Creating Ruled Surfaces

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A ruled surface requires two boundary or edge entities (lines, arcs or curves). Any point on the first entity is related by a straight line to a point in the same reference position on the second entity.

Click here to see four views of a ruled surface:

Ruled surfaces can be created using the Ruled (Surface menu) command. The properties of a Ruled surface can be altered using the Entity Data (Edit menu) command.

To create a ruled surface

1. Select the button from the Surface toolbar or the Ruled (Surface menu) command. The dialog box for the command is displayed.

2. Type a name for the surface, if required.

3. Select Display to set the surface display parameters. The Display parameters now appear.

4. Enter the required number of patches in the U and V directions into the U Patch and V Patch boxes respectively.

5. Enter the required number of display points in the U direction into the U Display box.

6. Click on OK to accept the parameters for the command.

7. Select the first entity by making an entity digitise in response to the ‘Digitise first entity’ prompt. The first entity establishes the direction of the U axis. The UV Marker appears at the end nearest to the entity digitise.

8. Select the second entity by making an entity digitise in response to the ‘Digitise second entity’ prompt.

9. Go back to step 7 or perform a finish.

The entities can be any combination of arcs, curves, lines, continuous entities or points.

Entity digitises must be made at corresponding ends of the two entities or a twisted surface will be created.