ModifySurfaceContinuity

The Surface Continuity command applies positional or tangency continuity to two surfaces. You can also apply positional continuity between a surface and a curve so that one of the boundaries of the surface coincides with the curve.

You will be able to select the continuity Degree: to be applied:

• Positional
• Tangency

Three methods are available in the Method drop-down list:

• Fit reference surface
• Adjust both
• Change boundary and adjust both

The meaning of the methods slightly differs depending on the selected Degree:. Further parameters are available to customize results (for details see the step-by-step examples listed below).

• Positional
  The three methods you can select in the Method drop-down list have the following meanings:
  • Fit reference surface — a curve or a surface (indicated through Reference curve or surface) is not affected by the change while the surface indicated through Surface to Be Modified is modified by moving one of its boundary so as to make it match the reference entity. The match can be restricted to the part corresponding to the reference entity (Local) or extended to the entire boundary (Match boundary) depending on the selected Scope:.
  • Adjust both — both surfaces (the Surface to Be Modified item is displayed twice in the selection list) are changed proportionally to the weights you assign them (in the 1st Weight and 2nd Weight mini-dialog boxes showed up by the application on the two surfaces), which are values in the range [0,1]: the higher the value of the weight, the more affected by the corresponding surface the resulting surface will be.
  • Change boundary and adjust both — this method enables you to change the boundary to which continuity must be applied once that you have already selected the two surfaces. The Surface to Be Modified item turns to red in the selection list and you can perform selection again.
  
  
• Tangency
  Tangency continuity can be applied to surfaces already positionally continuous.
  The three methods you can select in the Method drop-down list have the following meanings:
  • Fit reference surface — a curve or a surface (indicated through Reference curve or surface) is not affected by the change while the change is applied to the surface indicated through Surface to Be Modified. A Propagation: mini-dialog box displayed by the application on the common boundary enables you to define the propagation factor of the surface. The propagation factor is a value in the range [0,1] controlling the extent to which the change is distributed over the surface. The higher the propagation value, the more the change extends to the rest of the surface, starting from the involved boundary. 0 inhibits propagation, 1 extends the change to the whole surface. The modification can be restricted to the part corresponding to the reference entity (Local) or extended to the entire boundary (Match boundary) depending on the selected Scope:.
  • Adjust both — both surfaces (the Surface to Be Modified item is displayed twice in the selection list) are changed proportionally to the weights you assign them (in the 1st Weight and 2nd Weight mini-dialog boxes showed up by the application on the two surfaces), which are values in the range [0,1]: the higher the value of the weight, the more affected by the corresponding surface the resulting surface will be. In addition, you can set propagation factors for both surfaces (in the 1st Propagation and 2nd Propagation mini-dialog boxes displayed by the application on the two surfaces). The higher the propagation value for each surface, the more the change extends to the rest of the surface, starting from the involved boundary. 0 inhibits propagation, 1 extends the change to the whole surface.
    Applying tangency continuity modifies the portion of the second selected surface closest to the boundary shared with the other surface. The Scale: factor controls the amount by which that portion of surface is modified. It must be a value greater than 0. The higher the value, the more evident the change in the portion of surface.
  • Change boundary and adjust both — this method enables you to change the boundary to which continuity must be applied once that you have already selected the two surfaces. The Surface to Be Modified item turns to red in the selection list and you can perform selection again.

By clicking the Check Continuity node under More Options you can check continuity values such as maximum distance, mean square distance, maximum angle of tangents with common direction, maximum and minimum normal angle and maximum and minimum curvature difference.

If the selected surfaces are specialized surfaces, a confirmation is required for their conversion to NURBS (unless you have deselected the Ask before converting check box).

Try to ...

• Apply Positional Continuity to two separate surfaces
• Apply Tangency Continuity to two surfaces

Tips and Tricks

• Setting the continuity method
• Applying continuity locally or to a whole boundary
• Checking continuity data