Mastering SolidWorks: The Design Approach, 3rd Edition

Chapter 9

Surfaces

9.1 Introduction

Even with the modeling power that features and curves provide, they are still insufficient for all modeling problems and scenarios. Consider, for example, what it would take to model an intricate computer mouse, a spoon, a hair dryer, a shoe, or a sports car body. This class of objects, called free-form parts, is characterized by free-form surfaces of intricate shapes. Using surfaces is the best technique to use to create these solid models.

Surfaces build on curves, in terms of both theory and modeling. Creating surfaces requires the creation of curves first, as illustrated in the tutorials in this chapter. Surfaces are extensions of curves. Surface equations, as discussed in this chapter, extend the parametric ...