Thickening the Model

In this lesson, you repaired all faulty faces and gaps using the Import Diagnostics and fillet features. You can therefore thicken the model to turn it into a solid model.

Sometimes, healing the model fails to repair all import errors. In that case, you cannot form a solid model from the imported surfaces because they do not completely enclose a volume.

You can build the missing surfaces using surface tools, such as Fill Surface, Lofted Surface, or Planar Surface, and the 3D Sketch tool. Then use the Knit Surface tool to knit all the surfaces together and either select Try to form solid in the PropertyManager or run the Thicken command.

  1. Click Insert > Boss/Base > Thicken .
  2. Select any face of the model in the graphics area.
  3. In the PropertyManager, select Create solid from enclosed volume to turn the surface into a solid.
  4. Click .
    The Thicken body replaces the Surface Bodies folder.
Other tools exist to repair import errors:
  • Check Tools. Checks model geometry and identifies undesirable geometry in parts.
  • Heal Edges. Merges multiple edges into a single edge.

Congratulations! You have completed this tutorial.