MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > 2.2 Mechanism-Editor: > Solid elements

What is a Profile / Extrusion?

A Profile/Extrusion is one type of Solid.

Use Add Profile to add, to a sketch-loop, a Profile and an Extrusion as a child to the Profile.

You can add many Profiles to the same sketch-loop.

Notes:

The Cam-Follower you select to do Add 2D-Cam / 3D-Cam must be a Profile. See also Shape of the Cam-Follower.

See: How to EDIT an EXTRUSION ; How to DELETE a PROFILE

Terminology:

Sketch-Loop :	sketch-elements with start-Points and end-Points that you merge to form a continuous loop.
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

The elements in the model before we can do Add Profile:

A Sketch-loop is in a Part.

There are three different sketch-loops in the image to the left.

Rules of Sketch-Loops:

The start-Point and end-Point of a sketch-element are merged with those of a different sketch-element.

The sketch-elements are in a continuous loop.

Sketch-elements CANNOT cross each other.

Add Profile / Extrusion

Solids toolbar > Add Profile

Add menu > Mechanism sub-menu > Solids sub-menu > Add Profile

1.Click Solid toolbar > Add Profile

The Command-Manager has one selection-box.

2.Click a sketch-element in a closed sketch-Path, or a Polyline

The sketch-element or Polyline is now in the selection-box - see image.

3.Click in the Command-Manager.

Result:

Assembly-Tree:

The Profile becomes a child to the Part in which you have added the sketch-loop with the Part-Editor.

An Extrusion becomes a child to the Profile.

3x Profile Contours in graphic-area

RESULT:

Graphic-Area:

The images show 3x Add Profile / Extrusion

Each Profile is two contours, which are offset from each other.

•The default position of one of the contours is co-planar with the sketch-loop you select.

•The default color of the Profile contours is Pink.

3 X Extrusions in graphic-area

To see the Extrusion, toggle on: Visibility toolbar > Show Solids in Mechanisms

Each Extrusion is a Solid that shows between the Profile contours.

•The default color of the Extrusion (Solid) is Blue.

How to edit an Extrusion

To EDIT an Extrusion Element - with the Selection-Window.

In the Graphic-Area

1.SHIFT-CLICK the Profile

The Profile and Extrusion show in the Selection-Window.

In the Selection-Window:

2.Right-click the Extrusion

In the contextual-menu

3.Click Edit element

The Extrusion dialog-box opens.

See Extrusion dialog-box

SELECTION-WINDOW: Right-Click

ASSEMBLY-TREE -
Right-click Extrusion

EDIT Extrusion Element - with the Assembly-Tree

In the Assembly-Tree

1.Click the Profile to expand and see the Extrusion element - a child to the Profile element

2.Click the Extrusion to make sure it has a square orange box around the Extrusion icon

3.Right-click the Extrusion

In the contextual-menu

4.Click Edit element.

How to delete a Profile

ASSEMBLY-TREE - Delete Profile

To DELETE a Profile Element

In the Graphic-Area

1.CLICK the Profile

The Profile shows in the Selection-Window.

In the Selection-Window:

2.Right-click the Profile

In the contextual-menu

3.Click Delete

The Profile and the Extrusion elements are deleted from the model.