Introduction to surface design

There are many workbenches in Catia in which you can model surfaces, these are Wireframe and Surface Design, Generative Shape Design, Freestyle workbench etc. These workbenches have some similar tools while other are typical to the workbench you are working in. Nonetheless, you can mix-match tools from all these workbenches together with part design to model a product. 

We will restrict ourselves to Wireframe and Surface design workbench, which has all the relevant tools that we require to model complex surfaces for the purpose of making aesthetically appealing products. 

Why do we need surface design workbench?

If you would look around, you will find that more and more products these days are made out of plastic. It's for the simple reason that it makes it easier to mass manufacture these products using methods like, blow molding, injection molding etc. Also most these products are aesthetically pleasing to look at with a complex play of surfaces. Such surfaces and modeling can be done easily only with the use of surfacing or other such workbenches. Not only this many parts which are made out of sheet metal, may also be modeled using surfacing workbenches.

What is the nature of surfaces and wireframe?

The wireframe mostly acts as support and is utilized to create surfaces. The surfaces too are not of any use directly since they are of zero thickness and need to be converted to solids. 

Surface converted to part using Thick Surface tool

Surfaces may be converted to solid parts by either applying thickness or by closing the surfaces and filling them with material. So, depending on requirements, we with will either close surface or fill it. Therefore, we can say that surfaces that we model are actually the first steps towards creating solid part or part that we would eventually want to manufacture. We had seen this before too, when we discussed various surface based features, also we will see this in more detail and how to apply this when we do exercises.

How to open Wireframe and Surface Design workbench?

You can open the workbench by navigating the path Start > Mechanial > Wireframe and Surface design

Navigate to wireframe and surface design