Bridging Curve

With at least two sketch points or vertices in the graphic area:

1. Click .

   

2. Select one of the following to act as the Start:
   • A point or vertex, and optionally a face.
   • An existing Mate connector. If one does not exist, click the Mate connector icon to create a new implicit Mate connector.
3. Select one of the following to act as the End:
   • A point or vertex, and optionally a face.
   • An existing Mate connector. If one does not exist, click the Mate connector icon to create a new implicit Mate connector.

1. For each point or vertex (Start and End), select a continuity definition:
   1. Match tangent - The curve will end at the vertex and be tangent to the edge or face
   2. Match position - The curve will end at the vertex
   3. Match curvature - The curve will match the curvature of the guide curve or face in addition to the tangency

      Onshape remembers the selection for the continuity definition and opens the dialog with the last selected option in subsequent operations.

2. Select a method to adjust the bridging curve:
   1. Magnitude/bias - When Match tangent is selected for at least one vertex or point, you have the option to specify a Magnitude, any positive number (defaults to 1), to further define the shape of the curve. Magnitude is a scaling factor applied to Onshape's default calculation. The closer you get to zero the straighter the line. The larger the Magnitude the faster the curve 'shoots out of' the selected point or vertex.

      When Match tangent is selected for two or more vertices or points, you have the option to specify a Bias value between 1.000e-4 and 0.999. This weights the tangency toward one side of the curve or the other. A value of 0.5 weights the tangency equally. This determines whether the curve 'shoots out more' from one side (closer to 0) or the other side (closer to 1).

   2. Control points - Check Edit control points, and adjust the points numerically via the dialog, or directly using the arrows in the graphics area.
      1. With Match tangent selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points
      2. With Match curvature selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points, in addition to the end curvature offset
3. Edit control points - (Available only with Control points.) Check this option to control the Start magnitude, Start curvature offset, and End curvature offset:

   

   Before checking Edit control points, above

   

   After checking Edit control points, above, adjust each setting in the dialog or by dragging the manipulator arrows on the model

4. Edit edge positions - Check this option to control where to locate the Start edge position and End edge position:

   

   Edit edge position selected, above

   

   Start edge position and End edge position modified, above

5. Edit tangency angles - Check this option to adjust the Start angle and the End angle:

   

   Before Edit tangency angles is selected, above

   

   Edit tangency angles selected, above, notice the manipulator (in the orange circle) by which you can tweak the Start and End angles, or you can enter angle measurements in the dialog

6. Click to accept.

In addition to entering a numeric value for Magnitude you can drag the arrow to adjust the Magnitude of the curve as shown below on the left corner of the new curve:

In addition to entering a numeric value for Bias you can drag the circle to adjust the Bias of the curve as shown below, affecting the left side of the curve:

• You cannot show/hide the feature associated with a Curve; use the show/hide functionality in the Parts list instead.

• If you have chosen Match position then you do not need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex for one of the lists and there is only one edge coming out of the vertex then you do not need to select the edge.
• If you select a vertex and more than one edge comes out of it then you need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex and an edge then the vertex must be at one end of the edge (but doesn't have to be a vertex of the edge, just in the same place).
• You may also select an edge but no vertex. If you do that, Onshape will try to work out which vertex you mean based on the selection(s) for the other side. Override Onshape by selecting an edge.

With at least two sketch points or vertices in the graphic area:

1. Tap the Bridging curve tool.

   

   

2. Select a point or vertex to act as the Start. (Optionally, tap the Mate connector icon to select or create inferred mate connectors.)
3. Select a point or vertex to act as the End. (Optionally, tap the Mate connector icon to select or create inferred mate connectors.)
4. Choose either:
   1. Match tangent - The curve will end at the vertex and be tangent to the edge
   2. Match position - The curve will end at the vertex

   3. Match curvature - The curve will match the curvature of the guide curve in addition to the tangency

5. Select a method to adjust the bridging curve:
   1. Magnitude/bias - Any positive magnitude number (Defaults to 1.) - A scaling factor applied to Onshape's default calculation. The closer you get to zero the straighter the line. The larger the magnitude the faster the curve 'shoots out of' the selected edge.

      Specify a Bias between 1.000e-4 and 0.999 - Determines whether the curve 'shoots out more' from one side (closer to 0) or the other side (closer to 1).

   2. Control points - Switch Edit control points on, and adjust the points numerically via the dialog, or directly using the arrows in the graphics area.
      1. With Match tangent selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points
      2. With Match curvature selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points, in addition to the start and/or end offset
6. Edit control points - (Available only with Control points.) Check this option to control the Start magnitude, Start curvature offset, and End curvature offset:

   

   After checking Edit control points, above, adjust each setting in the dialog or by dragging the manipulator arrows on the model

7. Edit edge positions - Check this option to control where to locate the Start edge position and End edge position:

   

   Start edge position and End edge position modified, above

8. Edit tangency angles - Check this option to adjust the Start angle and the End angle:

   

   Edit tangency angles selected, above, notice the manipulator (in the orange circle) by which you can tweak the Start and End angles, or you can enter angle measurements in the dialog

9. Tap the checkmark.

You can not show/hide the feature associated with a Curve; use the show/hide functionality in the Parts list instead.

• If you have chosen Match position then you do not need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex for one of the lists and there is only one edge coming out of the vertex then you do not need to select the edge.
• If you select a vertex and more than one edge comes out of it then you need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex and an edge then the vertex must be at one end of the edge (but doesn't have to be a vertex of the edge, just in the same place).
• You may also select an edge but no vertex. If you do that, Onshape will try to work out which vertex you mean based on the selection(s) for the other side. Override Onshape by selecting an edge.

With at least two sketch points or vertices in the graphic area:

1. Tap the Bridging curve tool.

   

   

2. Select a point or vertex to act as the First side.
3. Select a point or vertex to act as the Second side.
4. Choose either:
   1. Match tangent - The curve will end at the vertex and be tangent to the edge
   2. Match position - The curve will end at the vertex

   3. Match curvature - The curve will match the curvature of the guide curve in addition to the tangency

5. Select a method to adjust the bridging curve:
   1. Magnitude/bias - Any positive magnitude number (Defaults to 1.) - A scaling factor applied to Onshape's default calculation. The closer you get to zero the straighter the line. The larger the magnitude the faster the curve 'shoots out of' the selected edge.

      Specify a Bias between 1.000e-4 and 0.999 - Determines whether the curve 'shoots out more' from one side (closer to 0) or the other side (closer to 1).

   2. Control points - Switch Edit control points on, and adjust the points numerically via the dialog, or directly using the arrows in the graphics area.
      1. With Match tangent selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points
      2. With Match curvature selected, adjust the start and/or end magnitude of the control points, in addition to the start and/or end offset
6. Edit control points - (Available only with Control points.) Check this option to control the Start magnitude, Start curvature offset, and End curvature offset:

   

   After checking Edit control points, above, adjust each setting in the dialog or by dragging the manipulator arrows on the model

7. Edit edge positions - Check this option to control where to locate the Start edge position and End edge position:

   

   Start edge position and End edge position modified, above

8. Edit tangency angles - Check this option to adjust the Start angle and the End angle:

   

   Edit tangency angles selected, above, notice the manipulator (in the orange circle) by which you can tweak the Start and End angles, or you can enter angle measurements in the dialog

9. Tap the checkmark.

You can not show/hide the feature associated with a Curve; use the show/hide functionality in the Parts list instead.

• If you have chosen Match position then you do not need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex for one of the lists and there is only one edge coming out of the vertex then you do not need to select the edge.
• If you select a vertex and more than one edge comes out of it then you need to select an edge.
• If you select a vertex and an edge then the vertex must be at one end of the edge (but doesn't have to be a vertex of the edge, just in the same place).
• You may also select an edge but no vertex. If you do that, Onshape will try to work out which vertex you mean based on the selection(s) for the other side. Override Onshape by selecting an edge.