A rib is a relatively thin flat member that acts as a brace support. It is also referred to as a web. The rib function allows the user to place such a support between two intersecting surfaces. A line profile has been created on a work plane that exists midway through the object. We used the rib function to turn this line profile into a .125 inch support web between the two perpendicular surfaces.
. The rectangular pattern function allows the user to make copies of an existing feature in one direction, or two directions simultaneously. Existing edges or the axes of the Cartesian coordinate grid must be selected to identify the desired direction(s). We used the rectangular pattern to copy the existing cylindrical extrusion six times in the horizontal direction and four times in the vertical direction.
Some patterned features follow contoured paths. We used the rectangular pattern function to copy the existing rectangular extrusions 13 times along the curved path of the base feature.
. The sweep function allows the user to extrude a closed profile along a path. The path may be open or closed. The profile and the path must exist as two separate sketches. We used the sweep function to extrude the circle along the existing path to create the form of a paper clip.
. The mid-plane extrusion function will joined, cuted, or intersected the selected sketch and it had equal distances in both directions from the selected profile. We performed a 1 inch midplane extrusion on the sketch.
The shell function allows the user to remove unnecessary mass from a feature. The resulting geometry will have a wall thickness that is specified by the user. We rotated the object so that its underside is visible. We used the shell function to pocket out the material on the bottom side of the object, leaving a wall thickness of .3125 inch.
The loft function allows the user to create a solid or surface by blending two or more shapes that are located on different planes. We used the loft function to blend the three profiles into one solid object.
