This command creates parting lines at the projected silhouette of selected faces based on a viewing direction.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Direction - Select the direction to extract the parting lines from.

• Faces - Select the faces to create parting lines from or middle-click for all faces in the part.

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Curve type - Select the type of curves to return.
  
  Loops - Closed loops of silhouette curves and edges which border faces with normals changing from forward to backward (FB edge) relative the mold pull direction are returned.
  Silhouette - All silhouette curves (but no FB edges) are returned.
  All - all silhouette and FB edges are returned.

 

• Angle tol - Set the angle tolerance used to check for tangent continuity along the mating edges.

• Join curves on plane - If Curve type above is set to Loops, you can check this box to attempt to connect the loops (if there is more than one loop) on a common plane.

 

 

 

This command creates parting lines at the intersection of one or more datum planes (faces)and selected faces. If the datum planes or faces intersect two faces at their mating edges, only one parting line is created for the intersecting edges.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Intersecting - Select the set of planes or faces that the part will intersect.

• Base - Select the faces to receive the parting lines or middle-click for all faces.  The new parting lines will be associated with these faces.

 

 

 

This command creates parting lines from face edges.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Faces - Select the base faces to derive parting lines from.

• Edges - Select the edges for parting line curves or middle-click for all boundary edges of the selected faces.

 

 

 

This command creates parting lines by project curves or a sketch onto a face. By default, the curve is projected normal to the face or plane. Use the Projection command option to select a project direction that is other than normal.
 

Required Inputs

 

• Curves - Select a profile (curves or a sketch) or middle-click to Create a Feature Sketch.

• Face - Select the face to project the parting line onto or middle-click to project to the nearest face.
  
  This allows mold makers to create parting curves and as updated geometry is received, middle-clicking will re-project curves onto the unmodified geometry and repairs will only need to be made to modified regions.

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Projection - Specify the projection direction. If you do not use this option, the selected curve(s) will be projected normal to the face.

 

 

 

This command creates parting lines between a start and end point that lie on one or more faces. If the points lie on different faces, an imaginary plane is created between the two points and the average surface normal between the points is use to orient the plane.

 

The parting lines will lie on the intersection between the plane and the faces. You can use the Plane Point option to further control the plane orientation.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Face - Select the face that the start point of the parting line lies on.

• Start - Specify the start point.  The point must lie on the face selected above.

• Face - Select the face that the end point of the parting line lies on or middle-click to select the same face as the starting face selected above.  This does not have to be an adjacent face.  You can have the parting line span multiple faces.

• End - Specify the end point.  The point must lie on the face selected above.  If two or more faces lie between the start and end points, they must all be part of the same shape and with no gaps.

 

Optional Inputs

 

The Face, Start tan and End tan options are only used if the two points lie on the same face.

 

• Start tan - Specify a tangent direction for the start of the line. The line will be constrained tangent to the direction specified. If the direction is another line, the new line will be tangent with it. Specify the start tangent direction or middle-click to skip this option.

• End tan - Use this option to specify a tangent direction for the end of the line. The line will be constrained tangent to the direction specified. If the direction is another line, the new line will be tangent with it. Specify the end tangent direction or middle-click to skip this option.

• Use minimum iso path - Select the method for determining the path a line should follow.

• Path Point - Only use this option if the start and end points lie on different faces.  It allows you to select a third point to locate the plane of intersection along which the parting lines will be located. Refer to the command description above.

 

 

 

Use this command to inquire the connections of all parting lines in the active part. Valid parting line connections are required for the mold design commands that reference them.

 

The graphical markers listed below will indicate any endpoints that are over or under matched.

 

The markers are removed with a middle-click of the mouse. For a complex part it is not always easy to see the markers. A message similar to the following is also displayed indicating the quantity of conditions found:

 

Endpoint check: 6 under matched, 0 over matched.

 

This command is similar to the Inquire Curve Connections command.

 

 

Graphical Markers for Inquiring Parting Curve Connections

 

Triangle (light blue) - Occurs at endpoints which are over matched, that is more than two curves meet at that endpoint. If you see a triangle it can mean one of several things:

 

• You may have some type of spur curve or invalid region, in which case you will need to delete the bad geometry.

• You may have some degenerate curve which is making it appear that both ends meet within tolerance. You can delete the tiny geometry.

• You may have two curves which are coincident. You will need to delete one of the coincident curves before continuing.

 

Square (orange) - Occurs at endpoints which are under matched, that is less than two curves meet at that endpoint. If you see a square where you think a closed profile exists, then you have some type of gap and need to fix it by adding a filler curve, or extending and trimming. The Fill Parting Line Gaps command can be used for this purpose.

 

 

 

Attempts to close any gaps in a network of parting lines. You can select two parting line curves near the ends to be closed or middle-click for all parting lines. This command will automatically create a parting line curve(s) to close off the gap(s).

 

This differs from the Parting Line from 2 Points command in that this command allows stepping across adjacent faces. The required inputs include the two parting line curves to close or all parting lines. Optional inputs include the ability to assign a unique name to the feature is desired.

 

Required Inputs

 

• 1st curve - Select the first parting line segment near its open end or middle-click to close all gaps between parting line segments.

• 2nd curve - If a parting line segment was selected for the 1st curve above, select the second segment near its open end. The gap will be closed between the two parting line segments.

 

Gaps found with Inquire Parting Line Connections command.

 

Gaps filled with Fill Parting Line Gaps command.

 

How Can I apply this Command?

 

 

 

Use this command to divide faces at parting lines while maintaining a single shape. Optionally, you can break the part into separate shapes along the parting lines.

 

Required Inputs

 

• Curves - Select the parting lines for the split boundary.

 

Optional Inputs

 

• Separate shape at parting line - Check this box to separate the part into 2 shapes at the parting lines. Otherwise, the faces will be split while maintaining a single shape.

 

 

 

There are wireframe editing commands that are designed to work with parting line features. It is recommended that they be used first before other editing commands. These commands are listed below:

 

Trim/Extend Curves to Corner- parting lines must lie on the same face.

Concatenate Curves (3D/2D)- For parting lines, they must all lie on the same face.

Extend/Trim Wireframe Curve

 Split/Trim Wireframe Curve at Point

 One-Touch Trim

 

 

 

• If a parting line looses its association with the face it was derived from (e.g., if the face is deleted or become inactive invalid way), a warning message is displayed and the parting line is changed to a standard 3D curve. You may then project the curve back onto a new face to recreate the parting line.
   

• Commands that Save Layer Visibility Status (see CAD Tips & Techniques).
  Assigning Names to Features (see CAD Tips & Techniques).

• Curve Editing with Parting Lines