Emboss 2-Rail Sweep Example 2

Introduction

This tutorial explains how to make an Emboss 2-Rail Sweep using the Sync Rail Nodes option. A mirror frame is used to show the results created using the available 2-rail sweep options.

 

To use the Sync Rail Nodes option successfully, the two rails used for the sweep must have the same amount of entities. This is explained later in this tutorial. Complete this tutorial along with the other 2-Rail Sweep tutorials to gain a full understanding of the Emboss 2-Rail Sweep.

Example File

Part 1) Open the Example File

1. in the Quick Access Toolbar, click Open.
   
   The Open dialog box displays.
   
   

2. Navigate to: C:\BobCAD-CAM Data\**Current Version**\Examples\BobART\BobART Files .

3. Select MirrorFrame.bbcd, and click Open.

Part 2) Define the Stock, and Add the Feature

1. In the BobART tab, right-click Emboss Model, and click Emboss 2-Rail Sweep.
   
   Because the stock is not yet defined, the Stock Parameters dialog box is displayed so you can set the stock parameters.
   
   (To modify the stock after it is created, right-click Emboss Model, and click Create/Modify Stock.)
   
   

2. In the Stock Parameters dialog box, leave the Origin values set to X0Y0Z0.
   
   

3. In the Model Size group, set the X value to 38.00, and set the Y value to 26.00.
   
   

4. Click OK.
   
   The 2 Rail Sweep dialog box appears.
   
   

5. Leave the default settings and click OK.

 

The stock is drawn in the graphics area and the 2-Rail Sweep 1-Add feature is added to the BobART tree.

Part 3) Define the Rails and Cross Section Geometry and Generate Sweep

1. Right-click Rail 1-Geometry, and click Re/Select.
   
   Hold down Shift, and click the top left corner of the outer geometry, as shown next.
   
   (You press Shift and click an entity to chain-select connected entities.)
   
   
   
   Right-click anywhere in the graphics area, and click OK.
   
   This selects the entire outer loop and assigns a chain direction (shown with an arrow) for that loop. This is shown in the next image.
   
   
   
   The geometry and chain direction for Rail 1 is now defined.
   
   

2. Right-click Rail-2 Geometry, and click Re/Select.

 

This time, chain-select the inner geometry at the same location (top-left corner).

 

To confirm the selection, click (OK).

 

The results should look like the image shown next.

 

 

 

The geometry and chain direction for Rail 2 is now defined. Make sure that each Rail Geometry shares the same chain direction.

 

In addition, when using Sync Rail Nodes, the starting point for each rail must also be the same. That is, they must begin using the same entity as the other rail. (Both rails should already have the same start point because of the way that you selected the geometry.)

 

Tip: To show the selected chain and direction, click a Rail-Geometry item in the BobART tree. To reverse the chain direction, right-click Rail Geometry, and click Reverse Direction.

 

3. Right-click Cross-Section Geometry-1, and click Re/Select.

 

Hold down Shift, and click the bottom left line of the cross section geometry as shown next.

 

 

Click OK.

 

The geometry and chain direction for Cross-Section 1 is now defined and should appear as follows.

 

 

The direction of the selected cross-section geometry is important because the start point of the cross section is connected to Rail 1 and the end is connected to Rail 2. The cross section is swept along the rails from the starting point to the opposite end. The outcome of any 2-rail sweep is controlled entirely by the chain direction used for each entity.

 

Tip: To show the selected chain and direction, click a Rail-Geometry item in the BobART tree. To reverse the chain direction, right-click Rail Geometry, and click Reverse Direction.

 

4. Now that all geometry is defined, right-click Emboss Model, and click Regenerate.

 

 

 

Examine the sweep in the corners of the frame. Notice that the cross-section geometry does not share all of the same nodes. This is the result of not using the Sync Rail Nodes option. The nodes are the points at the junction of different entities, such as lines to arcs. To create a more realistic looking frame, the cross section geometry should match up at these nodes on the inner and outer profile of the frame. If you rotate the view, you also notice that the frame does not have the same height, in the Z-axis, throughout its length. This is the result of using the Scale Cross Section Based on Width option and is shown next.

 

Part 4) Use Entity Summary to Find the Number of Entities

When using the Sync Rail Nodes option, the two rails must have the same number of entities. To find the number of entities contained in the rail geometry, follow these steps.

 

1. Click in the graphics area and press E to hide the embossed stock.
   
   

2. In the document toolbar, clickto enable selection mode.
   
   Press and hold Shift, and click the outer geometry of the frame as shown next.
   
   
   
   

3. Right-click anywhere in the graphics area, and click Entity Summary.
   
   In the Verify Summary dialog box near the top, the Selected Entities box shows 16.
   
   Click OK.
   
   

4. Deselect the outer geometry (use chain-selectione as explained previously).
   
   Repeat steps 2-3 for the inner geometry of the frame.
   
   The number of Selected Entities is also 16.
   
   

5. Press E to show the emboss.

 

Now that we know the inner and outer rails contain the same number of entities, we can successfully use the Sync Rail Nodes option.

 

An image of the frame geometry, with green lines showing where the cross section is synced at each corresponding node, is shown next.

 

Part 5) Edit Feature and Regenerate the Sweep

1. Right-click 2 Rail Sweep 1 - Add, and click Edit to open the 2-Rail Sweep dialog box.
   
   

2. Click to clear the Scale Cross Section Based on Width check box.
   
   This results in a uniform height around the rails using the dimension of the cross section geometry and is shown next.
   
   
   
   

3. Click to select the Sync Rail Nodes check box, and click OK.
   
   This results in a sweep that uses matching nodes at the end of each entity as shown in the previous image.
   
   

4. Right-click Emboss Model, and click Regenerate.

 

The result is shown next.

 

 

Notice the difference in the corners of this frame compared to the earlier frame. The Sync Rail Nodes option, for this example, helps to create a more realistic looking frame. For more information view Emboss 2-Rail Sweep.

 

 

This concludes the tutorial.

Related Topics

BobART Overview