Create and Edit Feature Edges

Use the Feature Edges tool to create and edit mesh controls on an edge.

Create Feature Edges

  1. From the Mesh ribbon, 2D Mesh tools, click the Feature Edges > Create.


    Figure 1.
  2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define feature options.
  3. Select components or elements.
    Use the drop-down menu on the guide bar selector to set the entity type.
  4. Click Feature.


Figure 2.

Feature Edges: Create Tool

An overview of the Feature Edges: Create tool.



Figure 3.

Use the Feature Edges: Create tool to create feature edges.

Access
Go to Mesh > Feature Edges > Create.

Options

Feature angle
The maximum angle allowed between the normals of two connected shell elements. When an angle exceeds this value, a plot element is created.
Method
The method to use for calculating features.
Ignore normals
Ignore the normal directions of the elements when creating features.
Merge small areas
Combine small areas; for example, a long but narrow strip that might result in two parallel feature lines very close to one another would instead create only one feature line.
Create
Choose between creating plot elements or lines.
Break angle
The angle above which a line will be split into two lines.
Smooth
Creates curved (smooth) lines rather than straight segments.

Edit Feature Edges

  1. From the Mesh ribbon, 2D Mesh tools, click the Feature Edges > Edit.


    Figure 4.
  2. Optional: On the guide bar, click to define feature options.
  3. Select Node Path or Node List using the guide bar drop-down menu.
  4. Select nodes.
    Option Description
    Node Path
    1. Left-click to create the path's starting point.
    2. Move your mouse to draw the node path.
    3. Left-click again to create the path.
    Node List Left-click on individual nodes to create the desired path.
  5. Select an option from the microdialog drop-down menu.
    • Break ends the current node path and allows you to create a new path from a different starting point.
    • Continue starts a new node path from the end point of the previous path.
  6. Click Add.
  7. Review open element features.
    1. On the guide bar, click Review.
    2. Click and to cycle through open loops.
    3. Click to exit review mode.
  8. Optional: Delete feature edges in the following ways:
    • Click on the guide bar to delete all feature edges.
    • Select a feature edge then left-click to delete individual feature edges.


Figure 5.

Feature Edges: Edit Tool

An overview of the Feature Edges: Edit tool.



Figure 6.

Use the Feature Edges: Edit tool to edit and delete feature edges.

Access
Go to Mesh > Feature Edges > Edit.

Options

Auto select during preview
Show preview by joining two ends of open loop.