Bevel

The Surface->Bevel command in the Model module allows you to extrude curves or faces with user-defined bevels. Simply model the curve or face to extrude, such as an alphabetic letter, and the profile of the desired bevel. The effect automatically generates clean bevels with no crossed polygons.

There is one tutorial scene for the Bevel effect called Bevel-Letter in the SI_EFFECTS_2 database. You can load the scene, then follow the steps outlined in the Bevel procedure below to create the custom effect. There is also a scene called Letter in the SI_EFFECTS_2 database that is available for this effect, but there is no tutorial for it.

The Path->AnimatedBevel command in the Motion module is the animated version of this effect, and the Surface->HrcBevel and Path->HrcAnimatedBevel effects are the hierarchy versions.

Procedure

1. Create the outline curve or face and the bevel guide curve.
   
   Draw the bevel guide in the xy plane, near the origin. The y value is interpreted at various points as the width of the bevel, and the x values are interpreted as the depth parameters for the extrusion.
   
   The extrusion always takes place perpendicular to the plane of the outline curve.
   
   If you are bevelling a complex face or curve, the bevel guide curve should be smaller than the outline or else the polygons of the extruded model become crossed, producing incorrect results.
   
2. Position the outline curve or face, and the bevel guide.
3. Choose the Surface->Bevel command.
   
   The Bevel dialogue box is displayed.
   
4. Set the parameters as desired.
5. Pick the outline curve or face, then pick the bevel guide.
   
   The bevelled model is created.
   

Parameters

Linearization Step Sizes

• Spline sets the step size used to convert the outline curve (spline) or individual curves in the hierarchy.
• Guide sets the step size used to convert the bevel guide.

Capping

The front and back faces of the result are capped.

Thorough Checking

If you are using complex curves that are not providing the expected results, select this option to compute the geometry more thoroughly. The computation, however, takes longer.

Last updated 02-apr-1998