Emboss Swept Example 1

Introduction

This help topic provides a basic example to help you get started creatingEmboss Swept features.By providing the fundamental information aboutthis feature type, this topic can be useful for beginners or advancedusers alike.

For this example, you start from a new file.The entire processof creating an Emboss feature is explained.

Important Notes

• There are two geometry items used: the feature geometry and thecross section.
• The feature geometry defines the path of the sweep (in X andY).
• The cross section defines the shape of the emboss (in Z) thatis swept along the feature geometry.
• The feature geometry can be either open or closed geometry chains.
• One or more chains can be selected for a single feature.

Example

Part 1) Create Geometry

The Emboss Swept feature geometry can be any combination of open orclosed chains.The entities used for the chains can be any combinationof lines, arcs, and splines.

1. In the File menu, click New and select the Small Objects - Millimeters.3dm template.
   
   
2. In the Command Line, type Arc and press Enter.
   
   
3. In the Command Line, type 89,89 and press Enter to set the center of the arc.
   
   
   
   
4. In the Command Line, type r51,0 and press Enter to set the radius of the arc.
   
   
   
   
5. In the Command Line, type 360 and press Enter to set the angle of the arc.
   
   

Part 2) Create the Canvas

1. In the BobART Manager, right-clickEmboss Model,and click Edit Canvas.
   
   

2. By default the UCS is set to World Top which is the desired UCS for this example.
   
   

3. In the Canvas Definition dialog, in the Origingroup, double-click (click twice quickly) in the Xfield so that the entire value is selected.Type 25.000and press Tab.
   
   

4. In the Yfield, type 25.000.
   
   The Origin settings define the lower-left corner (origin) of the canvasin the graphics area.The Origin values set the distance from the WCS or world coordinate system.This is also known asthe CAD coordinate system.
   
   

5. In the CanvasSize group, set the Xvalue to 127.00, and set theY value to 127.00.
   
   These values represent the length of the canvas along each of the X-and Y-axes.
   
   

6. To set the color of the canvas, click the drop down next to Canvas Color and select one of the colors.
   
   

7. Click OK to create the canvas.
   
   
   
   Notice the location of the canvas origin (lower-leftcorner).Also note that the geometry created earlier is contained withinthe bounds of the canvas.
   
   

8. Toclose the dialog, click Cancel.

Note: The canvas for embossed models is created with zerothickness.

Part 3) Add the Feature and set Attributes

1. In the BobARTManager, right-click EmbossModel, and click Emboss Swept.
   
   

2. In the Attribute section of the Embossdialog, click in front of the existing text in the Name field and type My so the text reads My Emboss Swept 1.
   
   

3. To define the color of the feature, the drop down next to Color and select one of the colors.
   
   

4. Confirm the Application Type is set to Add.

Part 4) Select Geometry

1. By default the Selected Geometry list has focus, so In the graphics area, select the arc we created earlier.
   
   

Part 5) Setting the Cross-Section

1. In the Cross-Section section, confirm that Convex Arcis selected.
   
   

2. In the Radiusfield, type 13.000.Notice thatthe cross section preview is updated in the dialog box.
   
   All of the other settings remain at the default values.
   
   
   
   

3. To update the canvas, click Apply.
   
   

Note: Notice that the cross section, defined inthe Emboss dialog, is swept along the entire length of the featuregeometry.The cross section defines the shape of the emboss verticallyin Z. The Application Type, Add, means that the feature is added (or raised)in the positive Z-axis.The Z-height of the feature is 13.000 MM becauseof the 13.00 radius (Convex Arc) cross section used.

Part 6) Edit the Feature

This next section could have been done before exiting the dialog, however for this example we exited to show how to edit a feature from the BobArt Tree.To edit the feature, you use the EmbossFeature in the BobART Tree.

1. In the Cross-Section section of the Embossdialog, click the drop down currently showing the Convex Arc option and select Concave Arc instead.
   
   

2. To update the model and show the result ofthe new setting, click Apply.
   
   
   
   Again, the defined cross section is swept along both sides of the selectedfeature geometry.
   
   

3. In the Attributesection of the Emboss dialog, update the Application Type to Subtract.
   
   This means that the feature is lowered in the negative Z-axis direction.
   
   

4. Click OKto regenerate the model and exit the dialog.
   
   
   

Part 7) Create a Line

1. In the Command Line, type Line and press Enter to draw a line.
   
   
2. In the Command Line, type b and press Enter to set the line to Both Sides.
   
   
3. Select the center of the arc to place Middle of Line.
   
   
   
   
4. In the Command Line, type 140,140 and press Enter to set the end of the line pointing in line with the corners of our emboss.
   
   
   

Part 8) Select Multiple Chains for a Single Feature

You can select multiple chains for a single Emboss Swept feature.Theprocess of sweeping the cross section along the chain to create the embossis applied to each chain regardless of how many chains are selected.

Tip: Inthe BobART tree, click MyEmboss Swept 1 - Subtract.Notice that the feature geometry ishighlighted in the graphics area.You can use this preview to locate eachfeature when the BobART tree contains multiple features.

1. In the BobART Manager, right-click Geometry, and click Re/Select.
   
   
   
   The Emboss dialog opens again and the previous feature geometry is still highlighted.Thisshows that it is still selected.
   
   

2. In the graphics area, click the line to selectit.
   
   
   
   

3. Set the Application Typeback to Add.
   
   

4. Set the CrossSection back to Convex Arc.
   
   

5. Click Apply.
   
   
   

Note: Whencombining multiple emboss features, the Add application type adds theresults of each feature together.In the previous images, because thetwo separate chains were selected for a single Emboss Swept feature, theyare created at the same height (13.00).The following images show the resultof creating two Emboss Swept features and assigning the arc to one featureand assigning the line to the other feature.



The result is that the intersecting areasof the two features are added together.The 13.00 arc used for each featureresults in the total Z-height of the model of 26.00.

Part 9) Modifying the Cross Section

When using the cross-section types, Convex Arc or Concave Arc, you canmodify the cross section using the Start Angle and End Angle parameters.

1. In the Cross Section section, set the Start Angleto 45.00.
   
   This causes the cross section to start at the midpoint of the arc (45is half of 90).The range of possible values for the Start Angle andEnd Angle are from 0.00 to 90.00 degrees.
   
   

2. Click Apply.
   
   
   

Note: The Z-height of the model is now much lower thanthe previous result.90 degrees.

Part 10) Modify the Cross Section in the EmbossDialog Box

When using any of the standard cross-section types in the Embossdialog box, you can manually edit the cross section using the cross sectionpreview that is displayed in the dialog box.

1. In the Cross-Section section of the Embossdialog, click the drop down currently showing the Convex Arc option and select Line instead.
   
   

2. In the preview, click the red point on theright side.Drag (click and hold the mouse button) the point leftto the vertical 0.125 grid line as shown next.
   
   
   
   

3. Notice that the parameters of the line areupdated in the Cross Section group.
   
   

4. Click Apply.
   
   
   

Part 11) Using Fast Edit

The Fast Edit section of the Emboss dialog box is used to scale thecross section or to add a baseheight which creates a wall at the bottom of the feature.

1. To better show the results of using the FastEdit section, set the Cross Section to Convex Arc, and set the Radiusto 13.00.
   
   

2. Set the StartAngle to 0.00.
   
   

3. Regenerate the feature by clicking Apply.
   
   The model should appear as it did earlier inthis example.
   
   
   
   

4. In the FastEdit section, set the Base Heightto 1.00.
   
   

5. Click Apply.
   
   
   
   

6. In the FastEdit group, set the X-Y Scaleto 0.500, and set the Z Scale to 1.500.
   
   These settings cause the defined cross section to be 50 percent ofthe size in the X- and Y-axes and 150 percent of the size in the Z-axis.
   
   

7. Click OK to show the results and exit the dialog.

Note: Whenusing the X-Y Scale and Z Scale parameters, only the Cross Section isscaled.The scaling does not affect the Base Height or the feature geometry.

Part 12) Define a Custom Cross Section

In addition to using the standard cross-section types that are availablein the Emboss dialog box, you can also define a custom cross section usinggeometry that you create in the graphics area.

To learn more, view Howto Use a Custom Cross Section.

This concludes the example.

Related Topics

BobART Overview