<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation: MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > Dialog-Boxes > Dialog: Blend-Curve |
See also Add Blend-Curve
A Blend-Curve sketch-element has a start-Point and an end-Point. You can use the Blend-Curve dialog-box to edit these geometric-properties AT its start-Point and AT its end-Point: •Angle •Curvature •Curvature Rate Typically, you will merge the start-Point and/or end-Point of the Blend-Curve with another sketch-elements. The default geometric-properties ensure geometric continuity of the Blend-Curve with the adjacent sketch-elements. Case 0 : The Blend-Curve is not merged with another sketch-element. You can edit these geometric-properties at its start-Point and end-Point: •Angle (default = 0) •Curvature (default = 0) •Curvature Rate (default = 0) Default values Case 1 : You merge the start-Point and/or end-Point of the Blend-Curve with a Line. •Angle is equal to the angle of the Line •Curvature is equal to zero •Curvature Rate is equal to zero Case 2 : Merge the start-Point and/or end-Point of the Blend-Curve with an Arc. •Angle is equal to the tangent of the Arc •Curvature is equal to 1 / Radius of the Arc (m) •Curvature Rate - is equal to zero Case 3 : Merge the start-Point and/or end-Point of the Blend-Curve with a Blend-Curve. Edit the end-Point of a Blend-Curve that you merge with the start-Point of an adjacent, or following, Blend-Curve. In the Blend-Curve dialog-box, edit the: •Angle : Disable the end-Point Angle check-box: edit the Angle - the angle of the adjacent Blend-Curve with equal the angle you enter. •Curvature : Disable the end-Point Curvature check-box: edit the Curvature - the curvature of the adjacent Blend-Curve with equal the curvature you enter. •Curvature-Rate : Disable the end-Point Curvature-Rate check-box: edit the Curvature-Rate - the curvature-rate of the adjacent Blend-Curve with equal the curvature-rate you enter. You can edit the geometric-properties •Exactly : with the Blend-Curve dialog-box •Approximately : with the Blend-Curve drag-handles. |
In the Part-Editor or the Mechanism-Editor:
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The Blend-Curve dialog-box is now open.
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There are two separators: Start-Point... End-Point... The parameters are the same for the two separators. |
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Start Point ... / End Point ... Angle (Units: º):
Curvature k (Units:1 ∕ meter):
Curvature-Rate dk ∕ ds (Units: 1 ∕ m^2):
Velocity Scaling (no units)
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![]() Drag handles in the Graphic-Area |
To show the Drag-Handles
Now, you can see the Drag-Handles at the start-Point and the end-Point There are two(2) Drag-Handle types:
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![]() Arrowhead Drag-Handle |
Arrowhead Drag-Handles - this controls the Angle and the Velocity-Scaling Factor
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![]() Circle Drag-Handle |
Circle Drag-Handle - this controls the Curvature
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Note on Curvature and Curvature-Rate
Curvature (k) = 1 / Radius of Curvature The Radius-of-Curvature and the Curvature of a simple sketch-elements is constant. For example: •Radius of Curvature of a Line = ∞, Curvature of a Line = 0 •Radius of Curvature of an Arc or Circle = Radius, Curvature of a Circle = 1 ∕ Circle Radius, E.g. : A circle has a radius of 20mm, its curvature = 1/0.02m = 50/m. However, the Radius-of-Curvature continually changes along a general curve. Thus, the Curvature will also continually change along a general curve. Curvature-Rate = dk/ds Curvature-Rate = rate-of-change of curvature (k) with respect to the displacement (s) along the curve. |