This subpanel creates lines by specifying (x,y,z) coordinates.

This line is created by typing in X,Y,Z coordinates of 3,3,3 for the start point and 8,8,8 for the end point.

There are several methods for entering the coordinate values:

When using each of these collectors, the respective x, y, or z coordinate value is copied from the selected node into the corresponding input box.  The values can be edited as desired.

This will copy the respective x, y and z coordinate values from the selected node into the corresponding input boxes.  The values can be edited as desired.

This subpanel creates linear lines between nodes.

Two inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This subpanel creates standard lines between nodes, with the possibility of reducing the number of joints and removing some nodes that fall outside of the line's path.  The settings for determining joint creation and node removal are preset.

Two inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Here, nine input nodes are simplified to six points, through which the line is fit.

Here, thirteen input nodes are simplified to seven points, through which a closed line loop is fit.

A standard line is created by performing point reduction with the following parameters used:

This subpanel creates smooth lines between nodes.

Here, thirteen input nodes are simplified to seven points, with smooth (curved) lines fit through them.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

If set to free, this end point is not constrained.

If set to normal, this end point is normal to the specified vector.

If set to vector with tangent to vector option selected, this end point is tangent to the specified vector.

If set to vector with length option selected, this end point parametric derivative equals the input vector, assuming a normalized spline parameterization from 0 to 1.

If set to free, this end point is not constrained.

If set to normal, this end point is normal to the specified vector.

If set to vector with tangent to vector option selected, this end point is tangent to the specified vector.

If set to vector with length option selected, this end point parametric derivative equals the input vector, assuming a normalized spline parameterization from 0 to 1.

A smooth cubic line is created which fits through all of the specified nodes and has the specified start and end slope.

This feature is identical to standard nodes except that you can specify the values that determine joint creation or node reduction.

This subpanel creates controlled lines between nodes, with the possibility of reducing the number of joints and removing some nodes that fall outside of the line's path.  The settings for determining joint creation and node removal are user-specified.

Five inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This example uses a break angle of 150 degrees; the highlighted angle is closer to 100 degrees, so a joint is created.

With an aspect of 5, the large gap (left) results in a joint (right) because it is more than 5 times the length of its neighbors.

The highlighted nodes are removed because they form lines with their neighbors that are greater than the linear angle setting.

A controlled line is created by performing point reduction with the specified parameters.

This subpanel creates lines by dragging nodes a specified distance along a vector.

This example shows the input node being dragged along the Y axis in the positive direction.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Drag + is defined using the specified vector direction.

Drag - is defined in the opposite direction.

A line is created at each node by dragging the nodes the specified distance along the given vector.

This subpanel creates arcs by specifying the center and radius.  It can create multiple arcs in a single operation.

Five inputs are required to create a line using this method:

The node list (white) set the arc centers; the green (N1), blue (N2), and red (N3) nodes indicate both the direction of the arc and the plane.
This particular example uses a radius of 2, an offset of 15 degrees, and a total arc angle of 90 degrees.

This subpanel creates arcs by specifying two nodes and a vector. It can create multiple arcs in a single operation.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This example uses four nodes, an offset of 15 degrees, and an arc angle of 45 degrees (nodes and arcs are numbered for reference).

This subpanel creates arcs by specifying three nodes on the circumference.

Three nodes on the circumference are required to create an arc using this method.  The first node defines the start point of the arc and the third node defines the end point of the arc.  If more than three nodes are selected, only the first three are used.

Unlike the other arc creation methods, only one arc can be created at a time.

A single arc is created to fit through the nodes selected.

This subpanel creates circles by specifying the center and radius.  Multiple circles can be created in a single operation.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

These three input nodes each receive a circle with a radius of 2 on the plane defined by the N1 green, N2 blue, and N3 red nodes.

This subpanel creates circles by specifying two nodes and a vector.

Three inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This subpanel creates circles by specifying three nodes on the circumference.

Three nodes on the circumference are required to create a circle using this method.  If more than three nodes are selected, only the first three are used.

Unlike the other circle creation methods, only one circle can be created at a time.

This subpanel creates conic lines by specifying the start, end and tangent locations.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

A ratio of -1 can also be used to create a circular arc, provided the length of the tangent segments are equal.

In this example, the three pre-existing nodes used as input via the as node option for the criteria as labeled in the left image.

This subpanel creates lines as copies of surface edges.

Note the point markers (+) on the corners and edges in the second image; these lie at the ends and midpoints of the created lines.

Two inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying the current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying the original component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected lines or surfaces belong to.

This subpanel creates lines at parametric locations on surfaces.

Eight inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying the current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying the surf component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected surface belongs to.

This example uses u ranging from 0 to 0.75 with 5 u lines, and v ranging from 0 to 0.5 with 4 v lines.

This subpanel creates lines at the intersection of geometric entities: plane/lines, plane/surfaces, plane/elements, plane/plane and surfaces/surfaces.

This example uses plane/plane intersection; the planes are set to wireframe geometry and transparent mesh to show the resulting line.

Several inputs are required to create a line using this method:

The break angle determines where the intersection line will remain segmented.  Segments with an angle relative to each other that exceed this angle will not be combined and will remain separate line segments.

The smooth lines option creates smooth curves within each line segment.  The angles between different segments are still not smoothed, but angles less than the break angle are smoothed because segments within the break angle tolerance are combined into a single line segment.

This subpanel creates linear and smooth lines on surfaces using nodes.

Five inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying the current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying the surf component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected surface belongs to.

The linear option creates straight line segments between each input node.

The linear closed option creates straight line segments between each input node as well as between the first and last nodes in the list, thereby closing the loop.

The smooth option creates a smooth line between the input nodes.

The smooth closed option creates a smooth line between the input nodes, including closing the loop using the first and last nodes.

This subpanel creates lines by offsetting existing curved lines by a uniform or variable distance.

Six inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying lines component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected lines already belong to.  The result is unpredictable if lines from different components are used as input.

uniform: the line list is offset a uniform distance.

variable: the line list is offset linearly based on a start and end offset value.

interpolate: the offset direction is interpolated on both sides of the discontinuity to allow a smooth transition.  In this case, along the interpolation region, the offset direction will be different than the curvature direction.  Amplified fluctuations, which would occur in the offset because of small ripples in the input curve, are smoothed out with this option.

insert link: a straight line segment is inserted as a link between the offset of input lines, if there is a jump in offset direction at points where the input lines meet.

no link: no link is inserted if there is a jump in offset direction at points where input lines meet. In this case, the offset lines may become disconnected.

An offset + is based on the curvature of the selected lines and is shown by an arrow at the start of the line list.

An offset - is defined in the opposite direction.

Closed lines are treated as if they were not closed so that the offset creates open lines.

Successive offsets (4-5 offsets, one after other) or very large offset values of some lines become sensitive to approximation errors or invisible fluctuations in the line.

This subpanel creates lines by interpolating between existing lines.

Two inputs are required to create a line using this method:

The result depends on the order of the input lines selection.  If the shorter of the two line segments is input as the first list and the longer one as the second, the midline is generated with a length similar to the shorter line.  In addition, the midline is created only between the first line segment and a portion of the second line segment.

If the longer line segment is input as the first selection, the length of the midline generated is an average of the two line lengths.

This subpanel creates and deletes fillet lines between free lines.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

When trim original lines is not active, the corner formed by the input lines remains.

When trim original lines is active, the input lines are trimmed to the start and end of the fillet.

When creating a fillet, the two closest end points are found and the tolerance between them is checked (geometry cleanup tolerance). If the two end points are within the tolerance, the radius must be greater than zero in order to create a fillet. If the two end points are not within the tolerance, and the radius is equal to zero, the closest end points of both lines are extended to their point of intersection, if such a point exists.

If the two selected lines contain at least one curved line, the fillet may not always be placed in the correct quadrant.

If the lines intersect, but not at their end points, the quadrant options are graphically displayed via a set of cross hairs. Pick the appropriate quadrant with the left mouse button.

If the two selected lines intersect in more than one place, the first intersection point is used.

For circular curves, if the arc is smaller than 180 degrees there are no issues.  However, if the arc is closer to 360 degrees there may be problems. The algorithm only considers the start and end points of the circular curve to determine where to place the fillet with respect to the selected quadrant. To solve this problem, the curve should be split into segments that are longer than the second line but smaller than 180 degrees in angle of rotation.

One other option on the subpanel is delete line with fillet. This is not directly related to the creation of fillets described above, because the generated fillets are separate line segments.  However, single lines that include fillets--such as line and fillet segments that have been combined on the line edit panel--can have their fillet removed by highlighting this option and then selecting the line that contains a fillet.

This subpanel creates tangent lines between a line and a node list or line.

This example shows a tangent created between two lines.

Three inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This example shows tangents created between a node and a line.

The selected nodes/lines must lie on a plane.

If more than one tangent is found, all the tangent lines found are displayed, and the desired tangent line can be graphically selected.

This subpanel creates lines perpendicular to existing lines, surfaces and solids from node or point locations.

Four inputs are required to create a line using this method:

This sequence shows the difference due to the normal lines only option from the same starting point; left is the input,
middle is the result with the option off, and right is with the option on (note that the uppermost node does not create a line
because the nearest possible connection point would not be normal to the curved input line).

Specifying current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying input component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected lines/surfs/solids already belong to.  The result is unpredictable if geometry from different components is used as input.

A line segment is created for each point/geometry combination.

This subpanel creates lines perpendicular from node or point locations on lines, surfaces and solids.

Five inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying current component organizes the new lines to the current component.

Specifying input component adds the new lines to the same component that the selected lines/surfs/solids already belong to.  The result is unpredictable if geometry from multiple components is used as input.

Normal + is defined as the positive normal direction at each node/point location on the geometry.

Normal - is defined in the opposite direction.

A line segment is created for each point/geometry combination.

The left image is the input; middle shows lines from geometry in the positive direction, while right is in the negative direction.

This subpanel creates lines that lie on a plane, are perpendicular to a line, and are defined from node or point locations.

The line is created at the input point, normal to the nearest spot on the line, and (in this case) along the plane
for which the Z-axis is the normal (in other words, the X/Y plane).

Six inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Specifying current component organizes the new line to the current component.

Specifying input component adds the new line to the same component that the selected line already belongs to.

Normal + is defined as the positive normal direction at the closest location of the input geometry.

Normal - is defined in the opposite direction.

The new line has the specified length, is within the specified plane, is perpendicular to the specified line, and starts near the specified node/point.

This subpanel creates lines from element features.

In the second image, the elements are set to transparent so that the newly created lines are clearly apparent.

Five inputs are required to create a line using this method:

Panel Inputs

Panel Inputs

Panel Inputs

Panel Inputs