Create > Surface Menu

Click Create > Surface. The following menu appears.

$image\CreateSurfaceMenu-l_shg.gif$

In SURFCAM a surface is a mathematical representation of a part's outer or inner shape. Surfaces have a positive and a negative side to them, typically indicated by a surface arrow. The direction of the surface arrow indicates the side and the cutter path direction of the surface to be machined. A surface will be displayed using U and V splines. The area bounded by the U and V splines is a surface patch, and the splines are the patch boundaries.

Points

Create a surface through either a set of points or a line mesh.

Cross Section

A cross section surface is one that is constructed so that it contains a set of two or more cross sections that control the flow or shape of the surface.

A cross section is a contour made up of a single element (line, spline, arc or circle) or two or more chained elements.

Drive Curve

Create a surface by driving (sweeping) one or more cross sections along a 2D or 3D curve.

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Drive Curve

Offset

Create a surface that is offset from a surface. Select the surface to offset. The Surface Offset Dialog appears. Set the dialog and Click OK. The Transform Copy dialog appears. Set the dialog and click OK. The new surface appears.

Original Surface	Offset Surface

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Offset

Fillet

Fillet creates a fillet surface tangent to two surfaces. Typically, the cross section of a fillet is an arc.

The fillet attaches to the surfaces on the side of the surface arrow. From the Edit > Surfaces menu, use Arrow to hide or show the surface arrow, and use Side to change the side of the surface arrow.

The fillet radius can be constant or variable.

See Fillet Options dialog box.

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Constant Radius

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Variable Radius

Primitives

Create a cylinder, a cone, a sphere, a torus, a wedge, a cuboid, or a plane.

Revolution

Create a surface of revolution by causing a cross section to rotate around an axis by a certain number of degrees.

The Vector menu appears. Select the axis of rotation. After you select the axis of rotation. The Create > Surface > Select Chain menu appears. Select the elements to rotate. The Surface of Revolution dialog appears. Set the dialog and click OK.

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Revolution

Extrude

Create an extruded surface from a profile of connected elements.

The Vector menu appears. Define the direction of the extrusion.
Then the Surface of Extrusion dialog box appears.
After you select OK, the Create > Surface > Select Chain menu appears.
Select the elements to extrude and click Done ( ).

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Extrude

Blend

Create a surface blended between 2 - 4 curves or surfaces.

Click Create > Surface > Blend. The prompt asks you to select splines or surface edges.
Select 2 or 3 splines or surface edges and click Done ( ). Or select 4 splines or surface edges.
The Create Surface Blend Dialog appears. Set the dialog and click OK.

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Blend

Trim Plane

Create a composite planar surface at the edge of another surface or within a closed curve.

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Trim Plane: Cap

$image\Camera_shg.gif$ Trim Plane: Chain

Options

See the Create Surface Options dialog box.

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