DesignSpark Mechanical Online Help

Replacing faces

Use the  Replace tool in the Edit ribbon group on the Design2D or 3D model that contains at least one top-level component. tab to replace one face with another. You can replace multiple faces with a single face, replace a single face with multiple faces, or replace multiple faces with multiple other faces.

The Replace tool also lets you manually simplify or align complex faces and curves into planes, cones, and cylinders. (If you want to automate this process, use theSimplifytool in the Adjust group on the Repair tab to automatically find problem areas.)

To replace a face

1. Click the  Replace tool in the Edit ribbon group on the Design2D or 3D model that contains at least one top-level component. tab.

2. Select the face you want to replace (that is, the target

3. Select the face, surface, or plane you want to use to replace the target face (that is, the source

   You can select sources in the Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace. or in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components..

Do it faster

1. Click the target face and Alt+click the source face, surface, or plane with the Select tool.

2. Click the Replace tool to replace the target face with the source face.

To replace multiple targets

1. Click the Replace tool.

2. Click the TargetThe object you want to cut, when using the Combine tool to split a solid or surface. tool guide to make it sticky, then click each target face.

   Youcan also use any multiple-face selection method.

3. Select the source face, surface, or plane.>

   You can select a source in the Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace. or in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components..

To replace a target with multiple sources

1. Click the Replace tool.

2. Select the target face.

3. Click the Source tool guide to make it sticky, then click each source face, surface, or plane.

   You can select sources in the Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace. or in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components. and can also use any multiple-face selection method.

4. Click the Complete tool guide or press Enter to replace the target.

To replace multiple targets with multiple sources

1. Click the Replace tool.

2. Click the TargetThe object you want to cut, when using the Combine tool to split a solid or surface. tool guide, then click each target face.

   Youcan also use any multiple-face selection method.

3. Click the Source tool guide twice to make it sticky, then click each source face, surface, or plane.

   You can select sources in the Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace. or in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components. and can also use any multiple-face selection method.

4. Click the Complete tool guide or press Enter to replace the targets.

Examples

Replacing a target split face with a source surface

Replacing multiple target faces (the protrusion) with a single source face (the surface)

Replacing multiple target faces (in the depression) with multiple source faces (on the surface)

To align or simplify faces

1. Click the Replace tool.

2. Click the TargetThe object you want to cut, when using the Combine tool to split a solid or surface. tool guide, then click each face that you want to align or simplify.

   You can also use any multiple-face selection method.

   If the selected faces are candidates for alignment or simplification, they are highlighted in red. Faces can be aligned or simplified by the Replace tool if they are within DS Mechanical ’s alignment or simplification tolerance of ±0.0001m.

3. Click the Complete tool guide or press the Enter key to align or simplify the highlighted faces.

To simplify curves

1. Click the Replace tool.

2. Ctrl+click each curve that you want to simplify.

   If the selected curves are candidates for alignment or simplification, they are highlighted in red.

3. Click the Complete tool guide or press the Enter key to align or simplify the highlighted curves.

Example

Almost-planar faces highlighted for alignment

Faces highlighted for simplification

Tool guides