Deform - Point Options

The Point deformation is based on a point and its pull direction vector. See Deform - Point Examples for more point deformation examples.

Deform Point

• Deform Point . To set the center of deformation, select a point on a face, an edge,  a vertex, or a point in space.

• Deform direction. Choose a deform direction by selecting a linear edge, sketch line, planar face, plane, or two points or vertices.

• If you select a linear edge or line, the direction is parallel to edge or line.

• if you select a plane or planar face, the direction is normal to the plane or face

• If you select two points or vertices, the direction follows the first to second point or vertex.

• Any combination of deform points and directions may be used.

• If necessary, click Reverse deform direction .

When the deform point is on a face, edge, or vertex, the default direction is as follows:

• Point on Face. The Deform direction is normal to the face at the selected point. If you select another point, the deform updates to the selected point. Point-on-face selection is useful for quick design changes and adding localized features that do not require exact locations for the deformation.

Example of point on face.

• Point on edge. The Deform direction is an average of the normals between the two adjacent faces at the selected edge point. The location of the point on the edge determines the center of the deformation. Point-on-edge selection is useful for creating more precise and predictable design changes compared to point-on-face selection.

 Example of point on edge.

• Vertex.  The Deform direction is an average of the face normals sharing the selected vertex. The deformation is centered on the selected vertex.

Example of point on vertex.

• Point in space.  When you select a point in space, there is no deform direction, so you must specify one by selecting two points or vertices, a linear edge or sketch line, or a planar face or plane. Point-in-space selection allows precise control of the point and deform direction and is useful when more control is needed for point deformations.

Example of point in space.

• Deform distance .  Specifies the distance of deformation (point displacement).

• Show preview. Previews results using wire frame (cleared) or shaded (selected) views. To improve performance with large and complex models, do not select this option until you have made all your selections.

Deform Region

This section allows you to alter the shape by specifying a radius of deformation, a deform region, and additional bodies to deform.

You can use the options Fixed curves/edges/faces , Bodies to be deformed , and Additional faces to be deformed in any combination, dependent on the geometry of the model and the desired results. If the selected options conflict, the last entity selected overrides any previous, contradictory selected entity. For example, if you first specified a face to deform and then specified the same face as fixed, the face would be fixed.

• Deform radius . Changes a spherical radius value that passes through the point of deformation.

Selecting Deform region does not affect the Deform radius value.

of how Deform distance and Deform radius affect the model with point deform

• Deform region. Enables the Fixed curves/edges/faces and Additional faces to be deformed options.

using a point on face with Deform region

• Fixed curves/edges/faces . Prevents the selected curves, edges, and faces from deforming and moving. With closed contours, deformation behavior depends on the following:

• If the deform point (center of the deformation) is within the closed contour (contiguous set of fixed edges), the deformation is confined to the area within the contour.

• If the deform point is outside the closed contour, no point inside the contour area is deformed.

using Fixed curves/edges/faces

deform point inside and outside of a closed contour.

• Additional faces to be deformed . Allows you to select more than one face on the model to deform.

of selecting Additional faces to be deformed

• Bodies to be deformed . Allows you to select multiple bodies or to select a body when a point-in-space selection is used. Bodies to be deformed is useful when you need to change multiple bodies in one part file.

example of multibody deformation. There are four initial bodies to deform. One body is selected with a point in space. Then four bodies are selected to deform.

Shape Options

You control the shape of point deformations by modifying the degree of Stiffness, specifying a Deform axis , and modifying the Shape accuracy .

• Deform axis (available when Deform region is cleared). Controls the shape of the deformation by creating a bending axis parallel to a linear edge or sketch line, normal to a plane or planar face, or following two points or vertices. This option creates a bending-type deformation using the Deform radius value, although not an exact bending. For exact bending, see the flex feature.

of deform axis

You control the shape of point deformations by modifying the degree of Stiffness, specifying a Deform axis, and modifying the Shape accuracy .

• Stiffness. Controls the rigidity of the deform shape in the deformation process. You can combine the stiffness level with other controls, such as Deform axis . There are three levels of stiffness:

• Stiffness - minimum . Least amount of rigidity.

• Stiffness - medium . Medium amount of rigidity.

• Stiffness - maximum . Largest amount of rigidity.

of shape stiffness levels

• Shape accuracy . Controls the surface quality. The default quality can be inadequate in high curvature areas. When you increase the accuracy by moving the slider to the right, you can increase the success rate of the deform feature. Move the slider only as needed because increasing surface accuracy decreases performance.

Point deformation that affects a small area may not display if you are using the default image quality settings. To increase the quality, click Tools, Options, Document Properties, Image Quality. Move the Shaded and draft quality HLR/HLV resolution slider to the right, or select Optimize edge length.

• Maintain boundary (available when Deform region is selected). Ensures that boundaries selected for Fixed curves/edges/faces are fixed. Clear Maintain boundary to change the deform region, modify fixed edges, or allow the boundaries to move.

• Additional faces only (available when Deform region is selected and Maintain boundary is cleared). Makes the deform affect only those faces selected for Additional faces to be deformed .

of Additional faces only with Maintain boundary selected or cleared