POWERPACK

Modify

Repair Profile

PowerPack | Modify | Repair Profile

When a curve forms part of a profile created for solid creation, for example, when creating an extrusion, the integrity of the profile must be assumed. This means that each curve of the profile must maintain a fixed relationship to the next. Profiles which contain gaps, overlaps and non-planar curve objects cannot be used to extrude or lathe profiles into solid parts.

This tool repairs gaps, overlaps and planar alignment in curves within a specified tolerance.

In the example below, the gap and overlap is found in the profile.

Overlapped curves in a profile

By selecting PowerPack | Modify | Repair Profile and selecting the entire profile, an analysis is done to identify any gaps or overlaps. The option to fix the errors is shown below.

Identifying and fixing the overlap

Simplify Profile

PowerPack | Modify | Simplify Profile

Lines, multilines and arcs which form a logical sequence are simplified within a specified tolerance.

CREATE OUTLINE

PowerPack | Modify | Create Outline

This tool creates an outline of objects in a parallel plane to the WorkPlane.

Profile-only objects are outlined; interior regions are discarded, shown below right.

Creating an outline of the profiles parallel to the Workplane

Convert to Spline Surface

PowerPack | Modify | Convert to Spline Surface

This modification tool converts faces of solids to NURBS, providing a modification cage with control points.

In 2 below, the points of the editing cage are shown by right-clicking in the editor and selecting Show | Points.

The surface can be remodeled using the Select and Select Deep tools to reshape the object.

Worked Example

Right click in the editor and set the view to Isometric.

Select any shape from the Draw | Solid Primitives menu. In the example above, an Ellipsoid is used.

Select PowerPack | Modify | Convert to Spline Surface and select the newly drawn shape.

Use the Select or Select Deep tool to reshape the surface nodes, similar to that shown below.

Red handles show editing nodes of cage

Solid Divide

PowerPack | Modify | Solid Divide

This tool creates a separate part of the intersecting region of two solids.

In the example below, the intersecting region of the box and the sphere is shown in image 2.

Intersecting region of 2 solids

By selecting PowerPack | Modify | Divide Object, the intersecting region of the solids can be extracted as a separate part, shown below middle.

Intersecting region created as a new part

Worked Example

Right click in the editor and set the view to Isometric.

Select Draw | Solid Primitives | Box Primitive and draw a cubed shape in the editor.

Select Draw | Solid Primitives | Sphere Primitive and insert the center of the Sphere onto any corner vertex of the box.

Select PowerPack | Modify | Divide Solid and select the 2 solid shapes in any order.

Use the Select tool to select each separated part in the editor.

Thread

PowerPack | Modify | Thread

This tool draws an interior or exterior thread onto a solid cylindrical shape by defining the pitch and the length.

Worked example

Right click in the editor and set the view to Isometric.

Draw a cylinder by selecting Draw | Solid Primitives | Cylinder Primitive. In this example, a Dx and Dy of 10 and a height of 50 is given.

Select PowerPack | Modify | Thread and select the Internal option. Set the Pitch to 3 and the Length to 25..

Select the outer cylindrical face, then select the top face shown below left.

By selecting a different start point for the thread, the result shown below is produced.

To adjust the size of the cylinder, select the cylindrical part of the solid and update the information in the edit fields of the Inspector.

To adjust the pitch and length of the thread, select the threaded part of the solid and update the information in the edit fields of the Inspector, shown below.

Updating the thread values in the Inspector