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
mesh, keep surf
Create a surface from the selected entities and generate a mesh on the created surface.
The created surface is retained along with the mesh.
mesh, dele surf
Create a surface from the selected entities and generate a mesh on the created surface.
The created surface is deleted and only the corresponding mesh is retained.
mesh w/o surf
Create a mesh between the selected entities using linear interpolation without creating a surface.
surface only
Create a surface from selected entities, but do not generate a mesh.
Use the resulting surface to perform any desired geometry cleanup functions or automeshing.
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.

Create a 3D Spline Surface by Selecting Lines



Figure 1. Lines Selected


Figure 2. Spline Surface Created

Create a 3D Spline Surface by Selecting Nodes or Points



Figure 3. Points Selected


Figure 4. Spline Surface Created