Spline Panel
Use the Spline panel to create a shell mesh and/or surface. A mesh and surface can be created using nodes, points, or lines. You can also use the Spline panel to create a mesh without a surface, or a surface without a mesh.
Location: 2D page
Multiple lines, nodes, or points are required. A mesh and/or surface is created using these lines. Lines or nodes can be selected in any order. The correct order is determined when creating the mesh/surface.
There is no limit on the number of lines, points, or nodes that you can choose when creating a spline surface. You can create a mesh using one line or ten lines (of course, trying to create surfaces using a single straight line would not be useful. To create a surface from one line, the line must be curved). You can select a set of lines, points, or nodes that do not form a closed loop. Disconnected entities are connected with straight lines, and create a spline surface and/or mesh within the boundary formed by the chosen entities and the constructed lines. If the lines selected to create a spline are edges of an adjoining surface, the edge topology is updated to make them shared edges, and considers the curvature of the adjoining surfaces when creating the spline surface.
When creating a spline surface, with or without a mesh, using surface edges, select keep tangency to force the newly-created spline to form a smooth transition with its surrounding surfaces, without feature angles between the new surface and the surrounding ones.
When creating a mesh and surface with nodes, they are automatically stitched to the new surface/mesh by default.
Panel Options
Option | Action |
---|---|
entity selector | Select nodes, lines, or points. |
meshing option |
|
keep tangency | Force a newly-created spline to form a smooth
transition with its surrounding surfaces, without feature angles
between the new surface and the surrounding ones. Note: Valid for
surface edge line selection only.
|
keep line endpoints for planar splines | Keep line endpoints of surfaces created with closed
spline/filler lines. Note: Valid for surface edge line selection
only.
|
Command Buttons
Button | Action |
---|---|
create | Create the spline surface. |
reject | Revert the most recent change. |
return | Exit the panel. |