Offset Surfaces

Introduction

The Offset function creates an additional surface from an existing surface using the offset value as the distance between the two. You can also use this function to offset solid geometry.

Navigation

To open the Offset Surfaces function, do one of the following:

In the Surfaces menu, click Offset Surfaces.

On the Surfaces toolbar, click the icon.

Right-click anywhere in the Workspace, point to CAD, Surfaces, and click Offset Surfaces.

The parameters display in the Data Entry tab of the Data-CAM Tree Manager.

The Data Entry Parameters

Selected Geometry

The Selected Geometry list shows all surfaces that have been selected to be offset.

(Delete) - removes the selected entity from the Picked Entities list.
(Delete All)- removes all entities from the Picked Entities list.

Show Preview - Once geometry has been added to the Picked Entities list, clicking the Show Preview, displays the result that will be created when you click OK.

Hide Preview - When the preview is displayed, the Hide Preview option will replace it. Selecting the Hide Preview option will blank the preview.

Parameters

Distance - sets how far the selected geometry is offset. Negative values are supported to offset in the opposite direction.

NOTE: The positive direction is the same as the surface normal direction of the selected surface.

Options

The Options group includes check boxes to allow you to control the creation of fillets and to keep or remove the original surface upon the creation of the offset. This group can be expanded and collapsed with the , and icons.

Fillet Edges - When selected, this option adds a fillet to the offset geometry when corners exist.

Fillet Edges - When cleared, sharp edges on the existing surface, will be retained.

Keep Original - When selected, this option retains the original surface when the offset surface is created.

Keep Original - When cleared, this option will replace the original surface with the new offset surface.

OK - performs the function to create the entity as shown in the preview.
Cancel - cancels the Data Entry Manager.

Quick Steps - Offset Surfaces

1 Open the function and define all Data Entry parameters.

2 Select all surfaces and/or solids to offset with the current parameters.

You can use single selection or window selection.

3 To confirm the selections and create the CAD preview, click OK.

If needed, update the Data Entry parameters. (The changes are reflected in the CAD preview.)

NOTE: If you turn off the CAD preview, the offsets are created when you confirm the selections.

4 To create the offsets as show in the CAD preview, in the Data Entry tab, click OK.

The feature is added to the CAD Tree.

5 Repeat this process as needed to create other offsets with different parameters.

6 To close the function, click Cancel.