Mastering SolidWorks®: The Design Approach, Second Edition

Chapter 9. Surfaces

9.1 Introduction

Even with the modeling power that the features and curves provide, they are still incapable of handling all the modeling problems and scenarios we encounter. Consider, for example, modeling an intricate computer mouse, a table spoon, a hair dryer, a shoe, or a sports car body. This class of objects, called free-form parts, is characterized by having free-form surfaces of intricate shapes. Surfaces, then, are the best modeling technique to use to create the solid models of these parts.

Surfaces build on curves, from both the theory and the modeling aspects. Creating surfaces requires the creation of curves first, as illustrated in the tutorials of this chapter. We view surfaces as extensions of curves. Surface ...