MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > Dialog-Boxes

Blend-Curve

A Blend-Curve has, and you can edit, these geometric-properties AT the start-Point and its end-Point

•Position

•Angle

•Curvature

•Curvature Rate

•Velocity-Scale

The default geometric-properties of the Blend-Point equal those of the sketch-element with which you merge at its start-Point and/or end-Point. If you do not merge its two Points, then the default values are zero.

You can edit the geometric-properties:

•Exactly : with the Blend-Curve dialog-box

•Approximately : with the Blend-Curve drag-handles.

Blend-Curve dialog-box

Edit Exactly

GA-Blend-Curve-Edit

In the Part-Editor or the Mechanism-Editor:

1.Double-click the Blend-Curve in the graphic-area

- or -

1.See How to Open a Dialog-Box

The two separators in the Blend-Curve dialog-box are the:

Start-Point parameters

End-Point parameters

The parameters in each separator are identical

Dialog-BlendCurve-StEdPT

Start Point / End Point Parameters

Angle (Units: º):

Maximum = 360º ; Minimum = –360º

Blend check-box:

☑(DEFAULT) The angle of the Blend-Curve becomes equal to the angle of the adjacent sketch-element at its start-Point (or end-Point)

❑You can edit the angle of the Blend-Curve at its start-Point (or end-Point).

Curvature k (Units:1 ∕ meters):

Blend check-box:

☑(DEFAULT) The curvature of the Blend-Curve becomes equal to the curvature of the adjacent sketch-element, at its start-Point (or end-Point)

❑Enter the curvature for the Blend-Curve its start-Point (or end-Point).

Curvature-Rate dk ∕ ds (Units: 1 ∕ m^2):

Blend check-box:

☑Make the curvature-rate of the Blend-Curve equal the curvature-rate of the sketch-element with which you merge the Blend-Curve at the start-Point (or end-Point)

❑Enter a curvature-rate for the Blend-Curve that is different to the curvature-rate of the adjacent sketch-element at its start-Point (or end-Point).

Velocity Scaling

Increase Velocity-Scaling to 'inflate' the Blend-Curve.

Decrease Velocity-Scaling to 'deflate' the Blend-Curve.

Velocity Scaling parameter does not have units.

Default Value = 1 ; Maximum Value = 10 ; Minimum 0.01

Blend-Curve drag-handles

Edit Approximately

	To show the Drag-Handles 1.Click the Blend-Curve one time Two (2) drag-Handles show at the two end-Point. •Arrowhead Drag-Handle •Small-Circle Drag-Point There are two Drag-Handles at each Point. •Arrowhead Drag-Handle •Small-Circle Drag-Point To use the Arrowhead Drag-Handle You cannot move drag-handles when they are Green 1.Double-click one of the Arrowhead Drag-Handle The Drag-Handle should be come blue 2.Drag the blue arrowhead Rotate the arrowhead around the Point to control the angle of the Blend-Curve at the Point. Move the arrowhead further away from the Point to increase the Velocity-Scaling factor


	To use the Small-Circle Drag-Handle 1.Double-click one of the Small-circle Drag-Handles The Drag-Handle should be come blue 2.Drag the blue small-circle Rotate the small-circle around the Point clockwise from 90º (vertically up) towards 270º (vertically down), the Curvature increases from 0 (a straight-line) to +ve Large Value Rotate the small-circle counter-clockwise- from 90º towards 270º, the Curvature increases from 0 to –ve Large Value