Chapter 32: Working with Surfaces

Surface functions have a wide range of uses other than for complex shape parts, but thinking about your models in terms of surface features requires a slightly different approach. Becoming comfortable with the terminology, and the similarities and differences between solids and surfaces, is the first step toward embracing surfacing tools for everyday work.

You can think of surfaces as being reference geometry—stand-alone faces that you can use to complete various tasks.

• Master It Sketch a rectangle and extrude it as a surface. Then close one of the open sides with a planar surface and knit together the two surface bodies. Next, use the Thicken tool to thicken the surface into a hollow box.

  Notice the change from the count in the Surface Bodies folder to the Solid Bodies folder. Save the part.

• Solution A part created with these instructions can be found in the downloaded data for this chapter named master it exercise 1.sldprt.
• Master It...