Add depth to a surface. Create a new part or modify an existing one by giving thickness to a surface and converting it to a solid, adding or removing material from an existing part or surface, or intersecting parts in its path.

In the Feature toolbar:

Feature toolbar with Thicken feature icon highlighted

Add depth to a surface. Create a new part or modify an existing one by giving thickness to a surface and convert it to a solid, adding or removing material from an existing part or surface, or intersecting parts in its path.

The Thicken feature allows you to add depth to a sketch, part face, or surface.

Click the Thicken feature on the Feature toolbar. Select a sketch, part face, or surface in the graphics area.

If a part face is selected, the Thicken type switches to Add, to add it to the existing part. You can change the type to New to create a New part, Remove, to remove from the existing part (note the Direction arrow is automatically flipped), or Intersect to keep only the intersection of the thickness values and the existing part.

Optionally, check Mid plane, then specify a thickness value of material to be added or removed in the Thickness field. The thickness of the material is symmetric relative to the selected face or surface.

Alternatively, keep Mid plane unchecked and enter a value in the Thickness 1 field in the dialog. Add a Thickness 2 value to thicken in the opposite direction.

Click the checkmark to accept the Thicken feature.

It is not uncommon to start a sketch using a surface and then thickening that surface. Select all the surfaces to thicken. Then select your thickness options. If you do not want to keep the surface, leave Keep tools unchecked. A new part is created out of the thickened surface. Note that solid bodies and sketches are never deleted. Check Keep tools to keep the original surface in addition to the new part.

Click the checkmark to accept the Thicken feature.

  1. Click the Thicken icon ().

    Thicken dialog

  2. Select whether to:
    • New - Create a new solid
    • Add - Add to an existing solid
    • Remove - Subtract material from an existing part
    • Intersect - Keep only intersecting materials
  3. Select the part face (or surface) in the graphics area.
  4. Either:
    1. Check Mid plane, then:
      1. Specify a thickness value of material to be added or removed in the Thickness field. The thickness of the material is symmetric relative to the selected face or surface.
    2. Leave Mid plane unchecked, then:
      1. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the first direction (Thickness 1 field). Optionally, reverse the direction using the Opposite direction arrow icon ().
      2. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the opposite direction to Thickness 1 in the Thickness 2 field.

    5. When Mid plane is enabled, the value for Thickness is not the same as Thickness 1 or Thickness 2 when Mid plane is disabled. Values for these 3 fields are retained between enabling and disabling the Mid plane option.

  5. Optionally, check Keep tools to preserve the surfaces used by the Thicken tool. By default, when unchecked, the surfaces are deleted, and replaced by the newly created part. Solid bodies and/or sketches are never deleted,

  6. Optionally, specify a Merge Scope to indicate whether to incorporate the new material with all parts or a specific part, where appropriate.
  7. Click the Checkmark icon (Accept checkmark icon).

New - Create new material that results in a new part:

Example of creating new material that results in a new part

Add - Create material and add to the existing material:

Example of creating material and adding to the existing material

Take material away:

Thicken: remove, example

Leave material only where geometry overlaps:

Thicken: intersect, example

When adding material, you have the option to merge that material with other parts that touch or intersect its geometry:

  • If the geometry touches or intersects with only one part then that part is automatically added to the merge scope.
  • If multiple parts touch or intersect the geometry, then there is ambiguity and you must select which parts to merge with (the merge scope).
  • A shortcut to selecting multiple touching or intersecting parts, you are able to check Merge with all to add all touching or intersecting parts to the merge scope.

If the Boolean is set to Add, Remove, or Intersect and nothing is set in the merge scope, the feature will result in an error. For New, no merge scope is available since New does not boolean the result.

Add depth to a surface. Create a new part or modify an existing one by giving thickness to a surface and converting it to a solid, adding or removing material from an existing part or surface, or intersecting parts in its path.

  1. Tap Thicken tool.

    Thicken dialog

  2. Select a result body operation type:
    • New - Create a new solid.
    • Add - Add to an existing solid.
    • Remove - Subtract material from an existing part.
    • Intersect - Keep only intersecting materials.
  3. Select the part face (or surface) in the graphics area.
  4. Either:
    1. Toggle Mid plane on, then:
      1. Specify a thickness value of material to be added or removed in the Thickness field. The thickness of the material is symmetric relative to the selected face or surface.
    2. Leave Mid plane disabled, then:
      1. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the first direction (Thickness 1 field). Optionally, reverse the direction using the Opposite direction toggle.
      2. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the opposite direction to Thickness 1 in the Thickness 2 field.

    5. When Mid plane is enabled, the value for Thickness is not the same as Thickness 1 or Thickness 2 when Mid plane is disabled. Values for these 3 fields are retained between enabling and disabling the Mid plane option.

  5. If Mid plane is enabled, specify the thickness of material to be added or removed in the first direction (Thickness 1 field).
  6. Optionally, reverse the direction using the Opposite direction toggle.
  7. If Mid plane is disabled, specify the value of material to be added or removed in the opposite direction to Thickness 1 in the Thickness 2 field.

  8. Optionally, use the Keep tools toggle to preserve the surfaces used by the Thicken tool. By default (not toggled on), the surfaces are deleted, and replaced by the newly created part. Solid bodies and/or sketches are never deleted,

  9. Optionally, specify a Merge scope to indicate whether to incorporate the new material with all parts or a specific part, where appropriate.
  10. Tap the checkmark.

New - Create new material that results in a new part

Example of Thicken new material feature

Add - Create material and add to the existing material

Example of Thicken add material feature

When adding material, you have the option to merge that material with other parts that touch or intersect its geometry:

  • If the geometry touches or intersects with only one part then that part is automatically added to the merge scope.
  • If multiple parts touch or intersect the geometry, then there is ambiguity and you must select which parts to merge with (the merge scope).

  • A shortcut to selecting multiple touching or intersecting parts, check Merge with all to add all touching or intersecting parts to the merge scope.

If the Boolean is set to Add, Remove, or Intersect and nothing is set in the merge scope, the feature will result in an error. For New, no merge scope is available since New does not boolean the result.

Remove - Take material away

Example of Thicken remove

Intersect - Leave material only where intersections exist

Example of Thicken intersect

  1. Tap Thicken tool.

    Thicken feature tool icon

    Thicken dialog

  2. Select a result body operation type:
    • New - Create a new solid.
    • Add - Add to an existing solid.
    • Remove - Subtract material from an existing part.
    • Intersect - Keep only intersecting materials.
  3. Select the part face (or surface) in the graphics area.
  4. Either:
    1. Toggle Mid plane on, then:
      1. Specify a thickness value of material to be added or removed in the Thickness field. The thickness of the material is symmetric relative to the selected face or surface.
    2. Leave Mid plane disabled, then:
      1. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the first direction (Thickness 1 field). Optionally, reverse the direction using the Opposite direction toggle.
      2. Specify the value of material to be added or removed in the opposite direction to Thickness 1 in the Thickness 2 field.

    5. When Mid plane is enabled, the value for Thickness is not the same as Thickness 1 or Thickness 2 when Mid plane is disabled. Values for these 3 fields are retained between enabling and disabling the Mid plane option.

  5. If Mid plane is enabled, specify the thickness of material to be added or removed in the first direction (Thickness 1 field).
  6. Optionally, reverse the direction using the Opposite direction toggle.
  7. If Mid plane is disabled, specify the value of material to be added or removed in the opposite direction to Thickness 1 in the Thickness 2 field.

  8. Optionally, use the Keep tools toggle to preserve the surfaces used by the Thicken tool. By default (not toggled on), the surfaces are deleted, and replaced by the newly created part. Solid bodies and/or sketches are never deleted,

  9. Optionally, specify a Merge scope to indicate whether to incorporate the new material with all parts or a specific part, where appropriate.
  10. Tap the checkmark.

New - Create new material that results in a new part

Example of Thicken: new material

Add - Create material and add to the existing material

Example of Thicken: add material

When adding material, you have the option to merge that material with other parts that touch or intersect its geometry:

  • If the geometry touches or intersects with only one part then that part is automatically added to the merge scope.
  • If multiple parts touch or intersect the geometry, then there is ambiguity and you must select which parts to merge with (the merge scope).

  • A shortcut to selecting multiple touching or intersecting parts, check Merge with all to add all touching or intersecting parts to the merge scope.

If the Boolean is set to Add, Remove, or Intersect and nothing is set in the merge scope, the feature will result in an error. For New, no merge scope is available since New does not boolean the result.

Remove - take material away

Example of Thicken: remove

Intersect - Leave material only where intersections exist

Example of Thicken: intersect