Creating a Patch from Points

You can create a patch projected on a plane or fitted to a support by clicking two, three, or four points on existing geometry or in free space.

This task shows you how to:
 

Create a Patch from Two or Three Points on a Plane
  You can create a planar patch from two or three points.
Create a 3D shape.

  1. Click Unified Patch in the Surface Creation toolbar (Patches sub-toolbar).

  2. Click 2-Point Patch or 3-Point Patch .

  3. Select Reference Support: Robot Plane.
    The reference support can be:
    • The Robot Plane.
    • A user-defined plane: Right-click to define the plane. The patch is created on a plane parallel to the reference support plane.
    • A surface: Select the element in the work area. According to the Projection Type, the patch is created on a plane parallel to the mean plane of the reference support or is projected and fitted to the reference support.
    Note: When you create a 2-point or 3-point patch, the Reference Support option is always selected and cannot be cleared.

  4. Select Projection Type: Planar Direction.
    Option Description
    Planar Direction Creates the patch on a plane passing through the first selected point. The result is a planar patch.
    Project on Plane Creates the patch on the reference support plane. The result is a planar patch.
    Note: This option is only available if the reference support is a plane.
    Project on Mean Plane Creates the patch on the mean plane of the reference support. The result is a planar patch.
    Note: This option is only available if the reference support is a surface.
    Project and Fit to Support Fits the patch to the reference support. The patch is not necessarily planar.
    Note: This option is only available if reference support is a surface.

  5. Click in the work area to position the starting point.
    • Points selected in a free space directly lie on the specified plane.
    • Points selected on existing geometry are projected onto the plane.
    To create a 2-point patch with the starting point at its center, press Ctrl and select the position.
  6. To create a 3-point patch, do the following:
    1. Move the cursor to a different position. A line appears showing the direction of the axis of the patch.
    2. Click again.

  7. Move the cursor to form the patch.
    An outline is previewed and two values are displayed indicating the length and the width of the patch.
    The patch is created in a plane parallel to the Robot plane and passing through the first selected point.
  8. Optional: Edit the patch orders by the Nu: and Nv: order tags displayed at the geometry or right-click the order tag and select Edit Orders at any time during the creation.
    • Right-click the labels to activate the Order context menu and select Link Orders to have identical orders in U and V direction.
    • Right-click in the work area at any time during the creation, as long as the selection is not finished and select Edit Orders in the context menu.
  9. Complete the patch creation by doing one of the following:
    • Click again to define the opposite corner of the patch.
    • Right-click the dimension tag and select Edit Dimensions, enter the required values, and click OK.
  10. Optional: Refine the patch by moving the handles or by editing orders and dimensions.
    In case of a 3-point patch or 4-point patch, the handles are by default moved in the U and V direction of the patch. With the Use Reference Support Direction option in the handle's context menu, they can be moved in the direction of the reference support.
  11. Click OK.
    A planar patch is created.
 

Create a Patch from Four Points Fitted to a Support
  You can create a patch from four points and fitted to a reference support.
Open an existing 3D shape containing a surface.

  1. Click Unified Patch in the Surface Creation toolbar (Patches sub-toolbar).

  2. Click 4-Point Patch .

  3. Select the Reference Support check box, click into the box, and select a surface.
    The Project and Fit to Support option is automatically selected and the result is a non-planar patch.
    Notes:
    • If you select Planar Direction, Project on Plane, or Project on Mean Plane, the result is a planar patch.
    • If the Reference Support check box is cleared, you can create both a planar or a non-planar patch depending upon the selection of points. The first three points must be selected on existing geometry.

  4. Select any point in a free space or on existing geometry.
    The projection of the selected point to the nearest point on the reference support is visualized in the work area.
  5. Successively, select three other points.
    The resulting patch will not necessarily be planar. The maximum deviation of the resulting patch from the reference support is displayed at its location.
  6. Optional: To refine the patch, move the handles or edit the orders and dimensions.
  7. Optional: Select a plane as the Reference Support, and select four points in a free space or on existing geometry.
    The result is a planar patch.
  8. Click OK.