Creating a 3D Curve Offset

This task shows you how to create a 3D curve that is offset from a reference curve.

Open the 3DCurveOffset1.CATPart document.

  1. Click 3D Curve Offset .

    The 3D Curve Offset Definition dialog box appears.
  2. Select the reference Curve to be offset.

    It must be tangency continuous and must not be collinear to the offset direction.
  3. Select the offset Pulling Direction.

    A direction arrow appears in the 3D geometry and lets you change the direction.
    The pulling direction corresponds to a draft direction. It does not correspond to the direction of the 3D curve.
    If you select a plane as the pulling direction, the latter is normal to the plane.
  4. Specify the Offset value by entering a value or using the spinners.

  5. Click Preview to see the offset curve.

  6. Click OK.

    The curve (identified as 3D curve offset.xxx) is added to the specification tree.
    Here is an example with a closed curve:
    3D corner parameters enable to manage singularities:
    • Radius: if the curvature radius of the input curve is smaller than the offset value, 3D corner curves are created to fill the holes

    • Tension: for the 3D corner curves, if needed

    3D Curve Offset with a radius of 20 mm and a tension of 1 3D Curve Offset with a radius of 5 mm and a tension of 1
       
    3D Curve Offset with a tension of 2 and a radius of 20 mm:

    3D Curve Offset with a tension of 0.3 and a radius of 20 mm :