3D Profile

Calling the command:

This command includes following types of 3D profiles:

3D profile is one of the most important elements in T-FLEX CAD. 3D profile is a contour oriented in the 3D space in accordance with orientation of elements used for defining profile.

Profile geometry types

3D profiles are based on contours. Contour is a sequence of main elements (graphic lines, hatches, texts, edges, loops, 3D paths) where each subsequent element starts at an endpoint of a previous element. Contour is closed if endpoint of last element coincides with starting point of first element. Contour is flat if all its elements lay in the same plane, otherwise contour is spatial. Therefore, 3D profiles are classified as:

•flat and spatial;

•closed and open;

•single-contoured and multi-contoured.

Sweeping a profile by any means in the space is the base operation for a body creation.

Profile geometry type defines a type of object created on its base by default. Using an open contour in extrusion yields a surface, using closed contour yields a solid body.

       

Creating a 3D profile from a parametric 2D contour located on a workplane page allows propagating parametric parameters of two-dimensional drawings into the realm of solid modeling.

Closed multi-contoured profiles

Following configurations of closed multi-contoured profiles and resulting bodies are possible:

•Intersecting contours
Upon attempt to create a profile based on such contours, the system displays a message: "Contours contain self-intersections or bifurcations. Thickness definition is required for proper result. Would you like to edit properties of thickness for this profile?". In case of negative answer a profile is not created. In case of positive answer the 3D profile parameters dialog is invoked, where you should define a value and a type of thickening.

•Non-intersecting non-nested contours
A single solid body consisting of several non-connected parts is created by default upon extruding or rotating such profile. You can divide such body if necessary.

•Non-intersecting nested contours
The outer (first) contour defines boundaries of a resulting solid body. The second contour, which is enclosed by the first one, defines boundaries of a hole. The contour enclosed by the second one defines other boundaries of a solid body and so on. Several contours on the same nesting level result in several holes or several solids. Even if several solids are present, the result is considered a single body, which can be manually divided if necessary.

Open multi-contoured profiles

Following configurations of open multi-contoured profiles and resulting bodies are possible:

•Intersecting or bifurcated contours
Upon attempt to create a profile based on such contours, the system displays a message: "Contours contain self-intersections or bifurcations. Thickness definition is required for proper result. Would you like to edit properties of thickness for this profile?". In case of negative answer a profile is not created. In case of positive answer the 3D profile parameters dialog is invoked, where you should define a value and a type of thickening.

•Non-intersecting non-bifurcated contours
A single body consisting of several non-connected surfaces is created by default upon extruding or rotating such contour. You can divide such body if necessary.

Topics in this section:

•3D Profile by 2D Elements

•3D Profile by 3D Elements

•3D Profile Projection

•3D Profile by Surface Unfolding

•Thickening Flat 3D Profiles

•Parameters Dialog of 3D Profile

•Edit 3D Profile