Fill-in Surface Options dialog

To specify advanced creation options when creating a surface using the Fill-in option, click Advanced on the Smart Surfacer dialog to display the Fill-in Surface Options dialog.

Use the options on the dialog as follows:

Selection mode

• Wireframe/points — Select the wireframe or point objects to define your surface
• Tangent to surfaces — This option is available when one of the selected wireframe objects is a composite curve with dependencies on an underlying surface:
  • For a non-planar composite curve with dependencies, the fill-in surface is tangent continuous by default.

    

    Deselect the Tangent to surfaces option on the Fill-in Surface options dialog to produce a fill-in surface that is non-tangent continuous.

    

  • For a planar composite curve with dependencies, the fill-in surface will be non-tangent continuous by default.

    

    Select the Tangent to surfaces option on the Fill-in Surface options dialog to produce a fill-in surface that is tangent continuous.

    

    The area is filled with multiple surfaces if a single surface would be naturally creased.

  In the example below, we will add a fill in surface.

  

  The result is shown below.

  

  The command creates the following surfaces.

  

  This only works when the area to be filled can be divided into a central continuous region with neighbouring continuous regions .

  

  It includes the case where the central region has only one neighbouring region.

• Multi-patch / Single patch — Creates a single or multiple patch surface. A single patch surface is made of only two laterals and two longitudinals, whereas a multiple patch surface can have many laterals and longitudinals.

  

  Note: The Single patch option is generally better for internal smoothness and the Multi-patch option for tangent continuous fill-ins. The Multi-patch option is usually quicker and fits the wireframe more accurately than the Single patch option.
• Degree of surface for the fitting — Change the degree of the new surface. The value depends on your selected objects and what you want the resulting surface to look like. For high values, the surface:
  • is flexible;
  • fits the selected objects more accurately;
  • may have ripples.

  For low values, the surface:

  • is more rigid;
  • flatter;
  • may not fit the selected objects accurately.
• Insert extra curves into a single patch — If the surface is a trimmed plane or a single patch, inserts a lateral and a longitudinal at the mid-points of the bounding curves.
  Note: You must select the Draw continuous interior laterals on NURBS option on the Surface page of the Options dialog to see the interior laterals and longitudinals on a NURB surface.
• Preview — Displays the surface created using the current settings in the dialog. You may continue to change the settings in the dialog until you are satisfied with the previewed surface.
• Apply — Saves the surface. The dialog remains on the screen for you to select more objects and continue creating surfaces.