Tangential Line Chain to Spline

General

• This function can be used when you are aiming for a continuous chain of lines that can be used to control the movement (kinematics) of a part in an assembly along the desired track.
  • When a point of a part in an assembly is assigned a coincidence constraint to a line of another part (segment, circle or spline curve), then the part can be dragged, within the framework of other constraints affecting the part, along the line.
• The spline curve created in the 3D sketch has an identical constraint to the lines assigned to the curve.
  • In this case, you can modify the dimensions of the lines of the original line chain and the spline curve will follow the changes.
• If all the lines selected for the spline belong to the same tangential line chain, the lines form a single spline curve, and there is only one identical constraint. The number of the Identical constraints match the number of the created spline curves.
  • Note that in an assembly you can add a coincidence constraint between a point and only one spline curve.

Copy a tangential line chain to a spline

1. Select the function Part | Sketch | Create New 3D Sketch or
   • select the context-sensitive function New Sketch > 3D Sketch.
2. Select the function 3D sketch | Line Tools | Line Chain to Spline or
   • select the context-sensitive function Line > Line chain to spline.
3. Click the lines you want to be part of the spline curve.

   

4. Complete the selections with the Confirm function. (Confirm = V key, middle mouse button or the context-sensitive OK.)
   • Make sure that the identical constraint appears on the condition list.
   • You can also move the cursor over a line to highlight the spline curve.

     

5. To Confirm the 3D sketch, select 3D Sketch | Return | OK or
   • select the context-sensitive function OK.