Dimensioning a softened edge
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I am havung trouble dimensioning edges on objects where I have used the ruby 'WELD' to join and find faces. It seems that once I PUSH/PULL the face I an unable to lock on a corner to dimension the part. If I SOFTEN edges it only gets worse.
I need to have a good looking model in the end for presentation but I also need to be able to dimension the model.Any help out there,
Tom in PA
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If you check hidden geometry on it should be easier.
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If you have View > Hidden Geometry > ON you can then see all hidden AND smoothed/softened edges.
You might be able to dimension these without further work; OR you can then selected them 'individually' and use the 'Entity Info' dialog to untick the check-boxes resetting their smooth/soft/hidden settings as needed... This way you need only 'solidify' those bits needed to dimension snap-to, if you want the rest 'smoothed'...
After dimensioning you can always re-smooth those edges using Erase+Ctrl or hide them using Erse+Shift...Remember that the principal use of 'weld' is to form a curve - this curve will extrude to form smoothed edges. If you simply want to 'find faces' for edges and a manual redraw over an edge doesn't force a face to form then there are several 'Find/AddFace' type tools - see the Plugins-Index or Smustard.com [one in the utilities set?]... These faces keep their edges as 'bits' and will therefore extrude without smoothing the extrusion's edges.
If you already have a 2d face made with a welded edge then before you extrude it select the curve and right-click context-menu 'Explode curve' - it'll revert to be in separate 'bits' and then it'll extrude without smoothing the extrusion's edges.
If you already have a 3d form with with smoothed-edges that you'd like to become solid-edges, then select the form [faces/edges treble-click or fence] and use the right-click context-menu Smooth/soften edges tool; in the dialog check all options including coplanar edges and slide to ZERO: ALL edges will become solid again.
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Thanks guys, that worked just fine.
Great forum,
Tom in PA
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