Surfacing
Create complex parametric surfaces that surpass the most critical standards.
What is Surfacing?
Surfacing refers to the creation of external surfaces of a design. It is a technique employed to design complex, organic shapes that are often difficult to create using standard solid modeling techniques alone.
Surfacing is just as much an art as it is engineering so the last thing a surfacing maestro wants is to be restricted by their tools. That’s why Onshape delivers all the familiar tools like boundary surface, loft, and ruled surface, and even some you didn’t realize you needed!
With Onshape's branch and merge, unlimited undo, and simultaneous collaboration, designers can freely explore more design iterations without fear of disrupting their workflows. The end result is a conflict-free environment where the best ideas will flourish.
Key Features
Explore Freely
Onshape’s unique cloud-native architecture allows unrivaled design exploration without creating multiple copies of files. This removes all file management hassles related to duplication, while the built-in PDM means check-in and check-out protocols are not needed. Work smarter, work faster, and explore freely with Onshape.
Lofts, Boundary Surfaces, Face Blends
When creating complex parametric surfaces, the most crucial piece of the puzzle is choosing the right tool for the job. Onshape provides its users a powerful – and ever-growing – selection of surfacing tools. This includes vetted favorites such as lofts, boundary surfaces, face blends, and many more.
Surface Analyses
While modeling complex surface geometry, it’s important to continually evaluate the quality of the surfaces. With Onshape, you can take advantage of a variety of surface analyses to suit changing requirements. Options include curvature continuity, zebra stripes, and surface continuity. Using these analyses, you can be assured that your design will satisfy the most demanding requirements.
G0, G1, G2?
As you go deeper into the surfacing world, the idea of “curvature continuity” – how surfaces blend into each other – takes on greater importance. Curvature continuity is a critical component of industrial design, because it helps make products more attractive, efficient, and durable. Onshape’s powerful surfacing analysis tools help you more easily monitor the curvatures of your product design.
Hone your surfacing techniques with these 10 tips!
Surfacing methodologies can be challenging for even the best designers. Follow these best practices to achieve better results.
Explore More
Arm yourself with more knowledge to better improve surfacing workflows.