Creating Parametric Surfaces

 

RevWorks can automatically generate a parametric surface from collected point data. When Parametric Surface generation is enabled, RevWorks automatically creates a series of sketch profiles that are used as lofting and guide curves to create a lofted surface. You can control the number of sections and control points for the lofting curves and whether or not cross curves are generated. Individual section planes and sketches are generated and added to the feature tree along with the resulting lofted surface. Once created, the lofted surface can be edited to change or add and remove any of the associated profiles just as you would any lofted feature.

To Create a Parametric Surface

1. From the RevWorks toolbar, select ,
   or select Options… from the RevWorks menu,
   or select Surface >Options… from the RevWorks menu in SOLIDWORKS..

2. In the Surface tab, select Create Parametric Surface.

3. To add cross curves that can be used as guide curves to Parametric Surface generation, in the Surface tab, select Create Cross Curves.

4. To set the number of profiles and cross curves used for Parametric Surface generation, in the Surface tab, enter the desired value in the Number of Profiles edit box.

Note: The number of profiles specified also sets the number of nodes created for each spline profile created.

5. Select the surface type you want to create: axis-aligned, point-aligned or spline-bounded.

RevWorks will open a 3D sketch for the points and prompts you to begin digitizing points.

Note: RevWorks allows you to utilize single point or scan point data collection modes to capture surface data.

6. Digitize a well-distributed set of points over the entire surface you would like to capture.

Note: The digitized 3D points are shown as they are captured in the SOLIDWORKS 3D sketch.

7. Once you have collected the surface points, select or another completion option to calculate the feature.

RevWorks generates the surface and then RevWorks automatically creates and adds the set of section planes, sketch profiles and cross curves to the feature tree. RevWorks then lofts a surface through the curves and places it into the SOLIDWORKS model space.

This new surface is fully parametric; you may edit the surface by adjusting the curves or adding and removing any of the associated profiles, just as you would any lofted feature.

	Note: RevWorks does not automatically add cross curves as guide curves to the surface definition. To add a cross curve as a guide curve you must manually edit the surface definition in the SOLIDWORKS feature tree.
	Note: The Parametric Surface of RevWorks is intended for simple curvature surface patches.