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Drawing in three dimensions

Editing three-dimensional solids

You can edit three-dimensional solids in several unique ways, including: chamfer, fillet, section, and slice. You can also modify individual faces and edges of solids, as well as imprint, separate, shell, and check solids.

You can edit three-dimensional ACIS solids, including: boxes, cones, cylinders, dishes, domes, pyramids, spheres, tori, and wedges.

Chamfering and filleting solids
  1. You can chamfer or fillet a three-dimensional solid much like you chamfer or fillet a two-dimensional entity.
To chamfer a solid
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Chamfer.
  3. On the Modify toolbar, click the Chamfer tool (
    4. ).
  • Type chamfer and then press Enter.
  • Select the edge of the base surface to chamfer. (One of two surfaces adjacent to the selected edge will be highlighted.)
  • Do one of the following:
  • To select a different surface, type n and press Enter.
  • To use the current surface, press Enter.
  • Specify the base surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the base surface).
 
  1. Specify the adjacent surface distance (measured from the selected edge to the adjacent surface).
  2. Do one of the following:
  3. Specify the edges to chamfer.
  4. To select all edges around the base surface, type l and press Enter.
To fillet a solid
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Fillet.
  3. On the Modify toolbar, click the Fillet tool (
    4. ).
  • Type fillet and then press Enter.
  • Select the edge of the solid to fillet.
  • Specify the fillet radius.
  • Select additional edges to fillet, and press Enter to fillet.
Sectioning and slicing solids
 
  1. You can section or slice a three-dimensional solid, region, or body (typically a sheet).
  2. When you section a solid, you obtain an "inside view" by creating a cross-section through the solid as a region or block. When you section a region or body, the resulting intersections are curves.
  3. When you slice a solid, region, or body, you create a new entity by cutting the original entity and removing a specific side.
To section an entity
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Section.
  3. On the Solids toolbar, click the Section tool (
    4. ).
  • Type section and then press Enter.
  • Select the entities to cross-section.
  • Do one of the following:
  • Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the y-axis.)
  • Type o and press Enter to select an object that defines the cross-sectional plane.
  • Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
To slice an entity
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Slice.
  3. On the Solids toolbar, click the Slice tool (
    4. ).
  • Type slice and then press Enter.
  • Select the entities to slice.
  • Do one of the following:
  • Specify three points to define the cross-section plane. (The first point defines the origin, while the second point defines the x-axis and the third point defines the y-axis.)
  • Type o and press Enter to select an object that defines the cross-sectional plane.
  • Specify an axis by typing the appropriate letter and pressing Enter.
  • Specify which side to retain, or type b to retain both sides.
Modifying faces
  1. You can edit three-dimension solids by extruding, moving, rotating, offsetting, tapering, deleting, or copying individual faces. You can also change the color of individual faces.
To extrude a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Extrude Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Extrude Face tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to extrude.
  2. Select the face(s) to extrude, and press Enter.
  3. Do one of the following:
  4. Specify the height of extrusion.
  5. Type p and press Enter to select a path for extrusion.
  6. If you specified a height, specify a taper angle.
 
 

 

 

Select the entitiy to extrude, and then specify the face(s) to extrude ( A ), and the height of extrusion or path.

 

The resulting entity with the face extruded to position (B).

To move a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Move Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Move Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to move.
  2. Select the face(s) to move, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a base point.
  4. Specify an end point.
    5.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to move ( A ), the base point (B), and the end point (C).

     

    The resulting entity with the face moved to the new position.

To rotate a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Rotate Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Rotate Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to rotate.
  2. Select the face(s) to rotate, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a base point.
  4. Specify another point on the rotation axis.
  5. Specify the rotation angle.
    6.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to rotate ( A ), the base point (B), a second point on the rotation axis (C),and a rotation angle.

     

    The resulting entity with the face rotated to position (D).

To offset a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Offset Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Offset Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to offset.
  2. Select the face(s) to offset, and press Enter.
  3. Specify an offset distance.
 
 

 

 

Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to offset ( A ) and the distance to offset.

 

The resulting entity with the face offset to position (B).

To taper a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Taper Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Taper Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to taper.
  2. Select the face(s) to taper, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a base point.
  4. Specify another point along the axis.
  5. Specify a taper angle.
    6.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to taper ( A ), a base point, a second point along the taper axis, and a taper angle.

     

    The resulting entity with the face tapered to position (D).

To delete a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Delete Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Delete Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to delete.
  2. Select the face(s) to delete, and press Enter.
    3.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to delete ( A ).

     

    The resulting entity with the face deleted.

To copy a solid face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Copy Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to copy.
  2. Select the face(s) to copy, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a base point.
  4. Specify an end point.
 
 

 

 

Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to copy ( A ), the base point (B), and the end point (C).

 

The resulting entity with the face copied.

To color a face
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Color Faces.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Faces tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the face you wish to color.
  2. Select the face(s) to color, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a color.
    4.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the face(s) to color ( A ).

     

    The resulting entity with the face colored.

Modifying edges
  1. In addition to modifying faces of solids, you can modify individual edges. You can copy individual edges or change the color of individual edges.
To copy an edge
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Copy Edges.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Copy Edges tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the edge you wish to copy.
  2. Select the edge(s) to copy, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a base point.
  4. Specify an end point.
    5.  

     

     

    Select the entitiy, and then specify the edge(s) to copy ( A ), the base point (B), and the end point (C).

     

    The resulting entity with the edge copied.

To color an edge
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Color Edges.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Color Edges tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity with the edge you wish to color.
  2. Select the edge(s) to color, and press Enter.
  3. Specify a color.
Imprinting solids
  1. You can modify the face of a solid by imprinting another entity on it. For example, you can imprint a line, arc, or polyline onto the face of a box.
To imprint a solid object
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Imprint.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Imprint tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the solid entity you wish to imprint.
  2. Select the entity you wish to imprint on the solid.
Separating solids
  1. You can separate solids that have been combined. After you separate them, they are separated into individual solids.
To separate solids
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Separate.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Separate tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the solid you wish to separate.
Shelling solids
 
  1. You can create a shell or a hollow thin wall from your 3D solid object. progeCAD offsets existing faces to create new faces.
To shell a solid
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Shell.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Shell tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity you wish to shell.
  2. Remove any faces you don't wish to include.
  3. Specify an offset distance.
 
 

 

 

Select the entitiy, and then select faces to remove ( A )and (B), then specify an offset distance.

 

The resulting shelled entity.

Flattening solids
  1. Using the SOLPROF command you create a flattened view of all 3d boundaries and solids of the current viewport. The resulting view is a block.
To create a 2D view of a 3D model
  1. Determine a 3d model view.
  2. Do one of the following:
  3. Type solprof and then press Enter.
  4. Choose Draw > 3D Entities > Profile (
    5. ).
  1. Select the desire entities.
  2. Choose if to place the hidden line on a separate layer.
  3. Choose where the profile is to be projected.
  4. Choose if delete tangential edges.
Convert a solid to a surface
  1. You can convert a solid to a surface, the result will be a polyface mesh.
To convert a solid to a surface
  1. Type 3dconvert and press Enter
  2. Select the solids to convert
  3. Press Enter.
Cleaning solids
 
  1. You can remove redundant edges or vertices from solids when they are not needed.
To clean a solid
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Clean.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Clean tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entity you wish to clean.
Checking solids
 
  1. You can check whether a selected solid object is a valid 3D ACIS solid object. If it is a valid 3D solid, you can modify the object; in not, you cannot edit the object.
To check a solid
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Modify > Solids Editing > Check.
  3. On the Solids Editing toolbar, click the Check tool (
    4. ).
  1. Select the entities to check.