Surface Profile

[[Me...]]

I created (3) 2D curves and recall the feature points to create a Free Form Surface and report a Surface Profile. Do I need to use 3D curves for Calypso to calculate these points as a 3D surface or will the 2D data work?

[[To...]]

Are the surfaces scanned by the curves 2d or 3d? For example, a cam would typically be considered a 2d surface. One of the vectors would always be normal or constant to one axis and constantly changing on the other 2. On a 3d surface, all 3 vectors would be changing.

[[Me...]]

The part is a hex driver, (star shaped screw driver), this application has a straight wall so it would be a 2D surface. Others parts have a 2 degree taper, so I presume that would be a 3D from your example.

[[To...]]

Correct

[[Aa...]]

Except, if you are recalling the points into a FFS and not evaluating the curves themselves, then it does not matter whether you use 2D or 3D curves. Stylus radius correction will always be applied to the FFS in the direction normal to the nominal surface of the FFS, regardless of the nominal normal of the feature the points are recalled from.

If you're using Curve Forms assigned to the curves themselves, then it does matter.

[[To...]]

Oh!!! I guess I learned something new. Thank you Aaron

You can also use the section tool to create section lines equal to your curves. Then, in FFS, create your segments from the curves using these section lines. Would save a step. See below.

[[Me...]]

I create sections for each 2D curve and recall all the points from the 3 sections for the FFS. Aaron's reply answers my question because I wasn't sure if the 2D data would translate into a 3D form. Knowing that the normal vector calculated as 3D answers that. Thanks.

[[Aa...]]

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I would recommend measuring the points directly with the FFS like that over recalling from curves. For one thing, the points that should masked at the start and end of each scan aren't always masked when points are recalled to another feature.