SpaceClaim Online Help

Curve tables

CurveIn 3D, any line in space. Tables contain information about selected curves. They apply to:

• Sketched curves
• Turn ProfileLine in space; outline of an object; used to describe objects when sweeping or blending. curves
• Deburring curves

The image below is an example of Turn Profile curves.

Curve tables are similar to Hole Tables.

• They require an origin
• Are stored with the model
• Are shown in the Structure Tree

The following information is included in the table.

• Curve Type: LineA straight line, arc, or spline drawn in Sketch mode or on a layout plane. Lines have length but no area. When you pull a sketch into 3D with the Pull tool, lines become edges. or ArcCurved line of constant radius; part of a circle. See Sweep arc, Three point arc, Tangent arc.
• Start: The starting point of a curve
• End: The end point of a curve
• Center: The center point of arcs
• Rotation: The rotation direction (CW or CCW)

To create a curve table

1. Open the DetailAspects of a design incorporated to communicate with others or submit the design for review. Use the tools on the Detailing tab to annotate designs, create drawing sheets, and review design changes. You can customize detailing settings to conform to standards or create your own custom style. tab.
2. Click Curve Table in the AnnotationInformation you can add to a drawing, such as notes, dimensions, geometric tolerances, center marks, and Bills of Materials. group.
3. Choose the Table Type in the Options PanelSections of the user interface that initially appear along the left side of the application window and include: Structure panel, Layers panel, Selection panel, Groups panel, Options panel, and Properties panel. You can dock and detach these panels..
   • Interactive: The curve information in the table updates when the curves are changed. An example is shown above.
   • Snapshot: Creates a table of curve points that does not update when the curves change. Snapshot tables are described in a later section.
4. Select an OriginZero point in coordinate system. You can insert an origin at any location in your design where you can anchor the Move tool, enabling you to dimension from the origin or quickly move the sketch grid to the origin. You can also insert an origin at a solid's center of mass or volume. for locating the curves.
5. Select one or more curves to include in the table.

   Box-selection is available.

6. Click Complete.
7. Place the table.

   If all the curves are in the same plane, that plane is used for placement by default. If the curves are in multiple planes, drag the cursor over the model to highlight planes and select one.

Manufacturing-focused curve tables

Manufacturing-focused tables are created for Turn Profile curves. They contain information that is useful for programming the turning machine.

When working with Turn Profile curves, make sure you Alt-select an origin when you create the Turn Profile. This ensures that the curves are in-plane and will generate rotations properly for Manufacturing-Focused Tables.

The following information is included in the table.

• Curve Type: Line or Arc
• Start: The starting point of a curve
• End: The end point of a curve
• Center: The center point of arcs if I, J, K values is used.
• Radius: If I, J, K values are not used.
• Code: The rotation direction in machine code
  • G02 = CW
  • G03 = CCW
• Feedrate: Feedrate is not generated automatically. It is an editable field where you can enter a machine feedrate.

To create a curve table for manufacturing

1. Open the Detail tab.
2. Click Curve Table in the Annotation group.
3. Click Interactive in the Options panelArea of the user interface that enables you to modify functions specific to tools. to enable the manufacturing options.
4. Check the Create table for manufacturing option.
   • Check the Use diameters about axis option and choose a Turning AxisStraight line that an object rotates around or that objects are regularly arranged around. See Alignment axis. if you want to list arc radius in the table.
   • Check Use IJK values for radius centers if you want to list arc Center in the table.
     • Check Absolute IJK if you want to measure arc centers from the machine origin, which you select in the next step.
     • Uncheck Absolute IJK if you want to measure arc centers relative to the arc start point.
     • I, J, and K are defined as follows:
       • I - The distance with direction measured from the start point to the center of the arc parallel to the X-axis
       • J - The distance with direction measured from the start point to the center of the arc parallel to the Y-axis
       • K - The distance with direction measured from the start point to the center of the arc parallel to the Z-axis
5. Select an Origin for locating the curves.
6. Select one or more curves to include in the table.

   Box-selection is available.

7. Click Complete.
8. Place the table.

   If all the curves are in the same plane, that plane is used for placement by default. If the curves are in multiple planes, drag the cursor over the model to highlight planes and select one.

The image below shows a Curve Table using I, J, K values.

Snapshot curve tables

A Snapshot table breaks a 3D curve or curves into straight line segments and reports the endpoints of the segments. An example is shown below.

To create a Snapshot curve table

1. Open the Detail tab.
2. Click Curve Table in the Annotation group.
3. Choose Snapshot in the Options panel.
4. Set a Maximum Deviation. this is the distance from the straight line segment of the curve to the actual curve in areas of curvature. Its analogous to the deviation used for creating 3D triangles in STL conversion.
5. Select an Origin for locating the curves.
6. Select one or more curves to include in the table.

   Box-selection is available.

7. Click Complete.
8. Place the table.

   If all the curves are in the same plane, that plane is used for placement by default. If the curves are in multiple planes, drag the cursor over the model to highlight planes and select one.

Curve Ordering

The default ordering scheme comes from manufacturing turning operations, where the workpiece is set up as shown in the image above. The Z-axis is aligned with the turning axis and the tool bit moves from the most positive Z location to the most negative Z location. The start and end points in curve chains begin at the largest positive Z value and move toward lesser Z values.

The default ordering scheme is used when you box-select the curves.

Individually selected curves (using the Ctrl key), or curves selected by range (select the start curve then Shift-select the end curve), are ordered in their selection order.

Randomly selected curves, that were selected without curve order in mind, will be ordered using the default scheme.

Working with Curve tables

• Pre-selecting a curve in the Graphics Window highlights the curve's row in the table.
• Selecting a Curve Table displays handles for modifying the table size and orientation.
  • Use the pull handles on the table to size as needed.
  • Use the round handle at the top of the table to rotate the table.
• If you make changes to the curves, the Curve Table updates accordingly.
• Select the table and use the RMB to Save Table As a Web (.htm, .html), XML file, or CSV file.

• When you change the size of a hole, the values in the table update, and the table re-orders and re-classifies the holes and rows of the table.

• To remove a table, select the table, right-mouse click, and select Cut, or press the Delete key.