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Glossary of EM.Cube's CAD Tools

4,059 bytes added, 21:57, 23 April 2021
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<td>[[image:Cube-icon.png | link=Getting_Started_with_EM.Cube]] [[image:cad-ico.png | link=Building_Geometrical_Constructions_in_CubeCAD]] [[image:fdtd-ico.png | link=EM.Tempo]] [[image:prop-ico.png | link=EM.Terrano]] [[image:static-ico.png | link=EM.Ferma]] [[image:planar-ico.png | link=EM.Picasso]] [[image:metal-ico.png | link=EM.Libera]] [[image:po-ico.png | link=EM.Illumina]]</td>
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[[Image:Back_icon.png|30px]] '''[[EM.Cube | Back to EM.Cube Main Page]]'''
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==Align Tool==
 
ICON: None
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Basic &rarr; Align'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: None
 
FUNCTION: Aligns one or more objects by the specified face(s) of their bounding box along the specified coordinate plane(s).
 
TO ALIGN AN OBJECT SELECTION:
 
# Select the object(s) to be aligned.
# Select '''Basic &rarr; Align''' from '''Tools''' menu.
# The Align dialog opens up. Check all the direction boxes for the alignment.
# For each of the selected alignment directions, select the positive or negative face.
# For each of the selected alignment directions, enter a value for the coordinate plane where you want to move the specified faces of the selected objects.
 
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: If two principal directions are checked for alignment, the object(s) are effectively aligned by an edge. If three principal directions are checked for alignment, the object(s) are effectively aligned by a vertex or node. Note that while alignment of box or rectangle strip objects is intuitive, alignment of other objects is based on the faces of their bounding boxes and may not be as intuitive.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND(S):
 
align(object,dir,coord_value)
 
==Angle Tool==
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<td> [[Image:array_tool_6.png|thumb|left|640px|Creating Rotating a rotated array of rotated rectangle strip objects.]] </td></tr><tr><td> [[Image:Array_tool_7_new.png|thumb|left|640px|Creating a 4x2 array of rotated rectangle strip objects.]] </td>
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* Intersection
Boolean operations work only with surface and [[Solid Objects|solid objects]]. In other words, they cannot be applied to [[Curve Objects|curve objects]]. As a general rule of thumb, you should perform a Boolean operation on two or more objects of the same type, and resulting object will be of the same type. Mixing solid and [[Surface Objects|surface objects]] in Boolean operations may result in an undesirable outcome. The Boolean Union of two objects that do not overlap each other physically is similar to grouping them into a composite object. Subtracting two objects that do not overlap each other physically results in the deletion of the object to be subtracted.
The result of a Boolean CAD operation on two or more objects is a new object of Boolean Type. The property dialog of a Boolean object is similar to that of a composite object and contains a member list. You can highlight and select any member from the list and open its own property dialog for editing. You can also use '''Consolidate Tool''' to convert a Boolean object into a generic surface or solid object. In that case, you won't have access to the properties of the individual member object any longer.
Example 1: Bridging Two Horizontal Surfaces [[File:Cad_manual-69_surfaces.png|600px|bridge a]] Example 2: Bridging Multiple Lines
In this example we have created a series of beveled planes by bridging between four line segments. Using this method allows you to construct planes whose edges are perfectly aligned to each other. The resulting planes can then be joined together via the Union Tool to form a solid surface.
[[File:cad_manual-69_tn.jpgpng|600px|bridge a]]
[[File:cad_manual-70_tn.jpgpng|600px|bridge]]
==Consolidate Tool==
PYTHON COMMAND: consolidate(object)
 
==Convert To Box==
 
ICON: None
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Box'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: None
 
FUNCTION: Replaces any selected object with its bounding box
 
TO CONVERT AN OBJECT SELECTION TO BOX:
 
# Select the object(s) to be converted.
# Select '''Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Box''' from '''Tools''' menu.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: convert_box(object)
 
==Convert To Line==
 
ICON: None
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Line'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: None
 
FUNCTION: Replaces any selected object with a line object connecting the minimum and maximum vertices of its bounding box
 
TO CONVERT AN OBJECT SELECTION TO LINE:
 
# Select the object(s) to be converted.
# Select '''Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Line''' from '''Tools''' menu.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: convert_line(object)
 
==Convert To Point==
 
ICON: None
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Point'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: None
 
FUNCTION: Replaces any selected object with a point object located at the center of its bounding box
 
TO CONVERT AN OBJECT SELECTION TO POINT:
 
# Select the object(s) to be converted.
# Select '''Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Point''' from '''Tools''' menu.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: convert_point(object)
 
==Convert To Rectangle Strip==
 
ICON: None
 
MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Rectangle Strip'''
 
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: None
 
FUNCTION: Replaces any selected planar object with its bounding rectangle
 
TO CONVERT AN OBJECT SELECTION TO RECTANGLE STRIP:
 
# Select the object(s) to be converted.
# Select '''Transform &rarr; Convert &rarr; Rectangle Strip''' from '''Tools''' menu.
 
 
PYTHON COMMAND: convert_rect(object)
==Distance Tool==
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<td> [[Image:cad_manual-73_tn_new.png|thumb|600px720px|A pyramid object exploded into its constituent faces. One face has been selected and subsequently removed.]] </td></tr></table> ==Extents Tool== ICON: [[File:info_tool_tn.png]]  MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Measure &rarr; Extents''' KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Shift+E''' FUNCTION: Measures the length, surface area or volume of a geometric object  TO MEASURE THE EXTENTS OF AN OBJECT: # Activate the '''Extents Tool'''.# Hover the mouse over any object in the project workspace.# A dialog pops up at the lower right corner of the screen. If the highlighted object is a curve, the dialog shows its arc length. If the highlighted object is a surface, the dialog shows its area. If the highlighted object is a solid, the dialog shows both its volume and total surface area.   SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: You can compute the extents of several objects successively.  PYTHON COMMAND: get_length(object) get_area(object) get_volume(object) <table><tr><td> [[Image:Extents1_new.png|thumb|400px|Measuring the surface area and volume of a solid object.]] </td></tr><tr><td> [[Image:Extents2_new.png|thumb|400px|Measuring the length of a curve object.]] </td>
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KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Shift+F'''
FUNCTION: Creates a planar surface object from a closed curve object or from a set of [[Curve Objects|curve objects]] that together form a closed region
TO FILL CURVE OBJECT(S):
# Activate the '''Fill Tool'''.
# Click on the curve object(s) you want to fill one by one to select them and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# A new planar surface object is created in the project workspace which replaces the previously selected [[Curve Objects|curve selectedcurve objects]].
KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Shift+L'''
FUNCTION: Adds rounded bevels to hard-angled corners of one or more surface or [[Curve Objects|curve objects]]
TO FILLET AN OBJECT:
# The default option is a circular arc fillet with a radius of 10 project units. You may choose another fillet type: Linear (Chamfer), G1, G2 or G3 Blend.
# Make sure to click the OK button of the Fillet Dialog to finalize the operation.
 
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS:
 
PYTHON COMMAND: fillet(object,radius)
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[[File:Fillet_tn.png|thumb|left|720px|The fillet tool.]]
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==Geometric Analysis Tool== ICON: [[File:fillet_tnExtends_tool_tn.jpgpng]]  MENU: '''Tools &rarr; Measure &rarr; Geometric Analysis''' KEYBOARD SHORTCUT: '''Shift+E''' FUNCTION: Measures the length, surface area or volume of a geometric object  TO PERFORM GEOMETRIC ANALYSIS AND MEASURE THE EXTENTS OF AN OBJECT: # Activate the '''Geometric Analysis Tool'''.# Hover the mouse over any object in the project workspace.# A dialog pops up at the lower right corner of the screen. If the highlighted object is a curve, the dialog shows its arc length. If the highlighted object is a surface, the dialog shows its area. If the highlighted object is a solid, the dialog shows both its volume and total surface area.   SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: You can compute the extents of several objects successively.  PYTHON COMMAND: get_length(object) get_area(object) get_volume(object) <table><tr><td> [[Image:Extents1_new.png|filletthumb|550px|Measuring the surface area and volume of a solid object.]] </td></tr><tr><td> [[Image:Extents2_new.png|thumb|550px|Measuring the length of a curve object.]]</td></tr></table>
==Group Tool==
This example illustrates lofting from the edge of the lower box to a corner point on the center rectangle.
[[File:cad_manual-63_tn.jpgpng|600px|Loft Example 1]]
Example 2: Using Lofts To Create A Four-Sided Pyramid
[[File:cad_manual-64_tn.jpgpng|600px|Loft Example 2]]
==Merge Tool==
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: You cannot polygonize [[Solid Objects|solid objects]].
# Activate the '''Random Group Tool'''.
# Click on the object you want to clone (key object) and press the '''Enter Key''' when done.
# The Rough Surface Dialog opens up on the lower right corner of the screen. The '''Container''' dropdown list displays a list of all the [[Solid Objects|solid objects]] . In the project workspace. Select the desired container object from the list.
# The default number of the elements is 100. Change it to any desired number.
# Click the OK button of the dialog to close it and complete the group creation.
[[File:cad_manual-56_tn.jpgpng|600px|revolve process]]
In this example, a rectangular plane has been revolved by using a pre-drawn line as the axial reference.
Example 1: Revolving Polygon Planes
This example illustrates revolving the face of a cylinder triangular plane about the axis of a pyramid&quot;s edgepre-drawn line as the axial reference.
[[File:cad_manual-57_tn.jpgpng|600px|revolve sample 1]]
Example 2: Complex Planar Revolutions
This example illustrates an extremely complex face revolved about the axis of a line.
[[File:cad_manual-58_tn.jpgpng|600px|revolve sample 2]]
Example 3: Unusual Revolutions
This example illustrates the face of a cylinder revolved about the axis of a pyramid&quot;s edge.
[[File:cad_manual-59_tn.jpgpng|600px|revolve sample 3]]
Example 4: Partial Revolutions
This example illustrates the results of specifying a partial Rotation Angle.
[[File:cad_manual-60_tn.jpgpng|600px|revolve sample 4]]
==Rotate Tool==
SPECIAL CASES OR EXCEPTIONS: The Roughen Tool doesn't work with [[Curve Objects|curve objects]].
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<td> [[Image:scale3_tn_new.png|thumb|320px720px|Constrained scaling of a box along an edge.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:scale4_tn_new.png|thumb|320px720px|Constrained scaling of a box normal to an edge.]] </td>
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[[File:cad_manual-65_tn.jpgpng|720px|skinning process]]
NOTE how X and Y LCS coordinates of the above two planes are at right angles to each other. If the LCS orientation of each profile are not properly aligned, twisting of the skinned surface will occur. You can enable on-screen LCS (local coordinates) feedback for each object via the View menu.
# After clicking on the final profile, press ENTER to complete the skinning operation (E).
[[File:cad_manual-66_tn.jpgpng|720px|skin profiles 1]]
[[File:cad_manual-67_tn.jpgpng|720px|skin profiles 2]]
==Slice Tool==
As a result of the slice operation, solids are sliced into smaller generic [[Solid Objects|solid objects]], surfaces are sliced into smaller generic [[Surface Objects|surface objects]] and curves are sliced into smaller generic [[Curve Objects|curve objects]].
You have the option to keep only one of the two split parts resulting from a slice operation if you wish so. While dragging the slice plane, if you hold the keyboard's '''Ctrl Key''' down at the time of the left mouse click, the part on the positive side of the slice plane is preserved and the other part is discarded. If you hold the keyboard's '''Alt Key''' down at the time of the left mouse click, the part on the negative side of the slice plane is preserved and the other part is discarded.
 
Trimming a Cube
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<td> [[Image:slice4_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the first point of the slice plane on the edges of a box object.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:slice5_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the second point of the slice plane on the edges of a box object.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:Slice5_tnB_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the third point of the slice plane on the edges of a box object.]] </td>
<td></td>
<td> [[Image:slice6_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Seleting the sliced portion.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:slice6_tn_newSlice6_tn_new_end.png|thumb|300px|Deleting the sliced portion.]] </td><td></td><td></td>
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Trimming a Circle Strip
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<td> [[Image:slice7_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the first point of the slice line on the edges of a circle strip object.]] </td>
<td></td>
<td> [[Image:Slice7_tnB_New.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the second point of the slice line on the edges of a circle strip object.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:Slice7_tnB_Newslice8_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the first point of the slice line on the edges of a circle strip objectsliced portion.]] </td></trtd><tr/td><td> [[Image:slice8_tn_newSlice8_tn_new_end.png|thumb|300px|Deleting the sliced portion.]] </td>
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Trimming a Spiral Object
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<td> [[Image:slice9_tn_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the split first point on a curve objectof the slice plane.]] </td><td></td><td> [[Image:Slice9_tnB_new.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the second point of the slice plane.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:Slice9_tnB_newSlice9_tnB_new_highlight.png|thumb|300px|Selecting the sliced portion.]] </td><td></td><td> [[Image:Slice9_tnB_new_end.png|thumb|300px|Deleting the sliced portion.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:strip-tool_tn_new.png|thumb|600px720px|Using strip-sweep tool to turn a spiral curve into a surface object.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:consttranslate1_tn_new.png|thumb|320px400px|Translating a box from a face snap point while holding the Alt Key down.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:consttranslate2_tn_new.png|thumb|320px400px|Translating a box from an edge snap point while holding the shift Key down.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:consttranslate3_tn_new.png|thumb|320px400px|Translating a box from a vertex snap point while holding the shift Key down.]] </td>
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<td> [[Image:cad_manual-50_tn_new.png|thumb|540px600px|(Left) Two overlapping boxes and (Right) the result of their Boolean union.]] </td>
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<hr>
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