Creating a Styling Fillet

This task shows you how to create a styling fillet between two given surfaces.

Open the StylingFillet01.CATPart document

  1. Click Styling Fillet in the Surface Creation toolbar.
 

The Styling Fillet dialog box is displayed.

  1. Select the two surfaces where you want to create the fillet.
    • If the gap between the selected elements is higher than the input assembly tolerance specified in Options, a message appears where you can modify the input assembly tolerance.
    • You can enter the input assembly tolerance value in Tools > Options > ICEM Shape Design > Topology. This tolerance is used when you create fillets.
    • When you edit fillets, the last entered G0 continuity tolerance value will be retained.

  2. Change the radius to 25mm and select G2 continuity.
 

Two vectors and the continuity symbol appears (G2).

 

  1. Click Apply to create the fillet.
 
 

When you activate minimum radius, change the value using the up and down arrows in the Minimum Radius.

The Styling Fillet dialog box displays several options helping you to create the fillet:

  1. Support 1 , Support 2: The Support 1 and Support 2 elements are displayed.
    When Fillet type option is ON, styling support fillet mode is selected.
    By default, during creation this option is ON.
    When Fillet Type option is OFF, the edge fillet mode is selected. This mode allows you to create edge fillets by selecting multiple sharp internal edges or faces having sharp internal edges. The Support 1 area changes to Object(s) to fillet and Select object(s) to fillet command is proposed.

    You can use the Tangential Propagation contextual command available on the Select object(s) to fillet box to fillet the entire edge and possible tangent edges.
    • When the edge fillet mode is selected, the selected sharp edges or sharp edges of the selected faces are highlighted in red. In addition, if the Tangential Propagation command is selected; the possible tangent sharp edges are highlighted in red dashes.
    • The edge fillet type cannot be combined with the creation of a variable fillet, therefore, Variable\Partial Fillet option is disabled.

     

  2. Spine/Point: In case of a fillet between two surface elements with a spine, you can select a spine and a point on the selected spine. 

  3. Continuity: You can specify the order of continuity between fillet and reference surfaces (G0, G1 and G2). In case of G0 continuity, it is not relevant to call this option a G0 fillet, but it is useful in some cases to be able to access this functionality without changing command.

  4. Continuity Tolerances: Use the following options to define the continuity tolerances while creating fillet:

    • G0: Defines the tolerance below which elements are considered as G0 continuous. By default, this option is set to 0.05mm.

    • G1: Defines the tolerance below which elements are considered as G1 continuous. By default, this option is set to 0.2 deg.

    • G2: Defines the tolerance below which elements are considered as G2 continuous. By default, this option is set to 0.23.

      These options are applicable to fillet supports and ribbon. The values specified for these options are applied between the faces of fillet.
      When modifying the tolerance values for a Styling Fillet feature, the result is re-computed in order to keep the tolerances, if possible.

  5. Radius: Fillet radius.

  6. Radius Parameters

    • Minimum Radius: Minimum radius in the middle of the fillet (optional). You can provide the minimum radius in the middle of the fillet (optional). This option is available for G1, G2 and G3 continuity mode and is not compatible with True Minimum option.

    •  
      • You can edit the fillet radius by clicking the radius parameter in the 3D area.
      • In the Edit Radius dialog box, right click radius paramter and select the required parameters.
        For more information on length parameters, see Knowledge Advisor User's Guide.
      • The Edit Radius dialog box is available for all the manipulators present in the 3D area, irrespective of the Fillet type.

      Additional manipulators can be created with these manipulators at two ends. The newly created manipulators cannot be used for creation of new manipulators. You can only change the position of these new manipulators.

  7. Fillet Type:

    • Variable \ Partial Fillet: Activates variable/partial radius. Input surfaces can be intersecting or non-intersecting.

      In case of non-intersecting surfaces, specify the edges of the input surfaces to extrapolate so that they intersect. A message is displayed asking you to give the input edges for extrapolation. The input edges must be the border edge of the input surface and must be G1 continuous. If the edges are not G1 continuous then an error message is displayed. When the given input edges for extrapolation fail to find a intersection between given set of input surfaces, an error message is displayed.

      You can snap the manipulator to define the intermediate radius position of curve intersection:

      1. Hold down Shift or click Snap on Edge in the Tools Dashboard toolbar.
      2. Move the manipulator over a curve to display the position of the intersection between this curve and the guiding curve of the manipulator.
      3. Release the left mouse button to snap the manipulator on the intersection.

      If a curve does not intersect guiding curve of the manipulator, the snapped point on the guiding curve is at a minimum distance from the selected point on the curve.

      Drag the end manipulators along the intersection curve towards the center to shrink the fillet in the respective direction.

      Additional manipulators can be created by clicking on the intersecting curve at the required position:

      • Additional manipulators cannot be used to create new manipulators.

      • Only the position of these additional manipulators can be moved.

      • Two additional manipulators cannot be created at the same position.

      • To remove an additional manipulator:

        • Right-click the manipulator and select Delete this Point

        • Drag it onto the end manipulators.

    • If multi-domain intersection is found between the set of input surfaces, the Variable \ Partial Fillet option is disabled.
    • To get a correct edge or support variable/partial fillet, each set of input surfaces has to be G1 continuous. If not then the computation of the fillet stops as soon as it encounters problems like not being able to translate over a G1-discontinuity spot.
    • You can snap the manipulator to define the intermediate radius position of curve intersection.
        1. Hold down Shift or click Snap on Edge in the Tools Dashboard toolbar.
      2. Move the handle over a curve to display the position of the intersection between this
          curve and the guiding curve of the handle.
      3. Release the left mouse button to snap the handle on the intersection.
      If a curve does not intersect guiding curve of the handle, the snapped point on the  guiding curve is at a minimum distance from the selected point on the curve.

    • Chordal Fillet: Instead of the radius, the chord length of the cross-sections defines the fillet.

       
      You can now use Chordal Fillet and Variable\Partial Fillet options simultaneously to create a variable chordal fillet.

    • True Minimum: This option is available only with the G2 continuity and controls the minimum radius. Trace curves are computed depending on G2. The option is not available when the Min Radius option is selected. But the value for the minimum radius is available and acts as the value for true minimum option.

  8. Logical Join: The Logical Join option allows you to use the Logical Join tolerance in case the factory resolution is too restrictive.
    When the Logical Join option is selected, depending on the scale chosen in Tools > Options > General > Parameters and Measure > Scale tab, Geometry Scale the following Logical Join tolerance is applied:

    • Large Scale: 10mm

    • Small Scale: 0.001mm

    • Standard Scale: 0.1mm.

  9. Trim Input: Trims the reference input surfaces on fillet boundaries:

    • This trimming method is exact and is it no approximation.

    • If the trim input option of the fillet is checked, then inputs for the fillet are put in no show mode. And when the trim input option is unchecked, the inputs for the fillet operation are put in show mode.

  10. Arc Type: This option influences the fillet surface only in fillet direction and available only for G1 continuity mode. Providing this option creates a fillet with specific order and segmentation as follows:

    • Blend: Order – 4 and Segment 1

    • Approx: Order – 6 and Segment 1 (Creates a circular Bezier Approximation)

      Arc type Approx means that the arc of circle is a polynomial with only one segment and within tolerance to the exact arc of circle. In this case, the resulting surface is a polynomial surface. If you has required a mono patch approximation it is a Bezier surface (polynomial surface with one segment in both direction U and V). In all cases with “approx” option the resulting surface is not a simulated Bezier mesh.

    • Exact: Order – 3 and Segment 1 (Creates a rational surface with true circular sections)

      Arc type Exact means that the arc of circle is an exact representation with a rational BSpline curve. Consequently, the created surface is a polynomial surface with “approx” option and it is a rational BSpline surface with “exact” option.

  • Tolerance Set (Approximation tab): Defines the tolerance value. This tolerance value will be used for the creation of the fillet.
    Note: You can set the approximation tolerance value equal to or less that the value specified for G0 continuity tolerance. Both of these tolerances are consistent with each other.

  • Parameter (Approximation tab): Different options for parameterization of the result and fillet surface.

    • Default: Internal computed best filling parameterization.

    • Patch 1: Parameterization is taken from the 1st patch. For Advanced mode, one Patch 1 is available.

    • Patch 2: Parameterization is taken from the 2nd patch.

    • Average: Average of parameterization from patch 1 and patch 2 is taken.

    • Blend: Traces have parameterization of their correspondent surface.

    • Chordal: The parameterization is the chordal parameterization.

  • Independent Approximation (Approximation tab): Independent internal approximation. The parameterization of one fillet surface is calculated disregarding the parameterization of the neighboring fillet surfaces. The interest of this option is the approximations are independent face by face, so a “bad” control points mesh on a face could not influence the other faces if this option is enabled.
    By default, this option is selected.

  • Edge Tolerance: Tolerance for common edge detection. If no common edge is detected, variable fillet is not possible.

  • Relimitation: The Relimitation options are active only when the Extrapolate is ON.

    • Trim Face: Face trimming of reference surfaces on fillet boundaries. The basic surface stays untouched. This is like: Command break, with the option Geometric: OFF.

    • Trim Approx: The basic surface changes. The result is not a face. This is like: Command break, with the option Geometric: ON. The result TRIM APPROX geometrically trims the Fillet surface (i.e., produces no face). This form of trimming is generated using an approximation and is therefore never mathematically exact.

  • Extrapolate: Fillet surface also on extrapolation of reference surfaces.
    Extrapolation options are not available when Support 1 or Support2 set contain at least one curve.

  • Deviation Display: Displays the deviations in the 3D area for the local connect checker in the fillet. In the 3D, the deviations are displayed for locations where the continuities are inferior or equal to the selected level of continuity. In case you have selected G1 for fillet construction, maximum deviations for G0 and G1 locations are displayed, but maximum deviation for G2 is not displayed.

    • Connection Between Fillet Cells : Click this button to display or hide the deviation values (within the fillet result) in the 3D area. This option analyzes only the ribbon.
      If one of the Trim Support option is On, the result fillet contains ribbon and the trimmed support. In this case the option analyses only the ribbon from the result fillet.

    • Connection Between Fillet ribbon and Support : Click this button to display or hide the deviation values (between the fillet result and its support) in the 3D area.
      If one of the Trim Support option is On, the supports are consumed by the result fillet. In this case the option analyses connections between ribbon and the trimmed supports. If both the trim options are On, the supports are consumed by the fillet and thus connection analysis is not done between the fillet and support.

  • Max Deviation: In this area the maximum deviations values of all the applicable continuity are displayed along with their units.
    Click Connection Between Fillet ribbon and Support button and click Apply. You can see that the G2 value is displayed in the 3D area. G0 and G1 are not displayed in 3D area as their values are equal to 0.

  • The deviation values are displayed in the 3D area only till the Styling Fillet command is active. After clicking OK in the Styling Fillet dialog box the values disappear.
  • The deviation values are updated when the fillet gets updated.
  • The following continuity value tolerances are defined:
    • G0: 0.001 mm
    • G1: 0.01 degree
    • G2: 2%.

    Continuities having values below these tolerances are considered as zero.
  • Output Result: Displays the geometric information of the fillet ribbon while creating the fillet.

    The following information is available:

    • Number of Cells: Displays the number of cells available in the fillet ribbon.
    • Number of Domains: Displays the number of domains available in the fillet ribbon.
    • Maximum order: Displays the maximum number of order in U and V direction from all the cells of the fillet ribbon.
      For example: There are two cells. The first cell's order is U=5, V=4 and second cell's order is U=4 V=5. The Max. Order is displayed as U = 5, V = 5.
    • Maximum Segments per cell: Displays the maximum number of segments in U and V direction from all the cells of the fillet ribbon.
      For example: There are two cells. The first cell has segment U=4, V=7 and second cell has segments U=8 V=5. The Max. Segments per Cell is displayed as U = 8, V = 7.

    In case of mono-cell fillet, the geometric information shown in the Output Result area is identical to the information displayed in Geometric Information command in Generic Tools toolbar. In case of multiple cell fillet this information may not be same.
   
 

The Dashboard options that you can use are as follows:

  • Create Datum : This option is to create a datum feature.

  • Insert In A New Geometrical Set : This option is to create the resultant disassembled bodies into a new ordered geometrical set.

  • Temporary Analysis : This option allows launching of any analysis command without exiting the current command, and evaluates the result of various analysis commands in a temporary mode.

  • Furtive Display : This option from the dashboard is used to display control points of the created elements.
    The control point mesh is displayed on the fillet ribbon.
 

Modifications and Trim Input: With the use of trim input option in each support set you can get different result as follows:

Serial Number Trim Input (Support 1) Trim Input (Support 2) Result
1 Uncheck Uncheck Nothing will be trimmed.
2 Check Check Both Surface Set 1 and Surface Set 2 will be trimmed.
3 Uncheck Check Only Surface Set 2 will be trimmed.
4 Check Uncheck Only Surface Set 1 will be trimmed.

If the none of trim input options is checked, the fillet is created as a creation feature. If at least one of the trim input options is checked, the fillet feature created as a modification feature. At the time of creation of the feature, you can specify the trim input option and change it as well. Hence it is possible for you to decide whether to create Creation feature or Modification feature at the time of creation. However, once the feature is created, you cannot change the trim input options, that is, type of feature - creation or modification, cannot be changed. This means that while editing the feature the trim input options will not be available.

Also the Keep Original option in the dashboard is inactive in the edit mode.

F8 and Ctrl keys: An element can be added by simply clicking the F8 key. Multiple elements can be added by keeping Ctrl key pressed and selecting elements. Clicking on an element (without pressing Ctrl key) when multiple elements are selected will result in selection of that element and removal of other elements from the list. You can also remove or replace an element of the current selection list using the push buttons. You can change from one selection state to other using the F8 key.

Multi-selection bag: Click Multi-selection bag and select the curve or surface. The Select Curve (n) dialog box appears, where n is the number of the dialog box opened. You can select one or more elements and choose to Remove or Replace them using the Remove or Replace options respectively.

Input changes through 3D: In the 3D UI, continuity and radius (constant radius in normal mode and variable/partial radius in Variable\Partial Fillet mode) are displayed. These can be edited in the 3D as well as through the dialog box. Two arrows are also displayed to select the quadrant of the fillet to be created.

The radius (constant radius, minimum radius, variable/partial radius) and simplification parameter (small surface tolerance) values can be inserted in the specification tree and you can edit them and modify the fillet feature directly.

Parameter in the Specification Tree: In the specification tree, you can change the radius and minimum radius under the fillet.

Quadrant selection for fillet:

  • In case of Styling Support Fillet (Fillet Type = ON) for:
    • Single valid solution: The appropriate direction to make the fillet is automatically computed.
    • Multiple solutions: You have to select the appropriate direction to make the fillet.
  • Styling Edge Fillet (Fillet Type = OFF): The appropriate direction to make the fillet is automatically computed.

Error handling: If incorrect options are chosen no fillet can be created and an error message is displayed.
 

Multiple Fillet Result Management

This task shows you how to handle multiple fillet result management. It allows you to keep either one or all sub-elements created.

Open the StylingFillet_MRM.CATPart document.

  1. Click Styling Fillet .

  2. Select the two input surfaces.

  3. Click OK in Styling Fillet dialog box.
    The Multi-Result Management dialog box is displayed.
    The following options are available:
    • keep only one sub-element using a near: allows you to keep only one sub-element by selecting a nearest reference element. The New Definition dialog box is displayed allowing you to make this selection.
    • keep only one sub-element using a extract: allows you to keep only one sub-element by selecting an extract of the element. The Extract Definition dialog box is displayed.

      For more information about extract, refer to Extracting Geometry.
    • keep all sub-elements: allows you to keep all the sub-elements created.
    For more information about multiple-result management, refer to Managing Multi-Result Operations.

  4. Select keep all sub-elements option.
  5. Click OK. All the created fillets are kept.