2 Replies Latest reply on Jan 16, 2012 12:20 PM by Charles Culp

    Improving Surface Continuity

    Andrew Lowe
    Andrew Lowe Jan 11, 2012 7:41 PM

      Hello All,

       

      I've attached a model that I'm trying to improve the surface continutiy of. This is the most organic looking blend I've tried to accomplish in SolidWorks. The transitions are complicated, and will require either 3 or 5 sided patches. When evaluating the curvature of the model, I have lots of "divots" in my filled surfaces. Is there a way I can build better filled surfaces that don't have these issues?

       

      Alternatively, is my patch layout optimal? It would be interesting to see various posters takes on building this part, or something similiar with a completely organic transition.

       

      Does anyone have any suggestions to get this part to "Class A" status? Or is this a losing battle in SolidWorks?

       

      curvy thingy.jpg

      curvature.jpg

        • Re: Improving Surface Continuity
          Jerry Steiger
          Jerry Steiger Jan 12, 2012 4:34 PM (in response to Andrew Lowe)

          Andrew,

           

          I don't know if this would actually help, and I suspect that it will be much harder to do, but how about splitting your five sided patchs by a curve from the pointy corner to the center of the center line in order to make two four sided patches?. That way you don't need to use Fill Surfaces, but can use Boundary Surfaces.

           

          Jerry Steiger

          • Re: Improving Surface Continuity
            Charles Culp
            Charles Culp Jan 16, 2012 12:20 PM (in response to Andrew Lowe)

            Not a losing battle. I don't like Sketch 14, and I think it is what is causing your issues. No matter how you look at it, something in Boundary-Surface3 is creating the wrinkles. Why did you add Sketch 14? Was it added just to smooth the boundary, or do you want the model to follow that curve specifically?

             

            What I would want to do is instead of creating a boundary surface for just the bottom half, create it for the whole length, and then trim it down afterwards to just be half the height. I think that will fix your corner bunching, by allowing the UV flow to be non-perpendicular to the existing edges.

             

            Also, let me add that you should only model half of this, and then mirror the whole thing at the end. At the transition between the left and right, make sure it has a "tangency" constraint, and on the opposite side add a small helper surface that is normal to the left/right plane.

             

            For a quick fix to that boundary surface, change the "Dir2 curves influence" from "Global" to "Linear".