Surfaces > Ball Corner

Creates a ball corner surface between three fillets and a primary surface.

Tip:

The Corner Blend Tool provides more a efficient way to blend surface between three fillets and a base surface. For more information, see Surfaces > Corner Blend.

Ball Corner Control options

4th Edge Ratio

Specifies the ratio between the chord length of the pivot curve (top of the ball corner) and the chord length of the opposite edge on the ball corner. A ratio of 1.0 means both chord lengths are equal.

Both end points of the pivot curve are moved the same distance from the apex (intersection point between the two top fillets). Use this control to make the pivot curve symmetric.

Start Edge

Modifies the length of the first half of the pivot curve only, in the manner described for Pivot Curve Length Ratio.

End Edge

Modifies the length of the last half of the pivot curve only, in the manner described for Pivot Curve Length Ratio.

Build Surface

If checked, any changes in any field in the option window leads to an automatic update of the ball corner surface. This is the default.

If this is not checked, the ball corner surface, if any, is deleted, and only the hole is constructed.

Build Surface Options

Continuity

Controls the level of continuity between the ball corner and four input surfaces. The possible choices are Tangent orCurvature. The default is Tangent.

Explicit Control

Turn on this option to open the Explicit Control Options section that allows you to explicitly specify the degree and number of spans of the ball corner in both the U and V direction.

Max. New Spans

Maximum number of spans that can be added to the ball corner in any direction while attempting to achieve the requested level of continuity (tangent or curvature).

This option is only available if Explicit Control is turned off, and Continuity is set to Tangent or Curvature.

Explicit Control Options

Side Degree (U)

Specifies the degree of the ball corner in the U direction. The default is 3.

Pivot Degree (V)

Specifies the degree of the ball corner in the V direction. The default is 3.

Side Spans (U)

Specifies the number of spans for the ball corner in the U direction. The default is 1.

Pivot Spans (V)

Specifies the number of spans for the ball corner in the V direction. The default is 1.

Control Options

Trim Type

The possible choices are Automatic, Curves on Surface, orOff. The default is Automatic.

Show Helper Curves

If this option is checked, special helper curves used to build the ball corner are displayed.

Continuity Check

If this box is checked, continuity locators appear along the boundaries between the ball corner surface and input surfaces, indicating the level of continuity.

T – Tangent continuity

C – Curvature continuity

Green means “achieved”; yellow means “not achieved”.