Direct Modeling : Options and Results

Access: Open this function from one of the following locations:

  • Click the button in the toolbar.

  • Select Solid > Main Tools > Direct Modeling from the menu bar.

Modify the model directly, by modifying and manipulating part features without editing their parametric features. The function directly manipulates selected faces while retaining the features of adjacent faces.

Required Step 1

Pick the faces and then <exit><exit>(middle mouse button).

 

Required Step 2

Select the type of operation to be performed, pick the required entities (where relevant - depending on the operation) and define the parameters.

Select the operation from the dropdown list; depending on the selection, one of the following sets of parameters is displayed:

 

Change Draft Angle

Change the draft angle of the selected faces.

Offset

Offset the selected faces by a general (Global) offset (pick faces to set specific offset values) and indicate the offset side (via a direction arrow).

Move Linear

Linearly move the selected faces.

Move Radial

Radially move the selected faces around a displayed axis.

Replace

Replace the selected (source) faces with target faces.

Note: The round faces are automatically added to the operation at this step. Use the Optional step to pick additional faces or to unpick automatically selected faces.

Operation Options

Change Draft Angle

Change the draft angle of the selected faces.

From the dropdown list, select the option to define the reference plane from which the draft angle is to be created:

Auto Plane

The reference plane is automatically selected based on the direction of the direction arrow.
Example:Example:

If the +Z direction is selected, the top plane is the taper plane.

If the -Z direction is selected, the bottom plane is the taper plane.

 

Auto Contour

The reference contour is automatically selected based on the direction of the direction arrow.
Example:Example:

If the +Z direction is selected, the blue contour is used.
If the -Z direction is selected, the purple contour is used.

 

Neutral Plane

Pick a plane or planar face to be used as the taper plane. Select the direction of the direction arrow.

 

Move Linear

Linearly move the selected faces. This interaction for this option is the same as the Extend Object > Move Linear option. The following Move Linear options are available:

From Point to Points

Pick the origin and destination points to define the relative move direction and distance.
Example:Example:

Pick the required points to define the relative move direction and distance:

Result: the selected faces are moved linearly.

 

Additional ExampleAdditional Example

Selected face:

Pick the required points to define the relative move direction and distance:

Move Result:

 

XYZ Delta

Pick a UCS (via the UCS Manager) or accept the default, and then enter the XYZ delta values. This defines the direction and distance.
Example:Example:

Pick a UCS and enter XYZ delta values to define the move direction and distance:

Result: the selected faces are moved linearly.

 

Additional ExampleAdditional Example

Selected face:

Pick a UCS and enter XYZ delta values to define the move direction and distance:

Move Result:

 

Along Vector

Define the vector (via a direction arrow) and enter the Delta value. This defines the direction and distance.

The delta (distance) value can either be entered manually or the required distance can be measured by using the button adjacent to the Delta field to pick 2 points (or a point and a cylindrical face); the distance between these 2 points is automatically displayed in the Delta field.
Manual Delta Distance Examples:Manual Delta Distance Examples:

Define a vector and enter the Delta value to define the move direction and distance:

Result: the selected faces are moved linearly.

Calculated Delta Distance Examples:Calculated Delta Distance Examples:

Define a vector and use the button to define the delta value by picking 2 points (or a point and a cylindrical face).

1. In the example below, the first point is selected:

2. Below, the second "point" is selected, in this case a cylindrical face:

3. The delta distance between these "points" is automatically displayed in the Delta field:

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this example, the Delta distance is the distance from the picked point, along the vector direction, to the closest point on the cylindrical face axis.

 

 

 

Additional Manual Delta Distance Examples:Additional Manual Delta Distance Examples:

Selected face:

Define a vector and enter the Delta value to define the move direction and distance:

Move Result:

Additional Calculated Delta Distance Examples:Additional Calculated Delta Distance Examples:

Selected face:

First point and direction selected:

Second point:
calculated delta is displayed.

Move Result:

 

Move Radial

Radially move the selected faces around a displayed axis. This interaction for this option is the same as the Extend Object > Move Radial option.
Example:Example:

Select a cylinder face to display the axis around which the selected faces are to be moved.

Define the direction and enter the angle value.

Result: the selected faces are moved radially.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select a cylinder face to display the axis around which the selected faces are to be moved.

Define the direction and enter the angle value.

Result: the selected faces are moved radially.

 

 

Offset

Offset the selected faces by a general (Global) offset (pick faces to set specific offset values) and indicate the offset side (via a direction arrow). This interaction for this option is the same as the Extend Object > Offset option.
Example:Example:

The Global Offset parameter is displayed. Pick faces to display a local offset label, which enables you to set a specific local offset. Indicate the offset side.

Result: the selected faces are offset.

 

Additional Example:Additional Example:

Offset direction:

Result:

 

Replace

Replace the selected (source) faces with target faces. This interaction for this option is the same as the Extend Object > Replace option.
Example:Example:

Pick a target face (a face for each source face) or a datum plane.

Target face selected.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Result with Include Smooth Faces option:

Result with Don't Include Smooth Faces option:

Result with Keep Target Faces option:

 

Note: For the Replace option, a maximum of 20 faces can be selected in step 1. If more than 20 faces are selected, a warning message is displayed and the Replace option cannot be selected; the other options are still available.

Parameters

Delta

The distance the selected faces are to be moved linearly in the defined direction.
This parameter appears in the Move Linear > XYZ Delta and Move Linear > Along Vector options.

Angle

The angle which the selected faces are to be moved around a displayed axis.
This parameter appears in the Move Radial option.

Global Offset

Set the global offset value for selected faces. In addition, local offset values can be defined by selecting faces and entering the offset value in local offset labels.
This parameter appears on the Offset option.

Remove All Figures

Remove (hide) all local offset labels to improve clarity.
This parameter appears in the Offset option.

Remove Target Faces

This is a toggle option that enables you to either keep or remove the target faces from the result. Toggle options: Remove Target Faces / Keep Target Faces.
The default option is Remove Target Faces.
This parameter appears in the Replace option.
Examples:Examples:

Step 2 showing the selected faces:

Result with Remove Target Faces option:

Result with Keep Target Faces option:

Note: This parameter is grayed out and displays the option Keep Target Faces in the following cases:

  1. If at least one of the selected target faces (selected in step 2) is from the same body as the source faces (selected in step 1).

  2. If at least one of the selected target faces (selected in step 2) is from an external reference in an assembly.

Include Smooth Faces

This is a toggle option that enables you to either include or exclude smooth faces from the result. Toggle options: Include Smooth Faces / Don't Include Smooth Faces.
The default option is Include Smooth Faces.
This parameter appears in the Replace option, if a round face was selected in step 1.
Examples:Examples:

Step 2 showing the selected faces:

Result with Include Smooth Faces option:

Result with Don't Include Smooth Faces option:

 

Offset from Ref.

Add an offset value from the reference face, when defining the target face. The offset is according to the normal of the reference face(s) or the datum plane.
Default = 0.
Examples:Examples:

Step 2 showing the selected faces:

Result with Don't Include Smooth Faces and Offset from Ref. = 0:

Result with Don't Include Smooth Faces and Offset from Ref. = 3:

 

 

Merge Adjacent Faces On/Off

This is a toggle option Merge Adjacent Faces On/Off enabling you to merge the adjacent faces, after the selected face(s) have been removed and the adjacent faces have been extended to fill the gap.

The faces selected for this example:

Merge Adjacent Faces On:
The adjacent faces (extended to fill the gap created by the removed faces) have been merged.

Merge Adjacent Faces Off:
The adjacent faces (extended to fill the gap created by the removed faces) have NOT been merged.
This is the default option.

 

 

In the Offset From Reference option in the Direct Modeling and Extend Object tools, the user can now add an Offset value from the Reference (as in Extrude to Reference), allowing more flexibility in the definition of the target face.

Optional Step 1

Pick/unpick round faces. Round faces are automatically added when using this function. The optional step enables you to pick additional faces or unpick faces that were found by default.

Click OK or Apply in the Feature Guide to complete the function.

When completed, the Direct - <option> feature will appear in the Feature Tree as follows (where <option> is the function option used to created the feature):

Direct Modeling feature,
Draft Angle option used:

Direct Modeling feature,
Offset option used:

Some functionality may be dependent on the product package. Contact your Reseller if you require a license.