surfaces from boundary curves

[2ms1]

I'm doing a surface modeling tutorial which involves making the four boundary curves shown below and then using the 'Create Surfaces from Boundary Curves' tool to form a surface out of them.


The problem is that one of the curves (the big one forming head of shaver), doesn't seem to want to connect upwith the rest ofany chain you want to creat out of the rest of the curves. When you try adding it, Pro/E gives message 'Cannot create surface - selected curves must be regenerated first.'


I'm figuring the curves aren't tangent or overlapping at endpoints the way they need to be, but I do not know how to modify them so that they do. Any advice?


View attachment 4031

 

[2ms1]

In case it helps anyone figure out what I'm talking about, I've got a little more elaboration now...


It's the head of the shaver (the blue curves drawn on Right plane rather than Front which has the graphic you can see on it) that is causing the problems. Specifically, the problem seems to be that I am not able to select the four curve segments that make up the head. I can shift click a couple segments at a time, but I am never able to shift-click all four so they are considered as one curve for creating the surface.


Thus, when I shift click two at a time and then control click everything, I have 6 chains instead of the 4 that I would like, and then ProE won't create a surface because it says 'Not all curves are connected'.

 

[gkbeer]

You need to use 2 directions to create that surf. The curve marked 1 active and its opposite are the 2 curves for one direction. The remaining 2 are selected for the 2nd direction.

think of it as being like a ruled surface except the rule is a shape that parametrically varies as it is moved along the curves of the other direction. How the shape varies is determined by the various options that are available.

edit: Which curves are chosen for the first direction can impact the final shape.


Edited by: gkbeer

 

[2ms1]

Thanks, that's helpful. I'm getting closer. The only problem is that I'm still unable to select all the segments that make up the "head" curve together as one curve. Rather, the four segments (two curved sections and two straight sections) only seem to be selectable in pairs. Anyone know what I mean?

 

[gkbeer]

select only the first curve for that end,

in the control panel expand the curves portion.
Choose the details button under which ever direction is a problem.
in the chain dialog highlight the problem chain.
choose the rule-based radio button
Try some of the options there.


------alternately
If the curves for that edge are composed of multiple features. You may need to create a composite curve first and use that as your reference.

 

[2ms1]

sorry, I'm a beginner in surfacing. What do you mean by expand the curves portion in the control panel? I don't see where these controls and options are. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by the first curve.


Withthe alternate approach, I don't know what you mean by creating a composite curve first. I figure maybe you mean making the entire sketch on Right into one curve rather than the four segments it currently is, but I've been trying that and do not know how. I'm not even able to select them all as one change. Rather, I'm only able to select those segments as 2 pairs of segments, so two chains.


Like I said, I'm a beginner, sorry.

 

[gkbeer]

Forget about composite curves for now most likely you won't need one.

In WF you start the surface by boundary tool and a control panel starts up either at the bottom of the screen.

One of the buttons is labeled curves, pick that and a sub panel will expand. In that panel are two selection boxes. Add the north and south curves to the first direction.

Add the east and west curves to the other.

If the surface won't generate because of problems with the curves, You may need to pick one of the details buttons. Which depends on the curve that is not selecting correctly.

The new dialog box allows a variety of ways to make adjustments.