Generative Shape Design

The Generative Shape Design workbench allows you to quickly model both simple and complex shapes using wireframe and surface features. It provides a large set of tools for creating and editing shape designs and, when combined with other products such as Part Design, it meets the requirements of solid-based hybrid modeling. All basic commands in GSD are identical to commands in WF&SD. Advance commands in GSD are as follows.

5.1 Creating Extremum Elements

This command is only available with the Generative Shape Design product. This task shows how to create extremum elements (points, edges or faces), that is elements at the minimum or maximum distance on a curve, a surface, or a pad, according to given directions. Click the Extremum icon . The Extremum Definition dialog box is displayed. Set the correct options: Max, Min.

Select a curve. Select the direction into which the extremum point must be identified. Click OK.

The point (identified as Extremum.xxx) is added to the specification tree.

5.2 Creating Polar Extremum Elements

This command is only available with the Generative Shape Design product. This task shows how to create an element of extremum radius or angle, on a planar contour. Click the Polar Extremum icon . The Polar Extremum Definition dialog box appears. Select the contour or curve on which the extremum element is to be created. Select the supporting surface of the contour. Specify the axis origin and a reference direction, in order to determine the axis system in which the extremum element is to be created. Click Preview. Depending on the selected computation type, the results can be: Min radius, Max radius, Min angle, Max angle.

The radius or angle value is displayed in the Polar Extremum Definition dialog box for information. Click OK to create the extremum point. The element (identified as Polar Extremum.xxx), a point in this case, is added to the specification tree.

5.3 Creating a Spine

This command is only available with the Generative Shape Design product. This task shows how to create a spine, that is a curve normal to a list of ordered planes or planar curves. These spines are useful when creating complex surfaces such as swept, lofted, or filleted surfaces.

Creating a Spine Based on Planes: Click the Spine icon . The Spine Curve Definition dialog box is displayed. Successively select planes. Click Preview. The spine is displayed. You can also select a start point. Click OK.

Creating a Spine Based on Guiding Curves: Click the Spine icon. The Spine Curve Definition dialog box is displayed. Click within the Guide list and successively select two guiding curves.

Click OK to create the spine.

5.4 Creating Combined Curves

This task shows you how to create combined curves, that is a curve resulting from the intersection of the extrusion of two curves. Click the Combine icon . The Combine Definition dialog box appears. Choose the combine type: normal or along directions. Successively select the two curves to be combined. Click OK to create the element. The combine (identified as Combine.xxx) is added to the specification tree.

5.5 Creating Parallel Curves

This task shows you how to create a curve that is parallel to a reference curve. Click the Parallel Curve icon . The Parallel Curve Definition dialog box appears. Select the reference Curve to be offset. Select the Support plane or surface on which the reference curve lies. Specify the offset of the parallel curve

5.6 Creating Reflect Lines

This task shows you how to create reflect lines, whether closed or open. Reflect lines are curves for which the normal to the surface in each point present the same angle with a specified direction.

Click the Reflect Lines icon . select the support surface and a direction. Key in an angle, representing the value between the selected direction and the normal to the surface

5.7 Creating Adaptive Swept Surfaces

This task shows how to create swept surfaces that use an implicit profile and its constraints along a guiding curve. These swept surfaces are created based on sections along the guiding curve and constraints that can be specified for each of these sections. When designing the profile to be swept, keep in mind that the constraints imposed on the sketched profile affect the resulting swept surface.

Click the Adaptive Sweep icon . The Adaptive Sweep dialog box appears. Select the Guiding curve. The Reference surface is optional. It is the surface on which the guiding curve lies and is used to define the axis system in which the swept surface is created. Select the Sketch to be swept along the guiding curve. The list in the Sections tab is automatically updated with the first section being at the intersection of the selected sketch and guiding curve. Select points on guide to add other sections.

Click the Parameters tab to display and redefine the constraints on a given section. Click Preview to preview the swept surface. Click OK to create the swept surface.

5.8 Customizing For Generative Shape Design

This section describes how to customize different settings specific to the Generative Shape Design workbench. The settings described here deal with permanent setting customization. Select the Tools -> Options command. The Options dialog box is displayed. Select the Shape -> Generative Shape Design. The General tab displays. Choose the Smoothing Type: None: deactivates the smoothing result, G1 : enhances the current continuity to tangent continuity, G2 : enhances the current continuity to curvature continuity. You can specify a maximum deviation to set the allowed deviation between the initial element and the smoothed element by entering a value or using the spinners. Click OK to confirm setting these permanent options.