Creating a Connect Surface

This task shows you how to create a Connect Surface to fill gaps remaining after the creation of extended surfaces.
Connect Surface is useful to fill small gaps. Large gaps, especially at corners, or with sharp edges, may not be filled.
Open CleanContour01.CATPart from the samples directory.
  1. Click Connect Surface in the Part Extension toolbar.

  2. Select the Part Surface, that is the surface on which extended surfaces have been created leaving a gap.
    In this example, the Part Surface is in brown, the extended surfaces in blue.

  3. Select the First Curve and the Second Curve.
    They are the Stable Split Curves created on the edges of the extended surfaces.

    They can be created from the contextual menu Create Area.

    One point is created on the First Curve and on the Second Curve with a 0.8 ratio.
    Two points are created on the boundary of the Part Surface limited by the First Curve and the Second Curve,
    with a ratio of 0.1 and 0.8.
    The points define where the curves and the boundary are split to create surfaces.
    A first blended surface is created bewteen the First Curve and the Second Curve,
    for the part defined by the 0.8 ration (shown by the circles).

    A second blended surface and two fill surfaces (shown by the arrows) are created on the remaining gap.

    These surfaces form the Connect Surface.

    Limitations that apply to blended surfaces also apply to Connect Surfaces.

  4. Click to edit the points on the First Curve and Second Curve.
    Click to edit the points on the Part Surface
    Or drag the compass.

  5. If required, set continuity options
    • Part Continuity is the continuity between the Part Surface and the second blended surface and the two fill surfaces.

      The default value is Curvature.
    • Inner Connect Surface Continuity is the continuity between the two fill surfaces and the second blended surface,
      and between the two fill surfaces and the extended surfaces.

      The default value is Curvature.
    • Outer Connect Surface Continuity is the continuity between the first blended surface
      and the second blended surface and the fill surfaces.

      The default value is Tangent.

    A Connect Surface feature is created. It contains the four generated points.