文档介绍：Chapter 14
SURFACE MODELING
Surface models are a type of three-dimensional (3-D) models with no thickness. These models are widely used in
industries like, automobile, aerospace, plastic, medical, and so on.
Surface models should not be confused with the thick models, that is, models having mass properties. Surface models do
not have thickness whereas thick or solid models have a user-defined thickness. In Pro/ENGINEER, the surface modeling
techniques and feature creation tools are same that are used in solid modeling. A solid model of any shape that is created
can also be created using the surface modeling techniques. The only difference between the solid model and the surface
model will be that the solid model will have mass properties but the surface model will not. Sometimes, complex shapes
are difficult to create using solid modeling. Such models can be easily created using surface modeling and then convert
the surface model into the solid model. It es easy for a person to learn surface modeling if he is familiar with solid
modeling feature creation tools.
CREATING SURFACES IN Pro/ENGINEER WILDFIRE
In Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, a sketch can be toggled between a solid model and a surface model. The two tool buttons
that are used to toggle between the solid feature and a surface feature are available on dashboards.
Creating an Extruded Surface
To create an extruded surface, choose the Extrude Tool button from the Base Features toolbar. The Extrude dashboard
is displayed as shown in Figure 14-1.
Figure 14-1 Extrude dashboard
In this dashboard, the Extrude as solid button is selected by default. Select the Extrude as surface button to
extrude the sketch and create a surface model. All the attributes that are related to a solid model and that were discussed
in Chapter 3 are same for a surface model also. Some examples of these attributes are, sketch plane, both sides or one side
extrusion, depth of extrusion, and so