Trim or split a wireframe or parting line curve at selected points on the curve. You can select multiple segments to keep or just split the curve.

 

For closed curves, the segments corresponding to the beginning and end of the original curve are merged before keep points are considered. The split points (red circles) and keep points (green circles) are echoed on the curve prior to execution.  

 

You can split closed curves with a single point. It moves the start of the curve but creates only as a single output curve.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Curve - Select a curve to trim or break.

• Point - Select trim/break points on or near the curve.

• Segments - Select the segments to keep or middle-click to split the curve. 

 

 

 

Trim or extend a wireframe curve or face edge by a specified length. The length is measured tangent to or along the curve. If an edge is selected, a curve is first extracted from the edge.

 

If the curve is a mold parting line, it will only extend to the border of the parameter space of the face from which it was extracted.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Curve - Select the curve, edge or parting line near the end you want to extend or trim.

• Length - Enter a length to extend the curve. You can also select a point, drag the extend/trim using the mouse or right-click for more options.

 

 

Optional Inputs

 

Extension

Use this option to control the path of extended curves and surfaces.

 

• Linear - The extension follows a linear path. It keeps extending away from the end in the direction of the tangent, but curvature is not matched. This causes among other things visual discontinuity.

• Arc - The extension follows a circular path in the direction of curvature. It matches the existing curvature but if you extend too far it will bend back around opposite to the tangent direction. If you want to extend out to some other curve or surface you may not get there.

• Reflect - The extension follows a reflective path opposite the direction of curvature.

• Curvature - Allows you to keep the nice properties of both Linear and Circular. It matches curvature at the end and because the curvature reduces, it eventually becomes linear and heads away from the curve or surface end.

 

Extend both ends

Check this box to extend both ends of the curve by the specified length.

 

 

 

Use this command to trim curves or sketches to a face.
 

Required Inputs

 

• Curves - Select the curves or sketches to trim.

• Faces - Select the trimming faces or shapes.

• Side - Pick Flip to flip the arrows to the opposite side or Keep to keep the indicated side.

 

 

 

Use this command to automatically trim a curve segment when it is selected.  The nearest intersecting curves are used for the trim boundaries.

 

 

 

Trim or split curves to a set of boundary curves.  This command is available at the Part, Sketch, and Drawing Sheet Levels.  First select the boundary curves to split or trim to.  Then select the curve segments to delete, keep, or split.  Curves can be split or trimmed by each curve in the set of boundary curves.  At the part level you can trim 3D non-intersecting curves.   Refer to the Plane option below.

 

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Trim - Set the trim mode.
  
  Keep - The segment of the trimmed curves selected will be kept.
  Delete - The segment of the trimmed curves selected will be deleted.
  Split - The trimmed curves will be split at the boundary curves (or point).
   

• Plane - Use this option to trim non-intersection 3D curves. You can project the curves onto a plane and determine the intersection.  The intersection points are then projected back to the trimming curves.  If you do not select a plane, then the minimum distance between the curves is used for the trimming points.

 

 

 

Trim or extend two curves to each other forming a corner. This command is available at the Part, Sketch, and Drawing Sheet Levels. Refer to the Notes section below for additional command features at the Part Level. Select two curves on the sides to keep. They will be trimmed automatically.

 

Part Level

 

 

Sketch/Drawing Sheet Level

 

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Extension - Use this option to control the path of extended curves and faces. See Trim/Extend Curve (3D) above for each option.

 

 

 

Use this command to create a curve by concatenating (i.e., joining) a chain of existing curves.  The existing curves must connect end-to-end.  The original curves are deleted unless they belong to a sketch.  If you Window Pick a group of curves, the command will concatenate those curves that are connected end-to-end.  You will be notified how many resulting curves were created.

 

This command will merge input curves into a primitive curve (line, arc, or circle) if possible.  For example, if there are several lines connected linearly, those lines are merged into a line.

 

 

Optional Inputs

 

Continuity

Specify the continuity method.

 

• None - All curve segments are connected end to end without enforcing tangency or curvature. Similar to the Make Curve Listinput option.

• Tangent - All endpoint vectors are tangent.  Use this option if you want to maintain as much of the original curvature as possible.

• Curvature - All endpoint vectors are tangent and curvature is matched along the resulting curve.

 

 

This example was chosen to enhance the effect of each option.  In most cases, the results will be more subtle if the curvature is relatively continuous.

 

Method

Define the mathematical smoothing method used.

 

• Local - The resulting curve will be mathematically equal to the original curves.  This will occur if the original curves already meet the conditions of the Continuity option (see above).  If they do not, the resulting curve will differ from the original curves.

• Global - The resulting curve will pass through the connected points while the tangency and curvature at each point are the average of both curves.  If the original curves do not meet the conditions of the Continuity option (see above), the resulting curve will approximate the shape of the original curves.

• Average - The average of the Local and Global methods above is used.

 

Start points

Specify the start and end points for the resulting concatenated curves.  For an open chain of curves this may be used to force which ends are the natural start/end.  For a closed chain this may be used to specify where the closed curve begins and ends.  Multiple points may be selected on a single chain to specify a partition between resulting curves.

 

 

 

Use this command to create arc and line segments from an existing curve. The segments will be connected end to end.  At the sketch and drawing sheet levels, you can optionally specify tangency at end points, creating a more exact representations of the original curve.

 

Tangency is maintained by default at the part level.  Refer to the Options Form below for the Sketch/Drawing Sheet Level for more information.  First select the curve to convert.  Then select the curve segments to delete, keep, or split.

 

 

Optional Inputs (3D)

 

• Keep original curve - Check this box to keep the original curve. Otherwise, it will be discarded.

• Tolerance - Specify the allowable tolerance for the conversion.

 

 

Optional Inputs (2D)

 

• Tolerance - Specify the allowable tolerance for the conversion.

• Tangent at joints - Check this box to maintain tangency at the curves endpoints.  The resulting arc/line segments are tangent and coincident end to end.  This results in the more exact match of the original curve while creating more arc/line segments.
  
  If this box is not checked, tangency is not enforced.  The least number of arc/line segments are used.  At the part level, tangency is enforced by default.
   

• Keep original curve - Check this box to keep the original curve. Otherwise, it will be discarded.

 

 

 

Use this command option to trim or extend lines, arcs, or curves.  You can trim/extend to a point, a curve, or enter an extension length.  First select the curves to trim or extend.  Then select a destination point or curve to trim or extend to or enter an extension length.

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Extension - Use this option to control the path of the extended curves. See Trim/Extend Curve (3D) above for each option.

 

 

 

Use this command to merge coincident lines, arcs, and curves into a single entity.  Select the lines, arcs, or curves to merge.

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Include overlapping - Check this box to also merge overlapping arcs and lines if they exist.

 

 

 

You can make smooth surfaces while still having the simplicity of drawing with arcs by using Designer Arcs.  A Designer Arc is a NURB curve that matches the tangency of the arc but has zero curvature at the end points.  Use this command to toggle the curve type between a normal and a designer arc.  See Applying VX CAD - Using Designer Arcs for more information.  To execute this command, right-click on an arc and select Toggle Arc Type.

 

A Designer Arc with a Fillet

 
 

 

• Curve Editing with Parting Lines (see CAD Tips & Techniques).
   

• Command Features forTrim/Extend Curves to Corner (3D):

 

• This command attempts to trim any pair of wireframe curves into a corner.  If an intersection does not exist, one or more curves are first extended to determine whether an intersection can be created.  Also, similar to its 2D counter part, this command supports the Extension options: "Linear," Arc," and "Reflection."
   

• The "closest point" rule: If more than one intersection is possible, the closest intersection to both selected points on the curves is used for trimming.
   

• If there is only one possible intersection point, the curve segments that contain the user selected points are always kept after the trim operation.
   

• In most cases it will be sufficient to select a pair of points on the curves close enough to the apparent intersection point to create a desired corner.  However, because of the variations of possible user input, there may be more than one valid solution for certain situations.  The valid solution displayed may or may not look intuitive at first.
  
  On these occasions, the command makes an educated guess, mainly based on the above "closest point" rule and the results will always be consistent for similar cases.  By experimenting with the locations of selection points, you may develop predictable and convenient trim techniques.
   

•  If no intersection is possible even with extensions, the user is alerted with a message.  This is usually the case if a curve "crosses" the other curve without intersecting it in 3D space.