Introduction

A surface is a single sided representation of a part's exterior that does not have a mass or thickness.

Surface modeling is a modeling approach that allows designers to create complex geometric features and organic shapes that solid modeling tools cannot produce alone. Surface modeling is used for more free-form shapes and features than solid modeling.

For example, a solid cube can be broken out into six different faces. Each face represents a surface that encloses the solid volume to form the cube. Surfacing lets you build each face of the cube as an individual surface. After all six sides of the cube are built, the surfaces are added together, and an enclosed volume is created, forming a solid part.

Surface geometry is used to:

  • Create a solid part:

    • Using the Thicken feature, a surface is thickened to form a solid part.

    • Using the Enclose feature, a solid part is created by forming a closed volume, where every edge bounds 2 faces.

  • Create construction geometry (split lines for molds, blending and bridging geometry together, supporting lofts and fills for matching curvature and tangency).

  • Replace a solid part face with more complex geometry (using the Replace face feature).

For more surfacing resources, visit our Learning center.