Introduction to the Freestyle Surface Modeling Process

Module Overview:
This tutorial is an overview of the freeform surface modeling and surface modeling paradigms used within Creo Parametric. You also learn how the freeform paradigm can be broken into the Style and Freestyle tools. Since the Freestyle tool is the focus of this module, you learn about the freestyle modeling process.

Objectives:
After successfully completing this module, you will be able to: Understand and describe freestyle surface modeling. Understand and describe the surface modeling paradigms used in Creo Parametric. Understand and describe a typical Creo Parametric freestyle modeling process.

Concept: Introduction to Freeform Surface Modeling

Introduction to Freeform Surface Modeling
Freeform surface modeling enables you to design models that have: Geometric shapes with high curvatures, or curvature in two directions. Fluid, sculpted, or organic shapes. Shapes that are difficult or impossible to design using parametric surface features. Smooth shapes with tangent or curvature continuity. Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 3 are examples of models that you can create using freeform surface modeling techniques.

Figure 1 Motorcycle Helmet

Figure 2 Water Faucet

Figure 3 Hedge Trimmer

Common Freeform Surface Modeling Scenarios

The following are standard scenarios in which freeform surface modeling yields better results, since it requires interactive modeling: Your colleague has developed a foam model of a product shape. You create a model that matches the mock-up. You receive an e-mail attachment with the concept sketches of a molded suitcase. You develop a Creo Parametric model. You have drawings of an automobile mirror with views and sections. You create a digital model of the mirror. The internal components of a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) are known. You intuitively create the body design. You design a toy based on the data available in IGES form.

Concept: Understanding Surface Modeling Paradigms

Understanding Surface Modeling Paradigms
There are two surface modeling paradigms in Creo Parametric: Parametric surface modeling: o Parametric surface modeling uses techniques similar to solid modeling. o Creates surface features that are ultimately driven by dimensions, parameters, or mathematical equations.

Figure 1 Inner Door Panel

Parametric surface modeling forms the basis for the other surface modeling course: Surfacing using Creo Parametric.

Freeform surface modeling: o Creates surface features that are driven by intuition, feel, and aesthetic requirements.

Figure 2 Outer Door Panel

Freeform surface modeling, which forms the basis for this course, has two available applications: Style Less parametric control over the geometry. Style curves and surfaces used to create the geometry. Style curves can be manipulated and refined to complete the stylized geometry. Freestyle No parametric control over the geometry. Start with a primitive shape, such as a sphere or cube. Manipulate entities of a control mesh to transform the primitive shape into the stylized geometry.

Selecting a Surface Modeling Paradigm

Both of these approaches can deliver the required surface model shape. You can select a suitable approach based on the following factors: The design input: o Hard data and dimension values. o Sketches or conceptual drawings. The design intent: o Control geometry based upon dimensions. o Manipulate curve and surface geometry interactively. o Within freeform modeling, Style is used when some level of parametric control is required. Freestyle is used for more conceptual designs. The designer's background: o Design engineers may prefer parametric surface modeling.

o o

Designers with industrial design or artistic backgrounds may prefer the Style or Freestyle tools. Designers with no understanding of surface patch structures may prefer using the Freestyle tool.

Concept: Typical Freestyle Surface Modeling Process

Import an Image as a Reference

Figure 1 Import an Image as a Reference

This step in the process is optional, but using a sketch as a reference helps define key characteristics of your design. You can use the sketch to define overall relative size, the location of edges, openings, creases and so on.

Insert a Primitive Shape

Figure 2 Insert a Primitive Shape

The Freestyle tool provides you with a set of 2-D and 3-D primitive shapes, such as circles, spheres, cubes, and so on, which are used as the starting point for the design. Once placed in the model, a primitive shape can be scaled to fit relative to the imported conceptual sketch.

Manipulate the Primitive Shape

Figure 3 Manipulate the Primitive Shape

The primitive shape has a control mesh surrounding it. The mesh elements can be manipulated by dragging, rotating, scaling, and so on. The Freestyle tool provides a highly interactive environment, enabling you to create design models with complex organic shapes. Using tools like Extrude and Split, the system creates additional edge and surface entities in the model, all of which can be worked into the final design.

Add Creases and Other Features to Complete the Model

Figure 4 Add Creases and Other Features to Complete the Model

Once the general shape is complete, you can add finishing features such as creases, rounds, thickness, and so on to complete the geometry.

Procedure: Freestyle Process Exercise

Objectives
Import an image as a modeling reference. Insert a primitive shape as a starting point for the model. Manipulate the control mesh surrounding the primitive to create the stylized shape. Add creases, rounds, and other features such as the thicken feature to complete the model. You have been provided a graphic that represents a design for a detergent bottle. You will take that 2-D image, import it, and create a 3-D model.

Task 1. Open the model and import an image for reference.

1. Open the BOTTLE.PRT part model. Click Open in the ribbon. In the File Open dialog box, click Working Directory . Double-click Process, right-click the Freestyle-Process folder, and select Set Working Directory. Double-click the Freestyle-Process folder to view its contents. Select BOTTLE.PRT and click Open.

2. Enable only the following Datum Display types:

Figure 1

3. Insert a graphic to use as a reference. Select the View tab. Select Images from the Model Display group drop-down list. Click Add from the Image group. Select datum plane FRONT from the model tree. Click Working Directory in the Open dialog box, then doubleclick BOTTLE.JPG.

Figure 2

4. Select FRONT from the Named Views toolbar. list in the In Graphics

5. Click Fit from the Fit group. 6. Select Vertical. 7. Drag the ends of the scale marker to the position shown.

Figure 3

8. Double-click the scale dimension and edit the value to 250. to disable it. 9. Click Fit 10. Move the section to the position shown. 11. Click OK .

Figure 4

Task 2. Start a style feature and add a primitive shape to the model.
1. Select the Model tab. 2. Click Freestyle from the Surfaces group.

from the Primitives group drop-down menu. 3. Select Sphere 4. Drag a selection box around the control mesh. 5. Click Scale from the Manipulation group. 6. Press CTRL and drag the red handle until the model appears as shown.

Figure 5

Plane Display . 7. Disable Csys Display 8. Press CTRL+D to return to standard orientation.

Task 3. Transform the geometry to create the shape.

1. Select the right face, then right-click and select Extrude from the circular menu. 2. Drag the green handle to the left. 3. Select one of the top surfaces, then press CTRL and select the other surface. . 4. Right-click and select Extrude 5. Drag the blue handle to the position shown.

Figure 6

6. Select the edge shown.

Figure 7

7. Select 1 Split from the Edge Split types drop-down menu. 8. Select the bottom-right surface, then right-click and select Extrude . 9. Select the upper-right surface, then right-click and select Extrude .

Figure 8

10. Select the surface shown and drag it down.

Figure 9

11. Select the surface shown and rotate it by dragging the red circular handle.

Figure 10

12. Drag the blue handle up to the position shown.

Figure 11

13. Select the surface shown and drag it to the position shown.

Figure 12

14. Select the right face, and rotate and drag it to the position shown.

Figure 13

15. With the previous surface still selected, press CTRL and select the surface shown.

Figure 14

16. Right-click and select Connect

from the circular menu.

Figure 15

Task 4. Tweak the geometry to better fit the sketch.

1. Select FRONT from the Named Views list in the In Graphics toolbar. 2. Drag a selection box around the vertex, making sure that you include the upper right vertex. 3. Drag the center of the drag handle to move the geometry to the position shown.

Figure 16

4. Drag a selection box around the two vertices on the far right of the handle to select the entire right face. 5. Drag the face to the position shown.

Figure 17

6. Drag a selection box around the bottom three vertices to select the bottom surfaces. 7. Drag the surface to the position shown.

Figure 18

8. Drag a selection box around the four left vertices. 9. Drag the surface to the position shown.

Figure 19

10. Drag a selection box around the upper-right corner. 11. Drag the center of the drag handle to move the vertex to the position shown.

Figure 20

12. Drag a selection box around the top three vertices. 13. Rotate the surface slightly, then drag the selected vertices to the position shown.

Figure 21

Task 5. Scale the width of the bottle body and handle.

1. Rotate the model as shown. 2. Press CTRL and select the additional five surfaces shown. 3. Click Scale from the Manipulation group. 4. Drag the green handle to increase the width to the position shown.

Figure 22

5. Rotate the model as shown. 6. Select the right surface of the handle and use the blue drag handle to scale it as shown.

Figure 23

Task 6. Add a crease to the model for locating the label.

1. Rotate the model as shown. 2. Press CTRL and select the three surfaces shown. 3. Click Scale if necessary. 4. Drag the blue handle to provide enough space for the label.

Figure 24

5. With the three surfaces still selected, select 25% from the Face Split types drop-down menu. 6. Select the upper edge, press SHIFT and hover over the same edge until the chain highlights, then select the chain.

Figure 25

7. Press CTRL, select the lower-top horizontal edge of the label area, then also press SHIFT and hover over the same edge and right-click until the correct chain highlights, then select the chain.

Figure 26

8. Right-click and select Crease . 9. Select the three surfaces of the inner portion of the label area. 10. Click Scale if necessary. 11. Drag the red and green handles until the model appears as shown.

Figure 27

12. Select the top front surface and scale it using the planar handle, as shown.

Figure 28

13. Select the top two surfaces. 14. Type 50 in the Alter the amount of crease field of the Crease group in the ribbon. 15. Select Soft.

Figure 29

16. Select the bottom two surfaces. 17. Type 75 in the Alter the amount of crease field of the Crease group in the ribbon. 18. Select Soft if necessary. to complete the 19. Click OK freestyle feature.
Figure 30

Task 7. Add features to complete the model.

1. Select the edges shown.

Figure 31

2. Click Round . 3. Edit the radius to 5 and click Complete Feature

4. To create the spout, click Extrude from the Shapes group. 5. Select datum plane TOP from the model tree. 6. Select TOP from the Named Views list in the In Graphics toolbar. 7. Click Center and Point from the Sketching group. 8. Sketch the circle approximately as shown.

Figure 32

9. Click OK

10. Select FRONT from the Named Views list in the In Graphics toolbar. Edit the height of the extruded feature to 215. Click Surface from the dashboard. Click Complete Feature . Press CTRL+D to return to standard orientation.
Figure 33

11. 12. 13. 14.

15. Select the extrude feature, then press CTRL and select the freestyle feature. 16. Click Merge . 17. Click the bottom arrow so that it points outward toward the bottle.

Figure 34

18. Click Complete Feature . 19. Add a round with a radius of 5 to the edge between the spout and the bottle.

Figure 35

20. Click Complete Feature

21. Edit the selection filter in the lower-right corner from Smart to Quilts. 22. Select the bottle. 23. Click Thicken . 24. Edit the value to 0.5.

Figure 36

25. Click Complete Feature

26. Select the View tab. 27. Select Images from the Model Display group drop-down menu. 28. Click Hide from the Image group. 29. Click OK . 30. Rotate the model and review the completed geometry.

Figure 37

This completes the procedure!!