topic Re: N-sided surfaces in 3D Part & Assembly Design

N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 03 May 2018 02:51:51 GMT

Hi all, does anyone else agree with me that the N-sided surface feature is a little gem that deserves more respect? It is buried so deep in the software that most new users as well as more experienced users don't even realise it exists. I am finding more & more instances where

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 12:15:51 GMT

Ok so you sparked my interest. Were is this located? Are you speaking of the sketcher pallet use for 2D sketching and doing a fill surface?

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 12:30:26 GMT

Hi Ron, the only way i know to access the the feature is through the 'command search', see the image below. I have customized my UI, creating a new tab called 'advanced surface features'. I have added the feature to this tab so i can access it without having to search for it each time (see bottom image).

Regards

John

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:20:58 GMT

Not in my search .

I set my config to allow_anatomic_features to yes and this still does not show up. But now that you mention it there were some other things under that menu that are no longer there. I use to use freeform (or something like that) to push pull and twist surfaces with node points. What version creo are you using? Mine is Creo 3 M090.

Re: N-sided surfaces

StephenW — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:26:35 GMT

Just out of curiosity, I tested it on Creo 3 M070.

Maybe it's an option only for an add on license?? I have a proe_engineer III license.

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:37:19 GMT

Strange!! I forgot to mention the config option, but you seem to have figured that much out. I am using Creo 3 M100 & have Creo 4 installed too. I have been using Creo 4 a little just recently, i just tried the command search there & it found it no problem. I just read what Stephen wrote, i only have a standard Creo license, no bells & whistles here. I do have a couple of add ons, but rarely use them, advanced assembly set & tool design set.

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:40:35 GMT

I have same PROE_Engineer III. I also have advanced surfacing. I did find Radius Dome, Local Push and Section Dome as part of the anatomical feature set. Local push is what I was looking for in my previous post where I called it freeform.

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:45:46 GMT

Apparently i have a proe_foundationadv license, i wonder if that makes a difference? That would be a shame!

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:49:06 GMT

It must be that, we have different licenses. Penny pinching ptc!!! That is a shame.

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:54:43 GMT

I definitely do not have a cheap seat there must be something else. Those Free Form items are not in my search either. Here is my complete module list.

Re: N-sided surfaces

StephenW — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:57:01 GMT

AHHH, found it...add the option ENABLE_OBSOLETED_FEATURES YES to your config.

Re: N-sided surfaces

TomU — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 06:39:50 GMT

It looks like it's in the base license (all versions of Creo), but there are several steps required to access it. Take a look at these two articles:

Help Documentation: Creo Parametric Help Center

Hear is a product idea requesting this get put back in the ribbon by default:

Creo Parametric 3.0 - Conic Surface and N-sided Patch

Re: N-sided surfaces

KenFarley — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 13:59:04 GMT

I just checked and I, too see the N-Sided Patch. We also have a PROE_FoundationAdv license, which, if I remember correctly, is advanced surfacing? Funny thing is, when I check which licenses are in use (Command window, command "ptcstatus") it doesn't show that license being in use, so how can the additional functionality by available? Odd.

P.S. I'm on Creo 2.0 M240.

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:03:30 GMT

I added every module available to me and still not there. This is bizarre stuff.

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:04:01 GMT

You have all the options i do & many more besides, weird!

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:08:33 GMT

That did it I enabled the obsolete features in my config and now I have those things.

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:25:15 GMT

I have that option too, did not spot it, I did not even realize I had it, but I have had Creo 3 running for ages now, I must have added it at some point, just don't remember. Just checked my Creo elements pro-5 config & that option does not appear there. Looks like this is a relatively new option. Anyway, now you have it working. Give it a go, it is very fiddly to use, but once you get the hang of it, worth the effort. Good luck.

Re: N-sided surfaces

StephenW — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:28:18 GMT

So the next question should be...

Why is it obsolete?

And since it's obsolete, will it be removed?

And, if so, is it worth spending time learning something that is going away in the near future?

Re: N-sided surfaces

John.Pryal — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:46:08 GMT

I certainly hope not. I have used this feature for years where circumstances allowed & just recently discovered a new use for it which will mean me using it even more. I don't understand the mentality of Ptc, this is a great feature that produces a nice surface, i don't understand why it is not a main steam feature like Boundary Blend or Sweep. There must be 1000's of examples where people have more than 4 sided boundary surfaces. I have used this feature with 6 sided surfaces to great effect. Like i said in my original post it should be nurtured & enhanced & respected. It is every bit as good as Boundary Blend, albeit fiddly to use but that could be fixed if it were developed & bought in line with the rest of the UI.

Re: N-sided surfaces

rrich-2 — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 14:51:35 GMT

I just played with it and yes this could be very useful. Especially when dealing with a poor part import, or a file that will not STL without errors and you need to do a little cutting and filling to make it work. But for now I am glad it is there.