Tutorial: Sculpt to solid

Complete the front housing surface using Bridge and Weld to connect separate surfaces into one surface. Transition to a solid model to make edits in the Model workspace.

Create a sculpted shape for the front of the saw

To sculpt the front of the reciprocating saw, you add a box and modify it.

If the Data Panel is not open, click Show Data Panel .
In the Data Panel, open Sculpt to Solid from Projects > Samples > Workshops & Events > Adoption Path > Conceptual Design > 3_Sculpt to Solid.
In the Sculpt workspace, choose Construct > Offset Plane.
Place a construction plane at the front of the saw. Select the YZ plane and specify an offset distance of -160 mm.
Choose Create > Box. Select the construction plane and specify the center on the Y axis.
Click to specify an approximate size for the rectangle. In the Box dialog, specify distances and symmetry:
- Set Length to 60 mm.
- Set Width to 70 mm.
- Set Height to 30 mm.
- Set Symmetry to Mirror.
- Select Length Symmetry.
  
  Tip: To set symmetry, you can also choose Symmetry > Mirror - Internal and select the top back faces.
To prepare the transition from the front of the saw to the main body, remove extra faces from the box. Select the back faces and press Delete.
Next, select the front faces and press Delete.

Due to symmetry, you need to select only the left side; the right side is also removed.
You want to closely match size and position with the canvas image. In the ViewCube, click Front. Double-click a face to select the entire body, and then choose Modify > Edit Form.
Use the vertical manipulator and the scale manipulator to center and size the body.

Add faces and crease an edge

Sculpt the filleted transition at the front of the saw, and add faces to close the gap toward the rear. In this step, you add faces, scale, and crease edges.

Double-click a front edge to select all eight front edges. Choose Modify > Edit Form.
Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) to add faces toward the front of the saw.
Use the scale manipulator to create a filleted transition.
Add two more sets of faces. Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) to add faces past the front of the saw.

You will trim the overbuild later.
Sharpen the edge at the filleted transition. Double-click an edge to select the edge loop at the transition, and choose Modify > Crease.

The crease changes the G2 smooth condition between faces to a G0 positional relationship.
Make a final adjustment to the filleted transition. Window-select front faces and choose Modify > Edit Form.

Use the horizontal manipulator to align the crease with the canvas image.
Prepare a transition to the back of the saw. Double-click a back edge to select all eight back edges. Choose Modify > Edit Form.
Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) to add faces toward the back of the saw. Add three sets of faces toward the back body of the saw, leaving room for a transition.

Align surfaces

Before joining the front and back of the saw, you need to align the edges. In this step, you select edges and use Edit Form to refine surfaces.

Notice that the topology does not align between the front and back of the saw. Bridging these edges now would create undesired surface changes.
Add a crown to the front of the saw. Double-click the top edge to select all eight top edges. Choose Modify > Edit Form.
Set a pivot point to specify the manipulator origin for translate, scale, and rotation:
- Click Set Pivot .
- Click the selected edge near the gap.
- Click Done .
  
  Tip: If you are zoomed in too closely, setting a pivot point brings the manipulator into view.
Move the top edge up to begin shaping the crown.

Use the vertical manipulator to move a Y distance of 4.1 mm.
Continue to shape the crown. Double-click the next edge to select eight edges. Choose Modify > Edit Form and repeat step 3 to set the pivot point.

Align the next edge with the crown shape of the back edge. Use the manipulator to move a Z distance of -12 mm.
Double-click the next edge. Choose Modify > Edit Form and set the pivot point.

Move the third edge up to match the edge on the back body. Move a Y distance of 21.4 mm.
With the crown shape now set, align the top. From the front view, window-select the top faces. Choose Modify > Edit Form.

Move the top down to align with the back body. Move a Y distance of -2.6 mm.
You want to make the back of the saw wider to match the front. On the back body, double-click the second edge from the top. Choose Modify > Edit Form and set the pivot point.

To make the top face wider, move a Y distance of 4.4 mm.
On the back body, double-click the third edge from the top. Choose Modify > Edit Form and set the pivot point.

Move a Y distance of 6.7 mm.
Notice that the top edges now align between the front and back of the saw.

The alignment and curvature does not need to be exact because you will refine surfaces in a later tutorial.

Bridge surfaces

To join the front and back of the saw, you bridge the top six edges on the front corresponding to edges on the back.

Choose Modify > Bridge.
Select the top six outside edges on the front body.
In the Bridge dialog, specify the following values:
- Set Faces to 1.
- Select Preview.
Click Side Two and select the top six outside edges on the rear surface.
Click OK to join the front and back of the saw.

Bridge the bottom transition

Join the bottom parts of the saw. In this step, you add faces to the back of the saw and complete the transition by using Bridge and Weld.

Before creating a bridge, narrow the gap between the bottom faces. Select the three outside edges on the bottom of the saw, and choose Modify > Edit Form.
Alt-drag (Windows) or Option-drag (macOS) the Z manipulator to add faces toward the center of the saw.
Choose Modify > Bridge and select the boundary edges on the left side.
In the Bridge dialog, set Faces to 2.
Click Side 2 and select the edges on the right side.
Click OK to bridge the surfaces.

The bottom halves are connected, but a hole exists between the front and back of the saw.
To close the hole, choose Modify > Weld Vertices.
Click the centerline vertex on the back edge of the hole and then on the front edge of the hole. This order is important, so make sure to select the front vertex last.
When a vertex is welded without a connecting edge, the display temporarily changes to Box mode to help find the next weld point.

Click the next vertex on the back and then on the front of the hole.
Click OK to complete the weld.

Sculpt the bottom of the saw

Enlarge the bottom section. In this step, you use Edit Form to refine faces.

Select the two left faces on the front of the bottom section. To make the section larger, choose Modify > Edit Form.

Move an X distance of -31 mm.
From the front view, window-select the front faces of the bottom section and choose Modify > Edit Form. Align the bottom section with the canvas image. Move an X distance of -7.5 mm.
Click Finish Form to exit the Sculpt workspace.

The sculpt geometry is converted to a surface body and the workspace changes to the Model workspace.

Because the surface is not closed (watertight) at the bottom and the front, you create a surface body and not a solid.

Sketch a trimming surface

To create a solid body, you need to close the openings at the front of the saw and the bottom of the saw. In this step, you create a sketch to trim the overbuild from the bottom of the saw.

In the Patch workspace, choose Sketch > Create Sketch.
Click the XY construction plane.
To begin sketching a horizontal line at the bottom of the saw, choose Sketch > Line.
Click to start the line at the transition point. End the line past the front with a horizontal constraint.

Then click Create And Continue .
Sketch the bottom profile of the handle. Choose Sketch > Spline.
Start the spline at the back of the line. Sketch a spline with two more vertices.

Then click Create And Continue .
Add a tangent constraint between the line and the spline. In the Sketch Palette, click Tangent. Select the spline and the line to add a tangent constraint.

Adjust the tangent handle to align with the canvas image.
Refine the spline to match the canvas image. Select the spline; then modify tangent handles as needed to match the profile of the canvas image.
Click Stop Sketch.

The sketch for the bottom profile is horizontal toward the front and aligned with the handle curvature at the rear.

Close open surfaces

You can now close all open surfaces to make the surface body watertight. In this step, you extrude the bottom profile sketch and create a construction plane for the front.

In the Patch workspace, choose Create > Extrude.
In the Extrude dialog, set Direction to Symmetric.
Select the profile sketch at the bottom of the saw and drag the manipulator about 100 mm to overbuild the surface.

The extruded surface closes the open surface at the bottom.
One open edge remains at the front of the saw. To begin creating a construction plane to use as a fill plane, choose Construct > Offset Plane.
Select the YZ plane. Offset the plane an X distance of -180 mm. You will use this plane when converting to a solid.

Create a solid

Surfaces, construction planes, and solids that form a watertight volume can be filled to create a solid. In this step, you use Boundary Fill to create a solid body.

In the Model workspace, choose Create > Boundary Fill.
Select the saw body, the bottom surface, and the construction plane. A green fill preview of the boundary fill appears.
In the Boundary Fill dialog, click the Select Cells button.
Click the Select Cells box on the preview.
Click OK to create the solid body. In the browser, do the following:
- Under Bodies, turn off the two surface bodies.
- Turn off the canvas.

Create a shell

Working now in the Model workspace, you can split the solid and create a shell.

First, inspect components inside the solid. Choose Inspect > Section Analysis and select the front of the saw.

Drag the manipulator to show the components encased within the solid. After viewing, click Cancel.
Choose Modify > Split Body, and select the body.
In the Split Body dialog, click the splitting tool Select button. Use the origin plane to separate the solid into left and right halves.
The origin plane is obstructed. Hold down the left mouse button and choose XY in the menu that appears.

Tip: If the menu does not appear, enable the select-through selection filter and try again. (To enable this filter, choose Select > Selection Filters > Select Through.)
Click OK to split the bodies. In the browser, under Bodies, turn off the new body to show the right side.
Create the casing. Choose Modify > Shell and select the large inside face to remove. In the Shell dialog, set Inside Thickness to 1to 3 mm. Click OK.
In the browser, turn on the left side of the solid body and turn off the right side. Repeat step 6 for the left side.
Inspect the casing. In the browser, turn on both sides of the saw. Choose Inspect > Section Analysis and select a front face.

Drag the manipulator to show the components and the 1 mm casing. After viewing, click Cancel.

Sketch the blade opening

Create an opening at the front of the saw to let the blade move freely. In this step, you create a sketch to profile the opening.

In the browser, turn off all components except the blade holder assembly.
Choose Sketch > Create Sketch. From the left view, select a front face.
Choose Sketch > Rectangle > Center Rectangle, and specify the center of the rectangle.
Type 30 mm in the Width box and 30 mm in the Height box.
To begin rounding the corners, choose Sketch > Fillet. Then select the top line and the right line to add a fillet.
Select lines to fillet for the three remaining corners, and press Enter.
Click Stop Sketch.

Cut the blade opening

Use the Extrude command to cut a hole for the blade at the front of the saw housing.

Choose Create > Extrude. Select the left and right faces inside the sketch. Drag back about -12 mm to preview the cut.
You want to cut the housing, but not the blade holder assembly. In the Extrude dialog, click Objects To Cut.
Clear Reciprocating Rod and all other blade holder components. Click OK to cut only the housing.

Revise the Sculpted Body

Fusion allows you to refine sculpted surfaces without losing the work you did to create the solid housing. In this step, you make edits to the sculpted body in the timeline.

Double-click on the purple cube in the timeline to enter the Sculpt workspace.
Flatten the bottom front of the saw. Choose Modify > Edit Form, and select the vertex at the front center of the area.

Move an X distance of -9.6 mm.
Flatten the crown at the top in front of the blade holder. Choose Modify > Edit Form, and select the front two edges at the top of the saw.

Move a Y distance of -5.8 mm.
Widen the top of the handle. Choose Modify > Edit Form and select three vertical faces above the trigger.

In the Edit Form dialog, select Soft Modification. Move a Z distance of 14.3 mm.
Click Finish Form.

Notice that the boundary fill, split, and shell features are automatically updated.

Evaluate and analyze the sculpt surface quality

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