Bending a simple set of objects

You'll bend a parallelepiped made of six surfaces with just one simple operation.

1 In the Entities drop-down list (under Entities To Be Modified) select Surfaces.



To create a solid which will retain an associativity link to its base entities, so that if you modify such entities the solid will be updated accordingly, select the Associative Mode check box. In this task, the Associative Mode check box has not been selected.

2 Press the left button to start a window selection and hold it down. Indicate a window large enough to contain all the surfaces. When the window is large enough, release the mouse button.
3 In the Bend line drop-down list, choose Line. Select the line which defines the direction to be bent.



Cutting lines
Mind that the line length (indicated by 2nd Length and by the corresponding handle) defines the main portion of the object that will be modified. Anyway, changes will be propagated to the entire object. The resulting surfaces will be separate along a direction passing through the first end point of the indicated line (a "cutting line").

Three handles are displayed:



  • The one corresponding to 2nd Length enables you to modify the bending line
  • The ones corresponding to Angle and Length enable you to perform the bending in a polar reference system with its origin in the endpoint of the bending line.

4 Drag the handle of the polar axis to the new position (or set the Length value).
5 Drag the handle of the angle (or set the Angle value).



Self intersection detection
When a self intersection is detected, the program displays the surfaces delimiting the area within which self intersections occur (in the case of following illustration: the two surfaces forming a cusp).

If the modified entities are inside that area, self intersections will occur; no self intersection will occur if the modified entities are outside that area.
If you click the on Show Warnings button ( ), the corresponding warning will also be displayed:


6 Click or to confirm your selections modify the shape of the object.



Click to discard your changes.


Applying the changes to the original entities or to copies
  • If you selected the Copy check box under More Options, your original entities will still be there. The new ones which originated the new shape are surfaces of the type "GSM Bend".
  • If you deselected the Copy check box, the original entities will be modified.

Hiding the original entities when using the command
While you are using the command, you can select the Hide check box to temporarily hide the original entities, in order to better appreciate the changes you are making. The entities will be hidden only as long as the command is being executed.
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