Section orientation behaviour

A swept feature has an infinite number of sections created along the length of the trajectory, these sections either remain identical for a constant section sweep or are constantly varying for a variable section sweep when multiple trajectories are chosen.

The orientation of these sections at any point along the trajectory is also constantly changing….or not!  The section orientation is either; relative to the trajectory, or; relative the model environment.

 

Three main options 

Through the Reference tab > Section Plane Control the sketchplane can be set to be;

  • Normal to the Origin Trajectory (default)
  • Normal to a selected planar surface or datum plane – choose something approximately parallel to the trajectory
  • Parallel to a selected planar surface or datum plane – choose something approximately normal to the trajectory

 

Sketchplane

The sketch plane must intersect all trajectories and therefore may not be set on the end point of the Origin Trajectory.  The resultant solid cannot extent beyond the selected trajectories and therefore the trajectories need to be carefully considered in terms of the section orientation control.