a full roundbetween two surfaces by removing an intermediate surface.

To access the rounds functionality, choose Solid from the FEATCLASS menu, then choose Round. For information on how to createa round, see the Rounds chapter.

Note: When you create a Surf-Surf round, the resulting roundcannot go beyond selected surfaces. If a specified radiuscauses one of the referenced surfaces to be consumed,the feature creation will fail. To resolve the conflict,reselect surfaces or reduce a radius value appropriately.

Trimming Surfaces of QuiltsSurfaces of quilts can be trimmed in several ways:

• By adding a cut or slot in the same way as you would removematerial from solid features.

• By trimming the quilt at its intersection with another quilt orto its own silhouette edge as it appears in a certain view.

• By filleting corners of the quilt.

• By trimming along a datum curve lying on the quilt.

S1S2

S3

M1

M2

S1S2

S3

12 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Using Form Options

When using the FORM menu options such as Extrude, Revolve,Sweep or Blend for trimming, you are creating a surface definitionthat will not appear in the model.

➤ How to Trim a Quilt by Using One of the Form Options

1. Choose Trim and Done from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose one of the FORM options: Extrude, Revolve, Sweep,or Blend. Choose Done.

3. Select the quilt to trim.

4. Define an extruded feature, as you do for solids.

5. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.

Using Existing Surfaces

A datum plane or an existing quilt can be selected to trim anotherquilt.

➤ How to Trim a Quilt Using an Existing Quilt

1. Choose Trim from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the FORM menu, choose Use Quilt and Done.

3. A dialog box will appear, listing elements that need to bedefined for the feature.

4. Select a quilt to be trimmed.

5. Select a datum plane or quilt to which the first quilt will betrimmed.

6. An arrow will appear to indicate which side of the quilt is to beremoved. Choose Flip or Okay to indicate the correct direction.

7. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.The first quilt picked will be trimmed at its intersection withthe other quilt or datum plane. Notice that after the operationis complete, the cutting quilt is blanked from display. If youused a datum plane for trimming, it will remain displayed.

Note: If you want to keep the trimming quilt, make a copy ofit first. See Creating a Quilt by Copy on page 10 - 14.

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Trimming to an Existing Quilt

Trimming with the Use Curves Option

With the Use Curves option you can trim a quilt along a chain ofdatum curves/edges (see the following figure).

Trimming a Quilt with the Use Curves Option

Rules for defining a surface trim using a datum curve:

• You can use a continuous chain of datum curves, inner surfaceedges, or solid model edges to trim a quilt.

• Datum curves used for trimming must lie on the quilt to betrimmed and should not extend beyond the boundaries of thisquilt.

• If the curve does not extend to the boundaries of the quilt, thesystem calculates the smallest distance to the quilt boundaryand continues the trim in this direction (see the followingfigure).

Surface to trim to

Quilt to be trimmed

Select thesedatum curves.

This arrow indicatesthe portion to keep.

12 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Example of Trimming with Use Curve

➤ How to Trim a Quilt with the Use Curves Option

1. Choose Trim from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose Use Curves and Done from the FORM menu.

3. A dialog box will appear, listing elements that need to bedefined for the feature.

4. Choose a quilt to be trimmed.

5. Using options in the CHAIN menu, select a continuous chain ofcurves, inner surface edges, or part edges. When you havefinished, choose Done from the CHAIN menu.

6. A red arrow will appear on the screen indicating the portion ofthe quilt to keep. Choose Flip or Okay.

7. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.

Trimming with the Vertex Round Option

You can create fillets on outer quilt edges by trimming a quilt withthe Vertex Round option from the FORM menu.

Creating a fillet involves selecting corners to be rounded andentering the radius for the fillet (see the following figure).

Datum curve

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Rounding Corners of a Quilt

➤ How to Trim a Quilt by Filleting its Corners

1. Choose Trim from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose Vertex Round and Done from the FORM menu.

3. A dialog box appears, listing elements to be defined for thefeature.

4. Select vertices at the corners to be rounded.

Note: All selected vertices must belong to the quilt selected fortrimming.

5. When you have finished selecting vertices, choose Done Refsfrom the FEATURE REFS menu.

6. Enter the fillet radius. This radius will be applied to all selectedvertices.

7. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.

Trimming by Using Silhouette Edges

A silhouette edge is the outline of a curved surface seen in aparticular view orientation.

➤ How to Trim to a Silhouette Edge

1. Choose Trim from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose the FORM menu options Silhouette and Done.

3. A dialog box appears, listing feature elements to be defined.

4. Select a quilt to be trimmed.

Select these vertices to be rounded.

12 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

5. Select or create a planar surface or datum plane to specify theviewing direction. The viewing direction is normal to this plane.

6. An arrow appears, indicating which side of the quilt is to bekept. Choose Flip or Okay.

7. Conclude feature creation by choosing OK from the dialog box.

Trimming to a Silhouette Edge

Extending Surfaces of QuiltsTo access the surface extend functionality, choose Extend from theQuilt Surf menu. The OPTIONS menu lists the following extensionmethods (for an illustration of different types of extension, see thefollowing figure):

• Same Srf—The extend feature is of the same type as thesurface being extended (for example, plane, cylinder, cone,spline surface). The original surface will be “continued” past itsselected original boundaries by a specified distance.

• Approx Srf—Create the extension as a boundary blend.

• Along Dir—The surface edge is extended in a direction normalto a specified terminating plane. This option is valid only incombination with Up To Plane.

The remaining portion of thesurface.

Pick this surface to trim.

RESULTING SURFACEORIGINAL SURFACE

Pick this plane as theviewing direction.

Arrow points to theportion of surface tobe kept.

Working with Quilts 12 - 11

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• Tangent Srf—The extend feature is a ruled surface that istangent to the original surface.

Different Ways to Extend a Quilt

Using Tangent Srf

Using Along Dir

Using Same Srf

ORIGINALQUILT

Note: The figure on page 12 - 17 shows an example of using the ApproxSrf option.

12 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

When extending quilts with the Same Srf or Tang Srf options,consider the following:

• You can indicate whether the extension distance will bemeasured along the surface or a datum plane by selecting one ofthese options in the OPTIONS menu:

– Dist On Srf—The extension distance is measured alongthe surface being extended.

– Dist In Pln—The extension distance is measured along aselected datum plane.

• You can specify a single or variable distance extension. Toindicate the desired type of extension, choose Single Dst orVariable in the Options menu.

• You can enter either a positive or negative value for surfaceextension. You can not mix positive and negative values for thesame operation. Entering a negative value will cause a surfaceto be trimmed.

Extending a Quilt with the Same Srf Option

You can use the Same Srf option to extend the surfaces of a quilt.

➤ How to Extend Surfaces of a Quilt by Specifying MultipleExtension Distances

1. Choose Extend from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the OPTIONS menu, select the following options:

• Same Srf

• Variable

• Dist On Srf or Dist In Pln

• Done

3. Using options in the CHAIN menu, specify edges to be extended.

4. The selected edges highlight in cyan. Choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

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5. The vertices belonging to the extension boundaries willhighlight in green. Indicate where you want to specify theextension distances by selecting from the GET EXT DIST menu:

• Vert By Vert—Specify the extension distance for verticesin the selected chain of edges. Each vertex in the selectedchain highlights consecutively so you can specify theextension. To skip a particular vertex, choose Skip from theMEASURE DIST menu.

When specifying the extension distance for a vertex sharedwith another edge (only if two segments are not tangent)from the selected chain, you may enter two differentextension values if an inner edge does not originate at thisvertex. However, if a vertex has a corresponding inner edge,only one extension distance can be specified for this vertex(see the following figure).

Entering Two Extension Distances

• Sel Pnt/Vert—Select a datum point or vertex for which theextension is specified.

6. For a selected point, specify the extension using one of thefollowing methods:

• To extend a specified distance, choose Specify Dist fromthe MEASURE DIST menu. Indicate whether the distanceshould be measured normal to the boundary or along thehighlighted edge by choosing either Norm To Bnd orAlong Edge (for an example, see the following figure). Ifyou selected Norm To Bnd and more than one surfaceboundary can be referenced, use Next Normal to indicatethe required boundary. If you selected Along Edge andmore than one edge can be referenced, use Next Along toindicate the required edge. After the reference isestablished, choose Accept and enter an extension value.

You can entertwo different extensionsfor this vertex.

You can enteronly one extensionfor this vertex.

inner edge

12 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Measuring Extension with Norm to Bnd and Along Edge

• To extend up to a vertex, choose Up To Vertex from theMEASURE DIST menu. After the vertex highlights, chooseAccept.

7. To continue specifying extensions at other points, repeat Steps5 and 6.

8. When you have finished defining extensions, chooseDone/Return from the GET EXT DIST menu.

9. For each side edge, specify the direction in which it will beextended by choosing from the SIDE EDG DIR menu, followed byDone. The choices are (for an illustration, see the followingfigure):

• Ext SideEdge—A side edge is created as an extension ofthe surface’s side edge.

• Norm To Bnd—A side edge is normal to the boundary.

• NextSideEdge—A side edge is an extension of the nextavailable edge.

This extensiondistance ismeasured alongthe edge.

Surface to beextended

This extension distanceis measured normal tothe boundary.

Extension

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Using Ext SideEdge and Norm To Bnd Options

10. If you are extending up to a vertex, choose from the END EDGEDIR menu, followed by Done. The choices are (for anillustration, see the following figure):

• Parallel Edge—The surface boundary is parallel to theoriginal boundary.

• Tangent Edge—The surface boundary is tangent to anadjacent edge.

Using Parallel Edge and Tangent Edge Options

This edge was extendedusing Ext SideEdge.

This edge was extendedusing Norm To Bnd.

Side edge

Boundary

ORIGINAL SURFACE

This surface extension wascreated using Parallel Edge.

This surface extension wascreated using Tangent Edge.

Extend Up Tothe vertex

Extend this edge

The new boundary isparallel to theold boundary.

The new boundary istangent at this vertex.

12 - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

11. The SURF EXTEND menu appears. If you want to finalize theextension operation, choose Done Extend. To obtaininformation on extension parameters, choose Info. To redefinethe extension parameters, choose Define and complete thefollowing steps.

12. Redefine the extension using options in the DEF EXTEND menu:

• Edges—Reselect the edges to be extended. To reselectedges, choose Edges from the DEF EXTEND menu. ChooseSelect to add more edge, or Unselect to remove any edges.After you are finished, choose Done from the CHAIN menu.

• Ext Dist—Respecify the extension distance for selectedpoints. Choose an option from the GET EXT DIST menu. TheMEASURE DIST menu will appear. Pick a datum point orvertex and proceed as you did originally (see Step 6). Toremove the extension definition from a particular vertex ordatum point, select this point and set it to Free. Toconclude the operation, choose Done/Return from the GETEXT DIST menu.

• End Cond—For each side, redefine how a side edge will beextended by choosing Ext SideEdge or Norm To Bndfrom the SIDE EDGE DIR, followed by Done.

13. When you have finished, choose Done Extend.

➤ How to Extend Surfaces of a Quilt at a Single Distance

1. Choose Extend from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the OPTIONS menu, select the following options:

• Same Srf

• Single Dst

• Dist On Srf or Dist In Pln

• Done

3. Using options in the CHAIN menu, specify edges to be extended.

4. The selected edges highlight in cyan. Choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

5. Select an edge from the chain to measure distance from.

6. Enter the extension distance.

7. For each side edge, specify the direction in which it will beextended by choosing Ext SideEdge or Norm To Bnd fromthe SIDE EDGE DIR menu, followed by Done.

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8. The SURF EXTEND menu will appear. If you want to finalize theextension operation, choose Done Extend. To obtaininformation on extension parameters, choose Info. To redefinethe extension parameters, choose Define and proceed as inStep 12 on page 12 - 16.

Creating a Boundary Blend Extension

When you extend surfaces with the Approx Srf option, the systemcreates an extension as a boundary blend. This method isparticularly beneficial when you extend the surface up to a vertexwhich does not lie along a straight edge. In addition, this method isuseful for extending imported surfaces that may have been poorlycreated in other systems (for example, when surfaces have highcurvature or bad vertices).

The following diagram shows an approximate extension.

To extend a surface with Approx Srf, follow the procedure for theSame Srf option (see the previous section).

Extending a Quilt with the Tangent Srf Option

The following procedure explains how to extend a quilt with theTangent Srf option.

➤ How to Create a Multi-Distant Tangent Surface Extension

1. Choose Extend from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the OPTIONS menu, select the following options:

• Tangent Srf

• Variable

Extension

Curve boundary

12 - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Dist On Srf or Dist In Pln

• Done

3. Using options in the CHAIN menu, specify edges to be extended.

4. The selected edges highlight in cyan. Choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

5. The vertices belonging to the extension boundaries highlight ingreen. Indicate where you want to specify the extension byselecting from the GET EXT DIST menu:

• Vert By Vert—Specify the extension distance for verticesin the selected chain of edges. Each vertex in the selectedchain will highlight consecutively to allow you to specify theextension. To skip a particular vertex, choose Skip from theMEASURE DIST menu.

When specifying an extension distance for a vertex sharedwith another edge from the selected chain, you may entertwo different extension values if an inner edge does notoriginate at this vertex. However, if an inner vertex has acorresponding inner edge, only one extension distance canbe specified for this vertex (see the figure Entering TwoExtension Distances on page 12 - 13).

• Sel Pnt/Vert—Select a datum point or vertex for which theextension will be specified.

6. For a selected point, specify the extension as follows. Indicatewhether the distance should be measured normal to theboundary or along the highlighted edge by choosing eitherNorm To Bnd or Along Edge (see the figure MeasuringExtension with Norm to Bnd and Along Edge on page 12 - 14).If you selected Norm To Bnd and more than one surfaceboundary can be referenced, use Next Normal to indicate therequired boundary. If you selected Along Edge and more thanone edge can be referenced, use Next Along to indicate therequired edge. After the reference is established, choose Acceptand enter an extension value.

7. If you want to continue specifying extensions at other points,repeat Steps 5 and 6.

8. When you have finished defining extensions, chooseDone/Return from the GET EXT DIST menu.

9. For each side edge, specify the direction in which it will beextended, as in Step 9 on page 12 - 14.

10. Continue as in Steps 11 and 12 on page 12 - 16.

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➤ How to Create a Tangent Surface With a Single Extension Value

1. Choose Extend from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the OPTIONS menu, select the following options:

• Tangent Srf

• Single Dst

• Dist On Srf or Dist In Pln

• Done

3. Using options in the CHAIN menu, specify edges to be extended.

4. The selected edges highlight in cyan. Choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

5. Select an edge for which you want to specify the extensiondistance.

6. Enter the extension distance for the edges.

7. For each side edge, specify the direction in which it will beextended, as in Step 9 on page 12 - 14.

8. Continue as in Steps 11and 12 on page 12 - 16.

Extending a Quilt with the Along Dir Option

Use the Along Dir option to extend the quilt normal to the plane.

Extending a Quilt Using Along Dir

Select this quiltto extend.

Select this loop toindicate surfaceedges to beextended.

Select this planarsurface to extend to.

12 - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Extend a Quilt Using Along Dir

1. Choose Extend from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. From the OPTIONS menu, choose Along Dir and Up To Plane,and Done.

3. Using options in the CHAIN menu, specify edges to be extended.

4. The selected edges highlight in cyan. Choose Done from theCHAIN menu.

5. Create or select a datum plane or a planar surface up to whichyou want to extend the quilt.

6. At this point, you can:

• Complete feature creation by choosing Done Extend fromthe SURF EXTEND menu.

• Obtain information on extension parameters by choosingInfo from the SURF EXTEND menu (see ObtainingInformation on Extension Parameters on page 12 - 20).

• Modify the definition of the extend feature by choosingDefine from the SURF EXTEND menu. To reselect edges,choose Edges from the DEF EXTEND menu. To reselect theterminating plane, choose To Plane from the SURFEXTEND menu. When you have finished, choose DoneExtend.

Obtaining Information on Extension Parameters

After you have entered all necessary parameters for featurecreation, the SURF EXTEND menu appears with the Info option.Selecting Info displays the INFO EXTEND menu with the followingoptions:

• Edges—Show edges selected for extension.

• Ext Dist—Display the currently set extension distances.

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Transforming QuiltsThe Transform command from the Quilt Surf menu allows you totranslate, rotate, or mirror quilts and/or datum curves. You cantransform either the selected quilts/curves or you can create theircopies and manipulate them, leaving the original features intact.

Quilts and datum curves selected for displacement will produce anew feature with multiple quilts and curves. Dimensional valuesthat you entered for displacement can be later modified.

➤ How to Translate and Rotate Quilts and Datum Curves

1. Choose Transform from the QUILT SURF menu.

2. Choose Move, Copy or No Copy, and Done from the OPTIONSmenu.

3. Select a quilt and/or datum curves to move, then choose DoneSel.

4. From the MOVE FEATURE menu, choose Translate or Rotate.

5. Select references for displacement using options in the GEN SELDIR menu:

• Plane—Use a normal to a selected plane as a direction.

• Crv/Edg/Axis—Use a curve, edge, or axis as a direction.

• Csys—Use an axis of a coordinate system as a direction.

6. A red arrow will appear, indicating the direction for theoperation. Choose Flip or Okay.

7. Enter the offset distance for the translate operation, and/or theangle for the rotate operation.

8. To finish the operation, choose Done Move from the MOVEFEATURE menu.

➤ How to Mirror Quilts and Datum Curves

1. Choose Mirror, Copy/No Copy, and Done from the OPTIONSmenu.

2. Select curves and surfaces to mirror. Choose Done Sel whenyou have finished.

3. Select or create a datum plane about which to mirror theentities.

12 - 22 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Draft OffsetsUse the Draft Offset option to create an area offset with draftedside surfaces. The following figure shows an example of a part withdraft offsets.

Example of a Part With Draft Offsets

The draft offset feature is available for solid surfaces and quilts. Toaccess the Draft Offset option for solids, choose Solid from theFEAT CLASS menu, Tweak from the Solid menu, and Draft Offsetfrom the TWEAK menu. To access the Draft Offset option forquilts, choose Surface from the FEAT CLASS menu and then DraftOffset from the QUILT SURF menu.

You can apply a bevel angle to side surfaces of the draft offset. Thesystem uses this angle to draft all side surfaces relative to theirdefault position (defined by either the Norm to Surf or the Normto Sketch attribute). The range for the bevel angle is 0 to 60degrees (default is 30).

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Several closed loops can be selected for the draft offset operation(see the next figure).

Multiple Loop Draft Offsett

Follow these recommendations for creating draft offsets:

• To create a draft offset ending on a surface without drafting theside along this edge, use the following procedure: create asection that extends beyond the edge; this prevents the systemfrom using that edge for drafting. Do not select the terminatingsurface. The following figure demonstrates such a technique.

Select only this surface.

Extend the sketch beyondthe surface edge.

Resulting draft offset

12 - 24 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• When a draft offset spans across several surfaces, thesesurfaces should be tangent. Otherwise, the top surface of thedraft will be split by an edge.

• When you draft a section that has rounds, consider the height ofthe offset in relation to the draft angle. If the angle is too small,the drafted surfaces may overlap at tight corners, causing thefeature to fail.

➤ How to Create a Draft Offset

1. Choose Draft Offset.

2. The dialog box for creating the draft offset feature appears withthe following elements:

• Attributes—Specify the direction of offset and the methodfor creating the offset surface.

• Surfaces—Specify reference surfaces for creating an offset.

• Section—Sketch the section defining the area of thereference surfaces to be offset.

• Profile Type—Specify the profile type for the sides of thedraft offset.

• Offset Value—Enter the offset value.

• Bevel Angle—Specify the bevel angle.

3. To define attributes, choose the Attributes element andDefine from the dialog box.

4. Choose options from the ATTRIBUTES menu by taking oneoption from each submenu. The options are:

Specify the default direction of side surfaces:

• Norm to Surf—Create a draft offset with side surfacesnormal to reference surfaces.

• Norm to Sket—Create a draft offset with side surfacesnormal to the sketching plane.

Specify the method of producing the offset surface:

• Offset—Offset the specified area.

• Translate—Translate the specified area. The resultingoffset surface uses the same radius as the original surface.

Working with Quilts 12 - 25

Working w

ith Quilts

Using the Offset and Translate Options

5. Choose Done from the ATTRIBUTES menu.

6. Select reference surfaces by using options in the SURF SELECTmenu (see Selecting Surfaces on page 10 - 14). When you finish,choose Done.

7. Define the area to be offset by sketching one or more closedsections. Specify the sketching plane and horizontal references.Sketch and regenerate the section. Choose Done in theSKETCHER menu to finalize the sketch.

8. Define the profile type by choosing one of the following optionsin the PROF TYPE menu, followed by Done:

• Tangent—Side surfaces are tangent to the offset andreference surfaces with a spline profile (see the followingfigure).

• Straight—Side surfaces are straight (see the followingfigure).

Tangent and Straight Profiles

Side View Side ViewResulting Surface Resulting Surface

b) Using the Offset option a) Using the Translate option

Reference surface Reference surface

b) Straighta) Tangent

12 - 26 Part Modeling User’s Guide

9. Enter the offset value in the direction of the red arrow. If youenter a negative value, it should not be more than a localthickness of the model.

10. Enter a value for the bevel angle.

11. When you finish defining the feature, choose OK from thedialog box.

The following figure shows a sample draft offset created with theNorm to Surf option.

Sample Draft Offset

Creating Solid Geometry Using QuiltsThere are three methods of creating solid geometry by using quilts:

• You can replace an entire part surface with a quilt. Surfacereplacement differs from protrusions and cuts because it canadd material in some places and remove it in others. Surfacereplacement is a surface deformation feature, and is createdusing the Replace option in the Tweak menu (see SurfaceReplacement on page 12 - 27).

• You can create a “patch”, a feature that replaces a portion of asolid surface (or surfaces) with a quilt whose boundaries lie onthe surface(s) being patched. This feature is created using thePatch option in the Tweak menu.

• You can create a construction feature (protrusion, cut, or slot)by using a quilt as the solid feature’s boundaries. Geometry willbe added or subtracted up to the border of the quilt used. This isdone using the Use Quilt option in the Solid Opts menu.

Sketch the sectionon this datum plane.

Resulting draft offset withthe bevel angle of 30o andstraight sides.

Working with Quilts 12 - 27

Working w

ith Quilts

The following figure illustrates the difference between surfacereplacement and using a quilt in construction feature creation.

Using Surface Feature to Create Geometry

Surface Replacement

The Replace option from TWEAK menu allows you to replace aspecified solid surface on the model with a datum plane or a quilt.

Restrictions and Requirements

All restrictions that apply to tweak features apply to surfacereplacement.

For surface replacement, follow these guidelines:

• If surface replacement both adds material in some places andremoves it in others, then the replacing quilt must consist ofone surface only.

• Surface replacement cannot be done in Assembly mode as anassembly feature. However, when modifying a componentthrough Modify, Mod Part in Assembly mode, you can createa tweak feature within this part in order to perform the surfacereplacement. Choose Feature from the Modify Part menu andproceed to define the replacement feature.

Original part with the quilt

b) Cut created using the quilta) Surface replacement

12 - 28 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• It is not recommended to create two replacement features ontop of each other. It is good design practice to delete onereplacement quilt before creating a new one, or to redefine theexisting tweak/replace feature such that it replaces a differentsurface or uses a different replacement quilt.

• A quilt that has replaced a feature’s surface cannot, in turn, bereplaced by another quilt. The replacement surface must bedeleted first.

• For correct surface replacement, make sure the quilt extends toor beyond the part boundaries (see the following figure). If thisrequirement is not met, Pro/ENGINEER will attempt to extendthe quilt to intersect the part boundaries. If the replacementfails, the invalid geometry is highlighted, and the system givesan error message.

Surface Replacement

Creating a Replace Feature

By default, when you replace a solid surface with a quilt, thesystem consumes the quilt. To preserve the quilt, define the KeepQuilt element in the dialog box.

Select this solid surfaceSelect this quilt as thereplacement surface. to be replaced.

Working with Quilts 12 - 29

Working w

ith Quilts

➤ How to Replace a Surface on the Model with a Datum Plane orSurface

1. Choose Feature > Create > Tweak > Replace.

2. The dialog box appears with the following elements:

• Replace Surf—Select a surface to be replaced.

• Quilt—Select a surface to use as a replacement.

• Keep quilt—Specify if you want to keep the replacementquilt after the operation.

3. Pick a surface of a solid model to be replaced.

4. Pick the replacement quilt.

5. By default, the system consumes the replacement quilt. If youwant to keep the quilt, choose the Keep quilt element and clickDefine.

6. Select an option from the KEEP QUILT menu, followed by Done:

• Yes—Keep the quilt.

• No—Consume the quilt.

7. To complete feature creation, click OK in the dialog box.

Note: If a child feature references the quilt that was kept withKeep quilt > Yes, redefining to Keep quilt > Nocauses the references of the child to be missing.

Deleting a Replace Feature

When you delete a replacement surface using the Delete command,the original solid surface is restored and the quilt reappears intact.

Surface Patching

The TWEAK menu option Patch enables you to replace a specifiedportion of a surface, or surfaces, with a quilt. All the boundaries ofthe replacement quilt must lie on the surfaces being patched.

The patch feature can add or remove material using a singlesurface definition.

➤ How to Create a Patch Feature

1. Choose Patch from the TWEAK menu.

2. Select a quilt whose boundaries lie on the solid surfaces.

12 - 30 Part Modeling User’s Guide

3. A red arrow will appear near the center of the surface,indicating the side of the surface on which the resulting solidwill be created. Select the direction using the Flip and Okayoptions.

4. The unused portions of the solid surfaces are removed, and solidgeometry using the contour of the replacement quilt is created.

Creating a Patch Feature

Using Surfaces to Create Solid Features

Quilts used in a protrusion or cut/slot should extend to or beyondthe part boundaries. If the surface does not reach the partboundaries, an unattached feature will be created; to avoid this,modify the surface feature before creating the protrusion or cut.

Creating Solid Protrusions and Cuts

Creating protrusions, cuts, and slots using quilts is done following abasic procedure for regular feature creation (see the ConstructionFeatures chapter for more information), except you choose UseQuilt from the FORM menu. Instead of specifying the depth andsketching the section, you pick a quilt that determines the extentand contour of the feature.

Select this direction. Arrowpoints towards resulting solid.

Working with Quilts 12 - 31

Working w

ith Quilts

➤ How to Create a Solid Protrusion/Cut/Slot

1. Choose Feature, Create, Solid, and Protrusion, Cut, orSlot.

2. Choose Use Quilts, Solid, and Done from the FORM menu.

3. Pick the quilt to use.

4. Indicate the direction of feature creation, using the Flip andOkay options.

The protrusion or cut is created. It can be treated as any otherfeature; deleted, suppressed, resumed, and redefined. Deleting orsuppressing the feature does not delete or suppress the quilt used tocreate it.

To avoid creating an unattached feature, the quilt used must,together with existing part surfaces, form a closed volume. Quiltedges must be aligned to corresponding part surfaces; if an openquilt is used, there should not be any gaps between it and theadjacent solid geometry. When creating a protrusion from surfaces,it is useful to think of the resulting solid as if it were water: if thereis a “leak” in the form, the material will spill out and the protrusionwill be unattached.

The following figure shows the procedure step-by-step.

12 - 32 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a Protrusion with Use Quilt

e) Create a quilt by intersecting the four surfaces.

f) Create a protrusion using the quilt.

a) Original part b) Create first surface.

c) Create second surface. d) Create two more surfaces to “close” the volume.

Align to part surface.

Align to part surface

Note that the rectangular base flat surface did not need to be created becausethe original geometry serves as the closing surface.

Working with Quilts 12 - 33

Working w

ith Quilts

Creating a solid cut

To create a cut, the quilt used must remove a closed volume withinthe existing boundaries of the part (see the following figure).

Creating a Through Cut

Note that when creating a blind cut, the quilt must define theclosed portion of the original geometry (see the following figure).

Use this surface todefine the cut.

12 - 34 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a Blind Cut

Creating Thin Protrusions and Cuts

Thin features can also be created from quilts. When creating a thinprotrusion or cut, you don’t have to select a “closed” quilt (forming aclosed area between its surfaces and the surfaces of the model), aswhen creating a solid feature. The thin feature is created in such away that the system will add all the necessary boundaries itself.

You can specify the offset method by defining the Offset Typeelement in the dialog box.

➤ How to Create a Thin Protrusion or Cut Using an Existing Quilt

1. Choose Feature, Create, Solid, and Protrusion, Cut, orSlot.

2. Choose Use Quilts and Thin from the SOLID OPTS menu.Choose Done.

Create quiltusing (A) and (B)

Create a surface (A) Create a surface (B)

a) b)

d)c)

Working with Quilts 12 - 35

Working w

ith Quilts

3. A dialog box appears, listing the feature elements:

• Quilt—Select the quilt to be solidified.

• Leave Out—(Optional) When you offset normal to surface,select surfaces to be excluded from the quilt. Define thiselement, as you do for offset surfaces. See the procedureHow to Create Offset Surfaces on page 10 - 8.

• Offset Type—Specify the offset method, as you do for offsetsurfaces. See the procedure How to Create Offset Surfaceson page 10 - 8. By default the system adds material normalto the quilt.

• Material Side—Specify the side to which to add material.

• Thickness—Specify the thickness of the feature.

4. Select the quilt to use for feature creation.

5. A red arrow appears, indicating the side on which material willbe added or removed. Choose Flip, Okay, or Both.

6. Enter the thickness value. If you chose Both, half of thethickness will be added on one side of the quilt, and half will beadded on the other side.

7. The thickness will be applied to the selected sides of the quilt.

8. Define optional elements, if desired.

9. To complete the feature, click OK in the dialog box.

Note: If the system cannot offset some surfaces by thespecified value, you can leave out these trouble surfacesby defining the Leave Out element (for information onhow to exclude surfaces from an operation, see LeavingOut Surfaces During the Offset Operation onpage 10 - 13).

Features of uniform thickness are easy to create using quilts. Whenyou create a thin feature using quilts, the system automaticallycreates an offset surface and adds any necessary “closing” surfaces.

Creating thin features using quilts is similar to creating regularthin features (see the next figure).

12 - 36 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating a Thin Slot Using Surfaces

Retrieving Pro/DESIGNER DataUse the DesignerIn option in the FEAT CLASS menu to retrievesurface data from Pro/DESIGNER by reading in a Pro/ENGINEERsurface file with the extension “.neu”. After you retrievePro/DESIGNER surface data, the system creates a DesignerInfeature, which becomes completely associative to otherPro/ENGINEER features—when you change the DesignerInfeature, the system updates all features that reference it.

In the Pro/ENGINEER model, you can replace the currentDesignerIn feature with a modified DesignerIn feature.

Mirror datum plane

a) Original part b) Create an extruded surface.

Surface 3Surface 1

Surface 2

d) Create the thirdextruded surface.

c) Create the second surfaceusing Transform (Mirror andCopy).

f) Create a thin slot orcut using the quilt.

e) Merge the surfaces usingIntersect.

Working with Quilts 12 - 37

Working w

ith Quilts

Note: Alternatively, you can transfer surface data as aDesignerIn feature directly from Pro/DESIGNER toPro/ENGINEER, while the two applications arerunning on the same workstation. This method uses thePut to Pro/ENGINEER session menu option, availablein Pro/DESIGNER (see the Pro/CDRS Modeling User’sGuide for more detail).

➤ How to Create a DesignerIn Feature by Retrieving a Surface File

1. Choose DesignerIn from the FEAT CLASS menu.

2. Enter the name of the surface file or type a [?] to bring up themenulist.

3. Select or create a coordinate system by using options in the GETCOORDS menu. If this is the first feature in your model, thesystem automatically creates the default coordinate system.

4. The system reads in the file and displays the feature.

Note: If Pro/ENGINEER displays gaps between surfaces inthe DesignerIn feature, then the defaultPro/DESIGNER tolerances may not be set correctly. Itis recommended that you reset the Pro/DESIGNERtolerances for this model and repeat the retrievalprocess.

After you create the DesignerIn feature, you can handle it as anyother Pro/ENGINEER feature (for example, suppress it, put it on alayer, reorder it, and so on). To redefine the DesignerIn feature,choose Redefine and use options in the REDEF IMPT menu, as youdo when you redefine imported surfaces (see Redefining ImportedGeometry on page 16 - 23).

When you retrieve a model that has a DesignerIn feature and thesystem finds a more recent surface file with the same name, thesystem warns you that the DesignerIn feature is outdated andinstructs you to regenerate the model to update that feature. If youchoose Regenerate, the system ask you for a confirmation. ChooseConfirm from the CONFIRMATION menu to update the feature.Note that if you choose not update the DesignerIn feature, thesystem repeats the warning every time you retrieve the model.

13 - 1

13Freeform Manipulation

You can dynamically manipulate a surface using the Free Formoption in the ADV FEAT OPT menu.

Topic Page

Creating Freeform Features 13 - 2

Manipulating Freeform Features 13 - 4

13 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Freeform FeaturesYou can create a freeform feature either as a solid tweak feature oras an advanced surface feature.

The Free Form option allows you to “push” or “pull” on a surface,interactively changing its shape either to create a new surfacefeature, or to modify a solid or quilt. Whenever the underlyingsurface changes shape, the freeform feature also changes shapeproportionally. The real-time surface definition feedback allows youto immediately evaluate and modify the surface as required.

Display options for the surface include porcupine curvature,deviation, Gaussian curvature, sectional curvature, slope,intersection curves, reflection curves, and cosmetic shading.

The boundaries of the freeform surface can use the boundaries ofthe underlying base surface (see the following figure), or they canbe sketched and projected on the underlying base surfaces.

Notice that the grid boundaries may extend beyond the underlyingbase surface.

Sample Freeform Surface

Solid Tweak Freeform Features

When you create a freeform feature as a solid tweak feature, you setup a boundary either by using an existing surface boundary or bysketching a boundary region.

Underlyingsurfaceboundaries in dashedfont

Base surface grid boundaries

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 3

Freeform

Manipulation

Using the Existing Surface Boundary

Use an existing surface as the reference (base) surface for definingthe boundary of a freeform surface.

➤ How to Select an Entire Surface for the Freeform Surface

1. Choose Solid, Tweak, Free Form.

2. Choose the FORM OPTS menu option Pick Surf, then Done.

3. The system displays the feature creation dialog box, which liststhe feature elements.

4. Select an existing surface.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays a grid of isolines in red. At theprompt, enter the number Using theof control curves in thisdirection.

6. The system displays another grid of red isolines in the seconddirection. At the prompt, enter the number of control curves inthis direction. Pro/ENGINEER displays the FREE FORM menu.

To continue the process, see Manipulating Freeform Features onpage 13 - 4.

Sketching a Boundary Region

The following procedure describes how to sketch the boundaryregion for defining the freeform surface.

➤ How to Sketch a Boundary Region

1. Choose Solid, Tweak, Free Form.

2. Choose the FORM OPTS menu option Sket On Pln andestablish the sketching plane.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature creation dialog box, whichlists the feature elements.

4. Select the Sketch option from the SKETCHER menu. To sketcha rectangular section press the left mouse button and drag thebox, as needed. To sketch a circular section, press the middlemouse button and drag the circle, as needed. Align anddimension the region boundary, then choose Done.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays the SURF SELECT and SURF OPTIONSmenus (see Using the Include Command on page 10 - 15 for afull description of these menus). Select the surfaces to add.When you have finished, choose Done from the SURF SELECTmenu.

13 - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

6. Pro/ENGINEER displays a grid of isolines in red. Enter thenumber of control curves in the direction of the arrow.

7. The system displays another grid of isolines in the seconddirection. Enter the number of control curves in the direction ofthe arrow. Pro/ENGINEER displays the FREE FORM menu. Ifyou are satisfied with the feature, choose Done.

8. To continue the process, see Manipulating Freeform Featureson page 13 - 4.

9. Click OK in the dialog box to create the freeform feature.

New Freeform Surfaces

➤ How to Dynamically Create a New Surface as an AdvancedFeature

1. Use the command sequence Create, Surface, New,Advanced. Choose Free Form from the ADV FEAT OPTSmenu.

2. Select an existing surface to provide the solid or quilt reference(base) surface for the freeform surface definition.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays a grid of isolines in red. Enter thenumber of control curves in this direction.

4. The system displays a grid of isolines in a seconddirection.Enter the number of control curves in this direction.Pro/ENGINEER displays the FREE FORM menu.

To continue the process, see Manipulating Freeform Features onpage 13 - 4.

Manipulating Freeform FeaturesThe FREE FORM menu allows you to manipulate freeform features.Choose one of the following options:

• SetupDisplay—Specify the visualization tools to be used forsurface display. See the section Using the SetupDisplay Optionfor more information.

• Control Poly—Modify the shape of the selected surface usingits control polyhedron. See Using the Control Poly Option onpage 13 - 7 for more information.

• Srf Analysis—Display information about surfaces.

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 5

Freeform

Manipulation

The following sections describe the SetupDisplay and ControlPoly options in detail.

Using the SetupDisplay Option

If you chose the SetupDisplay option from the FREE FORM menu,continue as follows. For more information on obtaining surface andcurve analysis information, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

➤ How to Set Up Display Options

1. The system displays the SETUP DISP menu. Choose the desiredoptions, then Done/Return. The SETUP DISP menu lists thefollowing options:

• Shaded Image—Display the surface as a shaded imageshowing Gaussian curvature, section curvature, slope, orcosmetic shading. Select the type of shading using theSHADING OPTS menu. The possible options are as follows:

- Gauss Curv—Color the surface according to theGaussian curvature.

- Sect Curv—Color the surface according to thesectional curvature.

- Slope—Color the surface according to the local slope.

- Cosmetic—Display a cosmetic shaded image of thesurface.

- None—Do not display any shaded image.

- Keep Current—Keep the current shading.

• DisplayOnSrf—Display the options selected from theaccompanying DISP ON SURF submenu to show porcupinecurvature, intersection and reflection curves, grid, andmesh on the surface. These options provide controllableparameters, such as the relative scale of the curvaturedisplay (that is, of the normal line segments) in a specifieddirection, the relative density of the curvature display inboth directions, and spacing between the isolines in a given

13 - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

direction. The parameters can be displayed in anycombination except for grid and mesh, which cannot bedisplayed simultaneously. You can toggle on and off all thedesired options. After you enable the desired combination ofdisplay options, choose Accept.

The DISP ON SURF menu options are as follows:

- Porcupine—Represent the curvature of the surface inthe u (first) and v (second) directions using porcupinedisplay.

- Reflect Crvs—Display the reflection curves on thesurface. A reflection curve is defined by how a tubularlight source reflects off a surface at a specified angle.Before the curves can be displayed, you must set uptheir display using the SetupOptions menu.

- IntersecCrvs—Show how this surface intersects withother surfaces or datum planes by displaying a curve attheir intersection. Before the curve can be displayed,you must set up its display using the SetupOptionsmenu.

- Grid—Show the defining grid of the surface.

- Mesh—Display a cosmetic mesh of equally spaced meshlines on the surface in the u and v directions.

- Accept—Accept the selected combination of displayoptions.

• SetupOptions—Set up the display of porcupine curvature,intersection and reflection curves, the surface mesh, andthe spectrum of colors used in color shading. Set the displayoptions and parameters using the SETUP OPTS menuoptions. After you have set up the required display options,choose Done Setup. The possible options are as follows:

- Porcupine—Enter scale values, density, and spacingsettings for the porcupine isoline display.

- Reflect Crvs—Select a viewing plane for the reflectioncurves, a plane for the light sources, and light sources.

- IntersecCrvs—Select intersecting surfaces andplanes.

- Mesh—Enter the number of mesh lines displayed inthe u and v directions.

- Spectrum—Define the spectrum of colors used in thesurface display.

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 7

Freeform

Manipulation

2. Modify the surface using any or all the available options. Whenyou have finished, choose Done from the MODIFY SRF menu.

Using the Control Poly Option

You can reshape a freeform surface in real time using the controlpolyhedron of a surface.

If you chose the Control Poly option from the FREE FORM menu,continue as follows.

➤ How to Use the Control Poly Option

1. Choose options from the CNTRL POLY menu. The possibleoptions are as follows:

• Poly Motion—Set the poly motion region by specifying theportion of the surface to be modified and the rule accordingto which to implement the change. See Setting the PolyMotion Region on page 13 - 8 for more information.

• Crvtr Setup—Enter values for the relative density of thecurvature display and the relative curvature scale using theSPACING OPTS menu options. The possible options are asfollows:

- Uniform—Uniform spacing in this direction.

- Customized—Customize spacing in this direction byselecting points on the surface through which porcupinecurves will pass.

- Keep Current—Do not change the current spacing inthis direction.

- None—Do not display isolines in this direction (displayisolines in the other direction only).

• Mesh Setup—Enter the number of mesh lines displayed inthe u (first) and v (second) directions.

• Move Point—Select a surface point and move it using thedisplayed control polyhedron. See Moving Control Points onpage 13 - 10 for more information.

• Preview—View the surface before and after reshaping. SeePreviewing a Modified Surface on page 13 - 12 for moreinformation.

2. Choose Done Poly after the surface has been modified, or QuitPoly to restore the surface to its condition before thesechanges.

13 - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Setting the Poly Motion Region

The region of the surface to be reshaped can be defined by selectingbounding control curves. You can also specify the rule by which toimplement the change.

➤ How to Define the Region

1. Choose Poly Motion from the CNTRL POLY menu. The systemdisplays a control polyhedron with two arrows, one blue and onered. The blue arrow designates the first gridline direction, whilethe red arrow designates the second direction.

2. Choose First Dir or Second Dir from the GRIDLINE DIRmenu.

For each direction, select an appropriate option from thePOLY MOTION menu. The possible options are as follows:

• Local—Move the selected point only.

• VarySmoothly—Move the points included in the specifiedregion along a cubic curve.

• VaryLinearly—Move the points included in the specifiedregion along a linear curve.

• Same Offset—Move all the points included in the specifiedregion the same distance.

3. If you chose VarySmoothly, VaryLinearly, or Same Offset,you need to define the region. Select two bounding curves forthe control polygon. For each direction, you can select adifferent POLY MOTION menu option.

Note: If you set a poly motion region to VarySmoothly orVaryLinearly, you can select its boundaries for a moveoperation.

If you set the poly motion region in one direction only, it turnsorange; if you set it in both directions, it turns white.

The following figure illustrates how setting the poly motion regionaffects the results of the Move Point option.

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 9

Freeform

Manipulation

Possible Settings of the Poly Motion Region

d) Poly motion region is set to Same Offset.

These two points define the extentof the poly motion region forexamples b, c, and d.

Move this vertex of thecontrol polygon with theMove Point option.

a) Poly motion region is set to Local.

b) Poly motion region is set toVarySmoothly.

ORIGINAL CURVE

c) Poly motion region is set toVaryLinearly.

13 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The following figure illustrates how to set the poly motion region ona surface.

Effect of the Poly Motion Region on Move Point

Moving Control Points

You can smooth and reshape a surface by selecting and moving itscontrol points.

➤ How to Reshape a Surface

1. Choose Move Point from the CNTRL POLY menu.

2. Select the control point to move.

3. Move the selected point using one of the following methods:

• Select a point and move it with the left mouse button. Thismethod limits the point movement to be along the normalaxis to the surface at this point only.

Select this point and drag theattached region to obtain thedesired shape of the surface.

For the second direction,choose Same Offset andset these control curvesas the boundaries of theregion.

For the first direction, chooseVarySmoothly and set thesecontrol curves as boundariesof the region.

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 11

Freeform

Manipulation

• Use the thermometer-type scales. After you select thecontrol point with the left mouse button, use thethermometer-type scales. Using the scales, you can do thefollowing:

- Specify the move direction.

- Zoom the display.

- Pan the display left and right, or up and down.

- Control the relative distance moved for each point.

You can use the “Along 1st Dir” and “Along 2nd Dir” scales withthe Pick Surf boundary definition only. For the Sket on Plnmethod, movement can be normal to the surface only and youmust use the “Norm to Plane” scale.

The following figure illustrates the thermometer-type scalesthat allow you to move the surface control points.

Control the distancemoved with each pick.

Pan the display.

Zoom the display.

Move normal to theplane.

13 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Previewing a Modified Surface

To compare the surface before and after moving the control pointsof the surface.

➤ How to preview changes

1. Choose Preview from the CNTRL POLY menu.

2. Choose an option from the PREVIEW menu. The possibleoptions are as follows:

• Srfs To Disp—Choose which surfaces to display. SelectNew Srf or Old Surf from the SRF TO DISP menu, thenchoose the corresponding options from the PREVIEW menu.

• DispOnNewSrf—Set up the display for the surface afterthe modification. Select the desired display options from theSETUP DISP menu and set display parameters wherenecessary.

• DispOnOldSrf—Set up the display for the surface beforethe modification. Select the desired display options and setdisplay parameters where necessary.

For the DispOnNewSrf and DispOnOldSrf options, thesystem displays the SETUP DISP menu. For information on howto set up the surface display, see Using the SetupDisplayOption on page 13 - 5.

To toggle between surfaces, choose Srfs To Disp and checkNew Srf or Old Srf to specify the surface that you want todisplay. The system updates the screen graphics.

When creating a freeform surface, you can trim or extend it to fitthe underlying surface boundaries.

Redefining the Surface Grid

You can redefine the density of the surface grid by adding orremoving control curves. When you redefine the grid, the systemremoves all surface manipulations and restores the feature to itsoriginal shape.

➤ How to redefine the density of the surface grid

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu. Use the SELECT FEATmenu to select the freeform feature.

2. The system displays the feature creation dialog box. Highlightthe Grid element, then click Define.

Freeform Manipulation 13 - 13

Freeform

Manipulation

3. Enter the new number of control curves in each direction.

4. The system displays the FREE FORM menu. To display therevised grid, choose SetupDisplay, DisplayOnSrf, and toggleon Grid. Choose Accept from the DISP ON SURF menu.

5. When you have finished redefining the feature, chooseDone/Return from the SETUP DISP menu and Done from theFREE FORM menu.

6. To create the modified freeform feature, click OK in the dialogbox.

14 - 1

14Patterning Features

Patterns are multiple features created from a single feature(a pattern leader that behaves as one).

Topic Page

About Patterns 14 - 2

Pattern Types 14 - 3

Dimension Patterns 14 - 6

Reference Patterns 14 - 19

Modifying Patterns 14 - 19

Table-Driven Patterns 14 - 23

14 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

About PatternsWhen you create a pattern, you create instances of the selectedfeature by varying some specified dimensions. Do not confuse apattern instance with a family table instance (see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER). Except for the pattern dimensions that describethe placement of the pattern instances, each instance in a patternhas the identical dimensions as the pattern leader.

You can pattern most features using the Pattern options from theFEAT menu.

Patterns offer the following benefits:

• Creating a pattern is a quick way to reproduce a feature.

• It may be easier or more effective to perform operations once onthe multiple features contained in a pattern, rather than on theindividual features. For example, you can easily suppress apattern or add it to a layer.

• A pattern is parametrically controlled. Therefore, you canmodify a pattern by changing pattern parameters, such as thenumber of instances, spacing between instances, and originalfeature dimensions.

• Modifying patterns is more efficient than modifying individualfeatures. In a pattern, when you change dimensions of theoriginal feature, the system automatically updates the wholepattern.

Note: A thin feature “remembers” the surface to which it isattached and patterns to this surface.

The system allows you to pattern a single feature only. However,you can pattern several features as if they were a single feature byarranging them in a “local group”, then patterning the group. Formore information, see Patterning a Group on page 15 - 36. After thegroup pattern is created, you can unpattern and ungroup theinstances, then make them independently modifiable using theoption Make Indep (for more information, see the chapterModifying the Part).

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The following figure illustrates examples of patterns.

Pattern Examples

Note: The system does not transfer the line style attributes ofa datum curve to its patterns.

Pattern TypesThere are two ways to pattern a feature using the PRO PAT TYPEmenu:

• Dim Pattern—Control the pattern using driving dimensions todetermine the incremental changes to the pattern. Thedimension pattern must also exist before you can create thenext pattern type.

• Ref Pattern—Control the pattern by referencing anotherpattern. For an example of a reference pattern, see theReference Patterns diagram on page 14 - 19.

When you are working with features or components where it doesnot make sense to have both Dim Pattern and Ref Pattern, thesystem does not display the PRO PAT TYPE menu.

Pattern Options

Pro/ENGINEER defines patterns based on the complexity offeatures and surfaces involved in the pattern creation. Moreover,the system makes certain assumptions for each type of pattern. Theless complex the pattern is, the more assumptions Pro/ENGINEERcan make and the faster it creates the pattern. Pro/ENGINEERcategorizes patterns into three types, using the options Identical,Varying, and General (available in the PAT OPTIONS menu).

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Identical Patterns

Identical patterns, the most simple, have the following restrictions:

• All instances are identical in size.

• All instances are placed on the same surface.

• No instance intersects the edges of the placement surface, anyother instance, or any feature other than the placement surface.

Note that identical patterns regenerate the fastest of the threeoptions. For an identical pattern, the system generates the firstfeature, then copies it exactly, including all the intersections.

The following figure illustrates an identical pattern.

Identical Pattern

Varying Patterns

Varying patterns are more complicated than identical patterns. Thesystem makes the following assumptions about varying patterns:

• Instances can vary in size.

• Instances can be placed on different surfaces.

• No instance intersects any other instance.

For varying patterns, Pro/ENGINEER generates geometry for eachfeature individually, then generates all the intersections at onetime.

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A varying pattern intersects part geometry as a whole group. As aresult, if you were to use Thru Next (for more information, see The“Through” Options on page 5 - 9) with a varying pattern, therewould be only one creation direction for determining which is thenext surface and you could get undesired results. To avoid this, useonly general or identical patterns with the Thru Next option.

The following figure illustrates a varying pattern.

Varying Pattern

General Patterns

General patterns allow you to create the most complex patterns.The system makes no assumptions about the instances of generalpatterns. Therefore, Pro/ENGINEER calculates the geometry ofeach individual instance and intersects each feature separately.Use this option when you expect the feature to touch otherinstances, intersect itself, or cross surface boundaries as it getspatterned. General patterns are required even if instances intersectinside the base feature and the intersection is not visible.

The following figure illustrates a general pattern.

General Pattern

a) Instances intersectinside the disk

b) Intersection of instances isvisible

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Dimension PatternsWhen you use the Dim Pattern option, you use dimensions called“pattern dimensions” to drive the direction and incrementalchanges of the pattern.

Patterns are defined as unidirectional (such as a linear pattern ofholes) and bidirectional (such as a rectangular array of holes). Inother words, bidirectional patterns place instances in rows andcolumns (see the following figure).

Pattern Directions

Depending on what dimensions are chosen to vary, patterns can belinear or angular (see the following figure).

Pattern Configurations

Unidirectional Bidirectional

direction 1

direction 2

direction 1

Linear Angular

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Creating a Dimension Pattern

To create dimension patterns, after you have created a feature,choose Pattern from the Feat menu, pick the feature, choose DimPattern, if necessary, and specify the pattern parameters.

➤ How to Create a Pattern

1. Specify the pattern leader.

2. Specify the pattern type. Select an option from the PATOPTIONS menu: Identical, Varying, or General.

3. Specify the location of instances. To do this, first select how thedimension will be varied. The PAT DIM INCR menu lists thefollowing options:

• Value—Enter an incremental value for the specifieddimension.

• Relation—Add a relation to drive the dimension variation.See Pattern Increment Relations on page 14 - 13 for moreinformation on using this option.

• Table—All dimension variations are controlled by a table.Select a dimension to drive the pattern table. SeeTable-Driven Patterns on page 14 - 23 for moreinformation.

• Redraw Dims—Display the dimensions for the patternleader and pattern dimension.

4. If you are creating a table pattern, select all dimensions thatyou want to include in the table and choose Done in the EXITmenu. For other then a table pattern, continues the procedureas follows.

5. Select a dimension to vary, then enter a value or relation for itsincrement (spacing). Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for every dimensiondriving the pattern in this direction.

6. When you have finished, choose Done from the EXIT menu.Enter the number of instances of the pattern for this direction.

7. If this is a unidirectional pattern, choose Done from the EXITmenu again, and the system creates the pattern. For abidirectional pattern, perform Steps 3 through 6 again. Whenyou choose Done for the second time, Pro/ENGINEER createsthe pattern.

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Rotational Patterns

Rotational patterns use an angular placement dimension of thepattern leader to specify the location of instances. Any dimensionthat controls the angular position can be used to create a rotationalpattern.

Note: When you place a rotational pattern on a revolved orspline surface, always choose Varying or General. Thisis necessary because revolved surfaces are divided intotwo halves, and increments may rest on either onesurface or both surfaces.

Rotational patterns of placed features (holes and shafts) andsketched features (slots, cuts, protrusions, and ribs) are createdslightly differently. The following sections describe how to createthese two kinds of rotational patterns.

Rotational Patterns of Holes and Shafts

To make a rotational pattern of holes or shafts, use the angularplacement dimension of the pattern leader as the driving dimensionof the pattern. This dimension is created when you place thefeature using the Radial option.

In the example below, the General option is used to create thepattern, because the instances can lie on several surfaces (see thefigure Rotational Pattern of Radially Placed Holes on page 14 - 9).

➤ How to Create a Rotational Pattern of Holes

1. Create DTM1 to be used as a reference surface for the featurelocation. Create the feature using the Radial placement option.To place the feature, use d4 for an angular dimension fromDTM1 and d7 for the distance from the front surface.

2. Select d4 as a pattern dimension in the desired direction. Enterthe value for the increment d13 and the total number ofinstances, p0.

3. After you create the pattern, you can enter the relation “d13=360/p0” to space the holes equally, regardless of the numberof instances you choose.

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Rotational Pattern of Radially Placed Holes

Rotational Patterns of Sketched Features

Rotational patterns of sketched features are created by patterningthe angle of the sketching plane, or the horizontal or verticalreference plane. To include the angle parameter of the datum planeas one of the pattern parameters, you must create the datumon-the-fly during feature creation by choosing Make Datum fromthe Setup Plane menu, then Plane, Through/AxisEdgeCurv, andAngle/Plane. If the leader of a pattern is available, it is preferableto modify the dimensions of the leader rather than modify thepattern dimensions. If the feature fails regeneration as a result ofmodifying leader dimension values, the system aborts the patterncreation.

Note: Do not use the angular dimensions that controlscenterlines of sketched features for rotational patterns.The results are not predictable.

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➤ How to Create a Rotational Pattern of Sketched Features

1. Create DTM1 as a reference surface prior to feature creation.

2. Create the feature, selecting the front surface as the sketchingplane. To create an angular reference, choose the Make Datumoption and create a datum plane at an angle (d9) to DTM1.Sketch and regenerate the feature.

Note: When you create a datum plane with a feature, thedatum is not visible after the feature has been created.The parameter defining the datum plane becomes partof the feature.

3. After the pattern leader has been created, you can specify thepattern type option. Choose Varying.

4. Select the angular dimension, d9, as the first pattern dimensionand enter the value for the angular spacing between thepattern features, d14. Choose Done, then enter the totalnumber of instances in the pattern, p0. Choose Done again andthe system creates the pattern.

Rotational Pattern of Sketched Features

Note: Make sure all dimensioning references still make sensewhen the angular dimension increases or decreaseswithin the range of the pattern member variation.

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Creating an Angular Reference

A sketched feature can be patterned using an angular dimension ofan internal datum plane created on-the-fly (either a datum planeused for sketching, or the one used for reference). For somepatterns, when you create a pattern leader, you may need to createa number of datum planes on-the-fly. You can do this using theSetup New option in the Setup_Skn_Pln menu. In this case, the lastdatum you create using Make Datum acts as the sketching plane,while those preceding may be used for vertical or horizontalreference.

➤ How to Create a Pattern of Cylindrical Protrusions

1. Create a base feature and a datum plane, DTM1. Proceed tocreate a cylindrical protrusion by selecting Protrusion,One Side.

2. When the system prompts you to create or select a sketchingplane, use the Make Datum option to create a datum plane,DTM2, with the Through/AxisEdgeCurve and Angle/Planeoptions, at an angle d2 to DTM1.

3. When DTM2 is created, choose the Setup New option from theSETUP_SK_PLN menu. Create a new datum, DTM3, using theoptions Make Datum and Offset. Enter the offset value d3from DTM2. This offset datum (DTM3) serves as the sketchingplane.

4. Specify the depth attribute as Thru Next.

5. Specify the direction of feature creation and orient thesketching plane. Sketch the section and regenerate the feature.After you have created the feature, DTM2 and DTM3 will notbe visible on the screen. However, the feature will retain itsangular dimension, d2.

6. To create the pattern, select the feature and choose General forthe pattern type. Pick the angular dimension, d2, and enter avalue for the increment and the total number of instances.Choose Done to end the process.

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Creating a Pattern Using Restart

Patterning Datum Axes

You can pattern datum axes that were created using the optionTwo Planes that reference offset or angled datum planes. You canselect existing datum planes, or create them on-the-fly using theMake Datum option. After you create the first axis, thedimensions that reference the datum planes will apply to the axis.Select these dimensions as the pattern dimensions.

Varying the Spacing and Direction of Instances

You can modify patterns by varying the spacing between instances,as well as the sizes of the instances. You can specify more than onedimension when you locate instances in rows and columns.

A positive or negative value for the increment determines thedirection in which instances will be added. A positive incrementcauses the system to place instances in the same direction as theinitial feature was placed, while a negative increment reverses thisdirection. You can reverse the direction in which instances areadded to the pattern leader by specifying a negative increment.

DTM2

DTM3

DTM1

d2

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Varying the Location and Size of Instances

The following figure shows how to vary both the location and size ofinstances. To locate the holes horizontally, pick d5 as the drivingdimension and enter the value for d6 (the incremental dimension).To locate the holes vertically, pick d4 as the driving dimension andenter the value for d7 (the incremental dimension). To vary thediameter, pick d3 as the driving dimension and enter the value forthe increment in the diameter (d8 - d3). Enter the total number ofinstances (including the original) in this direction.

Pattern of Holes

Pattern Increment Relations

You can use relations to drive patterns in two ways:

• At the time you select a dimension to drive the pattern in aspecific direction (called the leader value), you can add arelation for that increment. This allows the incremental valueto vary for each instance of the pattern. This is explained inmore detail in the following procedure.

• You can redefine an existing pattern and use the Relationoption to add relations that drive the incremental value for eachdirection. This affects all the pattern instances exactly thesame.

P0 HOLES

d3

d8

d6

d5d7

d4

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➤ How to Add a Relation for a Pattern Increment

1. When the system displays the dimensions for the feature to bepatterned, it displays the PAT DIM INCR menu.

2. Choose Relation.

3. Select the dimension.

4. Choose Edit. The system displays the relation window. Enter arelation for the pattern increment. You can enter any type ofrelation, including adding new parameters, simultaneousequations, and so on.

You can use the following pattern parameters inside a patternrelation:

• LEAD_V—Parameter symbol for the leader value (thedimension you just selected to vary).

• MEMB_V — Parameter symbol for instance value of thevarying dimensions.

• MEMB_I—Parameter symbol for the incremental value ofthe varying dimensions with respect to the previousinstance.

• IDX1 and IDX2 —Pattern instance index values, which areincremented for each calculated pattern instance (see thefollowing figure).

Note: MEMB_V and MEMB_I must appear in the relations,but they are mutually exclusive—they cannot appear inthe same pattern relation together.

Pattern Parameters

Original featureIDX1 = 0IDX2 = 0

IDX1 = 1IDX2 = 1

IDX1 = 1IDX2 = 0

IDX2

IDX1

memb_ilead_v

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The following relation produces the normal incremental valuesof a pattern:

MEMB_V = LEAD_V + 10 * IDX1

...or...

MEMB_I=10

This relation locates each instance along this direction 10 unitsfrom the previous one. In effect, the incremental value of thispattern is 10. Other pattern examples are described in thefollowing section.

Example Pattern Using MEMB_V in a Relation

➤ How to Create the Bidirectional Pattern

1. Select Pattern and pick the feature to pattern.

2. Select PAT DIM INCR > Relation and then select the dimensionfor the first direction. In this example, d3 is selected.

3. Enter the following relation:

INCREMENT = 10

OFFSET = INCREMENT/2

TEMP = floor(idx2 / 2)

if (TEMP * 2 != idx2)

memb_v = lead_v + idx1 * INCREMENT + OFFSET

else

memb_v = lead_v + idx1 * INCREMENT

endif

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Note: The function floor returns the next integer lower thanits argument. See Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER formore information on relations.

In this example, floor is used to determine whether idx2, therow number, is an even or odd number. If idx2 is even, then2*TEMP will be equal to idx2. If idx2 is odd, then 2*TEMP willbe one less than idx2. Using the “if/else” statement we cancontrol the offset for the odd rows, because idx2 starts withzero. If idx2 is odd, then the first expression is evaluated formemb_v. If idx2 is even, then the second expression isevaluated for memb_v.

4. Choose Done for the first direction and then select thedimension in the other direction. In this example, d4 is selected.Enter the increment between rows. This increment is shown asd7 in the next figure.

5. Select Done for the second direction to finish the pattern.

If you want to keep the rows centered on the part, enter thefollowing part relation.

d7 = (d0- (2*d4))/(p1-1)

In this relation d7, the incremental dimension in the seconddirection, is driven by the relation. d7 is determined by subtractingtwice the initial offset d4 from the width of the part d0 and dividingby the number of holes one less in the second direction p1. With thisrelation, you can modify the number of holes and/or the length ofthe part, and the pattern will still remain centered with respect tothe width of the part.

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Example Pattern Using MEMB_V and MEMB_I

When you are including other pattern parameters, such as thenumber of instances (p#) in the relation, you must build the relationin two steps. You can include the p3 parameter in the relation onlyafter the pattern is created. Therefore, you can use a placeholder,such as 10 in the example below, and then change it to p3 when therelation is created.

➤ How to Create This Unidirectional Pattern

1. Create a relation for each dimension in the first direction,including a temporary value instead of the p# value (see thefigure Pattern Example: Step 1 on page 14 - 17).

2. After regenerating the pattern, modify the pattern relationsbecause the pattern parameter p# is p3. To do this, selectModify, then choose a pattern member. When the systemdisplays the dimensions, select d4 or d5.

Modify the first line of the relation for d4 as follows:

[incr = 180/(p3-1)]

Modify the relation for d5 as follows:

[memb_i = (d1-(2*d5))/(p3-1)]

Pattern Example: Step 1

The resulting pattern for these relations is shown in the followingfigure. The pattern maintains the same relationship to the part,regardless of the change in the length d1, or the change to thenumber of instances in the pattern.

d5

d4

d1

memb_i = (d1-(2*d5))/10

incr=10memb_v = lead_v + 5 * sin(incr*idx1)

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Resulting Pattern

Tips for Creating Dimension Patterns

When you create dimension patterns, remember these tips:

• You can use a feature as a pattern leader for a single patternonly. After you create the pattern, the leader becomes part ofthe pattern and can no longer act independently.

• When you create a pattern leader, think of the dimensions youmay need to specify the location of the increments. Keep inmind that for rotational patterns, a feature must have a built-inangular dimension. For other patterns, create a pattern leaderwith meaningful dimensions that will be used later to controlthe location and size of the increments.

• When you create a pattern leader for a rotational pattern ofsketched features, introduce an angular dimension by creatinga datum plane with the Make Datum option.

• A angular dimension controlling a centerline of a sketchedfeature should not be used to establish an angular reference.Only a datum plane constructed on-the-fly will set an angulardimension of the feature.

• When you select the pattern type, consider the regenerationtime. For simple patterns, always use the Identical orVarying options to speed up the regeneration of the model.

• Use relations to control the location of instances when youexpect the number of instances to vary. After you have createda pattern, enter a relation (for example, a relation governingthe spacing between instances). In this case, whenever youmodify the number of instances, the system calculates thespacing according to the formula you entered.

p3 modified to 5p3 modified to 10

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Reference PatternsA reference pattern patterns a feature “on top of” any otherpatterned feature. Some references to locate the new referencepattern feature (for example, the slot in the following figure) mustbe to the original patterned feature only (such as the original holein the following figure). The instance number is always the same asthe original pattern; therefore, the pattern parameter is not used tocontrol this pattern.

If you add a feature that does not use the originally patternedfeature to get its geometry references, you cannot use referencepatterning for the new feature.

Reference Pattern

Modifying PatternsAfter you have created a pattern, all instances, including theleader, act as one element. As a result, if you modify or delete anymember of the pattern, all other members of the pattern will bemodified or deleted.

Choose Pattern and selectthe slot. Choose RefPattern and Done. The slotgets patternedautomatically to the existingpattern of holes.

Reference pattern of slotand original hole

Add a slot that isconcentric to theoriginal hole. It has nodimensions to theother features.

Pattern of holescreated usingIdentical and DimPattern.

Pattern leader

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The number of instances in a pattern is a pattern parameter andtherefore can be modified. If you decrease the number of instances,the system removes the members farthest from the parent. If youincrease the number of instances, the system adds new members inthe appropriate direction and increment.

Pattern Relations

➤ How to Modify Pattern Relations

1. Choose Relations from the PART (or ASSEMBLY) menu.

2. Choose Pattern Rel from the MODEL REL menu.

3. Select a pattern by picking on a feature from the pattern. If theselected feature belongs to a feature pattern and group pattern,the PATTERN TYP menu appears with the following options:

• Feat Pat—Select a feature pattern.

• Group Pat—Select a group pattern.

4. To specify the pattern direction, choose First Dir or SecondDir from the PATTERN DIR menu.

5. For the selected direction, the system lists driver dimensions inthe DRIVER DIM menu. As you place the cursor on thedimension listed in the menu, the system highlights thecorresponding dimension on the screen. Select the desireddimension.

6. The RELATIONS menu appears. Use options from theRELATIONS menu to edit the relations. When you have finishedediting, choose Done from the PATTERN DIR menu.

7. Regenerate the model to update the pattern.

Note: Pattern member relations are independent frompattern leader relations. For example, if you want tochange the relation of a pattern leader, you mustchange it explicitly.

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Reducing a Pattern to a Single Feature

You can reduce a pattern to a single feature (or reduce abidirectional pattern to a unidirectional pattern) by reducing thenumber of instance s to 1 in the desired direction. Set theconfiguration option “retain_pattern_definition” to one of thefollowing values:

• yes—Pro/ENGINEER retains the pattern definition. This way,you can modify the number of instances again to a numbergreater than 1.

• no—Pro/ENGINEER deletes the instances, retaining only theparent feature. To recreate a pattern from this parent, choosePattern and reenter new parameters for the pattern. If youpick any instance and use the Delete command, it causes allthe instances to disappear, including the pattern leader. Torecreate a pattern deleted in this way, you must start fromcreating the original feature.

Deleting a Pattern

When you have a pattern definition and you want to delete thepattern without deleting the parent feature, use the optionDel Pattern. This option removes all instances of the pattern. Ifthe pattern number has been reduced to 1 but is retained, thisoption removes the pattern definition.

➤ How to Delete a Pattern

1. Choose Del Pattern.

2. Select any member of the pattern and select any number ofpatterns.

3. When you have finished, choose Done.

Restoring Pattern Relations

If a regeneration fails after you make changes to pattern relations,you can resolve the problem by restoring pattern relations.Normally, you need not restore all the pattern relations, but onlythose that caused the regeneration failure.

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➤ How to Restore Pattern Relations

1. Choose Fix Model from the RESOLVE FEAT menu.

2. Choose Restore from the FIX MODEL menu.

3. Choose Relations from the RESTORE menu.

4. Choose Pattern Rel from the MODEL REL menu.

5. Choose one of the following options from the SELECT FEATmenu:

• Select—Select from the screen and/or from the tree tool.

• Failed Feat—Select the failed pattern to have its relationsrestored.

6. Specify pattern direction by choosing First Dir or Second Dirfrom the PATTERN DIR menu.

7. The DRIVER DIM menu lists driver dimensions for the selecteddirection. Only driver dimensions whose relations have beenmodified are available for selection. Place a checkmark in frontof the dimensions that you want to restore, and choose Done.

8. Choose Done/Return from the RESTORE menu.

9. Regenerate the model to restore pattern relations.

Restoring Pattern Dimensions in the Backup Model

Alternatively, you can perform the restore operation in the backupmodel by restoring all or selected pattern dimensions. This methodgives you the benefit of seeing the failed pattern in the backupmodel.

➤ How to Restore Pattern Dimensions

1. Choose Backup Modl from the FIX MODEL menu.

2. Choose Confirm to continue.

3. Choose Restore in the FIX MODEL menu.

4. The Dimensions option in the RESTORE menu is active bydefault. To specify how you want to select dimensions to berestored, choose an option from the RESTORE DIM menu:

• Select—Restore selected dimensions by choosing themfrom the SEL MOD DIM menu.

• By Feature—Restore all dimensions of the selectedfeature. Use options in the SELECT FEAT menu to indicatethe feature whose dimensions you want to restore.

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• All—Restore all modified model dimensions.

5. The system informs you that the modified dimensions arerestored. To transfer the results into the current model, chooseCurrent Modl from the FIX MODEL menu.

6. Regenerate the model to restore the pattern dimensions.

Table-Driven PatternsYou can also pattern features using pattern tables. Pattern tablessimplify the creation and modification of patterns, enabling you tocontrol all the dimensions for the pattern instances through a table.Each pattern table drives its pattern throughout its existence.Multiple tables can be established for a pattern, so you can changethe pattern by switching the table that drives it. You can modify apattern table at any time after you create the pattern. Suppressingor deleting a table-driven pattern suppresses or deletes the patternleader, as well.

You can use pattern tables in Assembly mode to pattern assemblyfeatures and components.

Pattern tables are not family tables. Although some terminology forthe two types of tables is similar (such as the term “instance”),pattern tables drive pattern parameters only, and pattern instancescannot be made independent of their pattern table.

You can also include pattern tables in family tables so a particularfamily instance can use a specified pattern table. See theFundamentals manual for information on including a pattern tablein a family table.

Pattern table functionality is accessed through the PATT TABLEmenu. This menu contains the following options:

• Edit—Display an editor window (the default part table editor)to modify the content of the pattern table.

• Add—Display an editor window to create a new pattern tablefor the current feature.

• Remove—Delete a pattern table for the current feature.

• Rename—Change the name of a pattern table for the currentfeature.

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• Switch—Make a different pattern table drive the pattern forthe current feature.

• Write—Output the current pattern table to an ASCII file withthe extension “.ptb”.

• Read—Import a pattern table from an ASCII file with theextension “.ptb”.

➤ How to Pattern a Feature Using a Pattern Table

1. Choose Pattern from the FEAT menu. Select the feature thatyou want to pattern.

2. The system displays the PAT OPTIONS menu. ChooseIdentical, Varying, or General, then Done. If the pattern isidentical, the system prompts you to specify the dimensionsthat vary the section or size of the feature, but they will be notbe used. To actually change such dimensions, the pattern mustbe varying or general.

3. The system displays the PAT DIM INCR menu with the optionsValue, Relation, Table, and Redraw Dims. If thedimensions of the feature are not visible, choose Redraw Dimsto display the dimensions.

4. Choose Table.

5. Pick dimensions to enter into the table in order of theirimportance (this has no effect on the performance of the table).When you have finished, choose Done from the EXIT menu.

6. The system displays the PATT TABLE menu. Choose Add.

7. Enter the name for the pattern table.

8. The system displays the default part table editor window. Editthe pattern table. If you are using Pro/TABLE, the system willhave already created column headings for you, with idx beingthe first column, followed by each of the pattern dimensions inthe order that you picked them. You must enter the indexnumber.

9. Choose Done from the PATT TABLE menu to create the pattern.

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➤ How to Create a Table-Driven Pattern by Converting aValue-Driven Pattern

1. Create a value-driven pattern (choose Value from the PATTDIM INCR menu), selecting every dimension that can bechanged between pattern feature instances or from one patterntable file to another. If you do not select a dimension now, youcannot add it later without recreating the pattern.

2. Choose Redefine and Done, then pick a feature in thecompleted pattern. Choose the Pattern element and Define inthe dialog box.

3. Choose To Table from the REDEF PATT menu and enter aname for the pattern table. The system creates a table thatcontains all the instances in the current pattern. To edit thistable, choose Modify, PatternTable from the MODIFY menu,select the feature to modify, then choose Edit from thePATT TABLE menu.

Modifying Table-Driven Patterns

There are three ways to modify a pattern that is table-driven. Youcan modify any pattern dimensions as you would any other featureby doing the following:

• Select the values on the screen, enter new values, and regeneratethe model.

Modifying values on the screen causes them to be permanentlymodified in the current pattern table as well. This allows you tomodify any value for the pattern, except the instance indexnumber. The value of the index number (idx) is determinedexclusively by the number of entries in the pattern table.

• Edit the table directly.

This enables you to modify multiple values for multipleinstances, and to add or remove instances.

• If you have multiple pattern tables, replace the current tablewith another table.

This causes the pattern to be driven by a completely differentset of values.

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➤ How to Access the Patt Table Menu for Modifying the PatternAfter its Creation

1. Choose Modify from the PART menu. The system displays theMODIFY menu.

2. Choose PatternTable.

3. Pick an instance in the pattern that you want to modify, or pickone of its dimensions. The system displays the PATT TABLEmenu.

You can then make the following changes:

• Modify the pattern using a pattern parameter.

• Remove a pattern table.

• Rename a pattern table.

• Add new pattern instances by assigning a unique idx.

• Remove existing pattern instances.

• Switch pattern tables.

• Write a pattern table to a file.

• Read a pattern table from a file.

Variations of a Pattern Driven by the Same Dimensions

A pattern can have several corresponding independent patterntables. If you modify the dimensions of one, the correspondingfeature with the same dimension symbols in the other tables willnot update. The following method allows you to create a patternwith multiple pattern tables, each representing a variation of theoriginal pattern. You can then define relations for the dimensionssuch that a change to the dimensions for one instance of a patterntable will change for the others.

For example, suppose you have a part with the following pattern ofholes:

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You want to create an instance of the part with this pattern ofholes:

In addition, you want the location of each of the corresponding holesin the two patterns to be linked such that if the location of one ofthe holes in either of the instances moves, the corresponding hole inthe other instance also moves.

Rather than create each hole as an independent feature, thefollowing method allows you to use reference patterns (for moreinformation, see Reference Patterns on page 14 - 19) and a singleentry in the family table, regardless of the number of instances inthe pattern.

➤ How to Create a Pattern That Has Several Variations, Each ofWhich is Driven by the Same Dimensions

1. Create a table-driven pattern with the maximum number ofinstances this pattern can possibly have, and every dimensionselected that will be changed between pattern instances orpattern table files. If you do not enter an instance now, youcannot add it later without recreating the pattern.

2. Create a relation (for example, d7=2.0) for every dimension inthe pattern table.

Note: Each dimension in the pattern table being driven by arelation cannot be selected and edited. A relationupdates any additional patterns substituted throughthe PATT TABLE Switch option, but modifying thedimension value does not update additional patterns.

3. Choose Modify from the PART menu and PatternTable fromthe MODIFY menu. Select a feature in the pattern.

4. Choose Write to write the pattern table to disk as a “.ptb” file.Choose Done from the PATT TABLE menu.

5. Choose Misc from the MAIN menu, then System to open awindow. Copy the “.ptb” pattern table file written in Step 4 to asmany new names as there are different pattern tablevariations. This step can be repeated each time you need morepattern tables. Exit the system window.

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6. Next, choose Modify from the PART menu and PatternTablefrom the MODIFY menu. Select a feature in the pattern.

7. Read in the new pattern tables (from Step 5), then use Switchand Edit from the PATT TABLE menu to change them torepresent the desired configurations.

8. Regenerate to see the pattern in the new configuration.

The pattern table can now be used in family tables and you cansubstitute the different variations by entering their names asfamily table instances (for details, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER).

Pattern Table Example

The following example illustrates how you can create a patternusing a pattern table and how you can then modify the pattern byediting the pattern table. The part used in this example is arectangular solid that is 20 inches wide, 20 inches long, and 2inches thick.

The feature to be patterned is a straight, through-all hole that is 1inch in diameter, located 1.5 inches away from both the part’s leftedge and its top edge. After choosing Pattern from the Feat menu,pick this feature as the feature to pattern. The dimensions of thehole are displayed here in symbolic format so that later you see theorder in which they are present in the table.

Pattern Leader

To illustrate redefining patterns, this pattern is initially defined asIdentical. However, in an actual application, if you may want tovary the size of the instances, define the pattern as Varying.

d22

d23

d24

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Select the hole dimensions to enter them into the pattern table.Select the diameter dimension, the distance from the left edge, andthe distance from the top edge. Choose Add from the PATT TABLEmenu and enter the name “hole_1” as the name of the pattern table.

The system displays the default part table editor window(Pro/TABLE was used for this example). Edit the pattern table andadd seven pattern instances. Enter the values for the index number(idx), diameter, distance from the left edge, and distance from thetop edge. Index numbers need not be consecutive or in any order,but they must be unique within a table to correspond to eachinstance.

The figure Pattern Table for Hole_1 Example shows these values asthey would appear in the Pro/TABLE editor. To save the values,exit from Pro/TABLE. Choose Done from the PATT TABLE menu tocreate the pattern (see the next figure). In this example, the patterninstances run clockwise, but it is not necessary to create theinstances in any particular order.

Pattern Table for Hole_1 Example

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Hole_1 Example of Table-Driven Pattern

Later, you modify the table, as shown in the figure ModifiedPattern Table for Hole_1 Example. In addition, because thediameters of the holes in the pattern will now vary, you mustredefine the pattern options from Identical to Varying. To do this,choose Feature and Redefine and pick on a hole in the pattern.Choose Pattern and Define in the dialog box. Choose PatOptions from the REDEF PATT menu. In this case, choose Varyingand Done from the PAT OPTIONS menu, followed by Done/Returnfrom the REDEF PATT menu.

Note (see the following figure) that there are fewer instances, someof the diameters and distances from references have been changed,and one hole has been located in the middle of the part. After youedit the pattern table, regenerate the part to implement the change.

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Modified Pattern Table for Hole_1 Example

Hole_1 Example of Modified Table-Driven Pattern

15 - 1

15Copying Features

The functionality in this chapter is available only with the optionalmodule Pro/FEATURE. However, any Pro/ENGINEER user canretrieve a part that has groups.

Pro/ENGINEER provides several tools to copy features quicklywithin the same part or to different parts.

Topic Page

Feature Copying Terminology and Uses 15 - 2

Copying Features 15 - 3

User-Defined Features 15 - 12

Placing a UDF 15 - 25

Local Groups 15 - 32

Operations on a Group 15 - 33

Mirroring the Model 15 - 39

15 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Feature Copying Terminology and UsesThe following table presents definitions of and uses for the featurecopying functionality.

CopyingFeatures

Definition Copy features from any model by selectingnew references, translating, rotating, ormirroring.

Uses • Save time by reusing features from anymodel.

• Establish dependency betweendimensions of different features in thesame model.

User-definedfeature (UDF)

Definition A set of features from any part that can beplaced in any other part by specifying newreferences.

Uses • Establish a library of commonly placedfeatures.

• Reuse features from any part.• Enforce consistent design techniques by

creating dependencies for a UDFs parentmodel.

Importantaspects ofUDFs

• User-specified prompts for definingreferences guide you in placing the UDF.

• Let you specify new values for dimensionswhen placing the UDF with “variabledimensions.”

• Provide a simple way to create variationsof features in the UDF with FamilyTables.

• Let you incorporate Pro/PROGRAM intothe UDF for further customization.

Group Definition A named set of consecutive features that isthe result of copying features, placing aUDF, or creating a local group.

Uses • Simplify selection for operations involvingmultiple features such as: Pattern, Delete,Copy, Suppress, and Reorder.

• Help organize the model tree bycollapsing related features into a singlenode.

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Copying FeaturesThe Copy option in the FEAT menu allows you to copy existingfeatures of the same or a different model and place them at a newlocation on the active part. You can copy any number of features atone time. The Copy option creates a local group of the copiedfeatures.

When you copy a feature, you can vary the following:

• References

• Dimension values

• Placement location

You can copy features into the current part, with or withoutexternal references, from parts or assemblies. You can copyfeatures from a different model by using new references. You canalso copy features from another version of the same model by usingthe same or new references. When you copy a feature with newreferences, Pro/ENGINEER makes all the necessary prompts,highlighting each placement reference so you can enter thecorresponding reference.

The Copy Feature Menu

The COPY FEATURE menu lists different options for copyingfeatures. They are:

Specify the placement method by choosing one of the followingoptions:

• New Refs—Copy features with an option to select newreferences for the copied features.

• Same Refs—Copy features using the same references as theoriginal features. You can vary dimensions in the copiedfeatures.

• Mirror—Copy features by mirroring about a planar surface ora datum. Pro/ENGINEER mirrors the features automaticallywithout displaying a dialog box.

• Move—Copy features by specifying translation and rotation.This option allows for additional transformation beyond whatyou can achieve by varying dimensions.

Specify features to copy by choosing one of the following options:

• Select—Select features from the active model to copy.

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• All Feat—Select all the features to copy.

• FromDifModel—Select features from a different model tocopy. This option is available with New Refs only. See theIndependent option.

• FromDifVers—Select features from a different revision of thecurrent model to copy. This option is available with either NewRefs or Same Refs. See the Independent option.

Specify whether the resulting features should be independent bychoosing one of the following options:

• Independent—Make the dimensions of the copied featureindependent of the dimensions of the parent. A feature that iscopied from a different model or version is automaticallyindependent.

• Dependent—Make the dimensions of the copied featuredependent on the dimensions of the parent. When you redefinethe section of the dependent copy, all the dimensions show upon the parent. When you modify the original section, the systemalso updates the dependent copy. This option refers to sectionsand dimensions only. All other references and attributes are notdependent.

When you redefine a section of a feature that has a child createdusing Copy > Dependent, you cannot delete entities referenced toexternal geometry and you cannot align entities to externalgeometry.

Rules to Remember

Consider the following rules for the copy operation:

• If you copied geometry with Copy, Mirror, All Feat, anyfeatures inserted after you created the copy feature will not becopied. To avoid this, use Mirror Geom.

• You may not mirror or use the Same Refs option without alsocopying the features that own the references if those referenceshave been consumed in the process of feature creation (forexample, the edge reference of a round is consumed after theround is created).

• When you copy a round with user-modified transitions, onlydefault transitions are copied with the round.

• If there is ambiguity between the new and old references, thesystem will issue additional prompts (for example, if one ofreferences is a datum plane, the system will ask you to selectthe side of the plane to use).

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For specifics of copying features in Assembly mode, see thefollowing section.

Using the Copy Command in Assembly Mode

To copy features in Assembly mode, choose Copy from the ASSYFEAT menu; this displays the COPY FEAT menu.

Consider the following restrictions in Assembly mode:

• In Assembly mode, the All Feat option is dimmed in the COPYFEATURE menu.

• You cannot mirror assembly components using Feature, Copy.Instead, use Component > Create > Mirror.

• A feature that contains external references to a differentassembly component must either be copied in the assembly thatcontains the external reference, or be redefined in thatassembly to eliminate the external reference.

Copying Features by Using Placement References

Use the New Refs and Same Refs options to create a copy byusing the placement references (modified or the same) of thefeatures selected for copy.

➤ How to Copy a Feature Within the Same Model

1. Choose Copy from the FEAT menu.

2. Choose New Refs or Same Refs, Select, Independent orDependent, and Done from the COPY FEATURE menu.

3. Select features that you want to copy and choose Done from theSELECT FEAT menu.

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays the Group Elements dialog box.

5. The system shows the dimensions for the selected features anddisplays the GP VAR DIMS menu, which lists the dimensions. Asyou scroll down the list, the system highlights thecorresponding dimension on the model. Select dimensions tovary by picking the feature dimensions from the screen or byplacing a check mark in front of them in the GP VAR DIMSmenu. When you have finished, choose Done.

6. At the prompts, enter the new values. If you chose Same Refs,the system copies the selected features.

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7. If you choose New Refs, the system displays the WHICH REFmenu and highlights each planar or linear reference for everyselected feature, sequentially, in the reference color. Choose oneof the following options:

• Alternate—Pick a new reference for the copied feature.

• Same—Indicate that the original reference should be usedfor the copied feature.

• Skip—Skip the current reference so you can redefine itlater. For more information, see Defining SkippedReferences on page 15 - 30.

• Ref Info—Provide information explaining the placementreference.

When you have specified all the references, Pro/ENGINEERcopies all the selected features.

8. At this point, you can redefine the dimensions or references, ifdesired, or choose Done from the GRP PLACE menu.

Copying Features Using New References

If you copy a feature and choose new references (sketching planeand reference plane) for the resulting feature, two different arrowsappear to indicate the direction of the new planar references. Thesystem highlights the original reference plane and itscorresponding new reference plane in the reference color. Theoriginal reference has a reference color arrow attached to it,pointing in the viewing direction for that plane. The new referencehas a red arrow attached to it. Flip the direction of the red arrow ifnecessary, then choose Okay from the DIRECTION menu to indicatewhich side of the new reference corresponds to the originalreference with the reference color arrow.

Copying Features with the FromDifModel and FromDifVers Options

Note: When you copy a feature from one model to another, thefeature will regenerate with the accuracy of the modelinto which it is copied. It is best, if possible, to havesimilar part accuracy in both models. For moreinformation, see the Modifying the Part chapter.

You can copy features from a different model (part or assembly) orfrom another version of the same model by using theFromDifModel or FromDifVers options, respectively. You cancopy features with or without external references.

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Before you start the copy operation:

• Retrieve into a separate window the part or assembly fromwhich you want copy features.

• Before selecting Copy, make sure your destination model isactive.

To indicate the source model, the system prompts you to click in themodel window; this activates this model so you can select thefeatures to copy. After you select the features, the destinationmodel becomes active again.

➤ How to Copy Features From Another Version of the Model byUsing the Same Refs Option

1. Choose Copy from the FEAT menu.

2. Choose Same Refs, FromDifVers, and Done from the COPYFEATURE menu.

3. Select a model from which to copy the features.

4. Select the features to be copied. Choose Done from the SELECTFEAT menu.

5. The dialog box appears.

6. The system prints the units in the Message Window. Specifythe placement scale, as described in Placing a UDF onpage 15 - 25. Choose Done from the SCALE menu.

7. Choose OK from the dialog box. The system copies the selectedfeatures into the current model, keeping the same references.

If a reference is missing in the destination model, the systeminstructs you to respecify all feature references. To define a missingreference, choose Alternate and pick a reference on the model (formore information on redefining a skipped reference, see DefiningSkipped References on page 15 - 30).

➤ How to Copy Features From a Different Model or From AnotherVersion of the Same Model by Using the New Refs Option

1. Choose Copy from the FEAT menu.

2. Choose New Refs, FromDifModel or FromDifVers, andDone from the COPY FEATURE menu.

3. Select a model from which to copy the features.

4. Select the features to be copied. Choose Done from the SELECTFEAT menu.

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5. The dialog box appears.

6. The system prints the units in the Message Window. Specifythe placement scale, as described in Placing a UDF onpage 15 - 25. Choose Done from the SCALE menu.

7. The system displays the WHICH REF menu. As the systemprompts you to select a reference that corresponds to thehighlighted reference in the source model, choose an optionfrom the WHICH REF menu. Choose Same to keep the samereference, Alternate to choose a new reference, or Skip to skipthe current reference so you can redefine it later.

Note: When you use the New Refs option to copy a featureand a feature reference is missing in the other version,use Alternate to select a new reference.

8. If any of the references are missing, an Information Windowappears with a list of the skipped references. At this point youcan do one of the following:

• If you want to redefine the missing references, chooseConfirm from the CONFIRMATION menu. The systemplaces you in the feature creation environment so you canredefine the feature element that uses the skippedreference. For more information, see Defining SkippedReferences on page 15 - 30.

• If you do not want to redefine the missing references, chooseCancel from the CONFIRMATION menu. The systemdisplays the GP REFS menu. Place a check mark in front ofthe references that you want to specify and choose Done.The system brings up the WHICH REF menu with theAlternate, Same, and Skip options so you can resume theprocess of specifying the references which you identifiedwith the checkmarks.

9. To complete the procedure, choose Done from the GRP PLACEmenu, or choose any of the following options in the GRP PLACEmenu:

• Redefine—Redefine the group elements.

• Show Result—Preview the geometry.

• Info—Show the current status of the group prompts.

Copying Features by Mirror

The Mirror option in the COPY FEATURE menu adds geometry tothe part by creating a mirrored copy of existing features andintersecting them with the part.

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Note: Sections always regenerate at the pre-mirror location,using the pre-mirror references.

Copying by Mirroring Features

➤ How to Mirror Features or Geometry

1. Choose Copy from the FEAT menu, then Mirror.

2. Select the features to copy, or choose All Feat.

3. Choose Independent or Dependent to establish whether thedimensions of the mirrored feature depend on those of theparent, then choose Done.

4. If you chose Select, when you have selected all the features youwant, choose Done from the SELECT FEAT menu.

5. Select or create the mirror plane (see the figure Copying byMirroring Features on page 15 - 9).

Notes:

• If features are mirrored about a Make Datum, the datumplane becomes an independent feature in the model to givevisual reference for the mirrored copy.

• Mirroring using the option All Feat creates an additionalmerge feature that is interdependent with the copiedfeatures. The merge feature is both a parent and a child ofthe copied features.

• Mirroring using the option All Feat mirrors suppressedfeatures.

Select the protrusion andcut to copy by mirroring.

Mirrorplane

Both the protrusion andthe cut are copied.

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• Mirroring coordinate systems always preserves theright-hand rule. Pro/ENGINEER mirrors the x- and y-axesof the coordinate system appropriately and determines theZ-axis.

• Mirror features use the original references.

Copying Features by Moving with Rotation and Translation

You can copy features to new locations on the part by translatingthem with respect to a coordinate system.

➤ How to Copy Features by Moving With Rotation and Translation

1. Choose Copy from the FEAT menu, then Move from the COPYFEATURE menu.

2. Choose Select to select individual features to copy, or All Featto copy all features.

3. Choose Independent or Dependent to establish whether thedimensions of the translated feature depend on those of theparent. When you have finished, choose Done from the COPYFEATURE menu. After you have selected the features, chooseDone from the SELECT FEAT menu.

4. Use the MOVE FEATURE menu to define the movement of thecopied features. You can use the options Translate and Rotatetogether to define a single movement. The MOVE FEATUREoptions are as follows:

• Translate—Move (translate) the copied features using theGEN SEL DIR menu to specify the direction. Then, enter thetranslation (offset) distance.

• Rotate—Rotate the copied features using the GEN SEL DIRmenu to specify the direction. Then, enter the rotationangle. The GEN SEL DIR options are as follows:

- Plane—Select a plane, or create a new datum plane towhich the direction will be normal.

- Crv/Edg/Axis—Select as the direction an edge, curve,or axis. If you select a non-linear edge or curve, thesystem prompts you to select an existing datum pointon the edge or curve to specify a tangent.

- Csys—Select an axis of a coordinate system as thedirection, then enter the translation value for thecoordinate system type.

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For features created by translating copies of two other features (forwhich the dimensions of one of the original features is onlyreferenced to the other feature being copied), Pro/ENGINEERtranslates the copied dimension references, along with thegeometry. The copy and translation process automatically creates agroup for the geometry and its dimensions. You can use theUngroup option in the GROUP menu to allow independentselection of the individual dimensions and redefinition of thefeatures.

Copying Features by Selection

You can change placement references immediately after you copy afeature to change the placement.

If you chose Select from the COPY FEATURE menu, after you haveselected the feature to copy, the system displays the GP VAR DIMSmenu, which lists all the dimensions on the part. As you highlighteach dimension, the system highlights the corresponding dimensionon the part. Check off the dimensions you want to copy, then chooseDone.

You can redefine a copied feature when you are in the copyenvironment only.

➤ How to Redefine the Copied Element

1. Highlight the element in the dialog box that you want to modifyand click Define.

2. If you selected the variable dimensions, the system displays theGP VAR DIMS toggle menu. If you selected the references,Pro/ENGINEER displays the GP REFS toggle menu. In eithercase, toggle on the items you want to change, then chooseDone.

3. Enter the new values, as prompted.

4. When you have finished, choose OK from the dialog box toregenerate the part.

Making Dependent Copied Features Independent

The Make Indep option in the MODIFY menu causes the system todisplay the MAKE INDEP menu, which enables you to make adependent copied feature independent of its parent, as if it hadbeen copied using the Independent option. For more information,see Making Copied Feature Dimensions Independenton page 16 - 6.

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User-Defined FeaturesUser-defined features can be subordinate or standalone. Considerthe following definitions:

• Subordinate—A subordinate UDF gets its values directly fromthe original model at run time, so the latter must be present forthe subordinate UDF to function. If you make any changes tothe dimension values in the original model, they areautomatically reflected in the UDF.

A model can have more than one subordinate UDF associatedwith it. Items in the family table of a subordinate UDF showthe identifiers and symbols from the original model.

• Standalone—A standalone UDF copies all the original modelinformation into the UDF file. Because of this, a standaloneUDF requires more storage space than a subordinate UDF. Ifyou make any changes to the reference model, they are notreflected in the UDF.

When you create a standalone UDF, you have the option ofcreating a reference part by copying the original part fromwhich the UDF is derived. The reference part has the samename as the UDF, with the extension “_gp”. For example, if youname a UDF radial_holes, the reference part is namedradial_holes_gp.prt. A reference part displays UDF referencesand elements through the original features.

Required Information for UDFs

Each UDF consists of selected features, all their associateddimensions, any relations between the selected features, and a listof references for placing the UDF on a part. The UDF dialog boxprovides a running status of these UDF elements during UDFcreation and modification.

Note: Reference dimensions, geometric tolerances, andsurface finishes will not appear in any group instance,so you do not need to place them in the generic features.

The following figure illustrates a patterned UDF, shown with itsreference part.

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Patterned UDF of Countersunk Holes

Follow these recommendations for creating a UDF:

• Make sure you have the desired dimensioning scheme.

• Provide the necessary relations between the defining featuresbefore you create the UDF. For example, a simple relation wasadded to the pattern shown in the figure above before the UDFwas created. When you enter the number of instances in thepattern, the features are always spaced evenly. If a relationcontains external dimensions (external to the features you arereferencing), you can copy them by defining the Ext Symbolselement when you create the UDF (see Defining ExternalSymbols on page 15 - 20).

• Although a reference part is not required for a standalone UDF,it is useful to have a reference part displayed when you place aUDF. The system highlights the dimensions to be entered andthe reference information at the appropriate times during theUDF placement. If you have no reference part, the number ofUDF elements you can modify is limited. See the followingfigure for an illustration of a UDF and its reference part.

Variabledimensions tobe entered

UDF members

UDF members

Reference part

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Placement References on a Reference Part

Restrictions on UDFs

Consider the following restrictions when working with UDFs:

• When creating a UDF or copying features, you cannot mixfeatures from the merged geometry group (created with the ByCopy option) with features outside of this group.

• Parameters not used in relations are not copied with UDFs toanother part.

• A UDF created in Part mode can be used in Assembly mode tocreate assembly features, as long as that UDF does not containfeatures that are not allowed for assembly features (such asrounds).

• When you copy a group with an advanced round which containsuser-defined transitions, the system removes user-definedtransitions from the resulting feature. Redefine the roundtransitions in the new feature, as appropriate.

Dimension Types

You can create a UDF with the following dimension types:

• Variable dimensions—Dimensions for which you will entervalues when you place the UDF in a part.

• Invariable dimensions—Dimensions that you will not changewhen you place the UDF in a part.

Angularreferencedatum

Axis for radial placement

Reference partPlacement surface

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• Table-driven dimensions—Dimensions and dimensiontolerances for which values are given in a family table. Everyinstance in the family table has its own dimension values. Formore information, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Creating a UDF

➤ How to Create a UDF

1. Choose UDF Library from the FEAT menu. The UDF menulists the following options:

• Create—Add a new UDF to the UDF library.

• Modify—Modify an existing UDF. If there is a referencepart, the system displays the UDF in a separate partwindow. This option is not available in Assembly mode.

• List—List all the UDF files in the current directory.

• Dbms—Perform database management functions for thecurrent UDF. See DBMS Functions with UDFson page 15 - 24.

• Integrate—Resolve the differences between the source andthe target UDFs.

2. Enter a name for the UDF.

3. Choose one of the following options in the UDF OPTIONS menu,followed by Done:

• Stand Alone—Pro/ENGINEER copies all the requiredinformation to the UDF. Respond to the prompt whether toinclude a reference part.

• Subordinate—Pro/ENGINEER copies most of theinformation from the original part at run time.

Notes:

- A standalone UDF cannot have an assembly as areference model, but a subordinate UDF can. See TheCopy Feature Menu on page 15 - 3 for moreinformation.

- Punch and Notch UDFs (Pro/SHEETMETAL) cannot besubordinate.

4. The system displays the UDF feature creation dialog box withthe following elements:

• Features—Select features to include in the UDF.

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• Ref Prompts—Enter prompts for specifying placementreferences. The system will print these prompts to guideyou when you place the UDF.

• Var Elements—Specify feature elements that you want tobe able to redefine when you place the UDF in a part.

• Var Dims—(Optional) Select dimensions that you want tomodify when you place the UDF in a part and enterprompts for them.

• Dim Values—(Optional) Select a dimension that belongs tothe UDF and enter its new value.

• Family Table—(Optional) Create a family table of UDFs.

• Units—(Optional) Change the current units.

• Ext Symbol—(Optional) Include external dimensions andparameters in the UDF.

5. Choose the Features element and Define from the dialog box.

6. Pro/ENGINEER displays the UDF FEATS menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Add—Add a feature to the UDF.

• Remove—Remove a feature from the UDF.

• Show—Highlight all the features in the UDF.

• Info—List all the features in the UDF in the InformationWindow.

7. Choose Add from the UDF FEATS menu.

8. Using the SELECT FEAT menu, select the features to add to theUDF. When you have finished, choose Done from the SELECTFEAT menu and Done/Return from the UDF FEATS menu.

9. Enter the prompts for the references used by the selectedfeatures. The system highlights each reference and asks you toenter the prompt. For example, if you enter [bottom surface ]for the highlighted surface, then when you place the UDF, thesystem will prompt you, “Select the “bottom surface.”

When you specify a prompt for a placement reference that isused by more than one feature in the UDF, the system lets youspecify either single or multiple prompts for this reference.Choose the desired option from the PROMPTS menu and thenselect Done:

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• Single—Specify a single prompt for the reference used inseveral features. When the UDF is placed, the promptappears only once, but the reference you select for thisprompt applies to all features in the group that use thesame reference.

• Multiple—Specify an individual prompt for each featurethat uses this reference. If you select Multiple, the systemhighlights each feature that uses this reference, so you canenter a different prompt for each of them.

10. After you have entered all the prompts, the system displays theMOD PRMPT and SET PROMPT menus so you can change anyprompt as follows:

• Use Next and Previous from the MOD PRMPT menu toselect the prompt you want to change, and enter the newprompt instead.

• To change a single prompt (specified for the placementreference used in several features) into multiple prompts,find a prompt that you want to change, choose Multiple,and enter an individual prompt for each feature, asprompted by the system.

11. If you are satisfied with the prompts, choose Done/Returnfrom the SET PROMPT menu.

12. The required elements in the UDF dialog box have beendefined. You can complete the creation of the UDF by choosingDone/Return from the UDF menu and then clicking OK in theUDF dialog box, or define any optional elements as described inthe following sections.

Defining Optional Elements

The following sections describe how to define optional elements forthe UDF.

Defining Variable Elements

When you create a UDF, you can specify feature elements (forexample, attributes or a section of a particular feature) that youwant to redefine when you place the UDF.

Note: As an alternative to defining variable elements, you canskip references during the placement of the UDF, andthe system will ask you to redefine the features thathave missing references.

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➤ How to Define Variable Elements in the UDF

1. Select the Var Elements element in the dialog box and clickDefine.

2. Select a feature that belongs to the UDF for which you want tospecify variable elements.

3. The system displays the SEL ELEMENT menu, which lists theelements of the selected feature. Place a check mark in front ofthe elements you want to define as variable, then choose Done.

4. When you finish selecting variable elements, choose Done Selfrom the GET SEL menu.

Creating a Family Table of UDFs

You can create a family table of UDFs by defining the FamilyTable element in the UDF dialog box. For more information oncreating family tables, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Defining Variable Dimensions

You can select dimensions that you may want to modify when youplace the UDF.

➤ How to Define Variable Dimensions in the UDF

1. Select the Var Dims element and Define in the dialog box.

2. The VAR DIMS menu appears with the following options:

• Add—Add one or more dimensions to those that arevariable. Choose the Add Dims option to select or show thedimensions, and choose Done/Return when you haveselected all the dimensions.

• Remove—Change the variable dimensions to beinvariable. Choose the Remove Dims option to select orshow the dimensions, then choose Done/Return.

• Show—Highlight all the variable dimensions in thereference color.

3. To add a variable dimension, choose Add.

4. Specify the selection method by choosing one of the options inthe ADD DIMS menu:

• Select Dim—Select one of the UDF dimensions.

• Select All—Select all the UDF dimensions.

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• Show All—Highlight all the invariable UDF dimensions inthe reference color.

5. After you have selected dimensions, choose Done/Return fromthe ADD DIMS menu.

6. If you want to remove a variable dimension, choose Removefrom the VAR DIMS menu. Specify the selection method bychoosing one of the options in the REMOVE DIMS menu:

• Select Dim—Select one of the UDF dimensions.

• Select All—Select all the UDF dimensions.

• Remove Last—Change the last variable dimensionselected to be invariable.

Select dimensions and choose Done/Return from the REMOVEDIMS menu.

7. Enter prompts for variable dimensions.

Using Pro/PROGRAM

Pro/PROGRAM is available only for subordinate UDFs.

In your Pro/PROGRAM design, include only features needed todefine the UDF. You can add any standard Pro/PROGRAM controlstatements (for details, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER).

➤ How to Activate Pro/PROGRAM in the UDF Dialog Box

1. Select the Pro/PROGRAM element in the UDF dialog box andclick Define.

2. The system displays the PROGRAM menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Show Design—Show the current design in an InformationWindow.

• Edit Design—Modify the design with the system editor.The GET INPUT menu allows you to choose the source ofvalues for the Pro/PROGRAM inputs for the model. ChooseCurrent Vals to use the current values, Enter to enternew values from the keyboard, or Read File to read in newvalues from a file.The system then adds the Pro/PROGRAMdesign for the UDF features to the model. If aPro/PROGRAM already exists in the model, the systemintegrates the changes.

Choose one of the options, then Done/Return.

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When you add an instance of a subordinate UDF on a model, thesystem copies any Pro/PROGRAM control statements that affectthe UDF features into the model, and executes the program.Pro/ENGINEER also copies INPUT statements (see theFundamentals manual). You copy relations in the same way asregular UDFs (see Required Information for UDFs on page 15 - 12).

Note: The control statements are copied only once atplacement time. They are not recopied on regeneration,even if the group is UDF-driven.

Defining External Symbols

You can define any symbols in the group relations (dimensions andparameters) that are external to the group being defined.

➤ How to Define External Symbols

1. Select the Ext Symbols element in the UDF dialog box andclick Define.

2. The system displays the EXT SYMBOLS menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Add—Add the undefined external symbols to the UDF.

• Remove—Remove the defined external symbols from theUDF.

• Modify—Modify the defined external symbols in the UDF.

• Show—Show the external symbols and their correspondingstatus in an Information Window.

3. Choose Add to add a symbol.

4. The system also displays the SEL SYMBOLS menu, which liststhe following options:

• Select—Select the symbols from a data menu.

• From Rels—Use all the external symbols in the relations.

• Enter—Enter the name of an external symbol at the inputprompt.

Choose Select.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays the EXTERNAL menu, which lists allthe external symbols in the UDF being created, along with theoptions Select All and Unsel All.

Place a check mark in front of the external symbols that shouldbe defined, then choose Done Sel from the EXTERNAL menu.

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6. Pro/ENGINEER displays the SYMBOL ACTION menu, whichlists the following options:

• Convert—Convert the external symbol to Pro/PROGRAMinput.

• Replace—Replace the symbol with an alternate symbol atthe time of group placement.

Select the action for the specified symbol, then choose Done.

7. At the prompt, enter the alternate name for the symbol.

8. For each external dimension that is being defined, the systemhighlights the external symbol in the reference part andprompts you for a new prompt to be displayed for the dimension(or parameter) when you place the group. Enter the prompt forthe external symbol.

During placement of the group, after you have resolved theplacement references, any external symbols that have beenpreviously defined in the UDF are highlighted in the reference part,one by one. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to select the alternatedimension or parameter in the target part.

External symbols that were defined with the Pro/PROGRAMConvert option during creation are converted to Pro/PROGRAMinput dimensions or parameters.

Example for Creating a UDF

The UDF in this example has a family table and variabledimensions and contains a countersunk hole. The callouts in thefigure correspond to the step numbers in the procedure.

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Countersunk Hole Feature

➤ How to Create the UDF

1. Choose UDF Library from the FEAT menu, then chooseCreate from the UDF menu.

2. Enter a name for the UDF. The name in this example isRAD_HOLES.

3. Choose Stand Alone and Done from the UDF OPTIONS menu,then reply to the prompt of whether to include a reference part.If a UDF is being created from a large part, you may want toanswer no to the prompt to save disk space. Immediately aftercreating the UDF, place the UDF on a simple part that containsthe same placement references. At this time, you can save theUDF with a reference part. In this example, the part is smalland is saved as a reference part by answering the systemprompt with yes.

4. In the dialog box, select the Var Dims element and clickDefine. Choose Add from the UDF FEATS menu.

➌

➐

head height➍

diameter➍

head half angle➍

radialplacement

➐number of holesin pattern

➐ depth

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5. Select all the features needed to define the UDF. You need toselect only one of the holes because it is part of a pattern.Choose Done, then Done/Return from the UDF FEATS menuwhen you have finished.

6. Enter the prompts for the placement references. For example,you can enter: [the axis at the center of holepattern ]. At placement time, the system prompts you to selectthe axis at the center of the hole pattern.

7. After you have entered all prompts, choose Done/Return fromthe SET PROMPT menu.

8. Use the VAR DIMS and ADD DIMS menus to select the variabledimensions. In this example, the variable dimensions selectedare the distance between holes, the depth of the hole, and thenumber of features in the pattern. Enter the prompts for thesedimensions. For example, when the pattern symbol is selected,enter the prompt “Specify the number of holes”. When the UDFis used, the user will be prompted to enter the number of holes.

9. To create a family table, select the Family Table element inthe dialog box and click Define. Choose Add Item from theFAMILY TABLE menu (see the Fundamentals manual), thenchoose Dimension from the ITEM TYPE menu. Select thedimensions to add to the table. These include the head height,hole basic diameter, and a standard offset from the referencefaces. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you to enter a symbol for thedimension in the table “[d#]: symbol-name” where d# is thedimension name, and the symbol name appears in the familytable below the corresponding dimension name. For example, inthe figure Family Table in the UDF on page 15 - 24, d8 is thedimension name corresponding to the symbol nameCHAMF_DIST.

10. Choose Edit from the FAMILY TABLE menu. When the tableappears in the editor, add the instances QUARTER_INCH,THREE_EIGHTH, and ONE_HALF. Enter the dimensionvalues for each instance. See the figure Family Table in theUDF for an illustration of a family table.

11. Choose Done/Return and Done when you have finished. Atthis time, any dimensions not entered in the family table orselected as variable dimensions are now invariable dimensions.You can modify these values by using the option Dim Values,or you can modify the generic feature or the values after theUDF is placed.

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12. Pro/ENGINEER saves the UDF in the current workingdirectory. You can copy the UDF to the library directory soothers can use it.

Family Table in the UDF

DBMS Functions with UDFs

The Dbms option in the UDF menu displays the DBMS menu,enabling you to perform standard database managementcommands specifically on UDFs. The DBMS menu lists thefollowing options:

• Save—Save the UDF to disk.

• Save As—Save a copy of the UDF under a new name.

• Backup—Save the UDF to a specific directory on disk.

• Rename—Change the name of a UDF object.

• Erase—Erase the UDF from memory.

• EraseNotDisp—Erase all the objects that are not beingdisplayed in the current session.

• Purge—Purge all previous copies from the disk.

• InstDbms—Generate an instance index file for UDF instancesregenerated and stored in the current directory. SeeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER for more information.

• Delete All—Delete the UDF from memory and disk.

Note: When you use DBMS options, consider their effects onUDFs. When UDF-driven groups are present in yourpart, renaming and deleting removes needed references.

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UDF Library Directory

Before you create a UDF, you may want to create a UDF librarydirectory. By default, Pro/ENGINEER creates the UDF in thecurrent directory. If you create a UDF library directory, make sureall users have Read access permission. When you create a UDF forgeneral use, copy the UDF files, name.gph and name_gp.prt, to thisUDF library directory.

To access the UDF library directory in Pro/ENGINEER, specify thedirectory name with the configuration file option “pro_group_dir”.

You can set up the directory tree to support the UDF libraryhierarchy. You can easily “walk through” this directory tree tosearch for a specific UDF to place on a part as a group. However,when you retrieve a part with a dependent group, the group filemust be located in the directory set by the “pro_group_dir” option.

For information on how to use family tables to create a library offeatures, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Placing a UDFWhen you place a UDF, you copy the features into your model. Thecopied features become a group.

Types of Group Created from a UDF

Groups created from a UDF can be as follows:

• Independent groups—When you place a UDF on a part, you cancreate the resulting group as being “independent” of anychanges to the UDF. The system copies all the required UDFvalues into the part, along with the UDF.

• UDF-driven groups—When you place a UDF on a part, you cancreate the resulting group as being a UDF-driven group.Changes to the fixed dimensions of the UDF cause a change tothe group when you choose Update from the GROUP menu.When a UDF is subordinate, a UDF-driven group is indirectlydriven by the original model of the UDF. When you retrieve thepart with a UDF-driven group, the variables are also updated.

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Note: UDF-driven groups update dimension values only if thefeatures included in the UDF have not changed sincethe UDF was placed. If features are added to orremoved from a UDF, updating the UDF in a modeldoes not add or remove the features. To add or removefeatures to/from a UDF, make a copy of the old UDF,rename it, and then recreate this new UDF in allmodels in which the old UDF was placed.

Changing the Group Type

If you no longer want a UDF-driven group feature to beUDF-driven, choose Disassociate from the GROUP menu. Selectthe UDF-driven groups to make independent, then chooseDone/Return when you have finished.

If, as variable elements, you redefine all the dimensions of aUDF-driven group, the group is no longer UDF-driven.Pro/ENGINEER disassociates the group and issues a messagestating it has done so.

Procedure for Placing a UDF in a Model

The following procedure explains how to place a UDF.

➤ How to Place a UDF

1. Choose Create from the FEAT menu, User Defined from theFEAT CLASS menu, and retrieve a UDF to place as a group byusing the GROUP RETRIEVE menu.

...or...

Choose Group from the FEAT menu, Create from the GROUPmenu, From UDF Lib from the CREATE GROUP menu, andretrieve a UDF using the UDF RETRIEVE menu.

2. A subordinate UDF always displays the original model. If astandalone UDF has a reference part, the system displays it ina subwindow if you answer yes to the prompt to retrieve thereference part. If the UDF has a family table, Pro/ENGINEERdisplays the RETR INST menu and the INSTANCES menu, whichlists the instances. Choose the Retr Inst option (seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER).

The following figure illustrates a UDF with a reference part.Note that the reference part is displayed in the subwindow inthe upper right corner.

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UDF to Be Used in a New Part

3. The system displays the PLACE OPTS menu. ChooseIndependent and specify a scaling option from the middleportion of the menu, or choose UDF Driven, then Done. ThePLACE OPTS menu lists the following options:

• Independent—Copy all the required UDF values into thepart to create a group that will be independent of anychanges to the UDF.

• UDF Driven—The group remains driven by the UDF. Thedimensions of a UDF-driven group update eitherautomatically whenever the model is retrieved, or when youchoose Update from the GROUP menu. Because thevariable dimensions of a group are not UDF-driven, theyare unaffected by any change to the dimensions of the UDF.In addition, variable elements are unaffected.

4. Specify the placement scale by choosing one of the options inthe SCALE menu, followed by Done. The SCALE menu optionsare as follows:

• Same Size—Keep the group the same size as when youcreated it, by rescaling the dimension values while youplace the UDF. This option converts dimensions as needed(for example, millimeters to inches). This option is availableonly when the model and the group have different units.

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• Same Dims—Keep the same numeric value for all thedimension values, regardless of any difference in units forthe model and the group. For example, the dimension 25inches will become 25 millimeters.

• User Scale—Scale all the dimensions by a scale factor youenter when prompted, but do not change the units of thegroup.

5. If the UDF you are placing has variable dimensions, enter theirvalues at the system prompt.

6. Select the display option for invariable dimensions by choosingan option from the DISP OPTION menu, followed by Done. TheDISP OPTION menu options are as follows:

• Normal—Create normal dimensions. You can then modifythese dimension values to create a unique version of thegroup.

• Read Only—Make the dimensions read-only. You candisplay them, but cannot modify them.

• Blank—Blank the dimensions so they cannot be displayedor modified in any mode. Be careful using this option. Theonly way to retrieve the dimensions is to delete the groupfeatures and place the UDF again.

7. Place the UDF by selecting placement references. When youplace the UDF, you can skip some of the placement referencesand redefine them later. As each placement prompt appears,select an action from the WHICH REF menu:

• Alternate—Select a corresponding reference by picking onthe model.

• Same—Use the current reference. This option appears onlyif the group is placed in the same model where it wasoriginally created.

• Skip—Skip the current reference and move on to the nextone. Later, you must redefine the feature that requires thecurrent reference.

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8. After you have either defined or skipped all the references, anInformation Window appears with a list of the skippedreferences. At this point you can do one of the following:

• If you want to redefine the missing references, chooseConfirm from the CONFIRMATION menu. The systemplaces you in the feature creation environment so you canredefine the feature element that uses the skippedreference. For more information, see Defining SkippedReferences on page 15 - 30.

• If you do not want to redefine the missing references, chooseCancel from the CONFIRMATION menu. The systemdisplays the GP REFS menu. Place a check mark in front ofthe references that you want to respecify and choose Done.The system brings up the SEL REF menu with theAlternate and Skip options so you can resume the processof specifying the references which you identified with thecheckmarks.

Note: The Skip option is available for features created inRelease 16.0 and later through the dialog userinterface.

9. After you complete the placement process, the GRP PLACEmenu appears with the following options:

• Redefine—Redefine the group references in the same wayas you defined them. For more information, see thefollowing section.

• Show Result—Preview the geometry.

• Info—Show the current status of the group prompts.

10. If you are satisfied with the group placement, choose Donefrom the GRP PLACE menu. The system creates the group.

Redefining the References Element

When you redefine the References element of the group feature,the GR REFS menu appears with all placement references listedaccording to their prompts. As you move the cursor across the list ofreferences (with the exception of skipped references), the systemhighlights the corresponding reference geometry in both the modelwindow and UDF subwindow. A system message reports on eachhighlighting action, explaining the colors used. Place a check markin front of the references that you want to redefine.

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Defining Skipped References

In order for the system to place the UDF correctly, you must definemissing references by using the same options that you used tospecify this reference originally. Typically, the system brings up thedialog box for the feature that uses the skipped reference. Thedialog box lists only elements with skipped references and variableelements. Each skipped element has the status comment“References are missing.” To define the skipped reference, select thecorresponding element from the feature dialog box and clickDefine.

Depending on the type of reference skipped, the procedure fordefining skipped references follows one of these scenarios:

• The skipped reference is used by an element other than asketched section

For the skipped reference, the system places you into thefeature creation environment so you can redefine the elementthat uses the skipped reference.

• The skipped reference is a sketching plane or horizontalreferences of a section

If you must redefine a sketching plane or horizontal references,the system displays the dialog box for the feature that used theskipped reference. From the dialog box, select the Sectionelement and Define. Choose Sketch Plane from the SECTIONmenu and define it as appropriate.

• The skipped reference is used by a section (other than asketching plane or horizontal reference)

If you must redefine a section reference (for example, edgesused as dimensioning references), the system displays thedialog box for the feature that used the skipped reference.Select the Section element and Define from the dialog box.Choose the Sketch option from the SECTION menu; the partreappears in the sketching view, and the SECTION PLACEmenu appears with the following options:

– DragAndDrop—Place the existing UDF section directly onthe part by using the drag-and-drop technique. After youselect this option, a red outline of the section, attached tothe cursor, appears on the screen. Using the mouse, movethe section to its new location and place it by pressing theleft mouse button. Dimension the section to the part andregenerate it. To quit section placement, press the middlemouse button.

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Note: The DragAndDrop option is not available for thesections that are either fully aligned to part geometry orcreated with the Use Edge option.

– Create New—Discard the existing UDF section and createa new section. Confirm your intent by choosing Confirm.The SKETCH menu appears and you can sketch a newsection.

When you redefine a missing reference used by several features,consider the following:

• If the skipped reference has a single prompt for all features, youmust redefine this reference for each feature where it is used.For example, if you use an edge to place a hole and a cut, andyou have set up a single prompt for both features, you mustreselect the reference edge for both the hole and the cut if youskip the edge reference when you place the group.

• If the skipped reference has individual prompts for all features,you must redefine this reference only for the feature where itwas skipped.

Failed Regeneration

When placement of a UDF fails because of incorrect references, youcan either redefine the failed features or place the UDFincompletely by including only the fully defined or successfulfeatures. If you place an incomplete UDF, the excluded (orincomplete) features are still listed as group members in the ModelTree; however, they are marked as incomplete. When you redefinethe incomplete group to specify missing feature references—theproperly redefined features will appear in the group.

Note: When a fully defined feature fails during placement,you can leave the group incomplete.

➤ How to Resolve the Placement Failure

1. When the UDF placement fails, the system brings up theFAILED FEAT menu and shows the reason for failure in theMessage window.

2. Select an option from the FAILED FEAT menu, followed byDone. The options are:

• INFO—Obtain information about the features that couldnot be placed and reasons for failure. For example, “Feature#12 (protrusion) failed regeneration. Could not determinefeature depth.”

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• Incomplete—Make the failed feature incomplete, andplace the group without regenerating that feature.

• Clip Incomplete—Make the failed and all subsequentfeatures incomplete, and place the group withoutregenerating these features.

• Redefine UDF—Redefine the group so all of its featurescan be placed.

3. The GRP PLACE menu appears so you can continue with thegroup placement.

Feature and Dimension Names in a Group

After you place the UDF in a new part, the system gives new namesto the group’s parameters according to the consecutive sequence ofdimension numbers of the part. If the UDF has features ordimensions with user-defined names, these names will be preservedin the resulting group. If these names already exist in thedestination model, the system places the group using defaultnames.

You can view the original parameter names by choosing Info, FeatInfo—the original names appear in parentheses next to the newparameter names.

Local GroupsLocal groups differ from the groups defined from UDFs (see Placinga UDF on page 15 - 25) in the following ways:

• You cannot replace local groups.

• When you create a local group, you do not give placementreferences. Local groups provide the only way to collect severalfeatures to pattern in one operation as if they were a singlefeature.

When you create a local group, you must select the features in theconsecutive sequential order of the regeneration list. A quick way todo this is to select the intended group by range (see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER). If there are features between the specifiedfeatures in the regeneration list, Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want

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to group all the features in between. If you do not want to groupsome of the features within the sequential order, first reorder thefeatures. For example, you can select features 2, 3, and 4, but youcannot select features 2, 3, and 17. In this case, reorder feature 17to feature 4.

Features that are already in other groups cannot be grouped again.

➤ How to Create a Local Group

1. Choose Create from the GROUP menu and Local Group fromthe CREATE GROUP menu.

2. Select each feature to include in the local group.

...or...

Select the starting and ending features. Choose Done.

3. Answer yes to the prompt asking if you want to group all thefeatures in between. If you answer no to this prompt, thesystem does not create the local group.

Operations on a GroupAfter you place a UDF on a part, all features that were copied fromthat UDF become a group. The following feature operations treatgroups as a single feature:

• Suppress

• Delete

• Layer

• Group/Pattern

• Ungroup

Note: To pattern a group with external references inAssembly mode, the parent assembly must be insession.

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Selecting a Group by Name

For operations such as Replace, Pattern, Unpattern, andUngroup, you can select a group from the Model Tree, or you canuse the Sel By Menu option in the GET SELECT menu. When youchoose Sel By Menu, the SEL OPTIONS menu appears with thefollowing options:

• Group—Select the group name from the Group Names dialogbox. When you move the cursor over a group name in the dialogbox, the group will highlight on the screen.

• Features—Select the group by its ID, number, or name fromthe SPECIFY BY menu. You can also select the last featureusing this menu.

Replacing a Group

After you placed the UDF, you can replace it with another one thathas the same number of references and lists them in the samesequence. When you replace the group, the system suppresses theoriginal group and keeps it in the model. The suppressed groups areavailable for selection when you replace the group next time.Children of the suppressed group are suppressed with the group.For example, when you replace a patterned group, the patternbecomes inactive, and it becomes active when the original group isreplaced back.

In a group defined from a UDF that has a family table, you canreplace any instance with any other instance of the same familytable.

Note the following restrictions:

• Both groups must have the same number of prompts, type, andorder of references. For example, a group that uses a linearlyplaced hole cannot be replaced with a group that uses a radiallyplaced hole; one has two references to edges or surfaces forlinear dimensions, the other has one reference to axis forrotational center and one reference to the edge or surface forangular dimension. These are not compatible. See ReplacementConditions on page 15 - 35 for more information.

• Groups with suppressed children cannot be replaced.

• Local groups cannot be replaced.

See the Assembly Modeling User’s Guide for information oncreating an interchangeable group.

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Replacement Procedure

Each time a group is replaced, Pro/ENGINEER keeps track of thegroup being replaced as it becomes inactive and adds it to a list ofinactive groups.

➤ How to Replace One Group With Another, or Replace a GroupWith an Instance From a Family Table

1. From the GROUP menu, choose Replace.

2. Select the group feature to replace in the part using the SELECTFEAT menu.

3. Select the new UDF to place on the part to replace the groupselected in Step 2. Choose Retrieve or Search/Retr to retrievea new UDF for placement, or choose PrevReplaced to selectfrom the namelist of the groups that has been previouslyreplaced.

Note: If the group is table-driven, you must also select aninstance.

4. If the old and new groups are interchangeable, the systemproceeds with the selections for scale and variable dimensions(if any).

5. If any features reference the group, the CHILD menu appears,which allows you to reroute, delete, suspend, or suppress thechild feature. In this case, the Suppress option means thatPro/ENGINEER will make the child feature inactive, alongwith the group being replaced. As soon as you place the groupback, the system resumes the child feature.

6. The replaced group and its children (if suppressed) becomeinactive.

Replacement Conditions

The system always attempts replacement for group instances thatare from the same family table. The following examples illustratewhen the system attempts replacement for groups that are notmembers of the same table, or that do not have a defined table.

The system attempts replacement when the types of references aresimilar. For example, the existing group has the followingreferences and prompts:

edge—“left edge”

surface—“place surface”

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axis—“Axis”

If the replacement group has the following references and prompts,Pro/ENGINEER replaces the groups:

edge—“left edge”

surface—“place surface”

axis—“axis”

Replacement is not possible when the types of references aredifferent. For example, the existing group has the followingreferences and prompts:

edge—“right”

surface—“left”

If the replacement group has the following references and prompts,Pro/ENGINEER does not replace the groups:

edge—“right”

edge—“left”

Deleting a Replacement Group

Deleting the active group from the part deletes all the associatedgroups.

Patterning a Group

You can pattern groups created from UDFs and local groups usingPattern from the GROUP menu.

You can select all the dimensions in the selected group, except thoseused to create a feature pattern within the group, as incrementaldimensions. When you create a patterned group, one memberrepresents the whole group. When regenerating, however,Pro/ENGINEER regenerates all the features individually.

➤ How to Pattern a Group

1. Choose Pattern from the GROUP menu.

2. Using the SELECT FEAT menu, select the group to be patterned.

3. Create a pattern as described in the Patterning Featureschapter.

4. Specify the variable dimensions, increments, and number ofinstances.

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When you pattern or copy a group, be careful which placementdimensions you select to increment or vary. If a feature in a groupreferences another for placement (for example, a chamferreferences the edge of a hole), you need to change only theplacement dimensions of the referenced feature (see the followingfigure).

Patterning or Copying a Group

If you place features in a group separately, you must change theplacement dimensions of each member; otherwise, features withunchanged dimensions will have several copies superimposed oneach other.

As mentioned in Setting Up the Sketching Plane on page 4 - 3, afeature created using the Use Prev option (to select sketching andreference planes) has its own dimension if the previous sectionplane has one. To pattern a group that includes this feature, youmust select and modify these dimensions.

Using the Group Menu

Another way to copy features quickly, without having to specify allthe references is to combine the GROUP menu options LocalGroup, Pattern, Unpattern, and Ungroup.

➤ How to Copy Features Using the GROUP Menu Options

1. Choose Pattern from the GROUP menu.

2. Select the group to be patterned.

3. Specify the variable dimensions, increments, and number ofinstances.

Select placement dimensionsof the hole.

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4. Choose Unpattern to remove the pattern setting for a familytable generic part, then select the pattern.

5. Choose Ungroup to disassemble the groups into individualfeatures and select each group instance.

Rules to Remember

Remember the following rules when you work with groups andpatterns:

• If the features of a group reference a pattern, you can create apattern of the group referencing that base pattern (that is, agroup reference pattern).

• If patterned groups are unpatterned, each group memberbehaves like a group of copied features. For dimension patterns,variable dimensions again become variable dimensions and canbe modified individually. Other dimensions are still shared bythe group unless you ungroup them and make themindependently modifiable using the Make Indep option (seeMaking Dependent Copied Features Independent onpage 15 - 11). You can delete an individual group to create anirregular pattern-like setting.

• You cannot ungroup patterned groups. You must firstunpattern the groups, then ungroup them. The process ofunpatterning and ungrouping features does not automaticallygive them individual dimensions. The original parentdimensions selected for the group and pattern still control allthe features. To make them independently modifiable, use theMake Indep option (see the Modifying the Part chapter).

• You cannot pattern a feature that belongs to a group pattern.The workaround is to modify the number of group members toone, pattern the feature, then pattern the group again.

• If you redefined a feature in a group pattern, the system willrecreate the pattern and assign new id’s to pattern instances.Children of the original pattern members will fail because theylost their references.

• When you replace a patterned group, the pattern becomesinactive.

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Mirroring the ModelAll the geometry of a part can be mirrored at one time using theMirror Geom option in the FEAT menu. This is similar to copyinggeometry by reference. The Mirror Geom option creates a mergefeature—the mirrored geometry merged with the original geometry.Dimensions of a merge feature cannot be shown in drawings. Toshow the dimensions of features that are created by mirroring andcopying, create the features instead using Copy, Mirror, and AllFeat (see Copying Features by Mirror on page 15 - 8).

➤ How to Mirror All Geometry at One Time and Create a MergeFeature

1. Choose Mirror Geom from the FEAT menu.

2. Select a plane about which to mirror.

Mirroring Part Geometry

Note: Mirroring coordinate systems follows the right handrule. Pro/ENGINEER mirrors the x- and y-axes of thecoordinate system appropriately, then determines theZ-axis.

Cut added after mirror

Mirror plane

Mirror plane

Original part

16 - 1

16Modifying the Part

You can modify a part by simply revising its dimension values orunits, or you can redefine the way in which the part is built. Thischapter describes all the ways you can make changes to a part.

Topic Page

Read-Only Features 16 - 2

Modifying Dimensions 16 - 2

Modifying Points in a Datum Point Array 16 - 9

Modifying Features 16 - 11

Redefining Features 16 - 14

Redefining Datum Features 16 - 25

Inserting Features 16 - 34

Reordering Features 16 - 35

Suppressing and Resuming Features 16 - 36

Deleting Features 16 - 39

Rerouting Features 16 - 40

Simplified Representations 16 - 42

Changing Part Accuracy 16 - 51

16 - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Read-Only FeaturesYou may want to ensure that certain features cannot be modified ata later time. You can protect such features by declaring them to beread- only using the Read Only option from the Feat menu. Thedimensions, attributes, scheme, and so on of read-only featurescannot be modified and will not be regenerated when the part isregenerated. However, you can add features to the part thatintersect the read-only features.

When you make a feature read-only, Pro/ENGINEER makes it, andall the features that came before it in the regeneration list,read-only.

➤ How to Make a Read-Only Feature

1. Choose Feature from the PART menu.

2. Choose Read Only from the FEAT menu.

3. To select features to make them read only, choose one of thefollowing options from the R-ONLY FEAT menu:

• Select—Pick a feature to make it and all previous featuresread only.

• Feat Num—Enter a feature external identifier to make itand all previous features read-only.

• All Feat—Make all features read-only.

• Clean—Remove the read-only setting from the features.

Modifying DimensionsTo modify dimensions, choose Modify then Value from theMODIFY menu and select a feature. The system displays all thedimensions associated with the specified feature. If you pick anedge that is shared by two features while you are using the QuerySel option, the system highlights the associated features in turn.The system displays the Confirm menu, which lets you step backand forth through the highlighted features to accept the ones youwant.

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Notes:

• Assembly features that are visible in Part mode do notcontain dimensions unless the assembly in which they werecreated is also in session. See the Using Assembly Featuresin Part Mode section in the Assembly Operations chapter inthe Assembly Modeling User’s Guide for more information.

• If you created a feature using the commands Copy,Dependent, modifying the original feature changes thecopied feature.

• When you select a mirror copy of a feature to modify, thesystem displays the dimensions and section on the originalfeature.

Modifying Dimension Values

To modify dimension values, choose Modify from the Part menu,and enter a new number or a relation. When you have completed allthe changes, choose Regenerate to recalculate the part using thenew dimension values.

Because Pro/ENGINEER supports the use of negative dimensions,the value you enter depends on the displayed sign of the dimension.Normally, the system displays all dimensions as positive values,and entering a negative value tells Pro/ENGINEER to create thesection geometry to the opposite side. However, when theconfiguration file option “show_dim_sign” is set to “yes”, the systemtakes your input literally. For example, if the current displayedvalue is negative, entering another negative number increases ordecreases the value for the section on the same side. Entering apositive value causes the geometry to flip.

Notes:

• You cannot change the direction of feature creation byentering a negative number. To redefine the direction of thefeature, use the Redefine option.

• Dimensions created with respect to coordinate systems anddatum point offsets display the negative or positive value,even if the option “show_dim_sign” is set to “no”.

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The following table lists the dimensions and the correspondingranges of valid values.

Modifying the Number of Decimal Places of Dimensions

The default number of decimal places for dimensions is two. Toincrease the precision of a particular dimension, enter a new valuewith the desired precision.

➤ How to Decrease the Precision of a Particular Dimension

1. Turn the tolerances on, if desired, by choosing Display Tolfrom the ENVIRONMENT menu.

2. Choose Modify, DimCosmetics, Format.

3. Choose Nominal from the DIM FORMAT menu, then pick adimension. Its tolerance display changes to nominal.

4. To modify the number of decimal places to display for one ormore dimensions (including reference dimensions), chooseNum Digits from the DIM COSMETIC menu. Enter the numberof significant digits (the default value is 2 for non-angulardimensions, and 1 for angular dimensions).

5. Select the dimensions whose display is to be changed.

You can also set the default number of digits using theconfiguration file option “default_dec_places”, with a value in therange 0 to 14.

Note: Modifying the number of decimal places for a dimensionrounds the value of the dimension.

Dimension Type Range

Tolerance values -1e5 to +1e5

External angular dimensions(placement)

-360˚ to +360˚

Internal angular dimensions 0˚ < angle < 359.99˚

Dimensions that cannot be negative 0 < value < +1e5

All others -1e5 to +1e5

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Modifying Tolerance Values

When working with tolerances, you can modify the following:

• Tolerance format—Use the options Modify, DimCosmetics,Format.

• Default tolerance values—Use the options Modify, Value.These values appear in the lower right of the Main Window.

• Global default tolerance settings—Use the appropriate optionsin your configuration file.

• Individual tolerance values for selected dimensions—Use theoptions Modify, Value.

For detailed information on dimension tolerances, see theFundamentals manual.

Adding Text to a Dimension

The Text option from the DIM COSMETIC menu allows you to addtext to a dimension value (for example, “diameter”, “ref”, and “typ”),as well as special symbols.

➤ How to Add Text

1. Choose Text from the DIM COSMETIC menu.

2. Pick the dimension to which to add the text.

3. Enter the text. You can enter several lines of text, but each linemust end with ENTER.

For more information on text fonts and special characters, seethe section Entering Special Symbols in the Drawing Noteschapter in the Drawing User’s Guide.

To place the dimension within the text at other than the start ofthe line, enter [@D] where you want to locate the dimensionwhen you are typing the text.

4. To complete the text string, follow the last line with twocarriage returns, just as with text notes.

You can also define your own special fonts and symbols (for moreinformation, see the Installation and Administration Guide).

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Modifying Dimension Symbols

The Symbol option in the DIM COSMETIC menu allows you torename the symbolic name of a dimension. For example, you canchange the symbol for the diameter of the hole from d8 to hole_dia.

➤ How to Change a Dimension Symbol

1. Choose Symbol from the DIM COSMETIC menu.

2. Pick the symbolic dimension to be renamed.

3. Enter the desired text followed by enter. If you select a symbolicdimension and you press ENTER for the text input, thesymbolic dimension remains unchanged.

Notes:

• When you change a dimension symbol, the system updatesany relations or family tables that use that symbol.

• Pattern symbols cannot be modified. If you must name thesymbol, use a parameter and establish a relation, settingthe pattern symbol to the appropriately named parameter.See Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER for more information.

• You cannot modify the name of a tolerance symbol. Forexample, if you have a dimension d0 with tolerances +p0and +m0, you cannot modify the name of +p0 or +m0.

Making Copied Feature Dimensions Independent

When you create a feature by copying another feature using theoption Dependent (see The Copy Feature Menu on page 15 - 3), allthe dimensions of the parent feature (except those selected asvariable when copying by References) become shared between theparent feature and its copy. If you modify the value of a shareddimension, both features change simultaneously.

The Make Indep option in the MODIFY menu allows you to makeany shared dimension (including the number of pattern instances)of the copied feature independent from that of the parent feature.The MAKE INDEP menu contains the following options:

• Dimension—Select the dimensions that the copied featureshares with its parent to make them independent of the parentfeature.

• Section—Pick a copied feature to make its section independentfrom its parent feature.

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➤ How to Make a Shared Dimension Independent

1. Choose Modify, then Make Indep.

2. Select a copied feature. The system displays all the dimensionsof the features. If you copied the feature using Dependent, thesystem displays the dimensions on the parent feature.

3. Select a shared dimension to make independent. Once youselect a dimension, the system highlights all the features thatshare the dimension in yellow.

4. Select the features that are to have that dimensionindependent.

5. Choose Done Sel when you have finished. Once a dimension ismade independent, modifying it for one of the features does notaffect another feature.

Modifying the Dimension Format

The system can display dimensions in decimal or fractional format.You can specify configuration file options to cause the system toautomatically use one format or the other. If you want to convertonly a few dimensions to the other format, use the Fraction andDecimal options from the FORMAT menu.

When converting to fractions, remember the following:

• The system prompts you for the value of the largest allowabledenominator. Valid denominators are the numbers that thelargest denominator can be divided evenly by.

• A fraction is separated with a hyphen. When you enter fractionvalues, always enter them as “#+#/#”, such as 1+5/8.

When converting to decimals, remember that Pro/ENGINEER usesthe current number of digits of each selected dimension. Normally,a fraction to decimal conversion is exact. However, if the currentnumber of digits is too small, the system truncates and changes thevalue. For all exact conversions, you need a maximum of five digitsonly.

You can mark approximate fractional dimensions driven by arelation by setting the “mark_approximate_dims” configurationoption.

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➤ How to Convert a Dimension From One Format to Another

1. Choose the options Modify, DimCosmetics, and Format.

2. Select what you want as a result of the conversion, Decimal orFraction.

3. Select any number of dimensions to convert. You can convertfraction to fraction, decimal to fraction, and so on.

4. Choose Done Sel when you have finished.

5. If you are converting to fractions, enter the denominator youwant.

Note: The specified denominator overrides any value set forthe “dim_fraction_denominator” option in theconfiguration file.

Modifying Dimension Locations

The following procedure explains how to move a dimension.

➤ How to Move a Dimension

1. Choose Move Dim from the DIM COSMETIC menu.

2. Pick on the feature to display the dimensions, then select thedimension to be moved. Pick the new location with the leftmouse button. The dimension, the extension lines, and theleader lines automatically adjust to the new location.

3. You can repeat this option simply by picking another dimensionto be moved, then placing it in the new location.

Moving Dimension Text and Datum Name Text

The Move Dim option moves both the dimension and its text to anynew location. The Move Text option is actually a special case of theMove Dim option for dimensions, allowing movement of thedimension text only.

➤ How to Move Dimension Text

1. Choose Modify, DimCosmetics, then Move Text.

2. Pick the dimension text to be moved, and pick a new location forthe text. The dimension moves only with respect to its leaderline.

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➤ How to Move the Text of Datum Planes and Coordinate Systems

1. Choose Modify, then Move Datum.

2. Pick the datum plane name text to be moved, then pick a newlocation. The system displays the name with a leader lineattached to the corner where the text originally appeared.

Note: Datum text cannot be moved when the datum is normalto the screen (appearing as a line).

Switching Dimension Arrowheads

You use the Flip Arrows option from the DIM COSMETIC menu totoggle the display of arrowheads between inside and outside theextension lines (see the following figure).

Modifying Points in a Datum Point ArrayIf you want to modify only a few points in the array,Pro/ENGINEER lets you display those dimensions and pick themfrom the model. If you want to modify many points, you can eitherdisplay and select them from the model, or modify the array byediting a file.

Flip Arrows

16 - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Modify a Datum Point Within an Array

1. Choose Modify and pick on a datum point name.Pro/ENGINEER highlights the whole array and thecorresponding coordinate system in red, and highlights theselected point name in yellow.

2. The system displays the MOD ARR OPT menu, which has thefollowing options:

• Show Dim—Display the coordinates of the selected datumpoint (or all the datum points in the array) and select eachdimension you want to modify. To display the dimensions,choose from the following:

- Single—Display the dimensions of the selected pointonly.

- All—Display the dimensions of all the points in thearray.

• Table—Modify the whole array using the array table. Thesystem displays the MOD ARR TBL menu, which has thefollowing options:

- Enter Points—Enter coordinates of the datum pointsby typing in the Message Window.

- Edit Points—Modify the coordinates of the datumpoints by editing the array table. Pro/ENGINEER putsyou in the system editor and saves the array table todisk before displaying it for editing. You can edit thetable many times between regenerations. After eachedit, the system indicates the new positions of thepoints using white X’s. On regeneration, the systemdisplays datum points in yellow, with their names.

- Input—Add datum points to the current array byentering the name of a file containing their X, Y, and Zcoordinates. The system adds new coordinates at theend of the current array table. (This operation does notsave the array table to disk.)

- Output—Save the array table to disk.

- Show—Display the array table in the InformationWindow.

3. Choose Done/Return from the PNT ARR TBL menu.

4. Choose Regenerate to see the changes.

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Note: You cannot add or delete datum points if the datumpoint array is used in a pipe feature (see Pipe onpage 7 - 22).

Modifying FeaturesThis section describes how to modify features, including featurenames.

Modifying Feature Names

You can give names to all features, which makes selecting themeasier. For example, you could name an alignment hole forassembly “align_hole_1”. When you use the Sel By Menu option,the system displays this name in the namelist menu.

Notes:

• You cannot change the names of family table instances.

• Names can contain up to 31 characters. They cannotinclude spaces.

➤ How to Change a Feature Name

1. Choose Name from the SETUP menu and select one of thefollowing options:

• Feature—Name or rename all features, including datumpoints.

• Other—Name datum axes that were created as part ofanother feature (such as a hole), curve segments making upcomposite curves, datum points, surface features, andfeature edges.

2. Pick the feature or axis to be modified.

3. Enter the new name.

Note: If a datum point array feature contains a single pointonly, the name of the point and the name of the featureare identical.

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Modifying Features with Multiple Sections

You can modify sweeps, non-parallel blends, and advanced formfeatures (such as Var Sec Swp and Helical Swp) using all thebasic methods. The difference in the procedure is how you select thesections or profiles and how the system displays them formodification. When you select one of these features using theModify or Redefine/Section option, the system displays the SELSECTION and SPECIFY menus. The SPECIFY menu lists all thesections in the feature. The SEL SECTION menu lists the followingoptions:

• Select—Select the approximate location of the section tomodify. The system selects the closest section to the pick,moving in the direction towards the first section.

• All—Display the dimensions for all the sections and trajectoriesin the feature.

• Specify—Select the section from a namelist. They are titled“Trajectory #” and “Section #” in the menu. Select as manysections and trajectories for which want to display thedimensions for, then choose Done.

Select the option you want and proceed with modifying the feature.

Note the following:

• The system displays general blend sections, other than the firstsection, in a subwindow.

• You can modify rotation angles for all blend sections except thefirst. The first section is fixed in the sketching plane.

• To move the complete blend feature at one time, modify thelocation of the coordinate system relative to the part. If you didnot use the coordinate system to locate the dimensions, useRedefine/Scheme to change the dimensioning scheme of thecoordinate system.

Modifying Merged and Cutout Reference Part

The following procedure explains how to modify a merged or cutoutfeature created with the Reference option. When you modify amerged or cutout part, the change is reflected in the reference partand the merged part.

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➤ How to Modify the Dimensions of the Reference Part Through theMerge or Cutout Feature

1. Choose Modify from the PART menu.

2. Use Query Sel to select the merge feature.

3. The system highlights the feature, but does not display anydimensions. This is the merge feature itself.

4. Continue to choose Next from the CONFIRM menu until thesystem displays the name of the reference part. Choose Accept.

5. Pro/ENGINEER displays the reference part dimensions formodification. Once you modify the dimensions, the referencepart updates, and these changes are propagated to the mergefeature.

Modifying the Line Style of a Datum Curve

You can change the line style of datum curves.

➤ How to Change the Line Style Attributes

1. Choose Modify, then Line Style from the MODIFY menu.

2. Select the curve whose attributes you want to modify.

3. The system displays the Line Style dialog box (see the followingfigure).

Line Style Dialog Box

The Line Style dialog box is divided into three sections: CopyFrom, Attributes, and command buttons.

The Copy From section contains the following text boxes:

• Style—Allows you to set the line style name by selectingfrom a list of existing line style names.

• Existing Line—Allows you to use Select Line... to select anexisting line.

The line style Attributes section contains the following textboxes:

16 - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Line Font—Allows you to set a line font by selecting from alist of all available line fonts.

• Color—Allows you to set the color of selected lines. Thesystem displays the Color dialog box.

• The command buttons for the dialog box are as follows:

• Apply—Applies the line style (as defined in the dialog box)to the selected lines. It does not close the dialog box.

• Cancel—If you did not make a change and did not selectApply, this option closes the dialog box without makingany changes. If you select this button after you make achange and select Apply, it changes to Close and closes thedialog box without making further changes.

• Reset—Resets the dialog box controls to their initial values.If you select Apply immediately after you select Reset, thesystem resets all the selected lines to the style they hadbefore you selected the Modify option.

See Drawing Notes chapter in the Drawing User’s Guide for adetailed description of how to use the Line Style dialog box.

Redefining FeaturesThe Redefine option in the FEAT menu allows you to change how afeature is created. The types of changes you can make depend onthe selected feature. For example, if a feature was created using asection, you can redefine the section, feature references, and so on.

Note: After redefining, features with no external referenceregenerate starting from the first modified feature,which can be other than the feature being redefined orrerouted. In calculating where to begin regenerationduring the redefining operations, Pro/ENGINEER doesnot consider features with an external reference. Forexample, if you modify feature 10, then redefine feature15, the regeneration begins with feature 10.

Pro/ENGINEER recreates the feature using the new featuredefinitions. When you redefine the feature sections, you may needto redefine or reroute any child feature whose reference edge orsurface was replaced. If you make any changes to the feature thatcause the feature redefinition to abort, you enter the Resolveenvironment (see Resolving Feature Failureson page 17 - 2).

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When you use the Redefine option for a feature that was createdusing the options Copy, Mirror, and Dependent, the systemissues a warning message stating that the selected feature is adependent copy of the highlighted feature. If you choose Continuefrom the WAITING menu, the system displays the Redefine menuwith the options Attribute, Direction, Section, and Depth. Forexample, if you choose Section after you select the options toredefine, the system asks for confirmation because the section ofthe selected feature will become independent.

When you preview the redefinition, the system removes the featuregeometry and creates temporary geometry for your changes. Whenyou exit from the user interface, the system regenerates the part.

If you quit the redefinition of a feature, Pro/ENGINEER attemptsto restore the part to its original state, without regenerating thegeometry of the model. After you have redefined certain partfeatures, if you quit the redefinition, the system must stillregenerate the geometry of later features.

Redefining Features with Elements

You redefine features with elements using the following procedure.

➤ How to Redefine a Feature That Has Elements

1. Choose the option Redefine from the FEAT menu.

2. Pick the feature to be redefined.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the feature definition dialog box,which lists each element and its current value. Double-click theelement or select the element and click Define.

4. Pro/ENGINEER prompts you for the information needed toredefine the element. See Feature Creation Basics on page 5 - 1and Construction Features on page 7 - 1 for information on thespecific elements for a particular feature.

Redefining Features with No Elements

The following procedure explains how to redefine features withoutelements.

➤ How to Redefine Features That Have No Elements

1. Choose the option Redefine from the FEAT menu.

2. Choose the feature to be redefined.

16 - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

3. The system displays the REDEFINE toggle menu, which liststhe following options:

• Attributes—Retrieve and redefine the feature attributes.

• Direction—Redefine the direction in which the feature iscreated, relative to the sketching plane.

• Section—Redefine the feature section sketches using theSECTION submenu options:

- Sketch Plane—Redefine the sketching plane andenter Sketcher mode to define the section.

- Sketch—Enter Sketcher mode to redefine this section.

- Scheme—Enter Sketcher mode to redefine thedimensioning scheme.

- Flip—Change the side to which material is added orremoved.

- References—Respecify the placement references of thefeature (such as Until, From, and To surfaces),removing edges from a round definition, and so on.

- Boundaries—Resize the selected surface.

- Scheme—Change the dimensioning scheme withoutrevising the feature section so there is no chance youcould delete entities referenced by other features.

- Curves—Redefine curves created from file (see DatumCurves from File on page 16 - 26).

- Pattern—Redefine the pattern type and the patternincrement options. See Redefining Patterns onpage 16 - 16 for more information.

- Style Curves—Redefine a scan curve feature or scancurves of a blended surface.

Note: Not all options are available for all features.

Redefining Patterns

You can redefine the type and increment of a pattern.

➤ How to Access Tools for Redefining the Pattern

1. Select Feature, Redefine.

2. Select any member of the pattern.

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3. For pattern members that normally use a dialog box, thecorresponding feature creation dialog box appears. Select thePattern element and click on Define.

For pattern members that do not use the dialog box interface,the REDEFINE menu appears; choose the Pattern option fromthe menu.

4. The system displays the REDEF PATT menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• Pat Options—Redefine the type of pattern (identical,varying, or general).

• Pat Incr Type—Specify whether a pattern dimension iscontrolled by a value or a relation (see the procedure below).

• To Table—Convert the pattern to a table-driven pattern(that is, a pattern with variable dimensions controlled by atable). You cannot redefine a table-driven pattern to becomevalue- or relation-driven. The system prompts you to namethe table.

➤ How to Specify the Increment Type of a Pattern Dimension

1. Choose Pat Incr Type.

2. Select the direction for the dimension that you want to redefine.Choose First Dir for the first direction, or Second Dir for thesecond direction.

3. Select the pattern-driving dimension to redefine from the list inthe DRIVER DIMS menu. The system displays the REDEF INCRmenu, which lists the following options:

• To Value—Control the incremental dimension with asingle value. If you choose this option, the system promptsyou for an incremental value and deletes the relations thatapply to the dimension.

• To Relation—Control the incremental dimension with arelation. If you choose this option, the system displays theMOD PATT REL menu, which allows you to add relations forthe dimension.

4. Pro/ENGINEER dims the menu option corresponding to thecurrent status of the dimension. Choose the new option.

If a patterned feature fails regeneration because its parentreference entity has become unusable, the system prompts you todelete the pattern, or abort its redefinition. Pro/ENGINEER warnsyou in advance, however, if you are about to modify a feature that isreferenced by others, such as a pattern.

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Redefining Sections

When you redefine a section, you can resketch any portion of thesection. When you are about to delete an entity that is referencedby another feature, the system asks for confirmation. You canrespond in one of the following ways:

• “Yes”—The system suspends the child feature, and regenerationmay fail after you have redefined the parent. If regenerationfails, Pro/ENGINEER enters the Resolve environment. Formore information, see Resolving Feature Failures onpage 17 - 2.

• “No” (carriage return)—The entity will not be deleted. You canthen replace the sketched entity with another entity, therebykeeping the reference that the child feature needs.

• Abort the section redefine—Reroute or modify the scheme of thechild feature so that the section redefinition is successful.

Note: Redefining the section of a copied feature issynonymous with redefining its parent. When youattempt to redefine a copy, Pro/ENGINEER displaysthe section used to define the parent.

Replacing Section Entities

Instead of resketching a section entity, you can replace it withanother one by using the Replace command in the GEOM TOOLSmenu. This allows the new entity to keep the id of the original oneand to preserve any data (for example, geometric tolerances) thatmay be associated with the original entity.

The following procedure explains how to replace a sketched entitywith another one.

➤ How to Replace One Sketched Entity With Another

1. Sketch the entity that will be used to replace the currentsection entity. You can replace existing entities with newentities only. (When an entity is split using Intersect, one partof the entity is old, and the other is new—and can be used toreplace another entity of the section).

2. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu, then Replace.

3. Select the existing entity to be replaced.

4. Select the new entity. The system deletes the old entity and anydimensions associated with it. You cannot restore the deletedentity or its dimensions.

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Note: You can intersect or fillet all entities except circleswithout losing the children.

In the following example, one entity with children is being deleted,and two entities with children are being intersected. When anentity is intersected, one part of it retains the old entity identifier,and the other part gets a new identifier. To retain the children, youcan use this new entity to replace the old one.

You can also replace a dimension by choosing Dimension >Replace (see Replacing a Dimension on page 2 - 38).

In the following example, entities 1 and 3 have children. Instead ofdeleting them, you can replace 1 with 2 and 3 with 5 in order topreserve children of the entities 1 and 3.

Modification Example

Redefining Text Sections

You can redefine features that were created using the Sketcher textjust as any other features of the same type. Redefining the sectionallows you to edit the text, modify the font, and so on. SeeModifying Text Entities on page 2 - 61 for more information onchanging the text style attributes of Sketcher text.

Adding or Replacing Sections in Blends

You can add or remove a section when you are redefining a parallelor non-parallel blend. You cannot add or remove sections for sweptblends. Pro/ENGINEER renumbers all blend sections as necessaryafter you have added or removed one or more sections.

1

23

2 4

Step 4: Intersect 3 and 4 with 2.Step 5: Delete 3 and 4. You are notified that3 has children. Answer “no”.

3

5

Step 1: Sketch 2.Step 2: Replace 1 with 2.Step 3: Delete 1.

New line

Old section

Step 6: Replace 3 with 5.Step 7: Delete 3 and new entity ends.

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For a parallel blend subsection, deleting all entities in thesubsection automatically removes it. To add a new subsection,toggle to an empty subsection and sketch. If the total number ofsubsections changes, you must enter all the required depth valuesagain.

➤ How to Remove a Section of a Parallel Blend

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and choose the blendfeature. The system displays the feature creation dialog box.

2. Select the Section attribute, then click Define.Pro/ENGINEER displays the SECTION menu.

3. Choose Sketch from the SECTION menu. The system displaysthe SKETCHER menu and displays the blend subsections on themodel.

4. Use the SEC TOOLS menu Toggle option to toggle to thesubsection that you want to remove.

5. To delete the subsection, delete all the sketcher entities thatcomprise it.

6. When you have finished, choose Regenerate to solve thesection.

7. Choose Done. The system prompts you to enter new values forthe distance between each section.

8. Click OK in the dialog box to regenerate the blend feature.

➤ How to Add a Section of a Parallel Blend

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and choose the blendfeature. The system displays the feature creation dialog box.

2. Select the Section attribute, then click Define.Pro/ENGINEER displays the SECTION menu.

3. Choose Sketch from the SECTION menu. The system displaysthe SKETCHER menu and displays the blend subsections on themodel.

4. Toggle to a blank subsection.

5. Choose Sketch, and sketch the entities for the new subsection.

6. Regenerate the sketch. Choose Done from the SKETCHERmenu.

7. Enter the depth between each blend section.

8. Click OK in the dialog box to regenerate the feature.

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➤ How to Redefine a Parallel Blend Section

1. If you choose the Section attribute, the system displays theSECTIONS menu with the following options:

• Sketch Plane—Redefine the sketching plane.

• Sketch—Modify the section.

• Scheme—Modify dimensioning scheme.

2. Select Sketch.

3. The system shows all blend section superimposed on the samesketch. The active (modifiable) sketch is highlighted in blue,while the inactive sketches are grey. Use Sketcher commandsto alter the section as desired. To toggle between the sections ofthe blend, choose Toggle in the SEC TOOLS menu. Anyadditional sketches added to the blend, are placed behind thelast section created before the redefine.

Note: You cannot insert a new section between two existingsections.

➤ How to Remove a Section of a Non-Parallel Blend

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and choose the blendfeature. The system displays the feature creation dialog box.

2. Select the Section attribute, then select the Define button.The system displays the SECTIONS and SPECIFY menus. TheSPECIFY menu lists the existing blend sections.

3. Choose Remove, then choose one of the sections in theSPECIFY menu. The system redisplays the SPECIFY menu withan updated list of blend sections, so you can add, remove, ormodify another section, if desired.

4. When you have finished redefining the blend, choose Donefrom the SECTIONS menu.

5. Click OK in the dialog box to regenerate the feature.

➤ How to Add a Section of a Non-Parallel Blend

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and choose the blendfeature. The system displays the feature creation dialog box.

2. Select the Section element, then the Define button. Thesystem displays the SECTIONS and SPECIFY menus. TheSPECIFY menu lists the existing blend sections.

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3. Choose Add from the SECTIONS menu, then choose thenumber of the section you are adding from the SPECIFY menu.This allows you to insert a new section after an existing one.

For example, if you are adding a section to a blend that alreadyhas three sections, the options in the SPECIFY menu are Section2, Section 3, and Section 4. The Section 2 option inserts yournew section between the existing sections 1 and 2. The Section3 option inserts your new section between the existing sections2 and 3. The Section 4 option places your new section after theexisting section 3.

4. Enter the x-, y-, and z-axis rotation angles for the section youare creating.

5. The system displays a subwindow with the sketcher grid.Sketch the new section and regenerate it.

6. Enter the depth value for the new section.

7. Pro/ENGINEER redisplays the SECTION and SPECIFY menus,so you can redefine another section, if desired. When you havefinished, click OK in the dialog box to regenerate the feature.

Redefining Dimensioning Schemes

You can change the dimensioning scheme (how a feature isdimensioned) by choosing Scheme from the SECTION menu.Redefining the dimensioning scheme changes only how the featureis dimensioned.

➤ How to Redefine the Dimensioning Scheme

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and choose the feature.The system displays the feature definition dialog box.

2. Select the Section element from the dialog box, then select theDefine button.

3. Pro/ENGINEER displays the SECTION menu. Choose Scheme.

4. Select a feature. The system rolls the part back to the state itwas in at the time the feature was created. This prevents youfrom dimensioning the feature to a feature created after it.

5. For sketched entities, add or delete dimensions to change thescheme.

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When you add new dimensions, Pro/ENGINEER numbers thesymbolic dimensions sequentially, starting with the mostcurrent value. For example, if the current model hasdimensions d0, d1, ..., d27, when you modify the scheme to addnew dimensions, the new dimensions start with d28.

6. When you have finished, choose Done. Select one of the buttonsin the dialog box, if desired, then select OK.

Pro/ENGINEER regenerates the part to its full state with the newdimensioning scheme. For successful regeneration to occur, therevised dimensioning scheme must be sufficient (not over- or under-dimensioned).

Side Effects of Modifying Schemes

When you modify the scheme of a feature, you can delete or adddimensions, and align or unalign the features. This causes a changein the symbolic representation of feature dimensions that affectsdrawings and relation files of parts and assemblies.

Deleting dimensions using the Scheme option obsoletes anyrelations that contain the deleted dimensions. You must update therelations file to reflect the changes to the relations, or useDimension > Replace instead. See Introduction toPro/ENGINEER for more information.

New dimensions added to a scheme will not retain any cosmeticmodifications made to the old dimensions.

Note: Dimension notes with obsolete symbolic dimensionsreplace the dimension with asterisks (“***”).

Redefining Imported Geometry

➤ How to Redefine an Imported Feature

1. Choose Redefine and select the imported feature.

2. The system displays the REDEF IMPT menu, which lists thefollowing options:

• File—Replace the existing imported feature with anotherimported feature. Enter a new interface file name.

• Delete—Selectively delete wireframe or surface entitiesusing the GET SELECT options.

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• Line Style—Modify the line style of wireframe entities.The procedure is the same as for modifying the line style offeature entities. See Modifying the Line Style of a DatumCurve on page 16 - 13 for details.

• Exclude Srfs—“Unjoin” some of the imported surfacesafter they have been joined with the Join Surfs option, orspecify surfaces to which Join Surfs should not be applied.See the Interface Guide.

• Attributes—Redefine the surface intersection attributes ofthe imported surface geometry. The system displays theINTF ATTRB menu with the following toggle options:

- Make Solid—Make a solid protrusion from theimported feature.

- Join Surfs—Join together trimmed surfaces that sharethe same boundary curve into a single surface. If you donot like the results, you can turn off the option andmerge the surfaces using the options Surface andMerge.

• Fix Bndries—Manually close the gaps that remainbetween surfaces after using the Join Surfs option. Fordetailed information, see the Interface Guide.

• Modify Srf—Modify the shape of the surface and controlthe display as you do in Pro/SCAN-TOOLS.

3. Redefine the feature using any or all of the available options.When you have finished, choose Done/Return from the REDEFIMPT menu.

Redefining Merged Surface Features

You can redefine merged surfaces that were created by mergingsurface features using the References option in the REDEFINEmenu. For the merged surface to be redefined, you can:

• Specify a new surface to replace the second surface of the merge(Sel Surf), or continue to use the previous surface (Previous).

• Respecify the direction arrows for the portion of the surfaces tokeep.

Redefining Merged and Cutout Features

You can redefine a merge or mold feature created using theReference option. The redefinition allows you to replace thereference member with another instance from the same family.

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➤ How to Redefine a Merged Part

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu and select a referencemember feature in the merged part.

2. Choose References and Done from the REDEFINE menu.

3. The system displays the INSTANCES menu, which allows you toselect an instance, or show or edit the family table.

4. Choose the appropriate option. As soon as you have selected aninstance name, Pro/ENGINEER replaces the reference memberwith the new instance.

Redefining Datum FeaturesYou can redefine portions of the definitions for datum points,datum planes, coordinate systems, curves, and graphs. This sectiondescribes how to redefine portions of these datum features.

Datum Points

There are three cases for redefining datum points:

• Redefining a parametric datum point array—You can changethe values and the number of points in the array.

• Redefining a non-parametric datum point array—You canchange the values, but not the number of points in the array.

• Redefining all other datum points—You can choose Redefine,References, which allows you to use the same DTM PNT MODEmenu options as when you created the points.

Datum Planes

You can redefine datum planes that have been explicitly created(using Feature, Create), as well as sketching planes createdon-the-fly. Although you can redefine regular datum planes at anytime, you can redefine sketching planes created on-the-fly only ifthey fail regeneration. You can redefine regular datum planes usingthe options Attributes, Direction, and References. You canredefine planes created on-the-fly using only the Referencesoption.

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If you redefine the sketching plane of a feature so it is geometricallydifferent from the original plane (for example, one that is notparallel to the previous position) and the sketch cannot beregenerated using the new versions of the known entities, you canstill make the necessary changes. Pro/ENGINEER restores thesection using the old values (as the section was last regenerated)and issues an error message saying the old values were used. Youcan then enter Sketcher to see both the new and the old values ofthe entities. Redimension and resketch as necessary to get the newmodel to solve.

Note: You cannot redefine dimensional patterns of datumplanes.

For a failed sketching plane, the system asks if you want to redefinethe references of the plane. If you respond “yes,” you can choose newsketching plane references using the SETUP PLANE and SKET VIEWmenus. If you respond “no,” you can redefine the feature that thesketching plane is being used to create.

Coordinate Systems

You can redefine the attributes, references, and orientation of acoordinate system, including coordinate systems created as apattern.

Datum Curves from File

The Curves option in the Redefine menu allows you to manipulatedatum curves imported From File (see Importing Datum Curveson page 3 - 26 for more information). The system displays the EDITCURVES menu, which lists the following options:

• Edit File—Edit the current curve file. The system displays thefile “feat_#.ibl” (where # is the internal identifier) in the systemwindow. This file follows the “.ibl” format, regardless of how itwas imported. All the changes are reflected on the curve as youexit the editor.

Note: When you open a file in the .ibl format, it loses thetangency information.

• Create—Add additional curves to the same feature by selectingpoints on the model (datum points, vertices, curves, andcoordinate systems).

• Spline Pnts—Display the SPLINEPNTS menu (see ModifyingImported Curves on page 16 - 27).

• Adjust—Adjust the datum curves so they intersect.

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• Trim/Extend—Trim or extend selected curves up to a curve orsurface.

• Split—Split a curve at the intersection with another.

• Merge—Merge curves together.

• Delete—Delete all the curves selected.

• Measure—Measure a curve. See Introduction toPro/ENGINEER for more information.

Note: When you redefine a From File curve with children, theMerge and Delete options are not available.

Creating New Curves

You can add new curve segments to the curve feature using theCreate option in the EDIT CURVES menu. You create the curve byselecting points for it to pass through. These points can be datumpoints, edge and curve vertices, curves, and coordinate systems.Selecting a datum curve creates a point for the new curve on theselected datum curve.

The points are used only to establish the offset from the referencecoordinate system for the original feature. You can edit all thecurves using the Edit option.

Modifying Imported Curves

Choosing the Spline Pnts option from the EDIT CURVES menuallows you to modify imported curves in many ways.

The SPLINEPNTS menu lists the following options: Sparse,Smooth, Add, Remove, Move, Show, and Blank. These optionsare described in detail in the following sections.

Note: You cannot edit datum curves From File using theModify option.

➤ How to Decrease the Number of Spline Points Using a DeviationValue

1. Choose Sparse from the SPLINEPNTS menu.

2. Choose the spline on which you wish to reduce the number ofpoints.

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3. Enter a deviation value that will cause the spline to be redrawnwithout one or more of its points. This value must be a positivenumber. The system displays the spline resulting from thechange in green, and tells you how many points will beremoved. If the changed spline is acceptable, choose Acceptfrom the MOD ACTION menu. If not, choose Reject, and enter adifferent deviation value. For each spline, you may need to tryseveral different deviation values before achieving the desiredresult, because the proportion of the spline by which points areinterpolated varies from spline to spline.

➤ How to Make a Spline Smoother

1. Choose Smooth from the SPLINEPNTS menu.

2. Choose the spline that you want to make smoother.

3. Enter an odd number of points that will be averaged together tosmooth the spline. For example, you could enter 1 (which doesnot change the spline at all), 3, or 5. Pro/ENGINEER averagesthe centermost point on the spline, and the appropriate equalnumber of points on each side of it (one point on each side if youentered 3, or two points on each side if you entered 5).

4. The system displays the spline resulting from the change ingreen. If the resulting spline is acceptable, choose Accept.Otherwise, choose Reject and try again with a differentnumber of points.

➤ How to Add Points to the Spline

1. Choose Show (if you want to see each point as you add it).

2. Choose Add.

3. Select the curve at the locations where you want the pointsadded.

➤ How to Decrease the Number of Spline Points by Deleting One orMore Points

1. If the points on the spline are not already visible, choose Showfrom the SPLINEPNTS menu and pick the curve from which youwill be removing a point. The system displays the points in red.

2. Choose Remove from the SPLINEPNTS menu. Pick the pointthat you want to delete. The system displays the splineresulting from the removal of this point in green. If theresulting spline is acceptable, choose Accept. Otherwise,choose Reject and try again.

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3. Pro/ENGINEER deletes the point and changes the splineaccordingly.

➤ How to Move Curve Points

1. Choose Move from the SPLINEPNTS menu.

2. Select a curve.

3. Select a reference plane. Choose an option from the REF PLANETYPE menu:

• View Plane—The reference plane is parallel to the screen.

• Select—Select any planar surface or datum plane.

• OscPlnAtPnt—The reference plane will be through thepoint being moved. Pro/ENGINEER constructs thereference plane from the spline tangent and curvaturevectors at the selected point.

Note: You can move the splines only in the reference plane.

4. Select the point to move and an adjustment range. Theadjustment range is between any two points (the point beingmoved must be within this range) and establishes the areawhere the spline curve will change. If you click the middlebutton or select the two endpoints, the entire curve can changeshape. You must accept or reject changes to the spline after youmove each point. Use the Done move option in theMOVE SPL PNT menu to accept the changes, or the Quit moveoption to cancel the process.

The Show option displays the points of a spline. Choose Show andpick a curve. The system displays the spline points like small whiteaxes. The points remain displayed until you choose Blank from theSPLINEPNTS menu.

Adjusting the Curve

To adjust imported datum curves so they intersect, redefine thedatum curve using the Adjust option in the EDIT CURVES menu.All curves to be adjusted must belong to the same curve feature.Note that when you select curves to adjust, selecting the curve itselfadjusts the curve, while selecting the endpoint for the curve trimsthe curve to the intersection (see the following figures).

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Adjusting the Curve

Adjusting Curve Endpoints

Select these two spline points as

Select this curve as Fixed

Select this curve for

the extents of the adjustment.

for the first direction.

the second direction.The curve adjusts to intersectthe other curve.

Select this curve at the endpoint forthe second direction.

Select these two spline points as theextents of the adjustment.

Select this curve as Fixed forthe first direction.

The curve adjusts to intersectthe other curve.

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➤ How to Adjust a Curve

1. Choose Adjust from the EDIT CURVES menu. Select one of theoptions from the ADJUST TYPE menu:

• Fixed—The curves selected remain fixed. If you select thisoption for the first set of curves, the second set will beadjustable automatically.

• Adjustable—The curves selected will be adjusted.

2. Select curves in the first direction. These are curves that crossthe second set of curves. Choose Done Sel.

3. If you chose Adjustable for the first set of curves, you need toselect again from the ADJUST TYPE menu for the second set ofcurves. Select curves in the other direction.

4. For the curves to be adjusted, you need to set the extent of thecurve that will change. To set the extent, select spline pointsthat are highlighted in green.

5. When the curve is adjusted, answer the Pro/ENGINEERprompt to keep the changes.

Splitting a Curve

➤ How to Split a Curve

1. Choose Split from the EDIT CURVES menu.

2. Select the curve segments to split. Choose Done Sel when youhave finished.

3. Select a surface, or another datum curve that intersects thefirst curve.

4. Pro/ENGINEER splits the selected segments of the first curveat the points of intersection. If the reference curve or surfaceintersects a segment between its points, the system adds a newpoint. The system highlights new curves in green, and you canaccept or reject the changes.

Trimming or Extending a Curve

You can trim or extend a curve by selecting the curves to trim orextend, then selecting the reference curve or surface to which totrim or extend.

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➤ How to Trim or Extend a Curve

1. Choose Trim/Extend.

2. Select the curves to trim or extend. Choose Done Sel.

3. Select the reference curve or surface.

4. The system lengthens or shortens the curves, as needed, to thereference. If the curve is satisfactory, choose Accept.

Merging Curves

Merging curves connects imported curves at their endpoints andmerges them into one curve.

➤ How to Merge Curves

1. Choose Merge.

2. Choose an option from the PICK CURVES menu, and select thecurves (see the following figure). The PICK CURVES options areas follows:

• Two Curves—Merge any two imported curves.

• Chain—Merge connected curves that form a chain with nogaps.

The next figure illustrates how to merge curves.

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Examples of Merging Curves

Composite Curves

You can interchange the entities that make up a composite datumcurve with new curve entities.

➤ How to Redefine a Composite Curve

1. Choose Redefine and select the composite curve.

2. From the dialog box, choose the References element and clickDefine.

3. The system displays the CHAIN menu, which allows you to dothe following:

• Add or remove a curve or edge in the curve definition.

• Trim or extend the chain ends.

• Specify a different chain start point. See Chain Processingon page 3 - 33 for more information.

4. When finished, choose Done from the CHAIN menu.

1

4

3

2

The resulting datum curve.

Merge the resulting curves usingthe Two Curves option.

Merge these 3 datum curvesusing the Chain option.

Merge these 3 datum curvesusing the Chain option.

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5. Click OK in the dialog box.

Graphs

Redefining a graph feature allows you to change its name, as wellas its section.

➤ How to Redefine a Graph Feature

1. Choose Redefine from the FEAT menu.

2. Select the graph feature using the options Sel By Menu andName. Select the name from the NAMES menu.

3. The system prompts you to enter a new name for the graph.You can enter a new name without invalidating relations. Tokeep the same name, press ENTER.

4. Choose one of the following options from the REDEFINE menu,followed by Done:

• Section—Redefine the section of the graph. This allowsyou to delete sketcher geometry.

• Scheme—Redefine the dimensioning scheme for the graph.

5. Modify the section or dimensioning scheme. Regenerate thesketch.

Inserting FeaturesNormally, Pro/ENGINEER adds a new feature after the lastexisting feature in the part, including suppressed features. Insertmode allows you to add new features at any point in the featuresequence, other than before the base feature or after the lastfeature.

➤ How to Insert Features

1. Choose Insert Mode from the FEAT menu, then chooseActivate.

2. Select a feature after which the new features will be inserted.All features after the selected one will be automaticallysuppressed.

3. Choose Create and create the new features as usual.

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4. Cancel insert mode in one of the following ways:

• Choose Resume from the FEAT menu and select to resumethe features that were suppressed when you activatedinsert mode.

• Choose Cancel from the INSERT MODE menu.Pro/ENGINEER asks you whether to resume the featuresthat were suppressed when you activated insert mode, thenautomatically regenerates the part.

Note: The system dims out the Cancel and Activate options inthe INSERT MODE menu in turn, depending onwhether the insert mode is currently active.

At any time, you can choose the Return option from theInsert Mode menu to return to the previously active menu.

If the feature after which the new features will be inserted is amerged-by-copy feature, the system redisplays the part to showonly merged features. The INSERT FEAT menu appears with theoptions Create Copy and Mirror Geom. Once you choose Donefrom the INSERT FEAT menu, the system redisplays the whole partand exits Insert mode.

Reordering FeaturesYou can move features forward or backward in the regenerationorder list, thus changing the order in which they are regenerated.You can reorder multiple features in one operation, as long as thesefeatures appear in consecutive order.

Feature reorder cannot occur under the following conditions:

• Parents cannot be moved so their regeneration occurs after theregeneration of their children.

• Children cannot be moved so their regeneration occurs beforethe regeneration of their parents.

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➤ How to Reorder a Feature

1. Use the command sequence Part, Feature, Reorder.

2. Specify the selection method by choosing an option from theSELECT FEAT menu:

• Select—Select features to reorder by picking on the screenand/or from the tree tool. You can also choose Sel By Menuto enter the feature number. When finished selecting,choose Done Sel.

• Layer—Select all features from a layer by selecting thelayer. When you finish, choose Done Sel from the LAYERSEL menu.

• Range—Specify the range of features by entering theregeneration number of the starting and ending feature.

3. A system message lists the selected features for reorder andstates the valid ranges for the new insertion point.

4. Choose Done from the SELECT FEAT menu.

5. Choose one of the options in the REORDER menu:

• Before—Insert the feature before the insertion pointfeature.

• After—Insert the feature after the insertion point feature.

6. Pick a feature indicating the insertion point, or choose Sel ByMenu to enter the feature number.

Suppressing and Resuming FeaturesSuppressing features is like removing them from regenerationtemporarily. However, you can “unsuppress” (resume) suppressedfeatures at any time. You can suppress features on a part tosimplify the part model and decrease regeneration time. Forexample, while you work on one end of a shaft, it may be desirableto suppress features on the other end of the shaft. Similarly, whileworking on a complex assembly, you can suppress some of thefeatures and components for which the detail is not essential to thecurrent assembly process.

Suppress features to do the following:

• Concentrate on the current working area by suppressing otherareas.

• Speed up a modification process because there is less to update.

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• Speed up the display process because there is less to display.

• Temporarily remove features to try different design iterations.

Note: Unlike other features, the base feature cannot besuppressed. If you are not satisfied with your basefeature, you can redefine the section of the feature, ordelete it and start again.

Suppressing Features

➤ How to Suppress Features

1. Choose Suppress from the FEAT menu. The system displaysthe SELECT FEAT and GET SELECT menus.

2. Choose one of the following options from the DELETE/SUPPmenu:

• Normal—Suppress the selected feature and all itschildren.

• Clip—Suppress the selected feature and all the featuresthat follow.

• Unrelated—Suppress any feature other than the selectedones and their parents.

3. Select a feature to suppress by picking on it, selecting from theModel Tree, specifying a range, entering its feature number oridentifier, or using layers (for more information on layers, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER).

4. If any children are present and are not currently selected, thesystem highlights them in blue and displays the CHILD menu.Select one of the following options:

• Show Ref—Show the reference identifier and highlight thereference geometry for each reference of the highlightedchild. step through the references using Next andPrevious. You can also obtain information about thereference, showing the reference identifier and the totalnumber of references, and what type of reference it is(feature or entity).

• Reroute—Reroute the references of the highlighted childfeature to break the parent-child relationship (seeRerouting Features on page 16 - 40).

• Mod Scheme—Modify the dimensioning scheme of thechild (see Redefining Dimensioning Schemes onpage 16 - 22).

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• Suppress—Suppress the highlighted child.

• Suppress All—Suppress the highlighted child and all itschildren (not just children of the children—this includesother children of the feature being suppressed).

• Suspend—Suspend action on the highlighted child. Thesystem retains the feature until it is actually regenerated,at which time you must decide how to handle it (by deletion,rerouting, and so on).

• Suspend All—Suspend action on all children of the featurebeing suppressed until they are actually being regenerated.

• Freeze—Keep the highlighted feature in its currentlocation. This option is available for components only.

• Info—Provides information about the highlighted childfeature.

5. If you create a feature in a part and dimension it to anotherpart in the assembly, the other part becomes the externalparent. If you then suppress that external parent, the systemhighlights all the dependent children in blue, and displays theEXTCHILD menu. This menu allows you to abort thesuppression of the feature, or suspend all the external children.

6. Repeat Step 3 for every feature you want to suppress.

7. Choose Done when you have finished selecting features.

Resuming Features

You can resume features (restore them to a fully updated state) bychoosing Resume from the Feat menu. The system displays theResume menu, which lists the following options:

• All—Resume all suppressed features.

• Layer—Resume all the features on a specified layer.

• Last Set—Resume the last group of features that weresuppressed.

• Feat ID—Resume features by internal identifier number.

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Deleting FeaturesDeleting a feature removes the feature from the part permanently.When you select a feature for deletion that has children, you mustaccount for the children. You can delete them, too, butPro/ENGINEER provides a way to save the children by rerouting.

Note: Normally, Pro/ENGINEER regenerates all the featuresfrom the first modified feature or the first feature withan external reference, onward, when you selectRegenerate. In calculating where to begin regenerationduring Delete operations, Pro/ENGINEER does notconsider features with an external reference.

➤ How to Delete Features

1. Choose Delete from the FEAT menu.

2. Select a feature to delete.

3. If any children are present and not currently selected, followStep 4 in the procedure for suppressing features.

4. Choose Done when you have finished selecting features.Pro/ENGINEER deletes the selected features.

Deleting Suppressed Features

You can delete suppressed features with the Delete command byselecting them from the Model Tree.

Side Effects of Deleting Features

When you delete a feature whose dimensions are used in relations,you must do something about the relations. The system displays theOBSOL RELS menu, which lists the following options:

• Commnt Rels—Convert the obsolete relations to comments.

• Delete Rels—Delete the obsolete relations.

• Edit Rels—Edit the relations. This option allows you tocomment, delete, and edit the relations. You cannot exit fromthe editor until all the obsolete relations are processed.

Note: If the relations file contains conditional logicstatements that depend on the deleted feature, thesystem forces you to edit the relations file to fix thestatements. For more information on relations, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

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If you delete a feature that has a note attached to it, the noteremains in the drawing but the extension line to the featuredisappears. If there were dimensions of the feature in the note, theyappear with the default display of “***”.

If you delete a feature that has dimensions included in a familytable, the affected columns of the table become obsolete.

If you delete a feature that was used in the assembling of parts, theparts will not reassemble. Pro/ENGINEER provides you withseveral options for recovering the assembly. For more information,see the Recovery Options section in the Assembly Operationschapter in the Assembly User’s Guide.

Rerouting FeaturesRerouting breaks the parent-child relationship by letting youchange feature references.

The Reroute option is available in the FEAT menu; it also appearswith the CHILD menu when you have selected a feature that haschildren.

You can only reroute external references in the environment (thelevel in an assembly) in which they were created.

Pro/ENGINEER checks the rerouting of features to determine if thenew reference and the old reference are compatible. If thereferences are not compatible, Pro/ENGINEER issues a warningmessage and continues processing.

The following features cannot be rerouted:

• Rounds that have user-defined transitions

• Grouped patterned features

• Read-only features

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Rerouting Features and Replacing References

➤ How to Reroute a Feature or Replace a Reference

1. Choose Reroute from the FEAT menu. The system displays theREROUTE REFS and SELECT FEAT menus.

2. Choose one of the following options from the REROUTE REFSmenu:

• Reroute Feat—Reroute a feature by selecting newreferences. If the feature has missing references, firstchoose one of the following options from theFEAT REROUTE submenu:

- All Refs—Reroute all the feature references.

- Missing Refs—Reroute only the missing references forthe feature.

• Replace Ref—Select a referenced entity and replace itwith another entity, as prompted. Choose an option fromthe SELECT TYPE submenu. When you have replaced thereferences, go to Step 5.

The SELECT TYPE submenu options are as follows:

- Feature—Select a feature, then replace all thereferenced (parent) entities.

- Indiv Entity—Select an individual reference entity,such as an edge, vertex, or plane.

3. If you chose Reroute Feat in Step 2, you have the option to rollback the part to just before the feature was created. Thisremoves any feature created after the one being rerouted fromthe display. Roll back the part if many of the features areyounger than (created after) the feature being rerouted. Thisprevents a younger feature from being used as a reference,which would void the reroute process.

4. Pro/ENGINEER highlights each reference of the feature, inturn. From the REROUTE menu, choose the appropriate optionsthen Done, and go to Step 6.

The REROUTE menu options are as follows:

• Alternate—Select or create an alternate reference for thefeature. Use the Make Datum option, if necessary, toconstruct new references. Make sure the datum planesthemselves do not reference the parent feature.

• Same Ref—The current reference remains the same.

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• Ref Info—Show information about the highlightedreference. This option gives the reference identifier and thetype of reference. This is important because you can onlyreroute to like reference types.

• Done—Finish the rerouting process.

• Quit Reroute—Quit the reroute for the current feature.Even when you quit the reroute process, any datumscreated during feature reroute remain in the model.

5. If you chose Replace Ref in Step 2 and have successfullyselected the referenced entity, the system displays the REFREROUTE menu. Choose one of the REF REROUTE options:

• Sel Feat—Reroute to the new reference a selected featureonly.

• All Children—Reroute to the new reference all featuresthat used the old reference.

6. After all the features have been rerouted, or all the referencesreplaced, Pro/ENGINEER regenerates the feature. If theautomatic regeneration is successful, the new parent-childrelationships are established; if not, the original references arerestored.

Note that to permanently retain the references defined with theautomatic regeneration, you must explicitly chooseRegenerate from the PART menu before you save the part.

Simplified RepresentationsThe design of a part can become quite complex. Pro/ENGINEERprovides “simplified representation” functionality that allows you todo the following:

• Simplify the display of a design by showing less detail byincluding or excluding features.

• Limit the display of a design to a selected portion of the totalpart geometry by specifying a “work region.”

• Exclude (or include) selected surfaces from the display of thedesign.

Choose Simplfd Rep from the PART menu to display the SIMPLFDREP menu, which lists the following options:

• Create—Create a new simplified representation of the model.

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• Set Current—Set the representation to be current. Displaythe SELECT REP menu, which lists all the simplifiedrepresentations that are present in the current model. Choosethe representation that you want to make current, then chooseDone.

• Copy—Make a copy of an existing simplified representation.

• Redefine—Redefine the current simplified representation bychecking (toggling) the name in the SELECT REP menu.

• Delete—Delete a simplified representation that is present inthe current model.

• List—Display the Information Window that lists all theexisting simplified representations of the current model. Eachsimplified representation includes a brief description of what itdoes.

• Update Reps—Update all the outdated accelerated simplifiedrepresentations that are in session.

Creating a Simplified Representation

Follow these basic steps to create a simplified representation of themodel.

➤ How to Create a Simplified Representation of the Model

1. Choose Create from the SIMPLFD REP menu.

2. Enter the name for the simplified representation.

3. The REP ATTR menu appears. Select an option from eachsubmenu and choose Done. The options are as follows:

Set the rule for selecting features:

• Include Feat—Include all the features except thosespecified to be excluded.

• Exclude Feat—Remove all the features except thosespecified to be included.

Specify how to retrieve the simplified representation:

• Regenerate—Recreate the simplified representation byregenerating the master model. The master model must bein session. The GeomSnapshot option is not valid for theRegenerate option.

• Accelerate—Use the accelerator file to speed up theretrieval of the simplified representation.

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Define the type of data for the simplified representation:

• Whole Model—Include the entire model (with geometry,dimensions, parameters, and so on) in the simplifiedrepresentation. The resulting representation is fullyassociative and modifiable. This option requires thepresence of the master model in memory.

• GeomSnpshot—Create an independent, read-onlyrepresentation of the geometry only. A snapshotrepresentation does not include any parametricinformation, such as dimensions or parameters—justvisible geometry that can be used for referencing.Pro/ENGINEER can detect when a snapshot is out-of-date,but you must explicitly initiate the update. This option isavailable only if you selected Accelerate.

4. Select an option from the EDIT METHOD menu:

• Attributes—Use the REP ATTR menu to set attributes ofthe simplified representation.

• Features—Create a simplified representation by includingor excluding features. For more information, see Using theFeatures Option on page 16 - 45.

• Work Region—Create a simplified representation bycreating a work region “cut” that removes a portion of themodel from display. Each simplified representation canhave its own work region. For more information, see Usingthe Work Region Option on page 16 - 48.

• Surfaces—Create a simplified representation by copyingpart surfaces to create a surface “envelope.” See Using theSurfaces Option on page 16 - 49 for more information.

Notes:

• When you modify a feature, you must regenerate all thefeatures after that feature, even those that have beenremoved by a work region cut. To avoid regeneratingfeatures that are not visible in the specified work region,use both the Features and the Work Region options whenyou create the simplified representation.

• When you create features in a simplified representationwith a work region, you cannot select edges and surfacescreated by the work region cut.

• You cannot use both Work Region and Surfaces in the samesimplified representation.

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The following figure illustrates a part that has not been simplified.

Sample Part with No Simplified Representation

Using the Features Option

Before you start defining a simplified representation, you canchange the default rule for specifying features by choosingAttributes from the EDIT METHOD menu.

➤ How to Create a Simplified Representation With the FeaturesOption

1. Choose Features from the EDIT METHOD menu.

2. The FEAT INC/EXC menu lists the following options:

• Exclude and Include—Pick a feature to exclude from orinclude in the representation. (The opposite of the defaultrule appears.)

• Undo—Remove an instruction for excluding or including afeature.

• UpdateScreen—Update graphical view of the modelaccording to the specified changes.

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• Display Mode—Modify the number of features displayedin the Model Tree window. Use the following options in theDISP MODE menu to change the structure of the tree:

- Show All—Show all features.

- Default Feats—Show only those features whose statusconforms to the default rule.

- Marked Feats—Show only those feature whose statusis opposite to the default rule.

3. To exclude features, choose Exclude and select features usingthe Pick Mdl, All, or From/To options in the SELECT MDLmenu or by selecting from the Model Tree.

4. To undo the changes, choose Undo and specify the features tounselect by using options in the SELELCT MDL menu.

5. Choose Done from the FEAT INC/EXC menu to complete theselection.

The following figure illustrates a part that uses a simplifiedrepresentation.

A Simplified Representation Excluding Features

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Using the Model Tree to Edit a Simplified Representation

You can use the Model Tree shortcuts to edit existing simplifiedrepresentations of the model by including/excluding features. Toaccess simplified representations through the Model Tree,customize the Model Tree by adding columns showing existingsimplified representations with the Columns and Add/Removeoptions.

➤ How to Edit a Simplified Representation

1. Choose Column and Add/Remove in the Model Tree.

2. Use the down arrow in the Add/Remove Columns window toselect the type of information to show—choose Simplified Reps,and add columns for the simplified representations to bedisplayed in the Model Tree by selecting its name and the “>>”button.

The Current Rep column in the Model Tree shows the name of therepresentation and lists its features status.

➤ How to Edit a Simplified Representation Through the Model Tree

1. In the column for the simplified representation that you want toedit, highlight a cell corresponding to the feature you want toinclude or exclude in/from this simplified representation (youeither include or exclude, depending on the default rule youoriginally used).

2. Use the down arrow at the upper right corner of the Model Treeto open a drop-down menu, which lists the following choices:

• Default—Undo the include/exclude action.

• Include—Include this feature in the model for thissimplified representation (available for the “exclude”default rule).

• Exclude—Exclude this feature from the model for thissimplified representation (available for the “include”default rule).

3. The system changes the status of the feature appropriately.

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Using the Work Region Option

Work regions behave in a manner similar to cut features, exceptthat geometry is removed from the display only, rather thanphysically removed from the model (that is, from the regenerationlist). When a simplified representation is active, the system appliesthe work region cut; otherwise, the cut is suppressed.

➤ How to Create a Simplified Representation by Using the WorkRegion Option

1. Choose Work Region from the EDIT METHOD menu.

2. The system displays the SOLID OPTS menu (see Thin Featureson page 5 - 5). Specify the type of cut you want to create bychoosing one of the options in the SOLID OPTS menu.

3. The dialog box for defining the cut of the specified type appears.Define the cut feature.

4. When you finish defining the cut, choose OK from the dialogbox.

Once you create a work region, you can redefine it by using theRedefine option in the Work Region menu; this brings up thedialog box so you can select the feature elements that you want toredefine. To delete a work region, choose Delete from the WorkRegion menu.

The next figure illustrates a simplified representation of a part thatuses a work region.

Simplified Representation Using a Work Region

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Using the Surfaces Option

➤ How to Create a Simplified Representation by Using the SurfacesOption

1. Choose Surfaces from the EDIT METHOD menu.

2. The dialog box appears, listing elements for defining surfaces.Select surfaces by using options in the SURF SELECT menu. Formore information on surface selection, see Selecting Surfaces onpage 10 - 14.

3. When you finish selecting surfaces, click OK from the dialogbox.

Using the Accelerate Option

The Accelerate option allows you to create “accelerated” simplifiedrepresentations by setting special attributes. An acceleratedsimplified representation is a simplified representation that issaved to a file to make retrieval quicker. Instead of regeneratingthe master representation to get a simplified representation, youcan simply retrieve the (accelerated) simplified representation byitself (without regenerating the master representation).

Note the following information concerning accelerator files:

• An accelerator file is named “part_name.xrp”.

• There can be only one accelerator file per part.

• Accelerator files do not have version numbers.

• If you use the Save As or Backup option on the master model,the corresponding accelerator files are not created.

• If you rename or delete the master model, Pro/ENGINEERautomatically renames or deletes the corresponding acceleratorfile.

➤ How to Update Accelerated Simplified Representations

1. Choose Update Reps from the SIMPLFD REP menu.

2. The system displays the UPDATE REP menu. The possibleoptions are as follows:

• Update—Update and save outdated accelerated simplifiedrepresentations to disk. Pro/ENGINEER updates all theoutdated representations that are in the accelerator file,even if they are not in session.

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• Info—Display the Information Window, listing all outdatedrepresentations, including the name of the masterrepresentation, the name of the simplified representation,and whether it is in memory.

• Cancel—Cancel the update.

3. If you choose Update, the system displays the CONFIRMATIONmenu. Choose Confirm to update the simplifiedrepresentations, or Cancel to abort the process.

Note that you can also update any out-of-date representations thatare in session when you save the part.

Creating a Geometric Snapshot

Note the following restrictions on geometric snapshots in Partmode:

• You cannot make any modifications to geometric snapshots,such as changing dimensions or parameters.

• Because no dimension or parameter information is available,you cannot make any references to them in relations.

➤ How to Create a Geometric Snapshot

1. Choose Simplfd Rep from the PART menu.

2. Choose Create from the SIMPLFD REP menu.

3. Enter the name for the geometric snapshot.

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays the REP ATTR menu. ChooseAccelerate and GeomSnpshot, then Done.

5. Continue creating the simplified representation using theoption Features (see page 16 - 45), Work Region (see page16 - 48), or Surfaces (see page 16 - 49).

Erasing a Simplified Representation

You can erase a simplified representation of the current object frommemory with or without the current object.

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➤ How to Erase a Simplified Representation From Memory

1. Choose File > Erase > Current.

2. Choose an option from the OBJ ERASE menu:

• Current Obj—Erase the current object and its simplifiedrepresentation.

• Simplfd Reps—Erase the simplified representation byplacing the check mark in front of its name in the SELECTREP menu.

3. Choose Done Sel.

Changing Part AccuracyThe Accuracy option modifies the computational accuracy ofgeometry calculations. Part accuracy is relative to the size of thepart. The valid range is 0.01 to 0.0001, and the default value is0.0012. Note that if you decrease the value of part accuracy, theregeneration time also increases.

You should use the default part accuracy unless you need toincrease it. In general, you should set the accuracy to a value lessthan the ratio of the length of the smallest edge on the part to thelength of the largest side of a box that would contain the part. Evenso, use the default accuracy until you have a reason not to do so.

In the following situations, you may need to change the partaccuracy:

• Placing a very small feature on a large part.

• Intersecting (through merge or cutout) two parts of verydifferent size. For the two parts to be compatible, they musthave the same absolute accuracy. To use the same absoluteaccuracy, estimate each part size and multiply each by itsrespective current accuracy. If the results differ, enter a valuefor the accuracy of the parts that yields the same results foreach. You may need to increase the part accuracy of the largerpart by entering a smaller decimal number. For example, if thesize of the smaller part is 100 and the accuracy is .01, theproduct of these numbers is 1. If the size of the larger part is1000 and the accuracy is .01, the product of these numbers is10. Change the accuracy of the larger part to .001 to yield thesame product.

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Modifying the Part Accuracy

➤ How to Modify the Accuracy

1. Choose Set Up from the PART menu.

2. Choose Accuracy from the PART_SETUP menu.

3. Enter the value for the accuracy in the specified range.

Modifying the part accuracy causes the entire part to regenerate.

Overriding the Lower Limit

The configuration file option “accuracy_lower_bound” can overridethe lower boundary of this range. The specified values for the lowerboundary must be between 1.0000e-6 and 1.0000e-4.

Working with Absolute and Relative Accuracy

Absolute accuracy is the smallest size (measured in the currentunits) that Pro/ENGINEER can recognize.

To enable the absolute accuracy functionality, set the configurationoption “enable_absolute_accuracy” to “yes”. The absolute accuracyfunctionality improves the matching of parts of different sizes ordifferent accuracies (for example, imported parts created onanother system).

Previous to Release 17.0, the accuracy of all parts was relative—itwas specified as a fraction of the longest diagonal of a part’sbounding box (default value 0.0012). Thus, when you were copyingor merging geometries from parts of different sizes, you wereworking with different absolute accuracies.

In general, you should continue to use relative accuracy for mostpart models. You should consider using absolute accuracy onlywhen you are:

• Copying geometry from one model to another during coreoperations, such as Merge and Cutout.

• Designing parts for manufacturing and mold design.

• Matching accuracy of imported geometry to its destination part.

You can match the accuracies of a set of parts mainly in two ways:

• Give them all the same absolute accuracies.

• Designate one of them (perhaps the smallest) as the “base” partand assign its accuracy to the other parts.

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You can control the absolute accuracy (or resolution) of partsthrough the ACCURACY menu. When you choose Accuracy fromthe PART SETUP menu, the ACCURACY menu appears as follows:

• Relative—Specify relative accuracy. See Specifying RelativeAccuracy.

• Absolute—Specify absolute accuracy. See Specifying AbsoluteAccuracy.

The first time you bring up the Accuracy menu for a part, theRelative option is active and highlighted (because the part isinitially created with Relative accuracy). Thereafter, the accuracytype you used last will be active when you access the menu.

The configuration file option “default_abs_accuracy” sets a defaultvalue for absolute accuracy. The system may include it in theprompt when you select Enter Value from the ABS ACCURACYmenu.

Specifying Relative Accuracy

When you select the Relative option from the Accuracy menu, thesystem prompts you, “Enter relative part accuracy or ESC to returnto Accuracy menu [0.0012]:”. Note that the default value 0.0012given in the brackets is the hard-coded default value for relativeaccuracy. Proceed in one of the following ways:

• Enter a value for relative accuracy—The system then informsyou that the part needs to be fully regenerated and asks if youwant to continue. Enter [Y] to continue, or [N] to abort.

• Press ESC if you do not want to enter a value—The systemkeeps the previous accuracy settings and returns you to theACCURACY menu.

Specifying Absolute Accuracy

If you select the Absolute option from the ACCURACY menu, theABS ACCURACY menu appears with the following choices:

• Enter Value—Enter an absolute value. The system promptsyou, “Enter absolute part accuracy or ESC to return toACCURACY menu [nnnn units]:”. If the previous accuracy typewas Relative, nnnn is the default value for absolute accuracyspecified by the configuration file option

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“default_abs_accuracy”. (If no value for “default_abs_acuracy”is specified, then the prompt shows only units inside thebrackets.) If the previous accuracy type was Absolute, nnnn isthe current absolute value. Note that units is the part’s units(for example, inches).

Proceed in one of the following ways:

– Enter a value—The system informs you that the part needsto be fully regenerated and asks if you want to continue.Enter [Y] to continue, or [N] to abort.

– Press ESC if you do not want to enter a value—The systemkeeps the previous accuracy settings and returns you to theACCURACY menu.

• Select Part—Assign absolute accuracy value from a differentpart in session. The IN SESSION namelist menu appears with alist of parts currently in session. Select one of them. The systeminforms you of that part’s absolute accuracy and prompts you toaccept it. If you accept it, the system informs you that the partneeds to be fully regenerated and asks if you want to continue.Enter [Y] to continue, or [N] to abort.

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17Regenerating the Part

This chapter describes how to regenerate a part and explains howto correct some error conditions you may encounter whenregenerating the part.

Topic Page

Resolving Feature Failures 17 - 2

Reducing the Regeneration Time 17 - 8

Regeneration Information 17 - 9

Geometry Checking 17 - 10

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Resolving Feature FailuresSometimes model geometry cannot be constructed because featuresthat have been modified or created conflict with or invalidate otherfeatures.

Resolving Feature Failures During Creation/Redefinition

Depending on the type of environment used to create a feature (thatis, whether the feature uses the dialog box interface), the systemhandles feature failures that may occur during feature creation orredefinition in two different ways:

• For features that use the dialog box interface—If the featurefails after you press OK or Preview, the Resolve buttonappears in the feature creation dialog box. You can either stayin the dialog box environment and redefine feature elementswith the Define button, or click Resolve to access the Resolveenvironment so you can obtain diagnostics or make changes toother parts of the model.

• For features that do not use the dialog box interface—If thefeature fails, the system brings up the FAILED FEAT menu (seeUsing the Feat Failed Menu for more information).

Using the Feat Failed Menu

If a feature fails during creation and it does not use the dialog boxinterface, Pro/ENGINEER displays the Feat Failed menu with thefollowing options:

• Redefine—Redefine the feature.

• Show Ref—Display the SHOW REF menu so you can see thereferences of the failed feature. The system displays thereference number in the Message Window. See the Investigatecommand for further details.

• Geom Check—Check for problems with overlapping geometry,misalignment, and so on. This command may be dimmed. If ashell, offset surface, or thickened surface fails, the systemstores information about the surfaces that could not be offset.The GEOM CHECK menu displays a list of features with failedgeometry and a Restore command. For detailed information,see Geometry Checking on page 17 - 10.

• Feat Info—Get information about the feature.

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If a feature fails, you can redisplay the part with all failed geometryhighlighted in different colors. The system displays thecorresponding error messages in an Information Window. Featurescan fail during creation for the following reasons:

• Overlapping geometry—A surface intersects itself. IfPro/ENGINEER finds a self-intersecting surface, it does notperform any further surface checks. The system highlights theoverlapping geometry in red and the corresponding points ofintersection in white, and displays an error message.

• Surface has edges that coincide—The surface has no area.Pro/ENGINEER highlights the surface in red and displays anerror message.

• Inverted geometry—Pro/ENGINEER highlights the invertedgeometry in purple and displays an error message.

• Bad edges—Pro/ENGINEER highlights bad edges in blue anddisplays an error message.

• Sheetmetal form—Pro/ENGINEER highlights sheetmetal formfeatures that fail in red.

Working in the Resolve Environment

When a model regeneration fails, you must resolve the problembefore continuing with normal model processing. Pro/ENGINEERprovides a special error resolution environment (the Resolveenvironment) for recovering from changes that have caused themodel to fail regeneration.

As soon as a regeneration fails, Pro/ENGINEER enters the Resolveenvironment, where the following occurs:

• The File > Save command is unavailable and the model cannotbe saved.

• The failed feature and all subsequent features remainunregenerated. The current model displays only theregenerated features as they were at the last successfulregeneration.

• Pro/ENGINEER displays a message that indicates the problemin the Message Window.

• Pro/ENGINEER displays the RESOLVE FEAT menu and thefeature diagnostic window.

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The Resolve environment allows you to do the following:

• Undo all the changes made since the last successfulregeneration.

• Diagnose the cause of the model failure.

• Fix the problems within this special environment while usingstandard part or assembly functionality.

• Attempt a quick fix of the problems using shortcuts forperforming standard operations on the failed feature, includingredefine, reroute, suppress (for parts), and freeze (forassemblies).

For both diagnosing and fixing the problem, you can choose to workon the current (failed) model or backup model. The backup modelshows all features in their pre-regenerated state, and can be used tomodify or restore dimensions of the features that are not displayedin the current (failed) model.

If the ENVIRONMENT menu Regen Backup option is toggled on,Pro/ENGINEER uses the regenerated backup model (as describedin Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER). If you specify this option, thesystem saves a copy of the model to disk with the nameregen_backup_model####.prt prior to each regeneration, andremoves it when you exit the Resolve environment. Otherwise, thesystem uses the last pre-failure version of the current model savedon disk.

The failed feature diagnosis window displays the following options:

• Overview—Display an overview of the Resolve environment.

• Feature Info—Display the feature Information Window.

• Resolve Hints—If a resolve hint exists, the system displays thisbutton. Click on it to see a hint on how to fix the problem.

If you select any of these options, Pro/ENGINEER opens a newwindow and displays information on the selected topic.

Using the Resolve Feat Menu

The RESOLVE FEAT menu options are as follows:

• Undo Changes—Undo the changes that caused the failedregeneration attempt, and return to the last successfullyregenerated model. The system displays the Confirmation menuso you can confirm or cancel this request.

• Investigate—Investigate the cause of the regeneration failureusing the Investigate submenu.

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• Fix Model—Roll the model back to the state before failure andselect commands to fix the problem.

• Quick Fix—Use the QUICK FIX menu to immediately performthe specified option on the current model. The possible optionsare as follows:

– Redefine—Redefine the failed feature.

– Reroute—Reroute the failed feature.

– Suppress—Suppress the failed feature and its children.

– Clip Supp—Suppress the failed feature and all thefeatures after it.

– Delete—Delete the failed feature. To manage its children,use the Delete All, Suspend All, or Reroute Allcommand.

Using the Investigate Option

If you choose the Investigate option, either Current Modl orBackup Modl and an appropriate option from the INVESTIGATEmenu.

The INVESTIGATE menu lists the following options:

• Current Modl—Perform operations on the current active(failed) model.

• Backup Modl—Perform operations on the backup model,displayed in a separate window (the system displays thecurrent model in the active window).

• Diagnostics—Toggle on or off the display of the failed featurediagnostic window.

• List Changes—Show the modified dimensions in the MainWindow and in a pre-regenerated model window (ReviewWindow), if available. Also, display a table that lists all themodifications and changes.

• Show Ref—Display the SHOW REF menu to show all thereferences for the failed feature in the models, in both theReview Window and the Main Window. The system highlightsthe first reference in the reference color (such as magenta), anddisplays the SHOW REF menu, which lists the following options:

– Next—Highlight the next reference.

– Previous—Highlight the previous reference.

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– Info—Display an Information Window that providesinformation about the entity and the feature to which itbelongs.

• Failed Geom—Display the invalid geometry of the failedfeature. This command may be unavailable. The FAILED GEOMmenu displays a list of features with failed geometry and arestore command.

• Roll Model—Roll the model back to the option selected in theROLL MDL TO submenu. The options are as follows:

– Failed Feat—Roll the model back to the failed feature (forthe backup model only).

– Before Fail—Roll the model back to the feature just beforethe failed feature.

– Last Success—Roll the model back to the state it was in atthe end of the last successful feature regeneration.

– Specify—Roll the model back to the specified feature.

Using the Fix Model Option

If you choose the Fix Model option, Pro/ENGINEER displays theFIX MODEL menu. Choose either Current Modl or Backup Modland an appropriate option from the FIX MODEL menu.

The FIX MODEL menu has the following options:

• Current Modl—Perform operations on the current active(failed) model.

• Backup Modl—Perform operations on the backup model,displayed in a separate window from the current model in theactive window.

• Feature—Perform feature operations on the model using thestandard FEAT menu. The system displays the CONFIRMATIONmenu so you can confirm or cancel the request only if the UndoChanges option is not possible. However, the Undo Changesoption is always possible if you used the Regen Backup optionin the ENVIRONMENT menu.

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The SELECT FEAT menu Failed Feat command selects thelatest failed feature. Pro/ENGINEER displays a message in theMessage Window when you successfully redefine the featureand automatically regenerates the model. When you chooseDone from the FEAT menu, the system displays an InformationWindow with a message stating that the model has beensuccessfully regenerated. The system also displays instructionsso you can either exit the Resolve environment or continue tomake changes before you exit.

• Modify—Modify dimensions using the standard MODIFYmenu.

• Regenerate—Regenerate the model.

• Switch Dim—Switch the dimension display from symbols tovalues or vice versa.

• Restore—Display the restore menu so you can restoredimensions, parameters, relations, or all of these to their valuesprior to the failure. The RESTORE menu options are as follows:

– All Changes—Restore all the changed items.

– Dimensions—Restore the dimensions.

– Parameters—Restore the parameters.

– Relations—Restore the relations.

• Relations—Add, delete, or modify relations, as necessary, to beable to regenerate the model, using the MODEL REL andRELATIONS menus (for more information, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER).

• Set Up—Display the standard PART SETUP menu to performadditional part setup procedures.

• X-Section—Create, modify, or delete a cross-sectional viewusing the CROSS SEC menu (for more information, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER).

• Program—Access Pro/PROGRAM capabilities using thePROGRAM menu (for more information, see Introduction toPro/ENGINEER).

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Relation Constraint Violation

When the part has been modified so a relation constraint has beenviolated, Pro/ENGINEER displays the violated constraint in theInformation Window. After you exit the Information Window, thesystem prompts whether to continue regeneration. If you answer“no,” Pro/ENGINEER restores the previous dimension values.Otherwise, regeneration continues.

Reducing the Regeneration TimeWhen you regenerate a part after modifying it, Pro/ENGINEERrecalculates the geometry of the part. For example, changingdimensional values, editing relations, or altering dimension tablesrequire part regeneration. Pro/ENGINEER performs a fastregeneration by regenerating only the features affected by certainactions.

Pro/ENGINEER performs fast regeneration in the followingsituations:

• Modifying dimension values—The part regenerates from theearliest modified feature only.

• Resuming features—The part regenerates from the earliestresumed feature.

• Redefining features, and modifying schemes and patterns—Thepart regenerates from the earliest modified feature only.

Pro/ENGINEER regenerates the entire part when you modify thefollowing:

• The part accuracy

• The part unit value (see Setting Up the Part on page 1 - 2 formore information)

You can significantly enhance regeneration time by doing thefollowing:

• Create identical or varying patterns instead of generalpatterns.

• Suppress features that have not been modified since the lastregeneration.

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See the the Assembly Modeling User’s Guide for information onregenerating a part in Assembly mode. For information onregenerating a part or assembly that requires Pro/PROGRAMinput, see Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Regeneration InformationThe Regen Info option lets you observe how a part is built and aidsin the diagnosis of bad features in a part. You can use this option atany time, or instead of the Regenerate option after you havemodified the part.

➤ How to Regenerate a Part Using the Regen Info Option

1. Choose the option Regen Info from the INFO menu.

2. Select where to start regenerating the part by choosing one ofthe following options from the START OPTS menu:

• Beginning—Start part regeneration with feature number1.

• Specify—Specify the feature from which to startregenerating by entering its number at the prompt.

• Quit Regen—Return to the INFO menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER regenerates and displays the specified featureof the part, then displays the INFO REGEN menu. The optionsare as follows:

• Info Feat—Provide regular feature information about thelast feature regenerated. If you choose this option, thesystem displays a window with the feature information.

• Show Dims—Display the dimensions of the lastregenerated feature.

• Geom Check—Investigate the geometry error for thefeature just regenerated. This option is accessible onlywhen a geometry error has been encountered.

• Fix Model—Activate the special Resolve functionality (seeWorking in the Resolve Environment on page 17 - 3) byforcing the feature to abort regeneration.

• Skip—Skip a designated number of features. The featuresregenerate without waiting and without allowing you toselect any options from this menu. Enter the number offeatures you want to skip.

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• Continue—Continue to the next feature for regeneration.

• Quit—Complete the regeneration of the part withoutgiving the option for further information.

4. If a feature is one that intersects any other feature on the part,the system displays the geometry of the feature in redwireframe before intersection.

Geometry CheckingTo prevent regeneration problems, Pro/ENGINEER checks forgeometry errors. If needed, the system automatically activates theGeom Check option in the INFO, INFO REGEN, and TRIM MODELmenus for those features that are successfully created. Forexample, during creation or regeneration of a feature, if the systemdetects a geometric condition, it issues the warning message“WARNING: Design intent is unclear. Use “Info”/“Geom Check”menu for more details.”

The Geom Check option allows you to view the feature that hasthe possible error and then revise its definition to eliminate thepotential problem. The system displays the GEOM CHECK menu,which provides a namelist of problem features and a Restorecommand. If you choose a feature, the system displays the SHOWERRS menu. This menu lets you highlight the entities that causethe geometry check. The system provides corresponding messagesin the Information Window, including suggested workarounds.

The SHOW ERRORS menu lists the following options:

• Prev Item—Highlight information for the previous item thatcauses a geometry check.

• Next Item—Highlight information for the next item thatcauses a geometry check.

• All Items—Highlight information for all items that cause ageometry check.

• Feature Info—Open an Information Window for the selectedfeature.

• Item Info—Open an Information Window to describe the error.

• Hide Item—Suppress the warning that the system had issuedas a possible design error, because the feature is designed asintended.

Regenerating the Part 17 - 11

Regenerating the

Part

Note: The option Hide Item applies only to the SHOW ERRSwindow processing and does not affect the regeneratedgeometry.

If you choose Restore from the GEOM CHECK menu, the systemdisplays the RESTORE ERR menu. This menu allows you to restorespecific geometry checks that you have hidden with the Hide Itemcommand. The possible options are as follows:

• Select All—Restore geometry checks for all features.

• Unsel All—Removes the checks from the entire list, allowingyou to select individual features again.

For example, the following cases might cause the system to issue ageometry check warning:

• Using blind features to extrude all the way through a part orintersect another surface

When the blind depth is not quite enough, there will be a littlegap, which will be detected by Pro/ENGINEER. Do not modifythe extruded value only—redefine the feature to use one of the“Thru” depth options.

• Sketching intersecting features on drafted surfaces

You may not notice the slight angle of the draft, but the featureyou sketch will not quite align with the feature to beintersected. You should either sketch the feature on the originalnon-drafted surface or use the option Use Edge so the entitiesalign exactly.

Misalignment Example

In the example in the figure Checking Geometry on page 17 - 12,Pro/ENGINEER issues the warning because of the very small edgeand surface between the corner round cut and the revolved blindcut. If this is what you really intended, increase the accuracy of thepart. If, however, you do not want the small surface and edge, butrather a razor-sharp edge, you must modify one of the features. Todo this, do not modify the size of either feature until the warningdisappears, because adding extra digits to the dimension may stillcause problems later. Instead, do the following:

• Redefine the cut and tell the system that the edges alignexactly.

...or...

17 - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Replace the round with a round through point. Then, no matterhow the cut changes, the round will be resized so the sharpintersection is maintained.

Checking Geometry

Feature createsa tiny edge.

Cuts

Should these bealigned at vertices?

Appendixes

A - 1

ASketcher with Intent Manager

This chapter describes how to work in standalone Sketcher mode.You use Sketcher mode to create a section which you can laterretrieve when you define a feature. You can also create a section asyou define the feature; then Pro/ENGINEER places you in Sketcherautomatically. For more information on creating sections in theprocess of part modeling, see the Sketching on a Model with IntentManager chapter.

Topic Page

About Sketcher Mode A - 2

Creating Geometry in Sketcher Mode A - 6

Sketcher Constraints A - 16

Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry A - 21

Modifying Dimension Values A - 35

Updating Geometry A - 36

Modifying a Section A - 37

Moving Entities A - 47

Deleting Entities A - 48

Undoing Sketcher Operations A - 49

Manipulating Sketcher Geometry A - 49

Section Geometry Information A - 57

Setting the Sketcher Environment Options A - 59

Resolving Problems in Sketches A - 62

Sketcher Hints A - 63

A - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

About Sketcher ModeSketcher enables you to create two-dimensional sections.

Entering Sketcher Mode

To start a new section in 2-D mode, choose File > New > Sketch.Enter the name for the section and choose OK from the New dialogbox.

To open an existing section, choose File > Open, and select a filewith the extension “.sec”, or of the type Sketch from the filter in thedialog box.

Using Sketcher with Intent Manager

This chapter describes how to use Sketcher with Intent Managerthat enables you to dynamically dimension and constrain geometryas you sketch. Before you enable Intent Manager for an existingsection, make sure the section is successfully regenerated. Anyextra dimensions found by Sketcher will be converted into referencedimensions.

You can turn off Intent Manager by clicking Intent Manager. Thisrestores Sketcher to its pre-Release 20.0 behavior.

To set Sketcher to use Intent Manager by default, set theconfiguration option to “sketcher_intent_manager” to “yes”.

Read Me File

To read the summary of the Release 20.0 Sketcher, click Read Mein the DYNDIM menu. You can remove the Read Me button fromthe menu by setting the “sketcher_readme_button” configurationoption to “no.”

When you enter Sketcher mode for the first time, the Read Me alertdialog box appears, instructing you to read the Read Me file. Toprevent this dialog box from showing up for future sessions, set the“sketcher_readme_alert” configuration option to “no.”

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Terminology in Sketcher

The following glossary lists terminology used in Sketcher.

Term Definition

Entity Any element of the section geometry(such as line, arc, circle, spline, conic,point, or coordinate system).You create entities when you sketch,divide, or intersect the section geometry,or when you reference geometry outsidethe section.

Reference entity An entity of the section that is created in3-D Sketcher when you referencegeometry outside the section. Thereferenced geometry (for example, partedge) is “known” to Sketcher.For example, creating a dimension to apart edge creates a reference entity inthe section which is the projection of thatpart edge onto the sketching plane.

Dimension A measurement of an entity or arelationship among entities.

Constraint A condition defining the geometry of theentity or a relationship among entities. Aconstraint symbol appears next to theentity to which the constraint is applied.For example, you can constrain two linesto be parallel. A parallel constraintsymbol appears to indicate this.

Parameter An auxiliary numerical value inSketcher.

Relation An equation relating dimensions and/orparameters.For example, a relation can be used toset the length of one line to be half thelength of some other line.

A - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Basic Steps for Creating a Section

The following basic procedure outlines how to create a section inSketcher mode.

➤ How to Create a Section

1. Sketch the section geometry.

The system adds dimensions and constraints automatically asyou create the section. See Creating Geometry in SketcherMode on page A - 6 for more information.

2. Redefine the dimensioning scheme, as needed.

Weak dimension orconstraint

A dimension or constraint is called“weak” if Sketcher can remove it whenappropriate without any confirmationfrom the user. Dimensions created bySketcher are weak. When you add adimension, Sketcher can remove anextra weak dimension or constraintwithout any confirmation. Weakdimensions and constraints appear ingrey.

Strong dimension orconstraint

A dimension or constraint is called“strong” if Sketcher cannot delete itautomatically. Dimensions andconstraints created by the user arealways strong. If several strongdimensions or constraints are in conflict,Sketcher asks you to remove one. Strongdimensions and constraints appear inyellow.

Conflict Contradicting or redundant conditions oftwo or more strong dimensions orconstraints. When this occurs, theconflict must be resolved immediately byremoving an undesired constraint ordimension.

Term Definition

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You can modify the dimensioning scheme created by Sketcherby adding your own dimensions and constraints. You cannotexplicitly delete any system dimensions. As you add dimensionsand constraints, the system automatically deletes system(weak) dimensions and constraints that are no longernecessary. If you want to keep the system dimensions andconstraints, strengthen them before exiting Sketcher. SeeDimensioning Sketcher Geometry on page A - 21 for moreinformation.

3. Add section relations, if desired.

Add relations to control the behavior of your section. SeeManipulating Sketcher Geometry on page A - 49 for moreinformation.

4. Save the section before exiting. See Saving a Section onpage A - 5.

5. Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

Using Shortcuts with the Right Mouse Button

You can access the most frequently used drafting operations bypressing the right mouse button.

Note: You cannot access this menu when you are inrubberband mode.

As you select a drafting command from the menu, the systemsimultaneously brings up the GEOMETRY menu. For a menudescription, see The Right Mouse Menu on page A - 56.

Using the Toolbar Icons

After you enter Sketcher, the toolbar displays the icons for theUndo, Redo, Disp Dims, Disp Const, Disp Verts, and DispGrid options.

Saving a Section

To save the section before exiting Sketcher, choose File, Save orclick the Save icon from the toolbar. The system creates a file withthe extension “.sec”.

A - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Exiting Sketcher Mode

To exit Sketcher after you are finished creating a section, chooseDone from the SKETCHER menu.

To exit Sketcher and discard any sketched geometry, choose Quitfrom the SKETCHER menu and Confirm from the CONFIRMATIONmenu.

Creating Geometry in Sketcher ModeTo start sketching, choose Sketch from the SKETCHER menu,select an option for a particular entity type from the Geometrymenu, and start sketching entities by picking points on the sketch.

As you move the mouse and the cursor, the Sketcher determinesapplicable constraints and displays them; the current constraint isshown in red. The geometry snaps to satisfy these constraints (forexample, horizontal or vertical line constraint).

After the entities are sketched, you can apply additional constraintsby choosing the Constrain option in the SKETCHER menu (seeSketcher Constraints on page A - 16).

You use the mouse in Sketcher in different ways:

• Use the left mouse button to pick points on the screen and themiddle mouse button to abort the current action. You can alsouse the middle mouse button to switch from line to arc creationand vice versa.

• While drafting, you can disable the current constraint (shownin red) by pressing the right mouse button and lock theconstraint by pressing <Shift> and the right mouse button.

• You can open the right mouse menu to access most frequentlyused drafting commands (while you are not in the rubberbandmode). See Using Shortcuts with the Right Mouse Button onpage A - 5.

The system automatically dimensions geometry as you sketchentities by adding only those dimensions that are necessary to solvethe section. The system dimensions are called “weak” dimensions(they appear in gray), because the system can remove them withoutyour input. Use the Dimension option in the SKETCHER menu toadd “strong” dimensions (they appear in yellow). For information ondimensioning, see Dimensioning Sketcher Geometry on page A - 21.

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Drafting Commands

To sketch an entity, select the appropriate entity type from theGEOMETRY menu (for shortcuts, see the next section). Thefollowing options are listed in the GEOMETRY menu:

• Point—Create a point. Pick a point on the screen with the leftmouse button.

• Line—Create lines and centerlines using options in the LINETYPE menu. See Sketching Lines on page A - 7.

• Rectangle—Create a rectangle by rubberbanding a box. SeeSketching a Rectangle on page A - 8.

• Arc—Create an arc by using options in the ARC TYPE menu.See Sketching an Arc on page A - 8.

• Circle—Create a circle and construction circle by using optionsin the CIRCLE TYPE menu. See Sketching a Circle on page A - 9.

• Adv Geometry—Create a conic, coordinate system, ellipticalfillet, spline, text, axis through a point, and blend vertex byusing options in the ADV GEOMETRY menu. See CreatingAdvanced Geometry on page A - 10.

Sketching Lines

Use the Line option to sketch geometry lines and centerlines.

Centerlines aid you in creating feature geometry, but they do notcreate actual geometry. Centerlines have infinite length. Theyappear in phantom line font.

➤ How to Sketch a Line

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Line.

2. Choose Geometry or Centerline from the LINE TYPE menu.Select the drafting method by choosing one of these options inthe LINE TYPE menu:

• 2 Points—Create a line by picking two endpoints. To endline creation, press the middle mouse button.

• 2 Tangent—Create a line tangent to two arcs, circles, orsplines. Select two entities to which the line will be tangent.

3. Continue creating lines in sequence.

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Sketching a Rectangle

Use the Rectangle option in the GEOMETRY menu to sketch arectangle with vertical and horizontal sides.

➤ How to Sketch a Rectangle

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Rectangle.

2. Place one vertex with the left mouse button and drag therectangle to the desired size.

3. To place the other vertex, click the left mouse button.

The four lines of the rectangle are independent and you can handlethem (trim, align, and so on) individually.

Sketching an Arc

➤ How to Sketch an Arc

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Arc.

2. The ARC TYPE menu appears. Choose one of the followingoptions from the ARC TYPE menu:

• Tangent End—Create an arc that is tangent to an entityat its endpoint. Pick an end of an existing entity todetermine tangency, then pick a location for the otherendpoint of the arc.

• 3 Tangent—Create an arc that is tangent to three entities.Select three entities to which the arc will be tangent. Thesystem creates the arc in the same direction as thereference picks.

• Fillet—Create an arc between two entities. Pick twoentities between which to create a tangent arc. See the nextsection.

• Center/Ends—Create an arc by picking the center point ofthe arc and the endpoints of the arc.

• 3 Point—Create an arc by picking its endpoints and anadditional point on the arc.

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Fillet Arc

The Fillet option creates a rounded intersection between any twoentities. The size and location of the fillet depends on the picklocations.

You cannot create a fillet between the following entities:

• Parallel lines

• A centerline and another entity

When a fillet is inserted between two entities, the systemautomatically divides two entities at the fillet tangency points. Ifyou add the fillet between two non-parallel lines, the lines areautomatically trimmed to the fillet. If you add the fillet betweenany other entities, you must delete leftover segments manually.

The following figure shows an example of fillets between a line anda spline, and a line and a circle.

Fillets Between Different Entities

➤ How to Create a Fillet Arc Between Two Lines

1. Choose Fillet from the ARC TYPE menu.

2. Use the left mouse button to pick two entities.

Sketching a Circle

Use the Circle option in the GEOMETRY menu to create two typesof circles: geometry circles and construction circles.

Construction circles aid you in creating feature geometry, but theydo not create actual geometry. Construction entities appear in aphantom line font.

•

•

•

••

•

Resulting geometry after deletingentities between division points

Fillets between lines,splines, and circles

Division points

A - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Sketch Circles

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Circle.

2. Choose Geometry or Construction from the top portion of theCIRCLE TYPE menu.

3. Select the creation method by choosing one of the followingoptions in the bottom part of the CIRCLE TYPE menu:

• Concentric—Create a concentric circle. Pick a referencecircle or an arc to define the center point. As you move thecursor, the circle rubberbands until you press left mouse tofinish. The selected referenced circle can be a sketchedentity or a model edge. If the selected circle reference is amodel entity that is “unknown” to Sketcher, this entityautomatically becomes a reference entity.

• Center/Point—Create a circle by picking the center pointand a point that lies on the circle.

• 3 Tangent—Create a circle tangent to three entities. Pickthree reference entities.

• Fillet—Create a circle tangent to two entities.

• 3 Point—Create a circle by picking three points that lie onthe circle.

Creating Advanced Geometry

To sketch advanced geometry, choose the Adv Geometry optionfrom the GEOMETRY menu. The ADV GEOMETRY menu has thefollowing options:

• Conic—Sketch a conic.

• Coord Sys—Add a coordinate system to the sketch.

• Elliptical Fillet—Create an elliptical fillet.

• Spline—Sketch a spline.

• Text—Include a text entry in the sketch.

• Axis Point—Create an axis that is normal to the sketchingplane and goes through the pick point (available only in 3-DSketcher).

• Blend Vertex—Sketch blended features with unequalnumbers of segments in their sections.

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The following sections describe these options in detail.

Sketching a Conic

Use the Conic option to sketch a conic curve (see the followingfigure).

Conic

➤ How to Create a Conic

1. Choose Conic from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

2. Pick the first endpoint for the conic using the left mouse button.

3. Pick the second endpoint for the conic using the left mousebutton.

4. Pick the location for the shoulder using the left mouse button.The conic rubberbands as you move the cursor.

Adding a Coordinate System

You can add a coordinate system to a section to be used with thefollowing:

• Spline—You can dimension a spline to a coordinate system.This allows you to modify the spline points by specifying theX-, Y-, and Z-axis coordinates, with respect to the coordinatesystem. For information on how to associate a spline to acoordinate system, see Associating a Spline to a CoordinateSystem on page A - 28.

• Reference—You can add coordinate systems to any section toaid dimensioning.

• Blend feature section—You can use the coordinate system toestablish the relative origin for each of the sections used forblends.

A - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

➤ How to Add a Coordinate System to a Sketch

1. Choose Coord Sys from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

2. Pick a location to locate the coordinate system.

Sketching an Elliptic Fillet

Use the Elliptic Fillet option to create an elliptic fillet. For thisoperation, you can select the same entities as for Arc, Fillet.

The axes of the elliptic fillet are horizontal and vertical. The ellipticfillet is tangent at its endpoints to the entities selected for itscreation.

➤ How to Create an Elliptic Fillet

1. Choose ADV GEOMETRY > Elliptic Fillet.

2. Pick the entities between which you want to create an ellipticfillet.

Sketching a Spline

Splines are curves that pass smoothly through any number ofintermediate points.

Spline Curve

For additional control of the shape of a spline, you can specify thetangency angle and radius of curvature at the ends of a spline. Youcan do this while you define the spline by using the TANGENCYmenu options, or you can modify an existing spline with the Modifyoption in the Sketcher menu (see Modifying the Tangency of aSpline on page A - 42).

Intermediate points

Endpoint

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Consider the following information on spline tangency:

• When you define the spline as tangent to other geometry, thereference geometry does not have to be present in the sectionwhen you sketch the spline. However, when you complete thesection, the spline must have either an adjacent entity or anangular dimension.

• If a spline endpoint is dimensioned with an angular dimensionand the endpoint has not been defined with a tangency, youmust add the tangency, or remove the dimension. You must alsoset tangency if you are controlling the curvature of the spline atits endpoints with curvature dimensions.

• A closed spline must have a tangency condition of None;endpoints of a closed spline are always tangent.

• In a spline with one or more tangent endpoints, if you move thefirst or last interior point on the spline, the spline immediatelyadjusts to its new shape.

➤ How to Create a Spline

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Spline.

2. The system displays the SPLINE MODE menu. The SketchPoints option is selected by default.

3. Define the tangency condition for the spline by selecting one ofthe options in the TANGENCY menu:

• None—Create a spline with no tangency.

• Start—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at the start.

• End—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at the end.

• Both—Create a spline with explicit control of the tangencyangle at both ends.

• Control Poly—Create a spline with both endpointstangent to a control polygon. Pick spline points as usual.The line entities that form the control polygon of the splineare added to the section database as parents of the spline.Entities of the control polygon can be dimensioned asregular sketched entities.

A - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Approx Chain—Create an approximate chain spline,which replaces a chain of entities. The spline approximatesthe chain very closely, but the curvature variescontinuously along the spline, smoothing out any jumps incurvature in the original chain of entities.

4. Start picking spline points. Click the middle mouse button toend spline creation.

If you are creating an approximate chain spline, pick theentities (lines, arcs, splines, elliptical fillets, and conics) thatform a continuous chain. Pro/ENGINEER transforms theselected entities to phantom line font and creates theapproximate chain spline on top of these entities.

5. Choose Done/Return to complete the spline.

Using Splines Created with the Control Poly Option

Note the following rules for splines created with Control Poly:

• If you delete the control polygon, the spline becomes a standardspline with no tangency conditions.

• If you delete the spline, the entities of the corresponding controlpolygon are also deleted.

• You cannot dimension the spline to coordinate systems or useits interpolation points for dimensioning.

• You cannot specify the radius-of-curvature dimension.

• If no entities of its control polygon are dimensioned, you canmodify the spline using the Move Pnts and Control Polyoptions in the MOD SPLINE menu.

Using the Splines Created with Approx Chain

Note the following rules for deleting approximate chain splines:

• If you delete an approximate chain spline, Pro/ENGINEERremoves it and turns the entities from the chain back intogeometry.

• If you delete an entity from the chain, Pro/ENGINEER deletesthe entire chain. The spline itself remains in the section, but itis no longer driven by the entity chain from which it wascreated. You can then modify the spline like any other spline inSketcher mode.

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• If you restore a deleted chain, Pro/ENGINEER brings the wholechain back into the section. If you modified the spline in themeantime, the system regenerates it back to its original formand reattaches it to the controlling chain.

If you move the approximate chain using the Move Entity optionfrom the GEOM TOOLS, note the following:

• If you pick on the interior of the spline, Pro/ENGINEERtranslates it along with the construction entities.

• If you select an endpoint of the spline or the adjacentconstruction entity, the system applies an extend and rotatetransformation to both the spline and the chain.

• If you select an entity of the approximated chain,Pro/ENGINEER translates the spline together with the chain.

Using Sketcher Text

You can include text in a section for extruded protrusions that donot use the Thin option and cuts, trimming surfaces, and cosmeticfeatures.

The characters that are in the section for an extruded feature mustuse the font font3d. For cosmetic features, you can later modify thefont, as described in Modifying Text Entities on page A - 46.

➤ How to Add a Text String to a Section

1. Choose Sketch and Adv Geometry.

2. Choose Text from the ADV GEOMETRY menu.

3. Enter a single line of up to 79 characters of text, followed by acarriage return for each line of text you want to enter.

4. To complete the text entry portion of the process, enter acarriage return in an empty text input line.

5. Place the text by picking two opposite corners of a text boxusing the left mouse button. The box determines the originaltext height, width factor, and location. After you place the text,the box becomes invisible (see the next figure).

A - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Text Placement Box

To abort text placement, press the middle mouse button. Youcan then select another location for the text placement.

Creating an Axis in Sketcher

Use the Axis Point option from the ADV GEOMETRY menu tocreate an axis that goes through the pick point and is normal to thesketching plane. The depth of the axis is determined by thegeometry of the feature similar to an axis of a cylindrical hole.

You can use the axis created in Sketcher for referencing anddimensioning both in Sketcher and throughout Pro/ENGINEER.The Axis Point behaves as an axis created with Datum > Axis inPart mode. You can include the Sketcher axis in a punch UDF andslot.

➤ How to Create a Feature Axis in Sketcher

1. Choose GEOMETRY > Axis Point.

2. Pick a point.

3. The system creates an axis through the pick point.

Sketcher ConstraintsWhen you sketch geometry, the system uses certain assumptions tohelp you locate geometry. When the cursor comes within thetolerance of some constraints, the system snaps to that constraintand shows its graphical symbol next to that entity. Before you pickthe location with the left mouse button, you can:

• Disable a constraint by pressing the right mouse button. Toenable it again, press the right mouse button again.

• Lock in a constraint by holding the Shift key and pressing theright mouse button. To unlock the constraint, repeat youractions.

text box

text origin

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• When more than one constraint is active, you can change theactive constraint by using the Tab key.

Constraints that appear in grey are called “weak” constraints. Theycan be removed by the system without warning. You can add yourown constraints with the Constrain option in the SKETCHERmenu. See Creating Constraints on page A - 19.

Graphic Display of Constraints

The system shows constraints as follows:

• Current constraint—red

• Weak constraint —gray

• Strong constraint—yellow

• Locked constraint—enclosed in a circle

• Disabled constraint—with a line crossing the constraint symbol

The following table lists constraints with the correspondinggraphical symbols.

Constraint Symbol

Same points

Horizontal entities H

Vertical entities V

Point on entity

Tangent entities T

Perpendicular entities

Parallel lines

Equal radii R with an index in subscript

Line segments with equallengths

L with an index in subscript (for example, L1)

Symmetry

1

A - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Constraints for the Entities Created with Use Edge or Offset Edge

An entity or a chain of entities created with Use Edge or OffsetEdge has the “~” symbol on the entity. If the endpoints of the newentity are fixed, the Same Points constraint symbol appears next tothe endpoints.

Turning the Display of Constraints On or Off

You can turn the display of constraints on or off in one of thefollowing ways:

• Choose Sec Tools from the SKETCHER menu, choose SecEnviron from the SEC TOOLS menu, and add or remove acheck mark in front of the Disp Constr option.

• To disable the constraints display by default, set theconfiguration option “sketcher_disp_constraints” to “no.”

• Use the Constraint icon in the toolbar.

Strengthening a Constraint

You can turn weak constraints into strong constraints by using theStrengthen option in the CONSTRAINTS menu.

Strengthen those system constraints that you do not want thesystem to delete.

Note: When you strengthen a constraint from a group (forexample, Equal Lengths), the whole group will bestrengthened.

Entities are lined uphorizontally or vertically

Collinear

Alignment Symbol for the appropriate alignment type.

Use Edge/Offset Edge

Constraint Symbol

~

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Creating Constraints

Use the Constrain option in the SKETCHER menu to accessconstraints that you want to apply to entities. The constraints youadd are strong constraints.

➤ How to Apply a Constraint

1. Choose SKETCHER > Constrain > Create.

2. Choose a constraint from the CONSTR TYPES menu. TheCONSTRAINTS menu lists the following constraints:

• Same Points—Make points coincident. Pick two points tobe coincident.

• Horizontal—Make a line horizontal.

• Vertical—Make a line vertical.

• Point On Entity—Place a point on entity. Pick a point andthen pick the entity on which (or along which) the point is tobe placed.

• Tangent—Make entities tangent. Pick two entities to betangent.

• Perpendicular—Make two entities perpendicular. Picktwo entities to be perpendicular.

• Parallel—Make two lines parallel. Pick two lines to beparallel.

• Equal Radii—Make arcs or circles of equal radius. Pickarcs or circles to have the same radius.

• Equal Lengths—Make segments of equal length. Picksegments to have equal lengths.

• Symmetric—Apply symmetry to points. Pick a centerlineand then pick two entities to be symmetric about thecenterline.

• Line Up Horizontal—Line up two vertices horizontally.Pick two vertices to line up.

• Line Up Vertical—Line up two vertices vertically. Picktwo vertices to line up.

• Collinear—Make two lines collinear.

• Alignment—Align two entities.

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Note: Interior spline points become visible and available forselection when you choose a constraint option thatallows point selection, for example, Alignment.

3. Pick entities as prompted by the system.

4. After you add a constraint, the system updates the section tothe new conditions.

Obtaining Information About a Constraint

Use the Explain option in the CONSTRAINTS menu to obtaininformation about a constraint. Select a constraint symbol from thesketch. The system highlights entities to which the selectedconstraint applies and prints a message explaining the selectedconstraint.

Deleting a Constraint

To delete a constraint, choose Delete from the SKETCHER menuand Delete Item from the DELETION menu. Then pick aconstraint. When you delete a constraint, the system automaticallyadds a dimension to keep the section solved.

Conflict Resolution

When you add a dimension or constraint that conflicts or isredundant with existing strong dimensions or constraints, Sketcherhighlights dimensions and constraints in conflict and asks you toremove one of the highlighted constraints or dimensions. Use thefollowing options from the CONFLICT RESOLUTION menu when youresolve the conflict:

• Delete—Select a constraint or dimension to remove. If youchoose Quit Sel without selecting an item to delete, Sketcherwill remove an item without your input.

• Explain—Select a constraint to get a description of theconstraint. Sketcher highlights entities associated with thisconstraint.

• Undo—Undo changes to bring the section to the state justbefore the action that lead to the conflict. The redo is notavailable after you choose Undo, because the last operationwas not finished.

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Dimensioning Sketcher GeometrySketcher makes sure that the section is adequately constrained anddimensioned at any stage of the section creation. As you sketch asection, the system automatically dimensions the geometry. Thesedimensions are called “weak” dimensions, because the systemcreates and removes them without warning. Weak dimensionsappear in gray.

You can also add your own dimensions to create the desireddimensioning scheme. User dimensions are considered “strong”dimensions by the system. As you add strong dimensions, thesystem automatically removes unnecessary weak dimensions andconstraints.

If adding a dimension leads to a conflict or redundancy in thedimensioning scheme and constraints, Sketcher issues a warningand lets you resolve the conflict as described in Conflict Resolutionon page A - 20.

Strengthening Weak Dimensions

You can selectively turn weak dimensions into strong by using theStrengthen option in the DIMENSION menu. It is good practice tostrengthen weak dimensions that you intend to keep in a sectionbefore you exit Sketcher. This ensures that the system does notdelete these dimensions without your input.

Note: When you strengthen a dimension, the system roundsits value.

➤ How to Strengthen a Dimension

1. Choose DIMENSION > Strengthen.

2. Select a dimension to strengthen.

3. After strengthened, the dimension changes from gray to yellow.

Note: Throughout Pro/ENGINEER, whenever you modify avalue of a weak dimension or use it in a relation, thatdimension becomes strong.

Deleting Weak Dimensions

Weak dimensions cannot be deleted. They are automaticallyremoved when you create strong dimensions that make the weakdimensions unnecessary.

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Turning the Display of Dimensions On or Off

You can turn the display of dimensions on or off in any of thefollowing ways:

• Choose Sec Tools from the SKETCHER menu, chooseSec Environ from the SEC TOOLS menu, and then add orremove a check mark in front of the Disp Dims option.

• To disable the constraints display by default, set theconfiguration option “sketcher_disp_dimensions” to “no.”

• Use the Dimension icon in the toolbar.

Relations

You can create relations between dimensions in Sketcher mode.This allows you to lock in design relations as soon as you create thesection. For information on how to add relations to a section, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER.

Fractions

You can create dimensions in decimal format or by using fractions.For more information, see Fractions on page 1 - 7.

Adding Dimensions

Use the Dimension command in the SKETCHER menu to add“strong” dimensions or to replace existing dimensions.

To create a dimension you pick the entity or entities with the leftmouse button and then place the dimension at the desired positionwith the middle mouse button.

The commands in the DIMENSION menu work in “continue” mode:you continue creating dimensions of one type until you chooseanother option.

Different Types of Dimension

When you create a dimension, select the desired dimension typefrom the DIMENSION menu. You can create the following dimensiontypes in 2-D Sketcher:

• Normal—Create linear, angular, diameter, and radialdimensions.

• Perimeter—Create a perimeter dimension with the fixedvalue.

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• Reference—Create a dimension that you want to keep forreference.

Note: When you retrieve an old section into Release 19.0Sketcher with Dynamic Dimensioning on, Sketcherconverts all extra dimensions into referencedimensions.

• Baseline—Establish a baseline for creating linear dimensionsin ordinate format.

Linear Dimensions

You can create linear dimensions as follows:

• To dimension the length of a line—Pick the line, then place thedimension.

• To dimension the distance between two parallel lines—Pick thetwo lines, then place the dimension.

• To dimension the distance between a point and a line—Pick theline, pick the point, and place the dimension.

• To create a dimension between two points—Pick the points andlocation for the dimension. Select an option in the DIM PNTmenu:

– Horizontal—Indicate the horizontal distance between thepoints.

– Vertical—Indicate the vertical distance between thepoints.

– Slanted—Indicate the shortest distance between thepoints.

Notes:

• You cannot dimension the length of a centerline because itis infinite.

• When you are creating a dimension between two arc orcircle extents (tangency points), only horizontal and verticaldimensions are allowed. Pro/ENGINEER creates thedimension to the tangency point closest to the pick point.

Diameter Dimensions

Diameter dimensions measure the diameters of sketched circlesand arcs or diameters for sketching sections about an axis. Thefollowing sections describe how to dimension arcs and circles, andrevolved sections.

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Dimensioning Arcs and Circles

To create a diameter dimension for an arc or a circle, pick the arc orcircle twice and then place the dimension.

Diameter Dimension for a Circle

Dimensioning Revolved Sections

The following procedure explains how to dimension a section of arevolved feature.

➤ How to Create a Diameter Dimension

1. Pick the entity to be dimensioned.

2. Pick the centerline that will be the axis of revolution.

3. Pick the entity again.

4. Place the dimension.

Note: The diameter dimension for a revolved feature extendsbeyond the centerline, indicating that it is a diameterdimension, not a radius dimension.

The following figure shows how to create a diameter dimension fora revolved feature section.

Pick twice on circle.

Place dimension here.

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Creating a Diameter Dimension

Radial Dimensions

Radial dimensions measure the radii of circles or arcs and circlesand arcs created by revolving a section about an axis. To create aradial dimension for an arc or circle, pick on the circle or arc andthen place the dimension. To create a radial dimension for arevolved section, pick the entity, pick on the centerline axis, thenplace the dimension.

Angular Dimensions

Angular dimensions measure the angle between two lines or theangle of an arc between its endpoints.

To create an angular dimension between lines, pick the first line,pick the second line, and then place the dimension. Where you placethe dimension determines how the angle is measured (either acuteor obtuse).

The next figure illustrates angular dimensions.

section

pick 1

pick 2 - on centerline

pick 3

pick 4 - places dimension

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Creating an Angular Dimension

➤ How to Create an Angle Dimension for an Arc

1. Pick one endpoint of the arc.

2. Pick the other endpoint of the arc.

3. Pick the arc.

4. Place the dimension (see the following figure).

Arc Angle Dimension

Spline Dimensions

You can add dimensions to a spline by using its endpoints orinterpolation points. To dimension a spline, you must dimension itsendpoints. You need not add spline dimensions if the spline isattached to other geometry and the endpoints are dimensioned.

Pick edges, thenplace a dimension.

pick 1 - on endpoint

pick 2 - on

pick 3 - on arc

pick 4 - places dimension

endpoint

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You can dimension spline endpoints using linear dimensions,tangency (angular) dimensions, and radius-of-curvaturedimensions.

The following sections describe linear dimensions, tangencydimensions, radius-of-curvature dimensions, dimensioninginterpolation points, and associating a spline to a coordinatesystem.

Linear Dimensions

You can add linear dimensions to a spline.

➤ How to Create Linear Dimensions

1. Pick the spline endpoint.

2. Place the dimension.

Tangency Dimensions

You can create tangency dimensions for endpoints andintermediate control points of the spline. Note that the spline musthave tangency defined before you can use a tangency dimension atthe ends. You can modify the spline to add tangency and thencreate angle dimensions.

Note: When you create a tangency dimension on the spline,Sketcher removes the tangency assumption.

➤ How to Create a Tangency Dimension

1. Select the spline twice.

2. Select the endpoint where the tangency is defined or any splineinterpolation point.

3. Select geometry to which the spline tangency is defined.

4. Place the dimension.

Radius-of-Curvature Dimensions

You can create radius-of-curvature dimensions. The spline musthave tangency defined before you can use a radius-of-curvaturedimension.

Note: If no tangency exists and the endpoint is dimensionedwith a radius-of-curvature dimension, you must modifythe spline to add tangency, or Pro/ENGINEER willreport the dimension as extra.

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➤ How to Create a Radius-of-Curvature Dimension

1. Select the spline endpoint with the left mouse button.

2. Place the dimension with the middle mouse button.

Dimensioning Interpolation Points

You can dimension the spline interpolation points (the points youpicked to define the spline).

➤ How to Dimension the Spline Interpolation Points

1. Select the spline. The system displays the interpolation points.

2. Select the interpolation point to dimension.

3. Select the geometry to which you want to dimension.

Associating a Spline to a Coordinate System

Before you dimension the interpolation points of the spline to thecoordinate system, you must first associate the spline to acoordinate system.

➤ How to Associate a Spline to a Coordinate System

1. Choose Dimension from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Pick the spline twice.

3. Select the coordinate system, then click the middle mousebutton. The spline is now associated to a local coordinatesystem. However, the system does not display any dimensions.

For information on how to modify spline points to change the shapeof the spline, see Modifying a Spline on page A - 40.

Conic Dimensions

There are two dimensioning schemes to dimension a conic. Oneuses an rho value to define the shape of the conic. The otherrequires you to add a distinct Sketcher point to anchor the conic atthe selected location. The resulting conic is defined by the twoendpoints and the distinct third point.

➤ How to Dimension the Conic

1. Dimension the endpoints to locate the conic spline.

2. Create angular dimensions to define the endpoint tangency.

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➤ How to Create a Conic Tangency Dimension

1. Pick a conic.

2. Pick the endpoint where the tangency is to be defined.

3. Select geometry to which the spline tangency is defined (such asa centerline or straight edge).

4. Place the dimension.

For two conics that are tangent to each other at a common point,you need to create only one tangency dimension.

For some end tangency angles, a conic cannot be created. Forexample, it is not possible to make a single conic that representsone half or more of an ellipse. If a conic fails, modify the tangencyangles. If no tangency angles are present, add them, because theproblematic tangents must then be determined by adjacent entities.

The rho Dimension

The rho dimension of a conic segment PQ defines the shape of theconic. The rho dimension specifies a ratio along a vector from thechord (PQ) through a point C to the vertex (R). Point C is at themaximum distance (CD), measured by a normal from the chord PQto the conic segment PQ.

Conic rho Dimension

rho = a/(a+b)P

Q

aC

b

D

R

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➤ How to Dimension the rho Parameter Value of the Conic

1. Pick the conic with the left button and create the dimensionwith the middle button. The default rho value is 0.5.

2. You can modify rho to be one of the following values:

• For an ellipse: 0.05 < parameter < 0.5

• When you are creating a closed ellipse section from fourconic segments, the only value for rho that gives a trueellipse is (sqrt (2)–1). Enter this value exactly as shown (notas the approximation .4142).

• For a parabola: parameter = 0.5

• For a hyperbola: 0.5 < parameter < 0.95

Ellipse Consisting of Four Conics

The Three-Point Dimension

For conics that are defined by three distinct points, the systemdetermines the shoulder point from the user-defined point throughwhich it passes. If this is a model point (vertex or datum), you neednot add another dimension—you can align the conic to this modelpoint. However, if it is a Sketcher point or vertex, you mustdimension the point to regenerate the sketch.

Conic

rho dimension -enter as sqrt(2)–1

Angular dimensionat common endpoint

Linear dimensions

Centerlines

.414

.414

.414.414

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➤ How to Dimension a Conic Defined by Three Points

1. Perform the two rho dimensioning steps to define the conicendpoint and tangency dimensions (see The rho Dimension onpage A - 29).

2. Create a Sketcher point on the conic where the conic is toremain anchored.

Note: If you place the conic close enough to the Sketcher pointon a curve (such as during creation of a swept feature),the conic passes through that point, behaving the sameas a conic for which you define a third point.

Dimensioning an Elliptic Fillet

The horizontal and vertical endpoints of the ellipse and its centerpoint can be dimensioned as regular Sketcher points. You can alsodimension the X- and Y-radii of the elliptical fillet.

➤ How to Dimension the X- and Y-Radii of the Ellipse

1. Pick the fillet (do not pick endpoints).

2. Place the dimension with the middle mouse button.

3. Choose an option from the ELLIPSE DIM menu:

• X Radius—Dimension the horizontal half-axis.

• Y Radius—Dimension the vertical half-axis.

Perimeter Dimension

You can use the Perimeter option in the DIMENSION menu todimension the total length of a chain or loop of entities. You mustselect a dimension that the system can adjust to obtain the desiredperimeter. This dimension is called the varying dimension. Whenyou modify the perimeter dimension, the system modifies thevarying dimension accordingly.

Note the following rules for the perimeter dimension:

• You cannot modify varying dimensions, because they are drivendimensions.

• If you delete the varying dimension, the system deletes theperimeter dimension.

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The following figure shows a sample sketch with a perimeterdimension.

Using the Perimeter Dimension

➤ How to Add a Perimeter Dimension

1. Choose Dimension, Perimeter.

2. Select an entity from a chain or loop.

3. All vertices in the chain or loop are highlighted in white. Do oneof the following:

• If you want to select the entire chain/loop, choose Done Sel.

...or...

• If you want to select a portion of the chain/loop, select twovertices and then use options in the CHOOSE menu tohighlight the desired portion. Conclude the selection bychoosing Accept.

4. Select a dimension that the system can vary. The perimeterdimension shows up with the current value of the perimeterand points to the chain/loop that it is dimensioning.

Note: Perimeter dimensions are not supported for parallelblends and variable section sweeps.

Varying dimensionWhen you modify the perimeter dimension, thevarying dimension adjusts accordingly.

Perimeter dimension

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Reference Dimensions

Use the Reference option in the DIMENSION menu to createreference dimensions in Sketcher. The symbolic name for thereference dimensions is rsd# REF. You can include referencedimensions in Sketcher as sd# or rsd#.

Note: Reference dimension names rsd# and sd# cannot beused as parameter names.

Baseline (Ordinate) Dimensions

You can create linear dimensions in ordinate format. Creatingordinate dimensions involves two basic steps: designating thebaseline and dimensioning geometry to the baseline.

You can create the baseline dimension on lines, arc and circlecenters, and geometry endpoints (lines, arcs, conics, and splines), oryou can select model geometry to dimension as a baseline.

Note that if the baseline resides in the model, the ordinatedimension to that baseline also resides in the model.

➤ How to Create Ordinate Dimensions

1. Establish the baseline by choosing SKETCHER > Dimension >Baseline.

2. Select the geometry to dimension as a baseline with the leftmouse button. Locate the dimension text by pressing the middlemouse button. For lines, the baseline is oriented the same way.For arc and circle centers, and for geometry endpoints, chooseone of the following options from the VERT HORIZ menu:

• Vert—Orient the baseline vertically.

• Horiz—Orient the baseline horizontally.

3. To create ordinate dimensions to the specified baseline, chooseNormal.

4. To add a dimension, pick the baseline dimension and then pickthe entity to dimension using the left mouse button. Place theordinate dimension by pressing the middle mouse button.

5. To add other ordinate dimensions, repeat Step 4.

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The following figure illustrates how to create an ordinate baseline.

Creating an Ordinate Baseline

The following figure illustrates how to create an ordinatedimension.

Creating an Ordinate Dimension

Replacing a Dimension

You can replace an existing Sketcher dimension with an equivalentone so that the new dimension retains the symbolic dimension (sd#)of the original. Replacing a dimension is useful when you want topreserve additional data associated with the original dimension (forexample, geometric tolerance symbol or extra text added inDrawing mode).

pick 2 - place baselinedimension

pick 1 - select entity

Pick 1 - select baselinedimension.

Pick 2 - select entity todimension.

Pick 3 - Place adimension.

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➤ How to Replace a Dimension

1. Choose SKETCHER > Dimension.

2. Choose Replace from the DIMENSION menu.

3. Select a dimension to replace. The dimension is deleted.

4. Create a new equivalent dimension.

Adding Relations to a Section

You can add relations to sections while you are in Sketcher mode.Relations in Sketcher mode follow the same rules as in Part mode,except the parameters must belong to a model and cannot becreated in Sketcher mode. The relations apply to the section, butyou can modify and use them in part or assembly relations.

You can also enter a section relation when you modify the drivendimension. Enter the relation (for example, sd4=sd2+sd3/2) whenyou are modifying dimension values. Pro/ENGINEER displays thenew relation and prompts you to accept it.

When you add the relation, use dimension symbols as follows: sd#for normal Sketcher dimensions, rsd# for reference Sketcherdimensions, and kd# for known dimensions. See KnownDimensions on page B - 19 for more information.

Note: Only Sketcher, reference, and known dimensions areallowed in relations created within Sketcher mode.

Modifying Dimension ValuesUse the Mod Entity option in the MOD SKETCH menu to changedimension values of entities.

➤ How to Modify the Value of a Dimension

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu.

2. The Mod Entity option in the MOD SKETCH menu is active bydefault. Pick the dimension to be changed with the left mousebutton. The system highlights the dimension in red.

3. Enter a new dimension value or relation. The modified valuechanges from red to white.

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Negative Dimensions

For linear dimensions, you can enter a negative dimension value.This causes the geometry to reverse direction. In Sketcher, thenegative sign always appears next to the dimension. In Part mode,dimension values always appear as positive.

Updating GeometryWhen you start a new section, the Delay Modify option is turnedon. This means that Sketcher lets you do multiple changes to thesection before it updates geometry. After the section is changed,Delay Modify is replaced by Regenerate in the SKETCHER menu.To update the section, choose Regenerate.

After you regenerate the section, the Delay Modify option isturned off, and Sketcher will update the section each time itchanges. If you want to modify several values without immediatelyupdating the section, check on Delay Modify.

When the system updates geometry, it animates the modificationprocess so you can see how the size and shape of the section changesaccording to new dimension values. The system dynamically refitsthe section into the window, if necessary. Animated modification isenabled by default. If you want to turn animation off, set the“sketcher_animated_modify” configuration option to “no.”

Restoring Dimensions

If a regeneration fails, the system terminates the animatedmodification at the point of failure so that you can see whichdimensional change caused that failure. Use RestoreDim orRestore All to restore original dimensions; then you can try tomodify the section dimensions again.

The SECTION FAIL menu lists the following options:

• RestoreDim—Pick individual dimensions that you want torestore to their original values. If this does not help, modifysome dimensions, or delete features.

• RestoreAll—Restore all the dimensions to their originalvalues.

Note: If a regeneration failed because values were changed ina relation, either edit the relation or modify thedimensions used in the relation.

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For more information, see Working in the Resolve Environment onpage 17 - 3.

Modifying a SectionChoose Modify from the SKETCHER menu to modify the size andshape of the section. The MOD SKETCH menu lists the followingoptions:

• Mod Entity—Modify dimensions, splines, or sketch textentities. To modify a dimension, pick this dimension and entera new dimension value.

• Scale—Scale the section by modifying a single lineardimension.

• Drag Dim Val—Modify or scale up to 5 dimension values witha slider control.

• Drag Entity—Select a dimension and then an entity to drag tothe desired location using the mouse buttons.

• Drag Vertex—Pick two dimensions and then a vertex; dragthe vertex to the desired location using the mouse buttons.

• Set Anchor—Set the point that will be fixed during dragoperations. This option is available only when there is no solidobject present.

Scaling a Dimension

Use the Scale option in the MOD SKETCH menu to shrink orexpand the entire section. Enter a new value for a linear dimension;the system will use the ratio of the change applied to the modifieddimension to modify all section dimensions.

Notes:

• You can scale a feature section only if there is no existinggeometry in the model, with the exception of datum planes.

• You cannot pick angular dimensions for this option.

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Modifying a Section by Dragging

Use the Drag Dim Val, Drag Entity, and Drag Vertex options todynamically modify section dimensions over a continuous range ofvalues and watch the section update smoothly. The systemmaintains all constraints during the dynamic modification andautomatically updates the sketch.

With the options Drag Vertex and Drag Entity, you drag thegeometry to the desired location while Sketcher calculates thedimensions for you. With the Drag Dim Val option, you changedimensions by using a slider control.

As you dynamically modify a dimension, the sketch may failregeneration. For example, if the section cannot be solved at acurrent position, it remains displayed in the last generated positionuntil you move the cursor into a region where the section can besolved. If the section fails regeneration, the system issues awarning message.

The following sections describe the different kinds of dynamicmodification in detail.

Using the Drag Dim Val Option

Use Drag Dim Val option to vary dimensions.

➤ How to Vary Dimensions

1. Choose Drag Dim Val from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select up to five dimensions and choose Done Sel.

3. The system displays a thermotool with the Modify Dims slidersand the Scale slider. Use the appropriate Move Dims sliders tovary corresponding dimensions. Use the Scale slider to vary allthe selected dimensions at once. When you use the Scale slider,the system multiplies all dimensions in other sliders by thescale, except for dimensions that do not control length directly(for example, angular dimensions and conic rho dimensions).

4. By moving the mouse, slide the red arrows to point to newvalues. Sketcher automatically changes the sketch to reflectyour changes. The system displays only the dimensions thatyou are changing. If you are satisfied with the change, click theleft mouse button in the top bar of the thermotool. To reset thetool, click the right mouse button. Use the middle mouse buttonto abort the process.

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Note that you can change the Sensitivity value, which in effectchanges the range of the slider control.

Using the Drag Entity Option

Use the Drag Entity option to drag an entity.

➤ How to Drag an Entity

1. Choose Drag Entity from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select a dimension to vary and then select an entity. When youmove the mouse, the Sketcher modifies the dimension to makethe entity follow the cursor. Note that only the selecteddimension changes; all the other dimensions remain fixed.

3. To accept the new value of the dimension, click the left mousebutton. To abort the changes and restore the original value,click the middle mouse button.

4. To continue the process, select another entity for dragging orpick a new dimension.

Using the Drag Vertex Option

Use the Drag Vertex option to drag vertices.

➤ How to Drag a Vertex

1. Choose Drag Vertex from the MOD SKETCH menu.

2. Select two dimensions to vary and then select a vertex. Thesketch adjusts so the vertex always stays on top of the cursor.

3. To accept the new value of the dimension, click the left mousebutton. To abort the changes and restore the original value,click the middle mouse button.

4. To continue the process, select another vertex for dragging orpick new dimensions.

Setting an Anchor Point

The notion of anchor point is applicable only when you are notsketching on preexisting geometry (for example, while creating thefirst feature of a solid or when entering Sketcher mode directly).The system stores the anchor point with the sketch.

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Note that if you later create a default coordinate system, the systemplaces it at the anchor point and updates its location if the anchorpoint is changed while you are redefining the section of the basefeature.

➤ How to Change the Anchor Point

1. Choose Set Anchor from the MOD SKETCH menu. This optionis available only when no three-dimensional geometry exists forlocating the section.

2. Select the point that you want to use as the anchor for thesketch.

Modifying a Spline

There are several ways to modify a spline:

• Modify the location of spline endpoints and interpolation points.

You can modify the location of spline points by moving themwith the Move Pnts and Control Poly options (see Modifyingthe Spline Points Location on page A - 41).

...or...

You can change the points’ coordinates by entering new valuesfrom the keyboard or by reading in a data file (see Modifyingthe Spline by Its Coordinates on page A - 43).

• Modify end tangency (see Modifying the Tangency of a Splineon page A - 42).

• Modify the number of points in the spline (see Modifying theNumber of Points on a Spline on page A - 45).

You can add and delete spline points. You can also smooth thespline and sparse the points.

Displaying Spline Curvature

You can display the spline curvature and see how it dynamicallyupdates as you modify the spline.

➤ How to Set the Curvature Display for a Spline

1. Choose SKETCHER > Modify.

2. Pick the spline.

3. Choose MOD SPLINE > CrvtureDispl.

4. Place a check mark in front of the Display Curvature option.

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5. To set the scale of the curvature display, choose Scale from theCRVT PARAMS menu and enter a scale value. To set the densityof the curvature display, choose Density from the CRVTPARAMS menu and enter the density factor.

Modifying the Spline Points Location

To modify the location and orientation of a spline, modify thelocation of its endpoints. Pro/ENGINEER resizes and rotates thespline to fit.

Note: You cannot move the endpoints of a spline if they aredimensioned.

To modify the shape of the spline, you move its interpolation points.Several ways to do this are described in the following sections.

Moving Spline Points With the Move Points Option

The Move Points command lets you move spline points bydragging them to a new location.

➤ How to Move Spline Points

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Pick the spline. The system displays the spline points as whitecircles.

3. Choose Move Points from the MOD SPLINE menu.

4. Select an option from the MOVE PNTS menu:

• Single Pnt—Move individual spline points. Pick a splinepoint to be moved using the left mouse button. The systemhighlights the point in red. Drag the point to its newlocation and place it by clicking the left mouse button.

• Pnt Range—Move spline points that lie within the rangedefined by two spline points. Pick two points to bound therange to be moved. You then select any point within thisrange and pick its new position. All the points within therange follow.

5. When finished moving points, choose Done Move from theMOVE DONE menu.

6. To complete the process, choose Done Modify.

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Modifying the Spline Using the Control Poly Option

The Control Poly option enables you to modify the shape of aspline by moving vertices of the spline’s control polygon.

Notes:

• You cannot move spline endpoints using the Control Polyoption.

• You cannot use Control Poly on a spline that has atangency condition defined for one end only.

➤ How to Modify a Spline

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and pick the splinethat you want to modify. The system displays the MOD SPLINEmenu.

2. Choose Control Poly. The system displays the control polygonof the spline in white.

3. To adjust the shape of the spline, pick a vertex on the controlpolygon and drag it to a new location. You cannot pickendpoints. The spline rubberbands to its new shape as youmove the point. Place the vertex with the left mouse button.

Modifying the Tangency of a Spline

You can modify the tangency of the endpoints of an existing spline.

➤ How to Modify the Tangency of Endpoints

1. Choose Modify > Mod Entity.

2. Pick a spline.

3. Choose Tangency from the MOD SPLINE menu.

4. Pick the start or end point. The system displays the currentstatus of the point (tangent or non-tangent).

5. The system displays the MOD TANG menu, which has thefollowing options:

• Add—Add a tangency condition to the selected point.

• Remove—Remove a tangency condition from the selectedpoint.

6. To modify another endpoint, pick the other endpoint and chooseAdd or Remove.

7. Choose Done Modify to exit the MOD SPLINE menu.

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Modifying the Spline by Its Coordinates

When a spline has been associated to a local coordinate system, youcan move the spline points by entering values relative to thecoordinate system. You can change the type of coordinate systembetween Cartesian (X, Y, and Z), cylindrical (radius, theta, and Z),and spherical (radius, theta, and phi) when you read or save pointsto a file. However, when you enter new values from the keyboard,you can enter Cartesian values only.

Use the following options from the MOD SPLINE menu to work withcoordinates:

• Coords—Modify the X- and Y- coordinates of the points byentering values.

• Read Pnts—Read in coordinates from a specified text file.

• Save Pnts—Write the current coordinates into a specified textfile. You can then edit and read this file using the option ReadPnts.

• Info Pnts—Display the coordinates of a spline in anInformation Window. You must select the coordinate type youwant used in the value display.

➤ How to Modify a Spline by Changing the Coordinates of its Points

1. Modify the X,Y, Z coordinates and the tangency of the splineendpoints. Modifying the endpoints alters the location of otherspline points.

2. Modify the X, Y, Z coordinates of the intermediate spline points.You need to do this only if the Pro/ENGINEER adjustments tothe spline are not satisfactory, or if the spline needs to beexplicitly defined with specified input values.

Modifying Spline Point Coordinates from the Keyboard

You can modify spline point coordinates by entering their valuesfrom the keyboard.

Note: You can enter new coordinate values only if the spline isassociated to a local coordinate system. See Associatinga Spline to a Coordinate System on page A - 28.

➤ How to Modify Spline Point Coordinates by Entering Their Values

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and then pick on thespline. The system displays the spline points.

2. Choose Coords from the MOD SPLINE menu.

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3. Pick a point for which you want to enter new coordinates.

4. Enter values for the X- and Y- coordinates. You can enter a newvalue, or accept the default one.

5. Choose Done Modify to save the changes.

Note: If you have a license for Pro/FEATURE, you can alsomodify the Z-coordinates of a spline when you createcertain features (for example, a sweep). For moreinformation, see Three-Dimensional Sweeps onpage 6 - 7.

Saving Spline Points to a File

You can save spline points to a file with values in Cartesian,cylindrical, or spherical coordinate systems.

➤ How to Save Spline Points to a File

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu and pick on a spline.

2. Choose Save Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu.

3. Enter a file name.

4. Choose the coordinate system type from the COORD TYPEmenu.

5. Pro/ENGINEER creates a spline point definition file with thecoordinate system type printed in the file. This is a standardtext file that you can edit using the operating system editor.You can read in the edited file with Read Pnts.

Modifying Spline Point Coordinates by Reading in a File

You can modify the coordinates of spline points by reading in a datafile.

➤ How to Modify Spline Point Coordinates Using a File

1. Create a spline point definition file and modify it.

2. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu.

3. Pick the spline that you want to modify.

4. Choose Read Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu and enter thename of the spline points.

5. Choose the coordinate system type from the COORD TYPEmenu.

6. The system reads in the spline points file.

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7. If the number of points in the file is not equal to the number ofpoints in the spline, Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want toautomatically add points to, or remove points from, the spline.Respond “yes” to adjust the number of spline points tocorrespond to the number of points in the file. Respond “no” toabort the reading of the point file.

Notes:

• If the spline does not appear as expected, you probablyspecified the wrong type of coordinate system. Try readingin the file again and specifying a different type of coordinatesystem.

• If the spline endpoints are dimensioned, the system ignoresthe modifications to the endpoint coordinates.

Obtaining Information About the Point Coordinates

You can check the current values of spline point coordinates.

➤ How to View the Current Coordinate Values of Spline Points

1. Choose Modify from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Pick the spline you want to modify.

3. Choose Info Pnts from the MOD SPLINE menu.

4. Pro/ENGINEER displays the current values for splinecoordinates in the Information Window.

Modifying the Number of Points on a Spline

To modify the number of spline points, use the following options inthe MOD SPLINE menu:

• Add Pnts — Add spline points. Choose one of following optionsfrom the NEW POINTS menu:

– Interior—Add points to the interior of the spline. Pick anylocation on the spline between any two existing points.

– Exterior—Extend the spline by adding points beyond itscurrent endpoints. Pick the spline endpoint to extend, thenpick additional points.

Note: If you try to add a new spline point very close to anexisting point, Sketcher may tell you that the new pointis too close to the existing point. In this case, add thenew point farther away, then move it to the desiredlocation.

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• Delete Pnts— Delete interior spline points.

• Sparse—Decrease the number of points on a spline. SeeModifying Imported Curves on page 16 - 27.

• Smooth—Make the spline smoother. See Modifying ImportedCurves on page 16 - 27.

Modifying Text Entities

When you choose Modify and select Sketcher text, the systemdisplays the MOD SEC TEXT2 menu, which lists the followingoptions:

• Text Line—Modify the text message. Enter the new text at thesystem prompt. The system replaces the old text string with thenew string.

• Text Style—Modify the text style using the dialog box.

Using the Dialog Box to Modify the Text

If you choose the Text Style option in the MOD SEC TEXT2 menu,the system displays the Sketcher Text Style dialog box, enablingyou to define the following text attributes:

• Font—Enter the font name in the input table. The availablefonts are as follows.

• Height—Enter the new text height in this field.

• Width—Enter the new text width factor in this field.

• Angle—Enter the new text angle in this field. This value affectsthe rotation angle of the rectangle containing the text. Apositive value rotates the rectangle counterclockwise.

Font Name Description

font3d Pro/ENGINEER 3-D font used for extrudedtext (also the default for all text features)

font Pro/ENGINEER ASCII font

leroy Leroy

cal_grek Calcomp Greek characters

cal_alf Calcomp alphanumeric characters

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• Slant Angle—Enter the new text slant angle in this field. Thisoption affects how the text is slanted with respect to the sides ofthe rectangle that contains it.

The action buttons are as follows:

• Apply—Apply the new values to the text.

• Close—Exit from the dialog box.

• Reset—Reset the value to the default value.

To change any of the fields, enter the new value in the appropriatefield. Select the Apply button to apply the new value. When youfinish changing the text style attributes, select the Cancel button.

Moving EntitiesUse the Move command in the SKETCHER menu to move Sketcherentities. Sketcher preserves the constraints and dimensioningscheme as they were before the move.

➤ How to Move Entities

1. Choose Move from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Select the appropriate options from the MOVE SKETCH menuand select entities as prompted by the system. The options inthe MOVE SKETCH menu are:

• Drag—Drag an entity or dimension to its new location.Pick an entity, its vertex, or its center point.

• Drag Chain—Drag a chain of entities by picking an entityin the chain. Pick the first and the last entity in the chain,or pick an entity from the chain and press Done Sel for theentire chain. Then pick a vertex, and drag the chain by thisvertex to its new location.

• Lock/Unlock—Lock or unlock entities and theirdimensions for the move operation. Pick a vertex, entity, ora dimension. Locking a line fixes its angular orientationduring dragging. Locking an arc or circle fixes its radius.Locking a dimension prevents its value from changing.Locking a point prevents it from moving. Sketcher show alocked dimension with an “L” preceding the dimensionvalue, and a locked entity with a triangle symbol over theitem.

• Lock All Dims—Lock all dimensions to prevent theirvalues from changing during the drag operation.

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3. Drag entities to their new locations.

For more information on locking dimensions, see Using Move inConjunction with Locking Dimensions on page A - 64.

Deleting EntitiesSelect Delete from the SKETCHER menu to display the DELETIONmenu with the following options:

• Delete Item—Delete a selected section entity, dimension, orconstraint.

• Delete Many—Delete several items by enclosing them in theselection box.

• Delete All—Delete all section geometry and referencesentities. Delete All affects only entities and dimensions anddoes not undo changes made to the Sketcher environment. Ifyou have sketched multiple subsections for a blend, Delete Alldeletes all entities in all subsections. To delete all the entities ofthe current subsection without affecting those in othersubsections, use Delete Many.

• All Geometry—Delete all Sketcher geometry, leaving allmodel references intact.

• All References—Delete all model references for the currentsection.

Consider the following information about the Delete command:

• You can use Delete Item in combination with Delete Many.

• If two entities lie on top of each other, the system deletes theentity that was created first. You can use Query Sel to selectthe desired one.

• When you redefine a section with Redefine > Scheme,Delete All deletes only section dimensions without deletingsection entities.

Note: When you delete an entity, Sketcher tries to replaceconstraints associated with the deleted entity by theequivalent assumptions.

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Undoing Sketcher OperationsUse the Undo option in the SKETCHER menu to undo the mostrecent operation. To reverse the Undo operation, choose Redo fromthe SKETCHER menu. If the last operation was not completed,Redo may not be available.

You can also access the Undo option through the right mousemenu or by selecting the Undo icon from the toolbar.

Up to 500 operations can be undone using Undo. You can set yourown “undo” limit by setting the “sketcher_undo_stack_limit”configuration option. The default is 200.

Manipulating Sketcher GeometryTo access tools for manipulating sketcher geometry, chooseSKETCHER > Geom Tools. For 2-D Sketcher, the GEOM TOOLSmenu lists the following options:

• Intersect—Intersect two entities.

• Trim—Trim an entity using options in the DRAFT TRIM menu.

• Divide—Dividing an entity into multiple segments.

• Mirror—Mirror geometry about a centerline.

• Move Entity—Move geometry by dragging or rotating.

Intersecting Two Entities

The Intersect option determines the intersection point of twoentities that cross, and divides both of them at the point ofintersection.

Note: Centerlines, edges, axes, and planes can be used forintersections; however, they cannot be split.

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The following figure illustrates the Intersect option.

Intersecting a Circle with a Line

➤ How to Intersect Two Entities

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Intersect from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Pick the first entity near the intersection point.

4. Pick the second entity near the intersection point.

5. Pro/ENGINEER splits the entities. If desired, delete anyunnecessary entities.

Trimming Entities

Use the Trim option in the GEOM TOOLS menu to trim entities to abounding entity, at the intersection point, to a certain length, or byan increment.

Trimming to a Bounding Entity

Use the Bound option to trim several entities to the same boundingentity in one operation. The bounding entity is not changed duringthe operation.

Consider the following information on using the Bound option:

• You can use a centerline, datum plane, datum axis, or tangentedges.

• You cannot use a feature axis or cosmetic feature entities asbounding entities.

• To extend two entities so they intersect, first select one of themas the bounding entity and trim the other; then reverse theprocess.

•

Pick at these points to dividetwo entities at the first point ofintersection.

Both circle and line are divided.The circle is divided near theselection point.

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The following figure illustrates the Trim > Bound option.

Using the Bound Option

➤ How to Trim Entities to a Bounding Entity

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu and then chooseBound from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

3. Select a bounding entity.

4. Select entities to trim. Pro/ENGINEER shortens or extends thisentity up to the intersection with the bounding entity or itsextension. If the trimmed entity is to be shortened, select theportion of the entity to keep.

Trimming to a Specific Length

Use the Length option to trim an entity to a specific length.

➤ How to Trim an Entity to a Specific Length

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu; then chooseLength from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

3. Enter the length.

4. Select an entity to trim. Select near the end of the entity tolengthen or shorten it.

5. If the dimension exists, Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want todelete the highlighted dimension. Answer “yes” to trim theentity; answer “no” to abort the process.

Bounding entity

Select this line to shorten.

Select this lineto extend.

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Trimming an Entity by an Increment

Use the Increment option to trim an entity by an increment.

➤ How to Trim an Entity by an Incremental Length Change

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu; then chooseIncrem from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

3. Enter the incremental length. A positive value lengthens anentity, and a negative value shortens it.

4. Pro/ENGINEER asks if you want to delete the highlighteddimension. Answer “yes” to trim the entity; answer “no” to abortthe process.

Trimming Two Entities to Each Other

Use the Corner option to trim two entities to each other.

➤ How to Trim Two Entities to Each Other

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Trim from the GEOM TOOLS menu; then chooseCorner from the DRAFT TRIM menu.

3. Select any two entities (they do not have to intersect) on theportion of the entity that you want to keep.

4. Reply “yes” to the prompt that asks if you want to delete thehighlighted dimensions.

Splitting or Trimming Entities with Dimensions

If splitting (intersecting or filleting) or trimming an entity causesexisting dimensions to be deleted, the system issues a warning.Pro/ENGINEER highlights in red the dimensions to be deleted. Ifyou answer “no” to the prompt, the system aborts the split or trim;if you enter “yes,” it splits or trims the entities and deletes thedimensions.

Dividing Entities

Use the Divide command in the GEOM TOOLS menu to divide asection entity into two or more new entities.

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➤ How to Divide an Entity into Two or More New Entities

1. Delete the dimensions for each entity you are dividing.

2. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

3. Choose Divide from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

4. Pick the entity at the locations where you want to divide. Pickpoints appear as yellow points on the entity.

5. If the entity is dimensioned, the system asks you if you want todelete the corresponding dimension.

6. Pro/ENGINEER divides the entity at the pick location. You cannow dimension each new entity.

Mirroring Geometry

Use the Mirror option from the GEOM TOOLS menu to mirrorSketcher geometry about a sketched centerline. For example, youcan create half of the section and then mirror it.

Pro/ENGINEER uses the dimensions of one side to solve the other.This reduces the number of dimensions necessary to solve thesection. When you mirror geometry, Sketcher mirrors constraintstoo.

Note: You cannot mirror dimensions, text entities,centerlines, and reference entities—only geometricentities.

The following figure illustrates the Mirror option.

Using the Mirror Option

➤ How to Mirror Sketched Geometry

1. Make sure the sketch contains a centerline.

2. Choose Mirror from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

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3. Pick the centerline about which the entities will be mirrored.The system displays the MIRROR menu, which has thefollowing options:

• Pick—Mirror individual entities. Select entities to mirror.

• All—Mirror all sketched entities for mirroring.

Moving Sketcher Entities

The Move Entity command in the GEOM TOOLS menu displays theMOVE ENTITY menu, which enables you to move Sketcher entities,including dimensions. The MOVE ENTITY menu lists the followingoptions:

• Drag Item—Drag a selected entity to a new location.

• Drag Many—Drag one or more selected entitiessimultaneously to a new location.

• Rotate90—Rotate the selected entities counterclockwise inmultiples of 90 degrees.

• Dimension—Move a Sketcher dimension to a new location.

Note: The Move Entity command does not keep oldconstraints, and Sketcher may solve the sketchdifferently after you use Move Entity.

The following sections describe each of these options in detail.

Dragging Individual Entities

Use the Drag Item option to drag single a Sketcher entity.

➤ How to Drag a Single Sketcher Entity

1. Choose Drag Item from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Pick an entity or one of its endpoints. The system highlights theentity and attaches the entity to the cursor. If you pick anendpoint on a vertex, the system briefly highlights the point inred and briefly highlights the rest of the entity in blue toindicate that you have selected it. If you pick an endpoint thatis a common endpoint to more than one entity, all the entitiesmove.

3. Move the entity to its new location. Click the left mouse buttonto place the entity.

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Dragging Multiple Entities

Use the Drag Many option to drag several Sketcher entities.

➤ How to Drag Multiple Sketcher Entities

1. Choose Drag Many from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Select one or more entities to move. Alternatively, you can usePick Many to enclose the entities to mode within the pick box.

3. Choose Done Sel or click the middle mouse button to finalizeyour selections.

4. Pick a drag point on the selected geometry.

5. Drag the entities to a new location and click the left mousebutton to place them.

Rotating Entities

Use the Rotate option to rotate entities.

➤ How to Rotate Sketcher Entities

1. Choose Rotate90 from the MOVE ENTITY menu.

2. Pick one or more entities to rotate. Choose Done Sel, or clickthe middle mouse button to finalize your selections. Or, choosethe Pick Many command to draw a pick box around theentities you want to select. All the entities completely withinthe pick box are selected.

3. Enter a multiple of 90 degrees by which to rotate the selectedentities. If desired, you can enter a negative value.

4. Pick a center point around which the geometry will be rotated.

Moving Dimensions

To move a dimension, use Move from the SKETCHER menu orDimension from the MOVE ENTITY menu. Select a dimension withthe left mouse button. To place the dimension in its new location,click the left mouse button.

Moving a Spline Created with the Control Poly Option

You can move a spline that was created using the Control Polyoption in the TANGENCY menu using the options in the MOVEENTITY menu.

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If you choose the Rotate90 or Drag Many option from theMOVE ENTITY menu, the system moves the spline and the controlpolygon used to create it as a single unit.

If you choose the Drag Item option, Pro/ENGINEER moves thespline in one of the following ways, depending on which entities youpick:

• If you pick a point on the spline or control polygon other than anendpoint, the system drags the spline and all the entitiesbelonging to its control polygon as a single unit.

• If you pick an endpoint on the spline, the system scales androtates the spline and all its control polygon entities as youdrag the endpoint.

• If you pick a vertex on the control polygon, the system movesonly the two adjacent control polygon lines as you drag thevertex. The spline changes its shape in the same way as if youhad selected the Control Poly option from the MOD SPLINEmenu.

The Right Mouse Menu

The menu lists the following sketching commands:

• Disable Constraint/Enable Constraint—Disable or enablethe constraint. Only one command is available at a time. Youcan access this option when you move the cursor over aconstraint while the Sketch command is active.

• Line—Create a line by picking two endpoints. This isequivalent to selecting Line from the GEOMETRY menu andthen 2 Points.

• Tangent Arc—Create a tangent arc. Pick an endpoint of anentity to establish tangency. This is equivalent to selecting Arcfrom the GEOMETRY menu and then Tangent End.

• Circle—Create a circle using the Center/Point option.

• Centerline—Create a centerline.

• 3 Point Arc—Create an arc by picking its two endpoints and apoint on the arc. This is equivalent to selecting Arc from theGEOMETRY menu and then 3 Point.

• Fillet—Create a fillet between two entities. This is equivalentto selecting Arc from the GEOMETRY menu, and then Fillet.

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The menu, in its lower portion, lists the following commands:

• Delete—Delete selected entities. See Deleting Entities onpage A - 48.

• Modify—Modify geometry using options in the MOD SKETCHmenu. See Modifying a Section on page A - 37.

• Dimension—Add user dimensions. See Adding Dimensions onpage A - 22.

• Undo—Undo the most recent operation. See Undoing SketcherOperations on page A - 49.

• Move—Move Sketcher entities. See Moving Entities onpage A - 47.

Copying Imported Drawings

You can create a new section by selecting and copying importedtwo-dimensional geometry into an empty Sketcher file using theCopy Draw option in the SEC TOOLS menu.

➤ How to Copy an Imported Drawing in Sketcher

1. Import a two-dimensional drawing in Drawing mode.

2. Choose the Copy Draw option from the SEC TOOLS menu.

3. Pro/ENGINEER asks you to name a drawing from which tocopy.

4. The system displays the imported geometry in a separatewindow. Select all the entities to import.

5. The system places the copied entities in the section. You canthen dimension the entities or move them using the Moveoption from the SKETCHER menu.

Section Geometry InformationTo access information about the section, choose Sec Tools from theSKETCHER menu and then Sec Info from the SEC TOOLS menu.

The following options are listed in the SEC INFO menu:

• Entity—Select a single entity about which to get information.The system displays the type of geometry, endpoint tangencies,and endpoint coordinates (only if a coordinate system isselected).

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• Intersect Pt—Select two entities to determine theirintersection points. If the selected entities do not physicallyintersect, Sketcher extrapolates the entities to find anintersection. If the extrapolated entities do not intersect (forexample, parallel lines), the system does not return anintersection value. The system displays the angle of slope at theintersection point for both entities and the intersectioncoordinate values (if a coordinate system is selected).

• Tangent Pt—Select two entities to determine where theirslopes are equal. The selected entities do not have to betouching. The system displays the angle of slope at thetangency points, the distance between the two tangency points,and, if a coordinate system is selected, the coordinates of thetangency points.

• References—Graphically highlight the references used by thesection. The color code is as follows:

– Surfaces—Yellow

– Edges—Blue

– Axes, datums, and features—Red

• Angle—Measure the angle between any two lines. Select thetwo lines. Pro/ENGINEER displays the measured angle in theMessage Window.

• Distance—Measure the distance between any two parallellines, two points, or a point and a line.

• CrvtureDisp—Display the curvature of splines in the sectionusing the CRV DISPLAY menu options (for details, seeIntroduction to Pro/ENGINEER). The options in the CRVDISPLAY menu are as follows:

– Select Curve—Select a curve for curvature analysisdisplay.

– Scale—Change the scale of the curvature display.

– Density—Change the density of the curvature display.

• Grid Info—Display the current grid values in the MessageWindow (spacing and angle, in degrees).

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For the options Entity, Intersect Pt, and Tangent Pt, you canalso choose a coordinate system to identify pertinent coordinatevalues for the Sketcher entities, as follows:

• Use Csys—Select a coordinate system from which to obtainentity coordinate values.You can select only Sketchercoordinate systems that were created in the current sketch.When you pick on the coordinate system, it is highlighted inmagenta until you do one of the following:

– Exit the SEC INFO menu.

– Choose No Csys.

– Choose Use Csys again and pick another coordinatesystem.

– Choose an option from the SEC INFO menu that does notrequire a coordinate system.

• No Csys—The system does not give any coordinate values inthe section information. Pro/ENGINEER determines otherinformation, such as length or angles, relative to the sketchcoordinate system. The sketch coordinate system has the X-axisalong the horizontal and the Y-axis along the vertical.

Setting the Sketcher Environment OptionsYou can set up the Sketcher environment to switch the display ofvertices, constraints, dimensions, and the screen grid. You can alsochange the grid parameters, Sketcher accuracy, and the number ofdecimal places in dimensions.

You can use icons in the toolbar to toggle the display of vertices,dimensions, constraints, and the grid.

➤ How to Set the Sketcher Environment Options

1. Choose Sec Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Sec Environ from the SEC TOOLS menu.

3. The SEC ENVIRON menu lists the following options:

• Disp Verts —Switch the display of vertices on and off byplacing or removing a check mark. You can preset thedisplay of vertices by setting the configuration option“sketcher_disp_vertices”.

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• Disp Constr—Switch the display of constraints on and offby placing or removing a check mark. You can preset thedisplay of constraints by setting the configuration option“sketcher_disp_constraints”.

• Disp Dims—Switch the display of all section dimensionson and off by placing or removing a check mark.

• Grid—Access the grid options. For details, see Using theGrid on page A - 60.

• Num Digits—Change the number of decimal places fornew dimensions. For more information, see AddingDimensions on page A - 22.

• Accuracy—Change Sketcher accuracy. For moreinformation, see Sketcher Accuracy on page A - 63.

Using the Grid

Sketcher mode supports both Cartesian and polar grids. When youfirst enter Sketcher mode, the system displays a Cartesian grid.Before beginning the sketch, the grid can be one of two sizes:

• For the first feature section of a part and for auxiliary sketchessuch as blind holes, the grid has a spacing equal to one modelunit. For example, sketching a box 4x6 grid spaces creates a boxmeasuring 4x6 units.

• Additional section sketches for a model use a grid for referenceonly. You can modify this grid spacing, but the first griddisplayed is scaled for the current part size and does not have avalue of one unit between grid lines.

Modifying the Grid

You can modify the grid type and spacing to ease drafting anddimensioning.

➤ How to Modify the Grid

1. Choose Sec Tools > Sec Environ > Grid.

2. Choose an option from the MODIFY GRID menu:

• Grid On/Off—Switch the display of the grid on or off.

Note: Turning the grid on or off does not affect the snappingof sketched entities to grid intersections. See Settingthe Grid Snap on page A - 62 for information on turningthe grid snap on or off.

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• Type—Modify the type of grid. Choose Cartesian orPolar.

• Origin—Modify the origin of the grid.

• Params—Modify the parameters of the grid.

Moving the Grid Origin

You can set the grid intersection at the following locations:

• Sketched entity endpoint and center of arc/circle

• Sketched point and coordinate system

• Datum point and coordinate system

• Edge or curve vertex

To do so, choose Origin from the MODIFY GRID menu. Select theappropriate geometry to locate the origin.

Modifying the Grid Spacing

The Params option allows you to modify the grid spacing andangle. You can use this option when you first start a sketch (beforeany geometry has been created) to control the approximate size ofthe section. For example, if you have a blank sketch and a 20x17Cartesian grid in your window, and you change the X and Y spacingfrom 1.0 to 0.5, instead of seeing a 40x34 grid, you will havedecreased the size of the sketching area to 10 x8.5 units. If you havesketched at least one entity, when you modify the grid spacing thegrid spacing changes while the sketched entities remainunchanged.

To modify the grid spacing or angle, choose Params from theMODIFY GRID menu. The options available depend on the grid type.

For a Cartesian grid, the available options are as follows:

• X&Y Spacing—Set the spacing in both the X- andY- directions to the same value.

• X Spacing—Set the X-direction spacing only.

• Y Spacing—Set the Y-direction spacing only.

• Angle—Modify the angle between the horizontal and theX-direction grid.

For a polar grid, the options are as follows:

• Ang Spacing—Set the angular spacing between radial lines.The specified value must divide evenly into 360.

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• Num Lines—Set the number of radial lines. The angularspacing is 360 divided by the number of lines.

• Rad Spacing—Modify the spacing of the circular grid.

• Angle—Modify the angle between the horizontal and the 0degree radial line.

Setting the Grid Snap

With grid snapping turned on, Sketcher can snap to theintersection of grid lines, as well as to applicable constraints. Bydefault, grid snapping is turned off.

To enable grid snapping, choose the Grid Snap option from theENVIRONMENT menu. You can also turn on grid snapping bydefault by setting the “grid_snap” configuration option to “yes”.

Sketcher Color

The default color for section geometry is cyan. You can change thiscolor by using the configuration file option “system_section_color.”You can also change the color by selecting Utilities > Colors >System. The new color applies to both new and modified geometry.

Dimension Precision

You can set the default number of decimal places by specifying theconfiguration file option “sketcher_dec_places”, or you can choosethe Num Digits option in the SEC ENVIRON menu.

➤ How to Modify the Number of Decimal Places in the Dimension

1. Choose SEC TOOLS > Sec Environ > Num Digits.

2. Enter a value from 0 to 14.

3. When you add dimensions, Pro/ENGINEER rounds values tothe specified number of decimal places.

Resolving Problems in SketchesWhen the system updates the section, it may report some problems.The following sections explain how the system checks the sectionand what actions to take to rectify errors.

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Inappropriate Sections

If Pro/ENGINEER recognizes the purpose for which a section willbe used, it also checks whether the section is appropriate. Forexample, if you create a revolved feature, Pro/ENGINEER checks tomake sure that you have a centerline and that the section is closed.

If the section does not satisfy the required conditions, you caneither modify the section or leave it incomplete.

Sketcher Accuracy

Modify the Sketcher accuracy to help solve certain sectionregeneration problems. For example, if a problem occurs becausethe length of a segment is less than Sketcher accuracy, you canincrease the accuracy by entering a smaller number.

➤ How to Change the Sketcher Accuracy

1. Choose Sec Environ from the SEC TOOLS menu.

2. Choose Accuracy from the SEC ENVIRON menu.

3. At the prompt for the new accuracy, enter a value between1.0E-9 (0.000000001) and 1.0.

If the section still fails to regenerate successfully, try increasing theaccuracy again (entering a smaller number), or evaluate the sectionfor other problems.

Note that the system remembers the relative accuracy of eachsection when you redefine a feature that contains the section.

Sketcher HintsThis section provides hints that may be helpful when you areworking in Sketcher mode:

• Sketching lines and tangent arcs

• Using points to locate fillets and arcs.

• Locking dimensions when using Move

A - 64 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Shortcut for Sketching Lines and Tangent Arcs

After completing a polyline with the middle mouse button, press themiddle button again to activate the Tangent Arc command. Aftersketching a tangent arc, press the middle mouse button to activatethe Line command.

Using Points to Locate Fillets and Arcs

When you create fillets between non-horizontal and non verticallines, create a point at the intersection of the lines to dimension totheoretical sharps (see the following figure).

Using a Point When Dimensioning

Using Move in Conjunction with Locking Dimensions

When you use Move from the SKETCHER menu without lockingdimensions, Sketcher determines which dimensions to lock andwhich to vary. You can tell Sketcher specifically which dimensionsto lock by using the Lock/Unlock command in the MOVE SKETCHmenu. Notice that as you pick a dimension to lock, the letter “L” isadded in front of the dimension value.

Optionally, you may want to lock all dimensions with the Lock AllDims command and then choose Lock/Unlock to selectivelyunlock dimensions that you allow to change during dragging.Notice that when you choose Lock/Unlock and pick a lockeddimension, it becomes unlocked and the lock symbol is removedfrom the dimension value.

When you lock all dimensions in Sketcher mode, you cannot changethe section—you can only drag the section around.

B - 1

BSketching on a Model with

Intent Manager

This chapter explains how to create feature sections by sketchingon the model.

Topic Page

Creating Feature Sections B - 2

Sketching Section Geometry B - 7

Retrieving an Existing Section B - 15

Dimensioning a Section to a Part B - 17

Working in the Sketcher Environment B - 20

Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete Section B - 21

B - 2 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Creating Feature SectionsWhen you create features, often you must create sections to definethe feature geometry.

When you sketch sections on a part, sketch only what is necessaryto do the job. If you do not want to create a new surface, do notsketch a line in the section. For example, when sketching the cornercut as shown in the following illustration, sketch the open sectionas shown, and not the closed section. If Pro/ENGINEER hasproblems intersecting the feature with the part, you must close thesection.

Sketching on a Part

When sketching on the model, you use the same tools as standaloneSketcher, plus additional techniques. The latter are described inthe following sections.

Note:

• If you have the Pro/PIPING license, you can use the centerlinesof pipe segments as references in the 3-D Sketcher just as youuse curves in the following descriptions.

• You cannot import any IGES features into Sketcherenvironment.

Sketch only these two lines (opensection). An open section iseasier to sketch and is moreefficient.

This closed section creates extrawork, but may be necessary, suchas in an Up To Surface cut.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 3

Sketching on a

Model

Basic Steps for Creating a Section on the Model

The following basic procedure outlines how to create a featuresection when working with the part.

➤ How to Create a Feature Section

1. Select and orient the sketching plane.

2. Specify reference entities by selecting model geometry.

The section geometry must be dimensioned to the partgeometry. When you enter Sketcher, the Specify Refs option isactive. Select the part geometry (for example, edges) to whichyou want to dimension the section.

Notes:

• It is important to specify the right references beforesketching so that Sketcher can create appropriatedimensions and constraints to position the section withrespect to the part or assembly geometry.

• If you select Sketch before selecting sufficient references,Sketcher issues a warning.

3. Sketch the section geometry.

After you specify model references, choose Sketch or press themiddle mouse button to start sketching. If you have specifiedappropriate references, the section is complete after sketching.

4. Refine the section.

You may wish to change the dimensioning scheme or to applyadditional constraints.

5. Optionally, you may want to save the section.

6. Choose Done to exit Sketcher.

Entering the Sketcher Environment

Before you start creating a feature section, the system prompts youto do the following:

• Select or create a sketching plane (see Setting Up the SketchingPlane on page B - 4).

• Specify the direction of feature creation (see Selecting FeatureDirection on page 5 - 4).

• Orient the sketching plane (see Orienting the Sketching Planeon page B - 5).

B - 4 Part Modeling User’s Guide

After the sketching plane is defined, the system automaticallyplaces you in Sketcher so you can start creating the section.

Setting Up the Sketching Plane

All sections are created on two-dimensional planes. Therefore,when you sketch on a three-dimensional part, you must define andorient the sketching plane.

You can select a datum plane or a planar surface as the sketchingplane. Optionally, you can create a datum plane “on-the-fly” onwhich to sketch. The sketching plane is infinitely large.

➤ How to Specify the Sketching Plane

1. When the SETUP SK PLN menu appears, choose one of thefollowing options:

• Use Prev—Use the sketching plane and orientation of theprevious sketch.

• Setup New—Select or create a sketching plane and defineits orientation. Choose an option from the SETUP PLANEmenu:

- Plane—Pick an existing planar surface or datum.

- Make Datum—Create a datum plane to use as areference. See Datum Planes for information oncreating datum planes.

2. Define the feature direction, as described in Selecting FeatureDirection on page 5 - 4, and orient the sketching plane, asdescribed in Orienting the Sketching Plane.

It is possible to create several datum planes on-the-fly and use thelast one created as the sketching plane. To make such a chain ofinternal datums, create the first one by using Make Datum.Choose Setup New again and then choose Make Datum. Theplane that you previously created on-the-fly is then available as areference for the current one. You can use Make Datum repeatedlywithout Setup New. However, only the plane that you create orselect immediately after the last Setup New will be used for thesketching plane.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 5

Sketching on a

Model

Orienting the Sketching Plane

Before you start sketching, you must orient the sketching plane tothe screen normal axis. Do this in one of the following ways:

• Use the default system orientation—You can let the systemorient the sketch for you by choosing Default from the SKETVIEW menu or by pressing the middle mouse button. TheDefault option is available only if the system has sufficientinformation to orient the plane. Using this option does not addnew parent/child relationships.

...or...

• Specify a horizontal or vertical reference—Choose Top,Bottom, Right, or Left from the SKET VIEW menu and pickthe corresponding plane. The reference plane or edge must benormal to the sketching plane. If the Default option is notavailable, the Top option is the default selection in the SketView menu when you first start the session; otherwise, theprevious selection becomes the default.

If you are creating a feature that is not aligned with the existingedges of the part, you may want to create a datum plane as ahorizontal or vertical reference that will be added. This is especiallyuseful when you create radial feature patterns (see the PatterningFeatures chapter for information about creating patterns). Whenyou create a datum plane as a reference, first select the directionyou want the plane to represent (Top, Bottom, and so on) and thencreate it. The yellow side of the datum plane will face towards thespecified side of the screen.

Sketching in 3-D Orientation

The Use 2D Sketcher option in the ENVIRONMENT menu controlswhether Sketcher reorients the solid object when it starts up. Whenthis option is set (the default), Sketcher makes the sketching planeparallel to the screen. If this option is not set, Sketcher does notreorient the solid object when it starts.

Use the Sketch View option in the SKETCHER menu to reorientthe model so the sketching plane is parallel to the screen.

You can use the “sketcher_starts_in_2d” configuration option to setthe starting value of the Use 2D Sketcher option.

B - 6 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Defining Model References for a Section

When you sketch a 3-D section, Sketcher must position the sectionwith respect to part geometry by using dimensions and constraintsto reference entities. To establish a reference entity, you mustselect model geometry (for example, part edge). Sketcher thenprojects the selected reference onto the sketching plane and makesits position “known.”

It is recommended that you create reference entities immediatelyupon entering Sketcher. Then, when you sketch geometry, it willsnap to the “known” model references.

The model references that you select determine the dimensioningscheme for locating the section.

➤ How to Define References for a Section

1. Choose Specify Refs from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Select a perpendicular surface, an edge, or a vertex relative towhich the section will be dimensioned or constrained.

3. The system shows reference entities as orange phantom lines.

In addition to using Specify Refs, you can make an entity “known”to Sketcher by:

• Picking an entity as a reference for dimensioning

• Picking an entity as a reference for an operation (trimming,filleting, and so on)

• Creating entities with the Use Edge or Offset Edge option

• Creating reference entities with the XSec Ref Ent option (seeCreating Reference Entities by Intersection on page B - 15)

If you add known entities after you create some geometry, thesystem may add some weak constraints to resolve the section.

You can delete known entities with the Delete option. When youexit Sketcher, unused model references are deleted.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 7

Sketching on a

Model

Sketching Section GeometryAfter you are in Sketcher and have established reference entities,you can start sketching.

When sketching on a part, you use the same techniques as in 2DSketcher mode and additional tools that are detailed in thefollowing sections.

Query Alignment

When you sketch geometry and Sketcher determines that entitiescan be aligned without violating existing strong constraints, theQUERY menu appears with the following options:

• Align—Align entities as proposed.

• Don’t Align—Reject the proposed alignment.

• Done—Reject the alignment and cancel the query.

Creating Sketcher Geometry from Model Geometry

The following tools in the GEOM TOOLS menu are used exclusivelyin 3-D sketching: XSecRefEnt, Use Edge, Offset Edge, and PickCurve.

The Use Edge Option

The Use Edge option in the GEOM TOOLS menu creates Sketchergeometry by projecting selected model edges onto the sketchingplane. The system aligns endpoints of the entity to the endpoints ofthe edge. The entity created with Use Edge has the “~” constraintsymbol.

After you create geometry with the Use Edge option, you can useIntersect, Trim, Divide, and Fillet on it.

In Sketcher mode, the Use Edge option allows you to pick anexisting part axis to create a centerline that is automaticallyaligned to the axis.

Note: The Use Edge option is especially useful forduplicating splines in non-parallel planes.

Note the following restrictions:

• A circle is broken into two arcs. You must select each segmentseparately.

B - 8 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• You cannot select a composite datum curve for Use Edge.Instead, use Query Sel to select the underlying segments.

• A spline silhouette edge is not selectable for the Use Edgeoperation.

For the Use Edge option, you can orient the model any way that isconvenient (see the following illustration).

Creating a Section Using Use Edge and Sketched Entities

➤ How to Create Geometry With the Use Edge Option

1. Choose Use Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

2. To create sketched entities offset from a single edge, choose SelEdge from the USE EDGE menu.

To create sketched entities from a loop of edges or entities,choose Sel Loop from the USE EDGE menu. Select a facecontaining the edges or entities. If more than one loop ispossible, use Next and Previous from the CHOOSE menu toselect the desired loop.

To create sketched entities from a chain of edges or entities,choose Sel Chain from the USE EDGE menu. Select thebeginning and ending entities of the chain. If you select curves,they must both belong to the same datum curve. If you selectedges, they must belong to the same surface or face. You canpick two edges on a part’s geometry or two one-sided edges of aquilt.

Sketching plane

Sketched geometrydimensioned to part

Select this contour,to be projected ontothe sketching plane.

can be used to intersectthe projected geometry.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 9

Sketching on a

Model

With Sel Chain, if you pick two entities that belong to an IGESwireframe or a datum curve in a uniquely defined plane, theSketcher tries to choose a chain that connects the entities andlies in that plane.

If more than one chain is possible, use Next and Previousfrom the CHOOSE menu to select the desired chain.

3. The selected geometry is highlighted temporarily in blue, thenin sketching color (cyan or white). After the process has beencompleted, Pro/ENGINEER displays an appropriate message inthe Message window.

The following figure shows an example of using the Use Edgeoption.

Completed Feature Created with Use Edge

Determining the End of a Trimmed “Use Edge” Spline

Sketcher can determine the end of a trimmed Use Edge spline byusing the end tangency angle as a dimension. Sketcher looks forlines and centerlines that are tangent to the trimmed ends of thespline created by the Use Edge option. If the angle of the line canbe determined without determining where the point is, Sketcherdetermines the point location by finding where the tangent to thespline has the specified angle.

The completed section The completed feature

B - 10 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The Offset Edge Option

The Offset Edge option in the GEOM TOOLS menu createsSketcher geometry by offsetting.

You can create offset entities from edges that are lines, arcs, orsplines. When you create an offset entity, each point of the originallines, arcs, or splines is first projected onto the sketching plane.Each point is then offset normal to the projected entities by thespecified distance. For example, creating an offset arc results in aconcentric arc of a different diameter, rather than in a translatedcopy of the same arc.

Offset entities can be created from a single entire edge(untrimmed), a portion of a single edge (trimmed), a chain of edgesor entities, or a loop of edges or entities.

Note the following restrictions:

• A circle is broken into two arcs. You must select each segmentseparately.

• You cannot offset edges that have tangency that meets in asharpened point.

• When you select tangent edges to offset, select them all at thesame time using the Sel Chain option. Otherwise, the sectionwill fail regeneration because the individual offsets of thetangent entities will not be connected.

Invalid Tangency for Offset Edge

Select Loop cannot be used hereto create the offset edge because thetangency meets in a sharpened point.

Directionof offset

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 11

Sketching on a

Model

Feature Created with Offset Edge, Sel Chain

The following sections describe how to use the Offset Edge optionto offset an entire edge, a portion of an edge, a chain, and a loop.

Using Offset Edge to Offset an Entire Edge

To use the whole edge to create an offset entity, you must create anuntrimmed offset edge from a single edge.

➤ How to Create an Untrimmed Offset Edge from a Single Edge

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Edge from the OFFSET SEL menu (or Sel Loop orSel Chain, if desired).

4. Select the desired edge. You can select two edges on a partgeometry or two one-sided edges of a quilt.

5. If you chose Sel Edge, choose one of the options in theOFFSET TYPE menu:

• Fixed—Create an entity with fixed offset at any point.

• Tapered—Create an entity with different offsets for eachendpoint.

6. Choose Untrimmed from the OFFSET TYPE menu.

7. Choose Done.

8. If you chose Fixed, Pro/ENGINEER displays a red arrow nearthe middle of the edge. Enter an offset in the indicateddirection. If you chose Tapered, the system displays an arrowat each end and prompts for the offset value for both endpointsof the edge.

Select these edges toindicate the chain to offset.

Protrusion createdwith Offset Edge, SelChain

B - 12 Part Modeling User’s Guide

The following figure shows an example of using the Offset Edge >Tapered options.

Feature Created with Untrimmed Offset Edge, Tapered

When you delete an offset edge, Pro/ENGINEER retains thecorresponding reference entities. If you do not use these referencesin the section, the system deletes them when you exit Sketcher.

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Portion of an Edge

To use a portion of the edge to create an offset entity, you mustcreate a trimmed offset edge from a single edge.

➤ How to Create a Trimmed Offset Edge From a Single Edge

1. Use the Point option from the GEOMETRY menu to place pointson the edge at the locations to which you will trim before youcreate entities offset from the edge.

2. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

3. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

4. Select the desired edge.

5. Choose either Fixed or Tapered from the OFFSET TYPE menu.

6. Choose the OFFSET TYPE menu option Trimmed. This optionrequires that you have first placed points on the edge at thelocations to which you will trim the edge.

7. Choose Done.

8. The system prompts you to select a point to trim the edge. Pickone of the points.

Protrusion created usingOffset Edge, Tapered

Select edge tooffset

Select edge tooffset.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 13

Sketching on a

Model

9. Enter the offset value in the indicated direction.

10. Select the second point. If you chose Tapered, enter the offsetvalue for the second endpoint.

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Chain

You can offset a chain of edges and curves with the Offset Edge,Sel Chain options.

➤ How to Offset a Chain of Edges or Curves

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Chain from the OFFSET SEL menu.

4. Select the beginning and ending entities of the chain to beoffset. If you select curves, they must both belong to the samedatum curve. If you select edges, they must belong to the samesurface or face.

5. If more than one chain is possible, use Next and Previousfrom the CHOOSE menu to select the desired chain.

6. Enter the offset value. A red arrow indicates the defaultdirection of the offset. To offset in the opposite direction, enter anegative value.

Pro/ENGINEER offsets the whole chain in the same direction. Theentities are extended and trimmed, as necessary, to remainconnected.

When you use Offset Edge, Select Chain to offset a chain ofentities by a large distance, the system creates offset geometryaccording to the following guidelines:

• If the offset is inward along an arc and the offset value exceedsthe radius of the arc, the system removes the arc from the offsetchain. Similarly, the system might remove other entitiesbecause of excessive offset value. If you lower the offset valuelater, the entities reappear. The following figure illustratessuch a case.

B - 14 Part Modeling User’s Guide

Offsetting a Curve

• If the offset value is more than the local minimum radius ofcurvature for entities that compose the offset chain, the systemcreates an offset chain that might have a different number ofentities. In the following example, offsetting a spline by a largevalue causes the resulting spline to be broken into severalpieces. If the offset value is changed, the system can “piece”together the broken spline so it becomes a single entity again.

Offsetting a Spline

Using Offset Edge to Offset a Loop

You can offset a loop of edges or Sketcher entities by using OffsetEdge, Sel Loop.

➤ How to Offset a Loop of Edges or Entities

1. Choose Geom Tools from the SKETCHER menu.

2. Choose Offset Edge from the GEOM TOOLS menu.

3. Choose Sel Loop from the OFFSET SEL menu.

4. Select a face containing the edges or entities to offset.

rOffset distance Offset distance

Original geometry

Offset geometry

Original geometry

Offset geometry

Original geometry Offset geometry

Offset distance

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 15

Sketching on a

Model

5. If more than one loop is possible, use Next and Previous fromthe CHOOSE menu to select the desired loop.

6. Enter the offset value. A red arrow indicates the defaultdirection of the offset. To offset in the opposite direction, enter anegative value.

The Pick Curve Option

The Pick Curve option is available only in 3-D sketching with nosketching plane assigned, such as when you create compositedatum curves.

With this option, you can select edges or three-dimensional curves,as you do for the Use Edge operation. You can pick two edges onthe geometry of a part, or two one-sided edges of a quilt. For eachentity selected, Pro/ENGINEER creates a three-dimensionalsketched entity (displayed in cyan) directly on top of it.

The system displays the CRV SKETCHER menu with the optionsdescribed in Datum Curve Offset From a Curve on page 3 - 47.

Creating Reference Entities by Intersection

You can create reference entities from the intersection of a surfacewith the sketching plane. For example, when the sketching planeintersects a cylinder lengthwise, you can use the curves createdfrom this intersection as model references.

➤ How to Create Reference Entities by Intersection

1. Choose SKETCHER > Geom Tools > XSec Ref Ent.

2. Pick a part surface that intersects the sketching plane.

3. The system creates a reference entity and shows entities asorange phantom lines.

Retrieving an Existing SectionThe Place Section option in the SEC TOOLS menu allows you toretrieve a section from disk or from memory and place it on thecurrent sketch as an independent copy of the original section. Thetarget section can be empty or can contain existing entities (anddimensions). Placing a section does not alter other sketchedgeometry.

B - 16 Part Modeling User’s Guide

In a parallel blend, the retrieved section is added to the currentsubsection.

The Place Section option copies the entities and relations (if any)of the original section without reference to the original context inwhich they were created. Thus, the accuracy, grid parameters, andunits of measure are those of the current model.

The placed section behaves as a regular sketched section. After youplace the section, it is no longer associated with the source section.

You can easily replace the retrieved section with another one. Forparallel blends, you can place the retrieved section into differentsubsections with variations in rotation angle and size.

➤ How to Retrieve an Existing Section

1. Choose Place Section from the SEC TOOLS menu.

2. Select a section file in the Open dialog box.

3. The system retrieves the section and displays it in asubwindow.

4. If the section sketch is being placed on a part sketching plane(not an auxiliary section, such as for a sketched blind hole or ashaft), you can modify the location, orientation, and scaling ofthe section. For these actions, continue with Step 5.

5. Enter a rotation angle for the sketch. Be aware that somedimensioning schemes may change because of the change ofsketch orientation, as shown in the following illustration.

Effect of Sketch Orientation on Dimensions

6. Select an origin point on the sketch for scaling. When scalingthe section using the mouse, the origin point remainsstationary.

8.00

Original section Section rotated 90 degrees

Vertical dimension

0.00

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 17

Sketching on a

Model

7. Select a drag point on the sketch. This is the point that willfollow the mouse during positioning. The drag point cannot becoincident with the scaling point.

8. Enter a preliminary scale factor for the sketch.

9. Move the mouse from the subwindow to your part window. Thesection appears in red and follows your mouse pointer as itmoves around the screen.

10. Using the mouse, you can do any of the following:

• Click the left button to place the section. The sectionchanges from red to the normal section color and the systemdisplays any dimensions.

• Click the middle button to abort the section placement andreturn you to Step 5.

• Click the right mouse button to switch between scaling anddrag modes. When scaling, your scale origin remainsstationary, and moving the mouse increases or decreasesthe size of the section. Returning to drag mode causes thedrag origin to follow the mouse again.

11. Locate the section with respect to the part by dimensioning oraligning.

Dimensioning a Section to a PartSections sketched on a part must be dimensioned for size andrelative placement on the part. For dimensioning, the sketchingplane does not have to be parallel to the screen—the part can be inany orientation. In fact, sometimes dimensioning the section withthe model in a 3-D view helps avoid invalid dimensioning (see theillustration Dimensioning to Part Edges on page B - 19).

When sketching on a part, you can create the four dimension typesby using the DIMENSION menu:

• Normal—Create a dimension that references sketched entitiesonly, or between a sketched entity and part geometry. Thesedimensions are used to solve the section and eventually becomeregular part dimensions.

• Perimeter—Create a perimeter dimension. See PerimeterDimension on page A - 31.

• Reference—Create a dimension that you want to use forreference. Reference dimensions have the symbolic form rsd#.

B - 18 Part Modeling User’s Guide

• Known—Create a dimension that references part geometryonly. These dimensions are used to drive Sketcher dimensionsthrough a relation; they are necessary to solve the section andare not displayed anywhere except in this section. Knowndimensions have the symbolic form kd#.

• Baseline—Establish a baseline for ordinate dimensioning. SeeBaseline (Ordinate) Dimensions on page A - 31 for moreinformation.

Tips for Dimensioning to Part Edges

When dimensioning to a part edge, you must consider what type ofentity the part edge is. Splines and arcs may appear in thesketching plane as straight lines to which you can dimension. But,if the plane that was used as the sketching plane is modified (forexample, if the angle of a datum plane changed), the spline or arcno longer appears as a straight line. Thus, the dimensioningscheme becomes invalid, Pro/ENGINEER will not be able to placethe feature, and the feature creation or regeneration will fail.

One way to avoid this situation is to not dimension to splines orarcs that project onto the sketching plane as straight lines.However, if the situation does occur, modify the dimensioningscheme to dimension section geometry to linear geometry. You canorient the part in an iso-type view to help you select propergeometry on the part.

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 19

Sketching on a

Model

The following illustration shows how to dimension to part edges.

Dimensioning to Part Edges

Known Dimensions

Known dimensions allow you to establish meaningful parametricdependencies when creating a section of a feature.

➤ How to Use Known Dimensions in Sketcher Mode

1. Sketch and dimension as usual.

2. Create Known dimensions on part geometry that will be usedto drive the feature section.

3. From the SKETCHER menu, choose Relation.

When the datum angle is modified, projectionof this edge on the sketching plane becomes aspline.

When dimensioning in3-D, select this edge.

This feature fails because d16cannot be placed. Feature regenerates successfully.

B - 20 Part Modeling User’s Guide

4. Add relations connecting Normal section dimensions with theKnown ones (see the following illustration).

5. When the system updates the section, values of normaldimensions change according to the relations.

Dimensions driven by Sketcher relations cannot be modifieddirectly. To access Sketcher relations, choose Redefine andSection. You can also do it in Part mode by choosing Relations,Feat Rel, selecting the feature, and choosing Section.

Using Known and Normal Dimensions

Working in the Sketcher EnvironmentWhile in Sketcher, the model can be reoriented by choosing View >Orientation or by using the CTRL key and mouse.

Sketcher Grid

When you enter Sketcher, the system displays the grid and enablesgrid snap for any sketching plane orientation except“perpendicular.” If you select a new origin for the grid, the systemprojects that point onto the sketching plane to determine the neworigin.

Note: Only the Cartesian grid is supported for sketching in3-D.

sd1

kd3

sd2

kd4

sd0

Sketchedentity

Partgeometry

Add relations: sd1=kd3/2sd2=kd4/2

Sketching on a Model with Intent Manager B - 21

Sketching on a

Model

Leaving Sketcher with an Incomplete SectionYou can exit Sketcher with unfinished sections by choosing Donefrom the SKETCHER menu. This creates an incomplete section,which you can finish later. A feature that has an incomplete sectionbecomes an incomplete feature. For more information on how thesystem handles incomplete features, see Creating IncompleteFeatures on page 1 - 5.

➤ How to Exit Sketcher With an Incomplete Section

1. When you want to exit Sketcher with an unfinished section,choose Done from the SKETCHER menu.

2. The system informs you that the section is unresolved and asksyou for a confirmation to exit. Press ENTER.

3. You can leave feature creation by choosing OK from the featurecreation dialog box, or you can continue feature definition byselecting another element from the dialog box.

The following procedure explains how to complete the section.

➤ How to Complete a Section

1. Choose Redefine.

2. Select a feature with an incomplete section.

3. Choose Section from the dialog box.

4. Complete the section.

Index - i

Index

Symbols

"rho" dimension 2-33.ibl file 3-27

Numerics

180, REV TO 5-182 Axes, OPTIONS 3-542 Points, LINE TYPE 2-82 Points, OFFSET DIR 3-172 Points, SET AXIS 3-552 Projections 3-512 Side Blind, SPEC TO 5-92 Tangent, LINE TYPE 2-9270, REV TO 5-183 Planes, OPTIONS 3-533 Point, ARC TYPE 2-113 Point, CIRCLE TYPE 2-133 Tangent, ARC TYPE 2-113 Tangent, CIRCLE TYPE 2-13360, REV TO 5-183D curves

selecting 3-403D sweep 6-745 x d, SCHEME 7-1390, REV TO 5-18

A

Absolute, ACCURACY 16-53Accelerated simplified representation

updating 16-49Accept, CHOOSE 3-34Accept, CONFIRM 6-42Accept, DEFAULT TAN 6-34Accept, DISP ON SURF 13-6

Accept, MEASURE DIST 3-50Accept, PATCH 8-22Accuracy

absolute 16-53assigning other part accuracy 16-54model 16-51relative 16-52

Accuracy, PART SETUP 16-51Accuracy, SEC ENVIRON 2-48accuracy_lower_bound option 16-52Activate, INSERT MODE 16-34Actual Len, PNT DIM MODE 3-15ADD DIMS menu options 15-18Add features 1-5Add Inn Fcs, SWEEP OPT 6-5Add Item, OPTIONS 11-6Add New, DTM PNT MODE 3-16Add Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-60Add Point, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Add Point, DEFINE GRAPH 6-45Add Points, CRV TWEAK 3-22Add, DEFINE BEND 9-36Add, EXT SYMBOLS 15-20Add, MOD TANG 2-56Add, PATT TABLE 14-23Add, RELATIONS 2-39Add, ROUND SETS 8-13Add, ROUND TRANS 8-19Add, SPLINEPNTS 16-28Add, UDF FEATS 15-16Add, VAR DIMS 15-18ADJUST TYPE menu options 16-31Adjust, EDIT CURVES 16-29Adjustable, ADJUST TYPE 16-31Adv Geometry 3-43ADV GEOMETRY menu

options 2-14

Index - ii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Advanced, ROUND SETS 8-13Advanced, SOLID OPTS 6-23Advanced, SRF OPTS 10-6Align

to model edge 4-17to points 4-18

Align, QUERY B-7Align, SKETCHER 4-17Alignment

removing 4-18unaligning

pick many 4-19unalign many 4-19

All Changes, RESTORE 17-7All Children, REF REROUTE 16-42All Feat, COPY FEATURE 15-4All Feat, R-ONLY FEAT 16-2All Geometry, DELETION A-48All Items, SHOW ERRORS 17-10All References, DELETION A-48All Refs, FEAT REROUTE 16-41All, GATHER FILL 10-20All, MIRROR 2-24All, MOD ARR NUM 16-10All, RESUME 16-38All, SEL SECTION 16-12Along Dir, OPTIONS 12-20Along Edge, MEASURE DIST 12-13Alternate, REROUTE 16-41Alternate, WHICH REF 15-28Ang Spacing, POLAR PARAMS 2-6Ang x d, SCHEME 7-14ANGLE menu options 7-16Angle of revolution 5-17Angle, CART PARAMS 2-5Angle, GET MEASURE 3-61Angle, POLAR PARAMS 2-6Angle, SEC INFO 2-64Angular dimensions 2-29Angular reference

creating 14-11Approx Blend, BNDRS OPTS 11-22Approx Blend, OPTIONS 11-3Approx Chain, TANGENCY 2-17Approx Dir, OPTIONS 11-23Approx Srf, OPTIONS 12-17Approximate blended surface 11-22Approximate curve 3-33

benefits and drawbacks 3-28Approximate, CURV TYPE 3-33Arc

creating 2-7fillet 2-11sketched 2-11

dimensioning 2-27Arc Length, BLEND TYPE 11-14

ARC TYPE menuoptions 2-11

Area graph 6-39Area Offset, QUILT SURF 10-3Area, GET MEASURE 3-61ARROW FLIP menu options 5-5Arrowhead

switching display 16-9Assembly feature

pipe 7-26At Center, DATUM POINT 3-12ATTACHMENT menu options 8-29Attributes, EDIT METHOD 16-44Attributes, REDEF IMPT 16-24Attributes, REDEFINE 16-16Auto Blend, RND EXTENT 8-8Auto Fit, OFFSET TYPE 10-9AutoDim, SKetcher 4-21Automatic, SEC ORIENT 6-41Axis, DATUM 3-9

B

Backup Modl, FIX MODEL 17-6Backup Modl, INVESTIGATE 17-5Backup, DBMS 15-24Base feature

creating 1-4datum plane as 1-4definition 1-4thin 5-6UDF as 1-5

Baseline dimensioncreating 2-37

Baseline, DIMENSION 4-16Before Fail, ROLL MDL TO 17-6Beginning, START OPTS 17-9Blank, DISP OPTION 15-28Blend

capped 6-19closed 6-16general

no profile 6-22using IGES files 6-17

imported from file 6-55sample file 6-56

non-paralleladvantages 6-15creating 6-17

open 6-16parallel

creating 6-13making cuts in 6-13

rotational 6-20section

dimensioning 6-14

Index - iii

sketching sectionactive section 6-14toggling 6-13

surface-to-surface 6-53swept

creating 6-39modifying 6-45restrictions 6-38

types 6-8vertex 6-18

BLEND OPTS menu options 6-12Blend Srfs, TRANS TYPE 8-15BLEND TYPE menu options 11-14Blend Vertex, ADV GEOMETRY 2-14Blend, SECTION DOME 9-24Blend, SOLID OPTS 6-8Blend, SRF OPTS 10-6Blended Surf, OPTIONS 11-2BlendSection, DATUM PLANE 3-6Bndry Chain, CHAIN 3-34Both Sides, ATTRIBUTES 5-14Both, SPLITCRV OPTS 3-45Both, TANGENCY 2-17Both, THIN OPT 5-6Bound, DRAFT TRIM 2-22Boundaries, ADV FEAT OPT 11-2Boundaries, REDEFINE 16-16Boundary region

for free-form features 13-3Boundary, SURF&BND 10-16

C

C1 continuous 9-40curves 3-28helical sweep profile 6-49

C2 continuouscurves 3-28

Cancel, INSERT MODE 16-35Cancel, UPDATE REP 16-50CAP TYPE menu 6-20Capped Ends, ATTRIBUTES 10-7Cartesian, GRID TYPE 2-5Center/Point, CIRCLE TYPE 2-13Centerline 5-17Centerline, LINE TYPE 2-8CHAIN menu options 3-33CHAIN OPT menu options 3-34Chain, PICK CURVES 16-32Chain, SELECT ITEM 11-6Chamfer 7-13

corner 7-14dimensioning schemes 7-13edge 7-13

Chamfer, SOLID 7-14Change Value, DEFINE GRAPH 6-45

Change, DTM PNT MODE 3-16CHILD menu options 16-37CHOOSE menu options 3-34Circle

creating 2-7sketched 2-13

dimensioning 2-27CIRCLE TYPE menu

options 2-13Circular, ATTRIBUTES 8-14Clean, R-ONLY FEAT 16-2Clear, DEF TAN 3-21Clip Incomplete, FAILED FEAT 15-32Clip Supp, QUICK FIX 17-5Clip, DELETE/SUPP 16-37Closed, ATTRIBUTES 6-16CNTRL POLY menu options 13-7Coaxial, PLACEMENT 7-8Color

datums 3-2section geometry 2-3

Commnt Rels, OBSOL RELS 16-39Composite 16-33Composite datum curve 3-27

chain processing 3-33naming 3-36redefining 3-36

Composite, CURVE OPTS 3-32Concentric, ARC TYPE 2-11Concentric, CIRCLE TYPE 2-13Configuration file options

accuracy_lower_bound 16-52create_fraction_dim 1-7datum_point_symbol 3-11default_abs_accuracy 16-53dim_fraction_denominator 1-7enable_absolute_accuracy 16-52flip_arrow_scale 5-5grid_snap 2-6model_grid_spacing 1-3pro_group_dir 15-25repeat_datum_create 3-5retain_pattern_definition 14-21select_on_dtm_edges 3-3shade_surface_feat 10-4show_axes_for_extr_arcs 3-8show_dim_sign 1-8sketcher_dec_places 2-25solid_grid_neg_prefix 1-3solid_grid_num_dig 1-3system_curves_color 3-17system_section_color 2-3use_dimensioned_edges 4-18use_major_units 1-8

CONFIRM menu options 6-42Conic

Index - iv Part Modeling User’s Guide

"rho" dimension 2-33creating 2-14dimensions 2-32three-point dimension 2-34

Conic Surf, OPTIONS 11-3Conic, ADV GEOMETRY 2-14Conic, ATTRIBUTES 8-15Constant Rad, OPTIONS 7-23Constant, ATTRIBUTES 9-6Constant, OPTIONS 6-47Constant, RND SET ATTR 8-3Constant, SECTION TYPE 6-27Constraints

datum 3-6Constraints, SKETCHER 2-44Continue, INFO REGEN 17-10Continue, TRANS TYPE 8-15Control points

moving 13-10Control Poly, FREE FORM 13-4Control Poly, TANGENCY 2-17Control polyhedron

moving control points 13-10setting the region 13-8using 13-7

Controlled Fit, OFFSET TYPE 10-9Convert, SYMBOL ACTION 15-21COORD SYS menu options 3-55Coord Sys, ADV GEOMETRY 2-15Coord Sys, DATUM 3-54Coord Sys, OFFSET DIR 3-17Coordinate system 3-53

adding to a sketch 2-15creating 3-54default 1-4offset

creating 3-56redefining 16-26renaming 16-11

Coordinatesto modify a spline 2-58

Coords, MOD SPLINE 2-58Copy

datum curve 3-52feature 15-3

by mirroring 15-9using GROUP menu options 15-37

imported drawings 2-24Copy Draw, SEC TOOLS 2-24Copy, CURVE OPTS 3-53Copy, FEAT 15-3Copy, INSERT FEAT 16-35Copy, SIMPLFD REP 16-43Copy, SRF OPTS 10-6Copy, SURF FORM 10-14Corner Sphere, ATTRIBUTES 8-15

Corner Sphere, TRANS TYPE 8-15Corner Sweep, ATTRIBUTES 8-15Corner Sweep, TRANS TYPE 8-16Corner, CHAMF 7-14Corner, DRAFT TRIM 2-23Cosm Font, GEOM TOOLS 7-29Cosmetic feature

groove 7-37line style, setting 7-29sketched 7-29thread 7-31

creating custom threads 7-35Cosmetic, FEAT CLASS 7-30Cosmetic, SHADING OPTS 13-5Create

angular reference 14-11arc 2-7base feature 1-4baseline dimension 2-37blend

parallel 6-13circle 2-7

sketched 2-13conic 2-14coordinate system 3-54cosmetic threads 7-33dimension pattern 14-7extrusion 5-13feature

specifying direction 5-4fillet arc 2-11free-form features 13-2geometry in Sketcher mode 2-6graph 3-59group from existing UDF 15-26line 2-7linear dimensions 2-26local group 15-33merge feature 15-39model grid 1-2new curve segments 16-27offset coordinate system 3-56parallel blend 6-13rectangle 2-10revolved feature 5-16section dome 9-24spline 2-17split datum curve 3-44sweep 6-2sweep along 3D spline 6-8swept blend 6-39table-driven patterns 14-24tangency dimension 2-31UDFs 15-15

Create Axis, DEF TAN 3-21Create New, SECTION PLACE 15-31

Index - v

Create Points, GEN PNT SEL 3-16Create, EDIT CURVES 16-26Create, INSERT FEAT 16-35Create, MEASURE PARAM 3-60Create, SIMPLFD REP 16-42Create, UDF 15-15create_fraction_dim option 1-7CRV DISPLAY menu

options 2-64Crv X Crv, DATUM POINT 3-12Crv/Edg/Axis, GEN SEL DIR 3-41Crv/Edge/Axis, DEF TAN 3-21Crvs To Disp, PREVIEW 3-26Crvtr Cont, BNDRY COND 11-10Crvtr Scale, SET PARAMS 3-25Crvtr Setup, CNTRL POLY 13-7CrvtrDensity, SET PARAMS 3-25Crvture Disp, SEC INFO 2-64Csys, GEN SEL DIR 3-41Ctr/Ends, ARC TYPE 2-11Current Modl, FIX MODEL 17-6Current Modl, INVESTIGATE 17-5Current Obj, OBJ ERASE 16-51Current Vals, GET INPUT 15-19CURV TYPE menu options 3-33Curvature continuous spine 9-40Curvature, CRV OPTS 3-25Curvature, DEF TAN 3-21Curve Chain, CHAIN 3-34Curve Plane, MOT PLANE 3-23Curve X Srf, DATUM POINT 3-11Curve, SELECT ITEM 11-6Curve, TRIM AT 3-35Curves, REDEFINE 16-26Customized, SPACING OPTS 13-7Cut 7-3

in parallel projected blends 6-13using surface feature 12-30

Cut, SOLID 7-3

D

d x d, SCHEME 7-13d1 x d2, SCHEME 7-13Datum

axis 3-8color 3-2creating 3-9patterning 14-12renaming 16-11

curve 3-17at surface intersections 3-18composite 3-27copied 3-52erasing display 3-24formed 3-42

from equation 3-51from file, redefine 16-26importing 3-26offset from surface 3-45projected 3-37redefine composite 16-33sketched 3-17split 3-44through points 3-19tweaking 3-22two-projection 3-51using cross-sections 3-36

namechanging 16-11modifying 16-11

plane 3-2chain of internal 4-4creating 3-5creating on-the-fly 3-3default 1-4offset 1-4redefining 16-25renaming 16-11specifying 4-4

point 3-10array 7-23modifying array 16-9redefining 16-25

text 16-8DATUM AXIS menu options 3-9Datum Planes, PROJCRVREFS 3-39DATUM POINT menu options 3-11Datum, FEAT CLASS 3-5DBMS menu options 15-24Dbms, UDF 15-15DEF TAN menu options 3-20Default Feats, DISP MODE 16-46DEFAULT TAN menu 6-34Default, MENUDTM OPT 1-4Default, OPTIONS 3-4Default, SELECT REFS 11-11default_dec_places option 16-4DEFINE GRAPH menu options 6-45Define, GRAPH 6-45Del Pattern, FEAT 14-21Delay Modify, SKETCHER A-36Delete

pattern 14-21suppressed features 16-39

Delete All, DBMS 15-24Delete All, DELETION 2-63Delete All, SURF SELECT 10-15Delete features 16-39Delete Grid, MODEL GRID 1-3

Index - vi Part Modeling User’s Guide

Delete Item, DELETION 2-62Delete Many, DELETION 2-62Delete Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-60Delete Point, CONNECT TPYE 3-20Delete Points, CRV TWEAK 3-22Delete Rels, OBSOL RELS 16-39Delete, EDIT CURVE 16-27Delete, FEAT 16-39Delete, MEASURE PARAM 3-61Delete, QUICK FIX 17-5Delete, REDEF IMPT 16-23Delete, SIMPLFD REP 16-43Delete, SKETCHER 2-62Delete, SURF SELECT 10-15Delete, WORK REGION 16-48DELETE/SUPP menu options 16-37Density, CRV DISPLAY 2-64Dependent features 15-11Dependent, ATTRIBUTES 9-15Dependent, COPY FEATURE 15-4DesignerIn feature

creating 12-36redefining 12-37tolerance 12-37

DesignerIn, FEAT CLASS 12-36Diagnostics, INVESTIGATE 17-5Diameter, DIM TYPE 7-9Diameter, GET MEASURE 3-61DIM FORMAT menu options 16-4Dim Pattern, PRO PAT TYPE 14-3DIM PNT PNT menu

options 2-27dim_fraction_denominator option 1-7DimCosmetics, MODIFY 16-8Dimension

"rho" 2-33arrowhead display 16-9baseline 2-37deleting 16-22format 16-7fractional values 1-7

sketcher 2-25invariable 15-14known 6-32

symbolic form 4-16linear 2-26modifying 16-3

displaying for modification 16-2location 16-8scheme 16-22values 16-3

moving 2-41negative values 1-8number of decimal places 16-4obsolete 16-23of a revolved section 2-28

ordinate 2-37perimeter 2-35precision 2-25reference dimensions 1-8references

determining hole placement 7-8section (see Section dimensions) 2-1spline 2-30

linear 2-31radius of curvature 2-31tangency 2-31

symbolmodifying 16-6special 16-6

table-driven 15-15tangency

creating 2-31text

adding 16-5moving 16-8

three-point 2-34types 15-14variable 15-14zero dimension values 2-54

Dimension, MAKE INDEP 16-6Dimension, MOVE ENTITY 2-41Dimension, SKETCHER 2-25Dimensioning

interpolation points 2-32section to part edges 4-19sketcher points 2-8the part 1-7

Dimensions, RESTORE 17-7Dir1 TaninrEdge, ADV TECH 11-19Dir2 TanInrEdge, ADV TECH 11-19Direction arrow 5-4Direction, REDEFINE 16-16Disable, CONSTRAINTS 2-45Disassociate, GROUP 15-26DISP ON SURF menu options 13-6Display Mode, FEAT INC/EXC 16-46Display, DISPLAY HATCH 3-18DisplayOnSrf, SETUP DISP 13-5DispOnNewCrv, PREVIEW 3-26DispOnNewSrf, PREVIEW 13-12DispOnOldCrv, PREVIEW 3-26DispOnOldSrf, PREVIEW 13-12Dist In Pln, OPTIONS 12-12Dist On Surf, OPTIONS 12-12Distance, GET MEASURE 3-61Distance, SEC INFO 2-64Divide, GEOM TOOLS 2-20Dome feature 9-21Don’t Align, QUERY B-7Done Modify, MOD SPLINE 2-56

Index - vii

Done, QUERY B-7Draft 9-3

angle 9-10creating 9-8modifying 9-19

multiple 9-12neutral curve 9-14neutral plane 9-7reference plane 9-3restrictions 9-4split at sketch 9-10split lines 9-10variable 9-6

Draft offsetbevel angle 12-24for quilts 12-22for solid surfaces 12-22

Draft Offset, QUILT SURF 12-22Draft Offset, TWEAK 9-3DRAFT OPS menu 9-4Draft, QUILT SURF 10-3Draft, TWEAK 9-3Drag Dim Val, MOD SKETCH 2-50Drag Entity, MOD SKETCH 2-50Drag Item, MOVE ENTITY 2-40Drag Many, MOVE ENTITY 2-40Drag Vertex, MOD SKETCH 2-50Drag, FACTOR OPTS 11-20Drag, TRIM/EXTEND 3-35DragAndDrop, SECTION PLACE 15-30DTM PNT ARR menu options 3-13Dynamic modification 2-51

E

Ear 9-29section 9-31

Ear, TWEAK 9-2Edg/Crv Curv, GET MEASURE 3-61Edg/Crv Len, GET MEASURE 3-60Edge Chain, RND SET ATTR 8-3Edge Pair, RND SET ATTR 8-4Edge, CHAMF 7-13Edges, DEF EXTEND 12-16Edges, INFO EXTEND 12-20Edge-Surf, RND SET ATTR 8-3Edit Design, PROGRAM 15-19Edit File, EDIT CURVES 16-26EDIT METHOD menu

options 16-44Edit Points, DTM PNT ARR 3-14Edit Points, MOD ARR TBL 16-10Edit Rels, OBSOL RELS 16-39Edit, PATT TABLE 14-23Elliptic Fillet, ADV GEOMETRY A-12Enable, CONSTRAINTS 2-45

End Cond, DEF EXTEND 12-16End Plane, SPINAL BEND 9-44End, DEF TAN 3-20End, TANGENCY 2-17Enter Length, TRIM/EXTEND 3-35Enter Points, DTM PNT ARR 3-13Enter Points, MOD ARR TBL 16-10Enter Prompt, SET PROMPT 15-18Enter Value, ABS ACCURACY 16-53Enter Value, OFFSET 3-8Enter, FACTOR OPTS 11-20Enter, GET INPUT 15-19Enter, SEL SYMBOL 15-20Enter-input, PICK/ENTER 7-14Entity, SEC INFO 2-63Entity/Edge, OFFSET DIR 3-17Entity/Edge, SET AXIS 3-55Equations, SPINAL BEND 9-44Erase, DBMS 15-24EraseNotDisp, DBMS 15-24Evaluate, DATUM 3-60Exact, CURV TYPE 3-33Exclude Feat, PART DEF RULE 16-43Exclude Srfs, REDEF IMPT 16-24Exclude, FEAT INC/EXC 16-45Exclude, SURF SELECT 10-18Explain, CONSTRAINTS 2-45Ext Dist, DEF EXTEND 12-16Ext Dist, INFO EXTEND 12-20Ext SideEdge, SIDE EDGE DIR 12-14EXT SYMBOLS menu options 15-20Extend, QUILT SURF 12-10Exterior, NEW POINTS 2-60External identifier 16-2Extrude

direction of creation 5-13section 5-15sketching feature 5-15

Extrude, SOLID OPTS 5-13Extrude, SRF OPTS 10-5

F

Failed Feat, ROLL MDL TO 17-6Failed Feat, SELECT FEAT 17-7Failed Geom, INVESTIGATE 17-6Feat ID, RESUME 16-38FEAT INC/EXC menu 16-45Feat Info, FEAT FAILED 17-2FEAT menu 15-15Feat Num, R-ONLY FEAT 16-2Feat Pat, PATTERN TYP 14-20FEAT REROUTE menu options 16-41Feature

adding 1-5advanced form 6-23base

Index - viii Part Modeling User’s Guide

creating 1-4definition 1-4UDF as 1-5

blendIGES files 6-17sections 6-10

starting points 6-10specifying tangent surfaces 6-16

chamfer (see Chamfer) 7-13copy 15-3

by mirroring 15-9by moving 15-10using GROUP menu options 15-37

cosmetic (see Cosmetic feature) 7-29creating 5-1cut 7-3delete 16-39dependent 15-11depth options 5-9

blind 5-9from-to 6-12

direction 5-4illustration 5-5

draft (see Draft) 9-3ear (see Ear) 9-29failure 17-3flange (see Flange) 7-16form options

blend (see Blend) 6-8extrusion (see Extrusion) 5-13revolved (see Revolved feature) 5-16sweep (see Sweep) 12-36

free-form (see Free-form features) 13-2groove (see Cosmetic feature, groove) 7-37hole (see Hole) 7-3independent 15-11local push (see Local push) 9-20mirroring (see Mirroring) 15-8neck (see Neck) 7-15offset (see Offset feature) 9-28patterning 15-36patterning (see Pattern) 14-1pipe (see Pipe) 7-22protrusion (see Protrusion) 7-2radius dome (see Radius dome) 9-21read only 16-2redefine 16-14

imported geometry 16-23reorder 16-35reroute 16-40

restrictions 16-40resume 16-36rib (see Rib) 7-17round (see Round) 8-2

section dome (see Section dome) 9-23shaft (see Shaft) 7-12shell (see Shell) 7-20slot 7-3specifying side 5-4suppress 16-36thin 5-5

extruded, illustrated 5-6revolved, illustrated 5-6

thread (see Cosmetic feature, thread) 7-31unaligning 16-23unsuppress 16-36

Feature Info, SHOW ERRORS 17-10Feature with multiple sections

modifying 16-12Feature, FIX MODEL 17-6Feature, NAME SETUP 16-11Feature, SELECT TYPE 16-41Features, EDIT METHOD 16-44File, REDEF IMPT 16-23Fillet arc 2-11Fillet, ARC TYPE 2-12Fillet, CIRCLE TYPE 2-13Fillet, SRF OPTS 10-21First Dir, GRIDLINE DIR 13-8First Dir, OPTIONS 11-6First Dir, PATTERN DIR 14-20Fit Axis, OPTIONS 3-4Fit Edge, OPTIONS 3-4Fit Feature, OPTIONS 3-4Fit Part, OPTIONS 3-4Fit Radius, OPTIONS 3-4Fit Surface, OPTIONS 3-4Fix Model, INFO REGEN 17-9Fixed, ADJUST TYPE 16-31Fixed, OFFSET TYPE 4-10Flange feature 7-16Flange, SOLID 7-16Flat, SRF OPTS 10-6Flip Arrows, MODIFY 16-9Flip, ARROW FLIP 5-5Flip, REDEFINE 16-16Flip, THIN OPT 5-6flip_arrow_scale option 5-5FORM OPTS menu 13-3Fraction, FORMAT 16-7Fractions

as dimensions 1-7sketcher 2-25

Free Ends, ATTRIBUTES 6-5FREE FORM menu

options 13-4Free Form, ADV FEAT OPT 13-1Free Form, TWEAK 9-3Free, BNDRY COND 11-10Free, ON SURF 3-22

Index - ix

Free-form featurescreating 13-2manipulating 13-4new surfaces 13-4setting up boundary regions 13-3

Freeze, CHILD 16-38From Bndry, CRV OPTIONS 3-48From Curve, CRV OPTIONS 3-47From File, ADV FEAT OPT 6-23From File, OPTIONS 3-26From Rels, SEL SYMBOLS 15-20From UDF, CREATE GROUP 15-26FromDifModel, COPY FEATURE 15-4FromDifVers, COPY FEATURE 15-4From-To, CHAIN OPT 3-34Full Round, RND SET ATTR 8-3Full Round, RND SET ATTS 8-25

G

Gauss Curv, SHADING OPTS 13-5GEN PNT SEL menu 3-16General patterns 14-5General, BLEND OPTS 6-22General, PAT OPTIONS 14-3Geom Check, FEAT FAILED 17-2Geom Check, INFO 17-10Geom Check, INFO REGEN 17-9Geometric snapshot 16-50Geometry

aligning to model edges 4-17aligning to points 4-18arc 2-7checking errors 17-10circle 2-7conic 2-14creating using mouse buttons 2-6dimensioning to part edges 4-19fillet 2-11geometry information 2-63line 2-7mirroring 2-24point 2-7spline (see Spline) 2-15text entities

creating 2-19modify 2-61

unaligning 4-18Geometry, LINE TYPE 2-8Geometry, PIPE OPTS 7-22GeomSnpshot, REP ATTR 16-44GET EXT DIST menu options 3-48GET INPUT menu options 15-19GET MEASURE menu options 3-60Graph

evaluation 6-32

redefine 16-34relations 6-38

GRAPH menuoptions 6-45

Graph, DATUM 3-59Graph, OPTIONS 9-40Graph, SPINAL BEND 9-44Grid

model 1-2sketcher 2-4

Grid Info, SEC INFO 2-64Grid Off, MODEL GRID 1-3Grid On, MODEL GRID 1-3Grid On/Off, MODIFY GRID 2-4Grid Snap, ENVIRONMENT 2-6Grid Spacing, MODEL GRID 1-3GRID TYPE menu 2-5Grid, DISP ON SURF 13-6Grid, PART SETUP 1-3Grid, SEC ENVIRON 2-4grid_snap option 2-6GRIDLINE DIR menu 13-8Groove (see Cosmetic feature, groove) 7-37Groove, COSMETIC 7-37Group 15-1

creatingexample 15-21

failed regeneration 15-31local 15-32operations 15-33pattern restrictions 15-38patterning 15-36replacement 15-35

conditions 15-35skipped references 15-30type

changing 15-26Group Pat, PATTERN TYP 14-20Group, FEAT 15-26

H

Helical sweep 6-47constant pitch 6-48variable pitch 6-50

Helical Swp, ADV FEAT OPT 6-47Hide Item, SHOW ERRORS 17-10Hole 7-3

blind 5-9placing 7-7

datum plane 7-7dimensioning 7-8linear 7-8radial 7-9surface 7-7

rotational pattern 14-8

Index - x Part Modeling User’s Guide

sketched 7-6straight 7-4

Hole, SOLID 7-3Hollow, PIPE OPTS 7-23Horiz, VERT HORIZ 2-37Horizontal, DIM PNT PNT 2-27Horizontal, LINE TYPE 2-9

I

Identical patterns 14-4Identical, PAT OPTIONS 14-3IGES files

for non-parallel blends 6-17IGES, INTF IMPORT 6-17Import, INTERFACE 6-17Imported geometry

redefining 16-23Importing blends 6-55Include Feat, PART DEF RULE 16-43Include, FEAT INC/EXC 16-45Include, SURF SELECT 10-15Incomplete, FAILED FEAT 15-32Increm, DRAFT TRIM 2-23Independent features 15-11Independent, ATTRIBUTES 9-15Independent, COPY FEATURE 15-4Independent, PLACE OPTS 15-27Indiv Entity, SELECT TYPE 16-41Indiv Surf, SURF OPTIONS 10-15Indiv Surfs, BND METHOD 10-16Inflections, CRV OPTS 3-25Info Feat, INFO REGEN 17-9Info Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-58INFO REGEN menu 17-9Info, CHILD 16-38Info, GRAPH 6-45Info, GRP PLACE 15-8Info, MAIN 7-22Info, MEASURE PARAM 3-61Info, SHOW REF 17-6Info, SURF EXTEND 12-20Info, UDF FEATS 15-16Info, UPDATE REP 16-50Information

sketched sections 2-63Input, MOD ARR TBL 16-10Insert

feature 16-34Insert Item, OPTIONS 11-7Insert Mode, FEAT 16-34Insert Point, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Instance

spacing and size 14-13INSTANCES menu 16-25InstDbms, DBMS 15-24Integrate, UDF 15-15

Intent Manager A-2Interface, SEC TOOLS 6-17Interior, NEW POINTS 2-60Internal identifier 16-38Interpolation points

dimensioning 2-32IntersctSrfs, TRANS TYPE 8-15IntersecCrvs, DISP ON SURF 13-6IntersecCrvs, SETUP OPTS 13-6Intersect Pt, SEC INFO 2-63Intersect, GEOM TOOLS 2-21Intersect, SURF MERGE 12-2INTR SURFS menu options 3-19Invariable dimension 15-14INVESTIGATE menu options 17-4Investigate, RESOLVE FEAT 17-4Item Info, SHOW ERRORS 17-10

J

Join Surfs, INTF ATTRB 16-24Join, JOIN SRFS 10-7Join, SURF MERGE 12-2

K

Keep Current, SHADING OPTS 13-5Keep Current, SPACING OPTS 13-7Known dimension

symbol 2-39using 4-20

Known, DIMENSION 4-20

L

Last Set, RESUME 16-38Last Success, ROLL MDL TO 17-6Layer, RESUME 16-38Layer, SELECT FEAT 16-36Left Handed, OPTIONS 6-47Length Ratio, PNT DIM MODE 3-15Length, DRAFT TRIM 2-22Line

creating 2-7Line style

modifying 16-13setting 7-29

Line Style, MODIFY 16-13Line Style, REDEF IMPT 16-24LINE TYPE menu 2-8Linear, DIM TYPE 7-9Linear, OPTIONS 9-40Linear, PLACEMENT 7-8Lip, TWEAK 9-33List Changes, INVESTIGATE 17-5List, SIMPLFD REP 16-43List, UDF 15-15

Index - xi

Local groups (see Group, local) 15-32Local push 9-20

boundary 9-21creating 9-20height 9-21

Local Push, TWEAK 9-20Local, POLY MOTION 13-8Lock All Dims, MOVE SKETCH A-47Lock/Unlock, MOVE SKETCH A-47Loop Surfs, BND METHOD 10-16Loop Surfs, SURF OPTIONS 10-16Loops, GATHER FILL 10-20

M

Make Indep, MODIFY 15-11Make Plane, GET DTMSEL 3-39Make Solid, ATTACHMENT 8-29Make Solid, INTF ATTRB 16-24Make Surface, ATTACHMENT 8-29Mapping a graph or function 6-32mark_approximate_dims 16-7Marked Feats, DISP MODE 16-46MEASURE DIST menu options 3-49MEASURE PARAM menu options 3-60Measure, EDIT CURVES 16-27Merge Ends, ATTRIBUTES 6-5Merge feature 15-9Merge, EDIT CURVES 16-32Merging quilts 12-2Mesh Setup, CNTRL POLY 13-7Mesh, DISP ON SURF 13-6Mesh, SETUP OPTS 13-6Mesh, SHOW OPTS 10-15Messages

geometry check 17-11MIN RADIUS menu options 3-61Min Radius, ATTRIBUTES 8-10Mirror

to copy features 15-8Mirror Geom, FEAT 15-39Mirror Geom, INSERT FEAT 16-35MIRROR menu 2-24Mirror, COPY FEATURE 15-3Mirror, FEAT 15-8Mirror, GEOM TOOLS 2-24Mirror, SURF MODEL 12-21Missing Refs, FEAT REROUTE 16-41MOD ARR OPT menu 16-10MOD ARR TBL menu 16-10Mod Entity, MOD SKETCH 2-50Mod Scheme, CHILD 16-37MOD TANG menu

options 2-56Model grid 1-2MODEL GRID menu

options 1-3

model_grid_spacing option 1-3Modification

dynamic 2-51Modify

cutout feature 16-12datum point array 16-9datum points in array 16-9decimal places, number of 16-4dependent copy 16-3dimension format 16-7dimensions 16-2feature names 16-11feature with multiple sections 16-11features 16-11flipping dimension arrows 16-9moving a dimension 16-8moving text 16-8parts 1-8pattern relations 14-20Sketcher grid 2-4spline

using coordinates 2-58using the control polygon 2-57using the mouse 2-56

swept blend 6-45table-driven patterns 14-25tangency of a spline 2-56

Modify Srf, REDEF IMPT 16-24Modify, EXT SYMBOLS 15-20Modify, FEAT 16-2Modify, FIX MODEL 17-7Modify, PATCH 8-22Modify, UDF 15-15Mouse buttons

to create geometry 2-6Move

control points 13-10dimensions 2-41

Move Datum, MODIFY 16-9Move Dim, MODIFY 16-8MOVE ENTITY menu

options 2-39MOVE FEATURE menu

options 15-10MOVE PNTS menu

options 2-56Move Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-56Move Point, CNTRL POLY 13-7Move Points, CONTROL POLY 3-23Move Points, CRV TWEAKd 3-23Move Polygon, CRV TWEAK 3-23Move Text, DIM COSMETIC 16-8Move, COPY FEATURE 15-3Move, GEOM TOOLS 2-39Move, OPTIONS 12-21Move, SPLINEPNTS 16-29

Index - xii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Movement Pln, CONTROL POLY 3-23Multiple Rad, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Multiple Rad, PIPE OPTS 7-23Multiple, PROMPTS 15-17

N

Name, PART SETUP 16-11Neck 7-15

creating 7-15Neck, SOLID 7-15Negative dimensions 1-8Neutral (pivot) plane 9-7Neutral Crv, DRAFT OPTS 9-4Neutral Pln, DRAFT OPTS 9-4New Quilt, ATTACHMENT 8-29New Refs, COPY FEATURE 15-3New Srf, SRF TO DISP 13-12New, QUILT SURF 10-5Next Along, MEASURE DIST 12-13Next Item, SHOW ERRORS 17-10Next Normal, MEASURE DIST 12-13Next, CHOOSE 3-34Next, CONFIRM 6-42Next, COORD SYS 3-55Next, SHOW REF 17-5NextSideEdge, SIDE EDGE DIR 12-14No Csys, SEC INFO 2-65No Display, DISPLAY HATCH 3-18No geometry, PIPE OPTS 7-23No Inn Fcs, SWEEP OPT 6-5No Join, JOIN SRFS 10-7No Profile, SECTION DOME 9-24No Prop Ctrl, OPTIONS 9-40No Split, ATTRIBUTES 9-7Nominal, FORMAT 16-4None, SHADING OPTS 13-5None, SPACING OPTS 13-7None, TANGENCY 2-17Norm To Bnd, MEASURE DIST 12-13Norm To Bnd, SIDE EDG DIR 12-14Norm to Sket, ATTRIBUTES 12-24Norm To Spine, ATTRIBUTES 8-14Norm to Surf, ATTRIBUTES 12-24Norm to Surf, SEC ORIENT 6-41Norm To Traj, OPTIONS 6-47Norm To Traj, SWEEP OPTS 6-31Normal Off, OPTIONS 9-28Normal Pln, DATUM AXIS 3-9Normal to Surf, OFFSET TYPE 10-9Normal, BNDRY COND 11-10Normal, DELETE/SUPP 16-37Normal, DIMENSION 4-16Normal, DISP OPTION 15-28NormToOriginTraj, SWEEP OPTS 6-30Num Digits, DIM COSMETIC 16-4Num Digits, SEC ENVIRON 2-25

Num Lines, POLAR PARAMS 2-6

O

OBSOL RELS menu options 16-39Offs By View, OPTIONS 3-54Offset Csys, DATUM POINT 3-12Offset Edge, GEOM TOOLS 4-8Offset entities 4-8Offset feature 9-28Offset Planes, DATUM 3-5Offset Point, DATUM POINT 3-12Offset Surf, DATUM POINT 3-11Offset surface 10-8OFFSET TYPE menu options 4-10Offset, ATTRIBUTES 12-24Offset, MENUDTM OPT 1-4Offset, OPTIONS 3-54Offset, PNT DIM MODE 3-15Offset, SRF OPTS 10-8Offset, TWEAK 9-28Okay, FLIP ARROW 5-5Okay, THIN OPT 5-6Old Surf, SRF TO DISP 13-12On Curve, DATUM POINT 3-12On Point, PLACEMENT 7-8On Surface, DATUM POINT 3-11On Surface, ON SURF 3-22On Vertex, DATUM POINT 3-12One By One, CHAIN 3-33One Profile, SECTION DOME 9-24One Side, ATTRIBUTES 5-14Open Ends, ATTRIBUTES 10-7Open, ATTRIBUTES 6-21Ordinate dimensions 2-37Orig + Pnt, SET AXIS 3-55Orig + ZAxis, OPTIONS 3-54Origin, MODIFY GRID 2-5OscPlnAtPnt, REF PLANE TYPE 16-29Other, NAME SETUP 16-11Output, MOD ARR TBL 16-10

P

Parallel Edge, END EDGE DIR 12-15Parallel projected blend

cuts in 6-13Parallel, BLEND 6-9Parallel, BLEND OPTS 6-13Parallel, LINE TYPE 2-8Parameters, RESTORE 17-7Parameters, SETUP DISP 3-25Params, MODIFY GRID 2-5Parent-child relationship

breaking 16-40changing 1-5

Part

Index - xiii

dimensioningfractions 1-7layers 1-7overview 1-7relations 1-7

merging/cutting outmodifying dimensions 16-13redefining 16-24

model grid 1-2setting up 1-2sketching sections

dimensioning to part 4-16PART SETUP menu options 1-3PAT DIM INCR menu options 14-7Patch, ATTRIBUTES 8-15Patch, TRANS TYPE 8-16Patch, TWEAK 12-29PATT TABLE menu options 14-23Pattern

benefits 14-2creating variations 14-26datum axes 14-12deleting 14-21dimension 14-6dimension type

creating 14-7general 14-5identical 14-4instance 14-4modifying 14-20parameters 14-14reducing to a single feature 14-21reference patterns 14-19relations

adding 14-14modifying 14-20

rotational 14-8rules 14-18table-driven 14-23

modifying 14-25types 14-3varying 14-4

Pattern, FEAT 14-2Pattern, GROUP 15-36Pattern, REDEFINE 16-16PatternTable, MODIFY 14-28Perimeter dimension 2-35Perimeter, DIMENSION 2-35Perpendicular, LINE TYPE 2-8PICK CURVES menu

options 16-32Pick Point, PICK/ENTER 7-14Pick Surf, FORM OPTS 13-3Pick XVector, SEC ORIENT 6-41Pick, MIRROR 2-24

PICK/ENTER menu options 7-14Pipe 7-22

connections 7-27creating 7-22

Pipe, SOLID 7-22Pitch

cosmetic threads 7-32graph

variable pitch helical sweep 6-50helical sweeps 6-47

Pivot Dir, SWEEP OPTS 6-30PLACE OPTS menu

options 15-27Place Section, SEC TOOLS 4-14Plane Norm, OFFSET DIR 3-17Plane, GEN SEL DIR 6-30Plane, SETUP PLANE 4-4Plane/Norm, SET AXIS 3-55Pln + 2Axes, OPTIONS 3-54Pnt + 2Axes, OPTIONS 3-53PNT DIM MODE menu options 3-15Pnt Norm Pln, DATUM AXIS 3-9Pnt on Surf, DATUM AXIS 3-10Pnt Range, MOVE PNTS 2-57Pnt/Tangent, LINE TYPE 2-9Point

sketching 2-7POINT ARRAY menu options 3-13Point, GEOMETRY 2-7Point, TRIM AT 3-35Point/Vertex, SELECT ITEM 11-6Points, CRV OPTS 3-25Pointwise, BLEND TYPE 11-14Polar, GRID TYPE 2-5POLY MOTION menu options 13-8Poly Motion, CNTRL POLY 13-8Porcupine, DISP ON SURF 13-6Porcupine, SETUP OPTS 13-6Prev Item, SHOW ERRORS 17-10PREVIEW menu

options 13-12Preview, CNTRL POLY 13-12Preview, CONTROL POLY 3-26Previewing

modified surface 13-12Previous, CONFIRM 6-42Previous, COORD SYS 3-55Previous, SHOW REF 17-5PRO PAT TYPE menu

options 14-3Pro/DESIGNER data

retrieving 12-36Pro/FEATURE 6-7

functionality 15-1modifying Z-coordinates 2-59

Pro/PIPING

Index - xiv Part Modeling User’s Guide

using pipe segments 4-2Pro/SURFACE 9-2pro_group_dir option 15-25PROGRAM menu

options 15-19Program, FIX MODEL 17-7Proj Sec, OPTIONS 7-30Project Sec, BLEND OPTS 6-14Projected

parallel blendcuts in 6-13

Protrusion 7-2multiple contours 7-2restrictions 7-2using surface feature 12-30

Protrusion, SOLID 5-2Purge, DBMS 15-24

Q

Quick Fix, RESOLVE FEAT 17-5Quilt

creating solid geometry 12-26display 10-4merging 12-2mirroring 12-21rotating 12-21transforming 12-21translating 12-21trimming 12-5

Quilt Surfs, SURF OPTIONS 10-16Quilt Surfs, SURFACE LIST 3-44Quilt/Solid, SPINAL BEND 9-44Quit Regen, START OPTS 17-9

R

Rad Spacing, POLAR PARAMS 2-6Radial dimensions 2-28Radial, PLACEMENT 7-8Radius Dome, TWEAK 9-2Radius, DIM TYPE 7-9Range, SELECT FEAT 16-36Read File, GET INPUT 15-19Read Me A-2Read Only, DISP OPTION 15-28Read Only, FEAT 16-2Read Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-58Read Points, DTM PNT ARR 3-14Read, PATT TABLE 14-24Rectangle

creating 2-10Rectangle, GEOMETRY 2-10Redefine

composite curve 16-33datum curve from file 16-25datum features 16-25

dependent copy 16-15dimensioning scheme 16-16, 16-22feature 16-14features with elements 16-15features with no elements 16-15graph 16-34imported geometry 16-23pattern 16-16section 16-18sketch 16-16sketching plane 16-16surface size 16-24

Redefine UDF, FAILED FEAT 15-32Redefine, FEAT 16-14Redefine, FEAT FAILED 17-2Redefine, GRP PLACE 15-8Redefine, QUICK FIX 17-5Redefine, ROUND SETS 8-13Redefine, ROUND TRANS 8-19Redefine, SIMPLFD REP 16-43Redefine, SURF SELECT 10-19Redefine, WORK REGION 16-48Redo Item, OPTIONS 11-7Redo, MEASURE PARAM 3-61Redo, SKETCHER A-49Redraw Dims, PAT DIM INCR 14-7Ref Info, REROUTE 16-42Ref Info, WHICH REF 15-6Ref Pattern, PRO PAT TYPE 14-3REF PLANE TYPE menu options 16-29REF REROUTE menu options 16-42Reference dimension 1-8Reference pattern 14-19Reference plane 9-3References, REDEFINE 16-16References, SEC INFO 2-64Reflect Crvs, DISP ON SURF 13-6Regen Info, INFO 17-9RegenBackup, ENVIRONMENT 17-4Regenerate, FIX MODEL 17-7Regenerate, REP ATTR 16-43Regenerate, SKETCHER 2-54Regeneration

3D section sketch 4-22checking geometry 17-10failed UDF 15-31information 17-9resolving feature failures 17-2speed 17-8unsuccessful 2-45

Regular Sec, BLEND OPTS 6-12Regular Sec, OPTIONS 7-30Reject, DEFAULT TAN 6-34Relation, PAT DIM INCR 14-7Relation, SKETCHER 2-39Relations

Index - xv

adding to sections 2-39constraint violation 17-8obsolete 16-23parametric graph 6-38pattern 14-20Sketcher 2-39sweep 6-35

Relations, FIX MODEL 17-7Relations, RESTORE 17-7Relative, ACCURACY 16-53Remove Item, OPTIONS 11-7Remove Last, REMOVE DIMS 15-19Remove Point, DEFINE GRAPH 6-45Remove, DEFINE BEND 9-36Remove, DTM PNT MODE 3-16Remove, EXT SYMBOLS 15-20Remove, MOD TANG 2-56Remove, PATT TABLE 14-23Remove, ROUND SETS 8-13Remove, ROUND TRANS 8-19Remove, SPLINEPNTS 16-28Remove, UDF FEATS 15-16Remove, VAR DIMS 15-18Rename, DBMS 15-24Rename, PATT TABLE 14-23Reorder features 16-35Reorder, FEAT 1-5repeat_datum_create option 3-5Replace Ref, REROUTE REFS 16-41Replace, DIMENSION 2-38Replace, GEOM TOOLS 16-18Replace, GROUP 15-35Replace, SYMBOL ACTION 15-21Replace, TWEAK 9-2Replacement conditions

group 15-35Reroute Feat, REROUTE REFS 16-41REROUTE menu options 16-41REROUTE REFS menu options 16-41Reroute, CHILD 16-37Reroute, FEAT 16-40Reroute, QUICK FIX 17-5Reset to Def, SPEC THICK 7-20Resolve environment 17-3RESTORE ERR menu options 17-11RESTORE menu options 17-7Restore, FIX MODEL 17-7Restore, GEOM CHECK 17-11RestoreAll, SECTION FAIL 2-51RestoreDim, SECTION FAIL 2-51Resume features 16-38RESUME menu options 16-38Resume, FEAT 16-35retain_pattern_definition option 14-21Return, INSERT MODE 16-35REV TO menu options 5-17

Reverse, COORD SYS 3-55Revolve, SOLID OPTS 5-16Revolve, SRF OPTS 10-5Revolved feature 5-16

angle of revolution 5-17modifying 12-36sketching 5-17

Revolved sectiondimensioning 2-28

Rib 7-17rotational 7-18straight 7-18

Right Handed, OPTIONS 6-47ROLL MDL TO menu options 17-6Roll Model, INVESTIGATE 17-6Rolling Ball, ATTRIBUTES 8-14R-ONLY FEAT menu

options 16-2Rotate

entities 2-41Rotate, MOVE 3-56Rotate, MOVE FEATURE 15-10Rotate90, MOVE ENTITY 2-41Rotational patterns 14-8Rotational, BLEND 6-20Rotational, BLEND OPTS 6-12Round

advanced 8-11attachment type 8-29corner transitions 8-19entering radius values 8-6full round 8-25Round Extent element 8-7Round Shape element 8-14simple 8-2surface edges 12-5Transitions element 8-15transitions with existing round geometry

8-24variable radius 8-9

ROUND TRANS menu options 8-19Round, SOLID 8-2

S

Same Dims, SCALE 15-28Same Offset, POLY MOTION 13-8Same Quilt, ATTACHMENT 8-29Same Ref, REROUTE 16-41Same Refs, COPY FEATURE 15-3Same Size, SCALE 15-27Same Srf, OPTIONS 12-10Same, WHICH REF 15-28Save As, DBMS 15-24Save Pnts, MOD SPLINE 2-58Save, DBMS 15-24Scale, CRV DISPLAY 2-64

Index - xvi Part Modeling User’s Guide

Scale, MOD SKETCH A-37Scheme, REDEFINE 16-16Scheme, SECTION 16-22Sec Environ, SEC TOOLS 2-26Sec Info, INFO 2-63Second Dir, GRIDLINE DIR 13-8Second Dir, OPTIONS 11-14Second Dir, PATTERN DIR 14-20SecProp Ctrl, OPTIONS 9-40Sect Curv, SHADING OPTS 13-5Sect to Srfs, ADV FEAT OPT 6-53Section dimensions

angular 2-29conic 2-32diameter 2-27fractions 2-25linear 2-26

restrictions 2-27ordinate 2-37precision 2-25radial 2-28relations 2-25revolved sections 2-28sketcher sections 2-25spline 2-30

Section dome 9-23blended 9-26

single profile 9-27without profile 9-26

creating 9-24restrictions 9-23swept 9-24

creating 9-25SECTION DOME menu options 9-24Section Dome, TWEAK 9-24SECTION FAIL menu

options 2-51Section geometry (see Geometry) 2-6Section property 9-40Section, MAKE INDEP 16-6Section, REDEFINE 16-16Seed Surface, SURF&BND 10-16Sel By Menu, GET SELECT 16-11Sel Feat, REF REROUTE 16-42Sel Pnt/Vert, GET EXT DIST 12-13SEL SYMBOLS menu options 15-20Select All, ADD DIMS 15-18Select All, CHAIN OPT 3-34Select All, REMOVE DIMS 15-18Select All, RESTORE ERR 17-11Select Dim, ADD DIMS 15-18Select Dim, REMOVE DIMS 15-18Select Part, ABS ACCURACY 16-54Select Plane, GET DTMSEL 3-39Select Plane, MOT PLANE 3-23Select Points, SPLINE MODE 2-17

Select Sec, BLEND OPTS 6-13Select Spine, OPTIONS 9-40Select Traj, SWEEP TRAJ 6-4SELECT TYPE menu options 16-41Select, CHAIN 3-35Select, COPY FEATURE 15-3Select, GEN PNT SEL 3-16Select, PRJCRVTYPE 3-37Select, REF DIR 9-9Select, REF PLANE TYPE 16-29Select, R-ONLY FEAT 16-2Select, SEL SECTION 16-12Select, SEL SYMBOLS 15-20Select, SELECT FEAT 14-22Select, SELECT REFS 11-12select_on_dtm_edges option 3-3Set Anchor, MOD SKETCH 2-51SET AXIS menu options 3-55Set Current, SIMPLFD REP 16-43Set Origin, MODEL GRID 1-3SET PROMPT menu

options 15-18Set Thicknss, SPEC THICK 7-20Set Up, FIX MODEL 17-7SETUP DISP menu options 13-5Setup New, SETUP SK PLN 4-4Setup New, SETUP_SK_PLN 14-11SETUP OPTS menu options 13-6SETUP PLANE menu options 4-4SetupDisplay, CRV TWEAK 3-24SetupDisplay, FREE FORM 13-4SetupDisplay, STRETCH 11-20SetupOptions, SETUP DISP 13-6Shaded Image, SETUP DISP 13-5SHADING OPTS menu options 13-5Shaft 7-12

rotational pattern 14-8Sharp, CAP TYPE 6-20Shell

creating 7-20restrictions 7-21

Shell, SOLID 7-20Shouldr Crv, OPTIONS 11-21Show All, ADD DIMS 15-19Show All, DISP MODE 16-46Show All, DISPLAY MODE 16-46Show Design, PROGRAM 15-19Show Dim, MOD ARR OPT 16-10Show Dims, INFO REGEN 17-9Show Item, OPTIONS 11-7Show Ref, CHILD 16-37Show Ref, FEAT FAILED 17-2Show Ref, INVESTIGATE 17-5Show Result, GRP PLACE 15-8Show, EXT SYMBOLS 15-20Show, MEASURE PARAM 3-61

Index - xvii

Show, MOD ARR TBL 16-10Show, SPLINEPNTS 16-28Show, SURF SELECT 10-15Show, UDF FEATS 15-16Show, VAR DIMS 15-18show_axes_for_extr_arcs option 3-8show_dim_sign option 1-8SideCrvInfInc, INFLUENCE 11-18SideNrmToSkt, OPTIONS 9-28SideNrmToSrf, OPTIONS 9-28Silhouette, FORM 12-9Simple, ROUND TYPE 8-3SIMPLFD REP menu options 16-42Simplfd Rep, PART 16-42Simplfd Reps, OBJ ERASE 16-51Simplified representation 16-42

create 16-43using work region 16-48

Single Dst, OPTIONS 12-12Single Pnt, MOVE PNTS 2-57Single Point, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Single Point, PIPE GEOM 7-23Single Rad, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Single, INTR SURFS 3-19Single, MOD ARR NUM 16-10Single, PROMPTS 15-17Size

of instances 14-13Sket On Pln, FORM OPTS 13-3Sket Region, OPTIONS 9-28Sketch Plane, SECTION 16-16Sketch Plane, SELECT REFS 11-11Sketch Points, SPLINE MODE 2-17Sketch Sec, BLEND OPTS 6-22Sketch Spine, OPTIONS 9-40Sketch Traj, SWEEP TRAJ 6-4Sketch View, SKETCHER 4-5Sketch, HOLE OPTS 7-6Sketch, PRJCRVTYPE 3-37Sketch, SECTION 16-16Sketch, SKETCHER 2-6Sketched feature

in rotational pattern 14-9Sketcher

accuracy 2-48assumptions 2-42basic steps for use 2-2constraints 2-44coordinate system 2-15creating geometry (see Geometry) 2-6deleting entities 2-62dimensioning sections (see also Section

dimensions) 2-25dimensioning to part 4-16dimensions

modifying 2-53

modifying spline points 2-55moving 2-41precision 2-25zero values 2-48

dividing entities 2-20restrictions 2-21

dynamic modification 2-51geometry (see Geometry) 2-6grid 2-4hints 2-65mirroring geometry 2-24retrieving a section 4-14sketching on a part

illustration 4-2sketching plane (see Sketching plane) 4-3text 2-19trimming entities 2-21

restrictions 2-23undeleting entities 2-62working in 3D 4-6

Sketcher dimensionsdimensioning to a part 4-16known 4-20precision 2-25

Sketcher Read Me file A-2Sketcher section

redefining 16-18saving 2-3

Sketcher sectionsadding relations to 2-39assumptions for solving

overriding 2-45modifying 2-50overdimensioning 2-47regenerating 2-42revolved

dimensions 2-28underdimensioning 2-46unregenerating 2-49unsuccessful regeneration 2-45zero-length segment 2-48

Sketcher with Intent Manager A-2conflict resolution A-20creating constraints A-19dimensioning the section A-21redoing operations A-49right mouse button pop-up menu A-56specifying model references B-6terminology A-3undoing operations A-49updating geometry A-36

sketcher_dec_places 2-25Sketching plane 4-3

horizontal/vertical reference 4-4redefining 16-16

Index - xviii Part Modeling User’s Guide

Skip, INFO REGEN 17-9Skip, WHICH REF 15-28Slanted, DIM PNT PNT 2-27Slope, SHADING OPTS 13-5Slot 7-3Slot, SOLID 7-3Smooth, ATTRIBUTES 6-11Smooth, CAP TYPE 6-20Smooth, SPLINEPNTS 16-28Solid Surfs, SURF OPTIONS 10-16Solid Surfs, SURFACE LIST 3-42Solid, PIPE OPTS 7-23solid_grid_neg_prefix option 1-3solid_grid_num_dig option 1-3SPACING OPTS menu options 13-7Sparse, SPLINEPNTS 16-27SPEC FROM menu options 5-14SPEC THICK menu options 7-20SPEC TO menu options 5-14Specify Dist, MEASURE DIST 12-13Specify Refs, SKETCHER B-6Specify, ROLL MDL TO 17-6Specify, SEL SECTION 16-12Specify, START OPTS 17-9Spectrum, SETUP OPTS 13-6Spinal Bend, TWEAK 9-39Spline 2-15

associating to a coordinate system 2-32creating 2-17dimensions 2-30

linear 2-31radius of curvature 2-31tangency 2-31

modifyingusing coordinates 2-58using the control polygon 2-57using the mouse 2-56

modifying pointsadding points 2-60deleting points 2-60manually 2-58number of points 2-60saving points in a file 2-59using spline points file 2-59

modifying the tangency 2-56moving

created with control polygon 2-41viewing coordinate values 2-61

SPLINE MODE menuoptions 2-17

Spline Pnts, EDIT CURVES 16-26Spline, ADV GEOMETRY 2-14Spline, ATTRIBUTES 8-10Spline, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Split at Crv, ATTRIBUTES 9-14

Split at Pln, ATTRIBUTES 9-7Split at Skt, ATTRIBUTES 9-7Split at Srf, ATTRIBUTES 9-14Split, EDIT CURVES 16-31Srf Analysis, FREE FORM 13-4Srf Analysis, STRETCH 11-20Srf Nrm Edge, DEF TAN 3-21SRF TO DISP menu options 13-12Srfs To Disp, PREVIEW 13-12Srfs to Srfs, ADV FEAT OPT 6-54StandAlone, UDF OPTIONS 15-15START OPTS menu options 17-9Start point of blend subsection 6-14Start Point, CHAIN 3-35Start Point, SEC TOOLS 6-10Start, DEF TAN 3-20Start, TANGENCY 2-17Stop, TRANS TYPE 8-15Straight, ATTRIBUTES 6-11Straight, HOLE OPTS 7-4Straight, PROF TYPE 12-25Strengthen, CONSTRAINTS A-18Strengthen, DIMENSION A-21StretchFactor, STRETCH 11-20Style Curves, REDEFINE 16-16Subordinate, UDF OPTIONS 15-15Subsection start point 6-14Suppress All, CHILD 16-38Suppress features 16-37Suppress, CHILD 16-38Suppress, FEAT 16-37Suppress, QUICK FIX 17-5Surf & Bnd, SURF OPTIONS 10-16Surf Chain, CHAIN 3-34Surface

approximate blend 11-22blended 11-3

defining boundary conditions 11-9defining boundary influence 11-15selecting reference entities 11-5using control points 11-12using side curve influence 11-15

conic 11-21deformation 9-2envelopes 13-2grid

redefining 13-12patching 12-29previewing 13-12redefine merged surfaces 16-24replacement 12-27setting up the display of 13-5using control polyhedron 13-7

Surface featureapproximate blend 11-22blended (see also Surface, boundary

Index - xix

blend) 11-3conic 11-21copying solid surface (see also Surface

copy) 10-14creating 10-5creating solid geometry 12-30defining 10-5display

setting colors 10-4extending 12-10

along direction 12-19flat 10-7form attributes 10-6from boundaries 11-2merge 12-2offset 10-8replacement 12-27round between surfaces 10-21rounds on surface edges 12-5trimming 12-5

Surface, FEAT CLASS 10-5Surface, TRIM AT 3-35Surfaces, EDIT METHOD 16-44Surfaces, PROJCRVREFS 3-39Surf-Surf, RND SET ATTR 8-3Suspend All, CHILD 16-38Suspend, CHILD 16-38Sweep 6-2

along a composite curve 6-35creating 6-4helical 6-47modifying 16-12sketching

section 6-32three-dimensional 6-7trajectory

along non-tangent entities 6-7restrictions 6-4

trajectory parameter 6-35variable section

parametric graph relations 6-38SWEEP OPTS menu 6-30SWEEP TRAJ menu 6-40Sweep, SECTION DOME 9-24Sweep, SOLID OPTS 6-4Sweep, SRF OPTS 10-5Swept blend feature 6-38Swept Blend, ADV FEAT OPT 6-23Switch Dim, FIX MODEL 17-7Switch, PATT TABLE 14-24SYMBOL ACTION menu

options 15-21Symbol, DIM COSMETIC 16-6system_curves_color option 3-17system_section_color option 2-3SystemColors, MISC 2-3

T

Table, MOD ARR OPT 16-10Table, PAT DIM INCR 14-7Table-driven dimension 15-15Table-driven patterns 14-23Tan Curve, DATUM AXIS 3-10Tangency

dimensioncreating 2-31

TANGENCY menuoptions 2-17

Tangency, MOD SPLINE 2-56Tangent Crv, OPTIONS 11-21Tangent Edge, END EDGE DIR 12-15Tangent End, ARC TYPE 2-11Tangent Pt, SEC INFO 2-64Tangent spine 9-40Tangent Srf, OPTIONS 12-11Tangent, BNDRY COND 11-10Tangent, LINE TYPE 2-9Tangent, PROF TYPE 12-25TangentToSrf, ADV FEAT OPT 11-26Tangnt Chain, CHAIN 3-34Tapered, OFFSET TYPE 4-10Term Surfs, RND EXTENT 8-8Text

sketcher 2-19modifying 2-61

Text Line, MOD SEC TEXT 2 2-61Text Style, MOD SEC TEXT 2 2-61Text, ADV GEOMETRY 2-19The 16-8Thin, SOLID OPTS 5-5Thread (see Cosmetic feature, thread) 7-31Three Srf, DATUM POINT 3-12Three-point dimension 2-34Thru All, SPEC TO 5-9Thru Axis, OPTIONS 6-47Thru Curve, RND SET ATTR 8-28Thru Cyl, DATUM AXIS 3-10Thru Edge, DATUM AXIS 3-9Thru Next, SPEC TO 5-10Thru Point, OFFSET 3-7Thru Until, SPEC TO 5-11To Plane, SURF EXTEND 12-20Toggle, SEC TOOLS 6-13Tolerance

modifying 16-5ToroidalBend, TWEAK 9-35Trajectory

helical 6-47variable section sweep 6-31

Trajectory parameter 6-35Trajpar

in sweeps 6-32

Index - xx Part Modeling User’s Guide

trajpar_of_pnt 6-35Transform, QUILT SURF 12-21Transforming quilts 12-21Transl Off, OPTIONS 9-28Translate, ATTRIBUTES 12-24Translate, MOVE 3-56Translate, MOVE FEATURE 12-21TRIM AT menu

options 3-35Trim At, TRIM/EXTEND 3-35Trim feature

for quilt surfaces 12-5Trim, GEOM TOOLS 2-22Trim, QUILT SURF 12-6Trim/Extend, CHAIN 3-35Trim/Extend, EDIT CURVES 16-32Trimmed, OFFSET TYPE 4-11Tweak features 9-2

freeform 13-2TWEAK menu

options 9-2Tweak, SOLID 9-8Two Curves, PICK CURVES 16-32Two Planes, DATUM AXIS 3-10Two Pnt/Vtx, DATUM AXIS 3-10Two Points, CHAIN 3-34Type, MODIFY GRID 2-5

U

UDFas base feature 1-5creating 15-12DBMS functions and 15-24defining 15-12dimension types 15-14example 15-21failed regeneration 15-31library directory 15-25required information 15-12restrictions 15-14using to create a group 15-25

UDF Driven, PLACE OPTS 15-27UDF FEATS menu

options 15-16UDF Library, FEAT 15-15UDF OPTIONS menu

options 15-15Unalign All, ALIGNMENT 4-18Unalign Many, ALIGNMENT 4-18Unalign, ALIGNMENT 4-18Undelete Last, DELETION 2-63Undo Changes, RESOLVE FEAT 17-4Undo, FEAT INC/EXC 16-45Undo, SKETCHER A-49Ungroup, GROUP 15-37Uniform, SPACING OPTS 13-7

Units, PART SETUP 1-2Unpattern, GROUP 15-37Unregenerate, SKETCHER 2-49Unrelated, DELETE/SUPP 16-37Unsel All, RESTORE ERR 17-11Unselect, CHAIN 3-35Unselect, GEN PNT SEL 3-16Untrim Last, DRAFT TRIM 2-23Untrimmed, OFFSET TYPE 4-10Up To Plane, OPTIONS 12-20Up To Vertex, MEASURE DIST 12-14UPDATE REP menu options 16-49Update Reps, SIMPLFD REP 16-43Update, GROUP 15-25Update, UPDATE REP 16-49UpdateScreen, FEAT INC/EXC 16-45UpTo Curve, SPEC TO 5-9UpTo Plane, REV TO 5-18UpTo Pnt/Vtx, REV TO 5-18UpTo Pnt/Vtx, SPEC TO 5-9UpTo Surface, SPEC FROM 5-9UpTo Surface, SPEC TO 5-9Use 2D Sketcher, ENVIRONMENT 4-5Use Csys, SEC INFO 2-64Use Curves, SOLID OPTS 12-7Use Edge, GEOM TOOLS 4-6Use Neut Pln, REF DIR 9-9Use Prev, SETUP SEC PLN 4-4Use Quilt, FORM 12-6use_dimensioned_edges option 4-18use_major_units option 1-8User Defined, FEAT CLASS 7-38User Scale, SCALE 15-28

V

Value, MODIFY 16-2Value, PAT DIM INCR 14-7VAR DIMS menu options 15-18VAR SEC SWP menu options 6-31Var Sec Swp, ADV FEAT OPT 6-30Variable 6-27Variable dimension 15-14Variable, ATTRIBUTES 9-6Variable, OPTIONS 6-47Variable, REV TO 5-17Variable, RND SET ATTR 8-3Varying patterns 14-4Varying, PAT OPTIONS 14-3VaryLinearly, POLY MOTION 13-8VarySmoothly, POLY MOTION 13-8Vert By Vert, GET EXT DIST 12-13VERT HORIZ menu

options 2-37Vert, VERT HORIZ 2-37Vertex Round, FORM 12-9Vertical, DIM PNT PNT 2-27

Index - xxi

Vertical, LINE TYPE 2-9View Plane, MOT PLANE 3-23View Plane, REF PLANE TYPE 16-29

W

WHICH REF menu options 15-6Whole Array, CONNECT TYPE 3-20Whole Array, PIPE GEOM 7-23Whole Model, REP ATTR 16-44Whole Surf, OPTIONS 9-28Whole, INTR SURFS 3-19Wireframe, SHOW OPTS 10-15With Dims, POINT ARRAY 3-13Without Dims, POINT ARRAY 3-13Work region

for simplefied representations 16-48Work Region, EDIT METHOD 16-44Write, PATT TABLE 14-24

X

X Radius, ELLIPSE DIM A-31X Spacing, CART PARAMS 2-5X&Y Spacing, CART PARAMS 2-5X-Axis, COORD SYS 3-55XSec Ref Ent, GEOM TOOLS B-15X-Section, FIX MODEL 17-7

Y

Y Radius, ELLIPSE DIM A-31Y Spacing, CART PARAMS 2-5Y-Axis, COORD SYS 3-55

Z

Z-Axis, COORD SYS 3-55