N-sided surfaces

[John.Pryal]

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 this feature can be used & it produces some truly outstanding surfaces. It is such a shame that it is hidden from view, that it is not readily accessible in the UI like other features such as Boundary Blend or Sweep. It is also a shame that PTC cannot bring this feature into the 21st century as they have done with other features, bring the UI in line with the rest of the software, give it a face lift as it were. It would be great if they could enhance the feature too. To be able to change the resultant surface a little by being able to move the central point where all surfaces converge would be awesome. Come on PTC, breath some life into this wonderful feature, give it the respect it deserves, don't continue to hide it away, let new users experience the many uses for this feature, I don't think they would be disappointed.

Regards

John

[rrich-2]

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?

[John.Pryal]

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

[rrich-2]

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.

[StephenW]

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.

[rrich-2]

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.

[John.Pryal]

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.

[John.Pryal]

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

[John.Pryal]

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

[rrich-2]

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.

[rrich-2]

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

[John.Pryal]

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

[TomU]

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:

• https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS180185
• https://support.ptc.com/appserver/cs/view/solution.jsp?n=CS34894

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

[KenFarley]

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.

[dhebel]

enable_obsoleted_features

[Patriot_1776]

StephenWilliams beat you to it on page 2.  😉

[StephenW]

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

[rrich-2]

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

[John.Pryal]

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.

[StephenW]

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?

[John.Pryal]

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. 

[rrich-2]

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. 

[bbrejcha]

There is a similar feature withing Creo Style or ISDX.  I often share that functionality while teaching Style or for that mater even Creo Surfacing in my classes however It is far better to complete your geometry with four part boundaries and that N-Agon type tools completes your four part boundary for you.  I suggest being more specific and dedicate preciously how you break the boundaries up.

Bart Brejcha

Design-engine.com

[BHOoi]

Hi, Bart Brejcha.

I only realized style surface has this capability very recently. I would like to learn more but i failed to find any documentation on this. Could you please help me out? Many thanks in advance

[bbrejcha]

send me your model bart@designengine.com

Bart Brejcha

Design-engine.com

[BHOoi]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

I am actually looking for the documentation of style surface built with > 4 edges. I don't see any explanation on this on the user guide. 

[BHOoi]

I fount this in help, but never mention about > 4 edges.

[Patriot_1776]

Hey John.  I have known about the N-sided mesh since, what, v15?  But I made my first one maybe 2 years ago using creo elements/Pro 5.0 (I think it was), THE worst version of Pro/E, EVAR.  But, thought the menu is clunky, and it's non-intuitive and pretty difficult to set the boundary conditions (doesn't highlight them for cr@p, one you do it, it works wonders.  I've actually been playing with it a lot lately.  It does things boundary blends simply cannot do, and it does them in one shot with the best overall surface possible.  If you tried doing it with B/B's, you'd have to try and do one surface, then trim that one, make another one, etc.  AND, worse, the first surface determines how the entire patch comes out, which isn't anywhere as smooooth as a single patch taking ALL the edges and boundary conditions into consideration at once.  I've given up on B/B's for anything like this.  Besides the clunky menus AND the fact that PTC now does it's best to hide one of their most amazing features, the only minor downside is you can assign tangent boundary conditions, but not curvature continuous.  Although, the tangent works well enough not to really matter.  For those that insist on C2 that don't actually matter in the real world in 99% of cases, well, either use a different freeform modeler, or simply tell the toolmaker for your IM parts to polish the molds to C2....which if you'e dilligent about your actual real world parts, you would do anyways.  For the model, all you have to do is get close, and the final product is determined by the tool, not your "perfect" CAD model anyway.  In short, the N-Sided mesh is more than good enough for me.  Why oh why, PTC, did you do your best to hide, instead of enhance, one of your absolute BEST features?  WTH?????

[John.Pryal]

My sentiments exactly.

Best regards

John