Defining a Sphere Feature  

This procedure describes how to define a sphere feature.  A sphere feature will appear as an activity of the process on the PPR tree.

  1. Select the parent process or preceding activity for the define sphere activity. 

  2. On the Inspection Activities toolbar, click Define Sphere.

    The Define Sphere dialog box appears.
    When you first create a feature, you need to select a thickness for it.  Inspect uses that thickness value as the default value thereafter.
      You may enter a name for the sphere in the Name frame.

  3. On the 3D geometry, select the sphere or enter values for the sphere in the spin boxes. 

    Once geometry is selected, the sphere is highlighted and a green arrow, signifying normal, protrudes from it.  The in/out direction of the feature is specified in red.  Either or both can be flipped by checking boxes on the dialog box.
    The dialog box contains the data for the sphere selected. 
    For an image defining the dimensions, click on the button. The image appears.
     
      You can also alter the direction of Origin, Normal, and Thickness by selecting the buttons with those parameter names.
      If you select any of these buttons, the dialog box disappears, and the appropriate toolbox appears in its place.  Select the button on the toolbar that changes the direction as desired.
         
    See About the Toolboxes for information on using the toolboxes.

  4. Select the OK button.

    The activity is added to the PPR tree.
    The defined sphere appears highlighted on the part geometry.
If you check the FPath box, you can measure the feature at the same time you create it.
  Checking flip in/out controls how the measurement path is set relative to the feature.  When the option is checked, the measurement path follows the outside of the feature; when it is not checked, the path keeps the probe inside the feature.