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Home : How do I? : Transform, edit, or reshape objects : Trim surfaces :

Trim a surface

Trims a surface by removing (actually hiding) any part of the surface bounded by curves-on-surface. This lets you create complex edges and holes in NURBS surfaces.

Previous: Create curves-on-surface by projecting curves onto surfaces

Set up the Trim tool

Trimming a surface involves trimming back to existing curves-on-surface. You must create curves-on-surface before you can trim the surface.

How do I Create curves-on-surface offset from a curve How do I Create curves-on-surface where a surface intersects other surfaces or a plane How do I Create curves-on-surface by projecting curves onto surfaces

Trim a surface

1  Choose Surface Edit > Trim > Trim.

2  Click the surface you want to trim.

3  Do one of the following:

• Click Discard and click an area (defined by curves-on-surface) you want to trim away.
• Click Keep and click an area (defined by curves-on-surface) you want to keep.
• You can click more than one area of the surface to trim or keep. Crosshairs appear on the selected areas.

Tip

You do not have to click a "visible" part of the surface (such as an isoparametric curve). Clicking anywhere inside the surface edges will also work.

4  Click Go.

What if...?

I can't trim a surface because the curves-on-surface are outside tolerance?

To change the tolerances governing trim operations, choose Preferences > Construction options and open the Curves On Surface/Trim section.

Trim Curve Fit controls the accuracy of the trim boundaries created using the trim tool.

Max Gap Between Curves is the maximum gap allowed between the endpoints of two curves-on-surface (or a curve-on-surface and a surface edge) to consider them closed when defining a trim region.

A successful trim curve is shown with a green marker where the ends of the curve join.



An unsuccessful trim curve - as in this case, where a gap exists - has the two ends of the curve highlighted in yellow to call attention to the gap region.

Next: Reverse the sequence of trims performed on a surface

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