Tool Palettes Surfaces > Draft surfaces > Multi-surface draft > Using the manipulators to control angle and height

Surfaces > Draft surfaces > Multi-surface draft

Creates a single ruled surface from a group of tangent-continuous surface curves by pulling a surface at an angle to the normal of the original surface(s), or at an angle to a pull vector.

About the tool

The Multi-surface draft tool uses surface edges, curves on surface or isoparametric curves, to create a ruled surface that extends away at an angle to the original surface(s).

A ruled surface is flat at every point in a given direction.

You can build a single surface across all of the input surface curves, provided that they are tangent continuous.

Other related tools are Surfaces > Rolled edge > Fillet flange and Surfaces > Draft surfaces > Draft/flange .

Options

Type

NORMAL: Creates a surface that extends away at a given angle from the normal of the underlying surface(s). By default, the new surface is normal to the underlying surface(s).

DRAFT: Creates a surface that extends away at a given angle from a specified pull direction vector. By default, the surface is parallel to the pull vector.

Use Construction > Vector to create a vector object.

Angle/Draft Angle

The initial angle between the new surface and the normal of the original surface (Normal type), or pull vector (Draft type). The default is 0.0. You can also change this value using the angle/height manipulator when you use the tool. (See Variable option below).

Height

The initial height of the surface from the original curves. You can also change this value using the angle/height manipulator when you use the tool. (See Variable option below).

Flip

Reverses the direction of the new surface(s).

Single surface

If this option is checked on, a single surface is built. Otherwise, a separate surface is created for each of the input curves you selected, and the surfaces are grouped.

Creating a single surface might add additional spans.

Explicit Control

Turn on this option if you want to specify the exact degree and maximum number of spans in the new surface.

> Explicit Control Options

U Degree

Degree of the new surface in the U direction. (The surface is always of degree 1 in the V direction.) Enter a whole number from 2 to 9. This option only appears if Explicit Control is checked.

Max. Spans

Maximum number of spans allowed on the entire surface in the U direction. (The surface always has a single span in the V direction.) This option only appears if Explicit Control is checked.

> Control Options

Variable

Gives you the ability to interactively modify the angle or height of the new surface by clicking and dragging the manipulators.

ANGLE: Allows you to adjust the angle of the surface. You can create any number of manipulators by clicking along the input curves, and then adjust the angle individually at those points.

HEIGHT: Allows you to adjust the height of the surface. You can create any number of manipulators by clicking along the input curves, and then adjust the height individually at those points.

Note that only one of the two parameters can be variable (Angle or Height). For example, it is not possible to create a variable angle draft surface with a variable height.

Chain Select

If this box is checked, selecting a surface curve also selects all other surface curves that are tangent continuous with it.

Auto Recalc.

Turn on this option to have the new surface automatically re-calculated and displayed as you modify the option values or make adjustments to the manipulators.

If it is off, you must press the Recalc button in the lower right corner of the window to update the surface(s).

If Auto Recalc is turned off, you can also use the spacebar to press the Recalc button.

Continuity Check

Turn on this option to see the level of continuity between the newly created surface(s) and the original surface(s):

P: Positional continuity

T: Tangent continuity

C: Curvature continuity

Using the manipulators to control angle and height

The variable parameter (Angle or Height - as specified by Variable in the option window) is controlled using a set of manipulators in the modeling window. Only one of the parameters can be varied: the other one is held constant.

Each manipulator consists of two handles - the curve slider and the value handle - only one of which can be active at a given time. The active handle is shown in light blue. The curve slider, a "ball" sliding along the input curve, indicates the position on the curve where the value applies. The value handle, a straight "spike", controls the value of the parameter(angle or height) at this point.

The value of the active handle is shown on the prompt line.

For all of the following operations, use the , unless stated otherwise.

To activate a handle, click on it.

To de-activate the currently active handle and switch back to the picking mode, click anywhere on the screen (without dragging the mouse).

To add a new manipulator, click on the desired point on the curve.

To move a manipulator, drag the curve slider ball using the . Alternatively, activate the slider ball and type in the position (in the range from 0 to 1) along the curve.

To adjust the parameter value, click and drag the value handle. Once the handle is active, the mouse can be dragged anywhere on the screen. Alternatively, activate the handle and type in the value in current units.

To delete a manipulator, Shift-right click on it.

If a single manipulator is used, the parameter is constant, and its value can also be adjusted in the option box. As soon as another manipulator is added, the value in the option box is grayed out.

See Pull surfaces from curves of an existing surface