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Instant3D - Creating and Modifying Features

Instant3D lets you drag geometry and dimension manipulators to create and modify features. To create features, you must exit Edit Sketch mode.

Instant3D is enabled by default. To toggle Instant3D mode, click Instant3D (Features toolbar).

Creating Features

To create features using Instant3D:

  1. Create a sketch from which to create a boss cut or boss extrude, then exit sketch mode.

  2. Select a sketch contour in the graphics area.

A drag handle appears.

  1. Move the pointer to drag the sketch contour.

A ruler appears and the sketch extrudes.

You can drag the pointer either way from the starting sketch plane. If you create a sketch on an existing feature's face, you create a boss or cut extrude depending on where you select the sketch contour. See Sketch Selection and Existing Geometry below.

  1. Click to create the feature.

An optional context toolbar allows you to add a draft or choose a cut extrude instead of a boss extrude and vice versa, if necessary.

Sketch Selection and Existing Geometry

When you drag the sketch contour into existing geometry, the sketch contour topology and where you select the contour determine the default type of feature created

Selection Criteria

Default Feature Created

Example

A sketch contour contained on a face

Cut extrude

 

 

 

A sketch contour that does not touch a face

Boss extrude

 

 

 

A sketch contour that overhangs a face. Select the contour on an area that touches the face

Cut extrude

 

 

 

A sketch contour that overhangs a face. Select the contour on an area that does not touch the face

Boss extrude

 

 

 

If you select a sketch contour that does not touch a face and first drag it as a boss extrude, it remains a boss extrude even if you drag the contour into existing geometry.

Snapping

When you drag the handle, you can snap to a face or vertex to set the modified feature size.

To snap to a face:

  1. Select a face and drag the handle.

  2. Press and hold the Alt key, then move the pointer over the face to which to snap.

A dashed line connects the dragged face to the face you are snapping to.

  1. Release the mouse button.

Mid-plane

You can create features using the mid-plane. Press and hold the M key and move the pointer.

Modifying Features

Use the drag handle to modify faces and edges.

If an entity is not draggable, either the handle turns black or this icon appears when you try to drag it. The feature is either unsupported or constrained.

 

 

Use the triad's center to drag or copy entire features onto other faces.

  • Example of dragging a feature onto other faces.

  • Press and hold the Ctrl key while dragging to copy the feature.

 

 

Ctrl+drag a fillet to copy it to another edge.

 

 

 

Single-click a dimension to enter Quick Edit mode where you can type in a value. Double-click to use the standard dialogs and PropertyManagers.

Configurations. In Quick Edit mode, the modified value affects the active configuration only. To choose which configurations to modify, use the standard dialog boxes and PropertyManagers.

 

 

For assemblies, you can edit components within the assembly, or edit assembly-level sketches, assembly features, and mate dimensions.

Features Supported

You can modify these features:

 

 

 

  • Extruded boss/base

  • Extruded cut

  • You can drag an extruded boss in one direction to increase the boss, or in the opposite direction to create a cut extrude.

 

 

  • Fillet

 

 

  • Simple Hole

 

 

  • Move Face. Offset and Translate. Drag the dimension or arrow.

 

 

  • Move Face. Rotate - Drag the angle dimension.

 

 

 

 

  • Revolve. You can drag to modify the length of defining sketch lines.

You can also drag to modify the angle.

 

 

  • Shell



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