MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > 2.2 Mechanism-Editor > MD-Solids

What is a Profile / Extrusion?

A Profile/Extrusion is an MD-Solid.

Use Add Profile/Extrusion to add a Profile to a sketch-loop. We also add for you an Extrusion element as a child to the Profile.

You can add many Profile/Extrusions to the same sketch-loop.

Note:

The Follower-Profile you select when you Add 2D-Cam / Add 3D-Cam is a Profile element.

Terminology:

Sketch-Loop :	A series of sketch-elements, that you join end to end to form a closed loop. The start-Points and end-Points where the sketch-elements join together must be merged to one Point. Sketch-loops cannot cross over each other and the cannot branch.
Profile :	Two offset contours that are a copy of the sketch-loop you select when you do Add Profile.
extrusion :	The Solid between the two offset contours.

Preparation for Add Profile / Extrusion

3x Sketch-Loops in a Part

Three example sketch-loops in the model before you do Add Profile:

A Sketch-loop is in a Part

Add Profile / Extrusion

STEP 1:Start the Add Profile command

1.Click MD-Solids menu > Add Profile

1.Click MD-Solids toolbar > Add Profile

The Command-Manager starts.

3x Sketch-Loops in a Part

STEP 2:Select a sketch-element that belongs to a sketch-loop

1.Click a sketch-element that is in one sketch-loop, or a Polyline

The name of the sketch-element is in the Command-Manager.

3 x Profile Contours in graphic-area

STEP 3:Complete the command:

1.Click in the Command-Manager.

We add for you a Profile and Extrusion to the sketch-loop that you select.

Do 1 - 3 again to add a Profile to a different, or the same, sketch-loop.

RESULT : graphics-area

We add for you the Primary and Secondary contours of the Profile element, which are copies of the sketch-loop, and the Extrusion, which is the Solid between the Profile contours.

The default position of the Primary Contour is coplanar with the sketch-loop that you select.

Use the Extrusion dialog to move the contours and Extrusion relative to the sketch-loop, as required.

To see the Extrusion, enable Visibility toolbar > Show Solids in Mechanisms

The image shows 3 Profile and Extrusion elements.

The default color of the Extrusion is Blue.