Copy

3D copy – operation of the T-FLEX CAD system which allows a user to copy existing operations, Bodies, 3D construction elements and even collections of faces.

Parameters of copying are determined by specifying two LCS: source coordinate system of copying and target one. The transformation is performed by moving the source coordinate system along with connected with it objects to the location occupied by the target coordinate system.

The operation of creating 3D copy allows a user upon copying to symmetrically reflect selected elements with respect to one of the planes of the target coordinate system.

When creating 3D copy of operations, it is possible to automatically combine the created copy with the source operation, and also, use the move mode (when the source bodies are removed upon copying).

 

Main Principles

Objects of Copy

The collection of copied objects of a single operation can contain several elements of the same type (only operations, only Bodies, only faces, etc.). Depending on the type of the 3D copy (i.e. on the type of the selected objects of copy), parameters and capabilities of the operation will be changing (see section “Types of 3D copies”).

Source and target coordinate systems

Any existing LCS can be selected as the source and the target coordinate systems. If the required LCS (source or target) is not found in the 3D model, it can be created when defining the 3D copy. To do this, just select a 3D point as the origin for the LCS being created. A new 3D element – LCS will be created at this point. The axes of the newly created LCS will be directed along the axes of the world coordinates.

General Principles of Copying

The position the copy being created  is defined in a general case by carrying the source coordinate system over the target one.

The copy being created can be additionally subjected to symmetry (mirroring) about one of the principal planes of the target coordinate system.

When creating a copy with additional mirroring, one can specify just the source LCS. In this case, the system assumes that the source and the target LCS coincide.

The additional mirroring of the copy produces the result similar to that of the 3D Symmetry operation. Such copies can be used, for example, for creating symmetrical parts. You create the half-part first, then do copy with mirroring, and, finally, the Boolean addition of the two halves.

When creating a 3D copy, you can refuse the new body creation. In this case, the operation results in moving the source body.

 

Types of 3D Copies

Copy of Operations

             

3D copy of operations can work in the move mode. In this case, the body of the source operation is removed, and only created copy remains in the 3D scene and in the tree of the 3D model.

 

Copy of Bodies

3D copy of Bodies is created in the same way as the copy of operations. But while the 3D copy of operations copies only results of specific operations, the copy of Bodies copies the whole Body obtained by using the selected operation. If this Body is modified in the future, the 3D copy will be regenerated, accounting for new operations included in the Body history (similar to arrays of Bodies).

Copy of 3D Construction

Copy of Faces

Copy of faces allows a user to add to the bodies present in the 3D model the holes and raised portions which duplicate already exiting structural elements.

3D copy of faces is always created on the basis of a single body of the model: all faces being copied have to belong to the same body. The outcome of creating the copy operation – collection of faces-copies – is also included into the source body.

               

The collection of faces selected for creating 3D copy can be arbitrary, but it has to fully describe the geometry of the copied structural element of the part. Faces-copies have to lie within the bounds of the source body and intersect with its other faces in the same way as the faces of the original collection.

When creating the copy with the symmetry, one more additional condition is imposed on the source collection of faces: all edges bounding the collection of faces being copied have to be belong to the same “base” (not included into the list of copied faces) face of the body.

     

Specifying the initial collection of faces is carried out in the same way as in the arrays of faces by:

●Selection of closed sequence of edges bounding the desired collection of faces.

●Direct selection of all desired faces;

●Selection of the operation that created the desired collection of faces.

The outcome of creating the face copy operation can be also affected by the following additional modes:

●Copy to one Face. Use of this mode considerably reduces the copy regeneration time;

●Extend Faces (used only in combination with the “Copy to one face” mode). The system will be automatically extending or trimming the copied faces in order to insure their correct connection to the body;

●Check Intersection with other Faces (used to avoid body self-intersections).

Mode detailed description of these modes can be found in the chapter “Arrays”.

 

Limitations of Copy Operation

When creating and editing copy operations the following limitations exist:

●If at least one of the source objects of 3D copy was used for creating the body (including 3D weldment), then the mode “Move” will be locked;

●If at least one of the objects-results of the operation was used for defining any other object of the TFLEX CAD model, then upon editing 3D copy, the option of modifying the collection of the source objects will be locked as well as the option of turning on/off the mode of copying with union (for 3D copy of operations);

These limitations are relevant to the 3D copies of all types except the copy of faces.

Moreover, when copying the workplanes or LCS, the additional transformation of symmetry cannot be applied to the created copies.

 

Copy creation

To create a copy of a body, use the command "3CP: Create Copy":

 

To perform the copy operation, do the following steps:

1. Select the source objects of copy;

2. Select the source coordinate system;

3. Select the target coordinate system;

4. Specify parameters of copy;

5. Finish the operation creation;

Selection of Copy Type

Selection of Source Objects of Copy

For selection of the source objects of copy, one of the following options will be available in the automenu (depending on the type of operation selected):

Selection of Source Objects for Copying 3D Operations, Bodies, 3D Construction

Note that after selection of the first object (operation, construction element), the option // will be automatically turned off, and the system will move to specifying the source coordinate system. For selecting several objects of copy, a user has to independently reactivate the option for selection of the objects of copy in the command's automenu or place the cursor in the row “…” in the list of the selected objects (in the command's properties window).

To deselect any of the previously selected objects, indicate it in the list and press the button .

Note that once the first object to be copied is selected, the entry defining the copy type becomes inaccessible. To change the copy type, you need to remove all 3D objects from the list of the copy source objects. Only after that, you will be able to select another copy type.

Selecting source collection of faces for copy of faces

Details on the work with filters from the pulldown list of the option are given in the chapter “Arrays”, when describing creation of the array of faces.

Selection of operations, bounding edges or the faces themselves is done in the 3D window. Operations can be also selected from the tree of the 3D model.

When creating the copy of faces, the option remains active until a user independently activates the option for selection of the source/target coordinate system.

 

Selection of source coordinate system

Selection of an existing LCS as a source coordinate system is done by using the option:

       <S>        Select source LCS        

For automatic creation of an LCS, use the option:

       <F>        Select Point for creating Source LCS        

This option allows selecting an arbitrary 3D element suitable for defining a 3D point that will be the new LCS origin.

 

Selection of target coordinate system

Selection of the target coordinate system is done similar to selecting the source coordinates. An existing LCS is selected by the option:

       <T>        Select target LCS        

A new LCS can be created at a 3D point by using the option:

       <W>        Select Pont for creating Target LCS

To  refuse the selection of LCS, use the option:

       <C>        Cancel selection of target coordinate system

 

Specifying Parameters of Copy

Flag “Separate to solids” is used when copying several operations at once. A separate Body-copy is created for each of them

When creating 3D copy of operations, the copy mode is selected with the help of a toggle “Mode” in the group “Options” in the properties window of the command: “Move”, “Copy”, “Copying and Unite”.

The optional parameters of the copy of faces are different from the parameters of other copies: