Surf and Code: Surface Modeling Splendor Backrest

Bend It – Prologue

This tutorial shows how to make a splendor Backrest using the cross curve tool.

A full index of Solid Edge surfacing tutorials on this blog is here.

Top View Curve Begin by creating a curve in the x-y plane. Draw only the half part of the final object.
Top View Curve - Top View When viewed in the sketcher, the curve would look something like as shown in figure. Apply tangent relationship to all connected curves. Here, the dimensions or even the form of the backrest is not important. This tutorial shows you the approach to create the backrest. You may go out into the parking and take actual measurements.
Side View Curve Create another curve in a plane parallel to the y-z plane. See figure.
Side View Curve - Normal View The side view curve may extend beyond the limits of the top view curve drawn earlier. But in no case should the new curve fall short of the extents of the earlier curve. Here too, apply tangent relationship to all connected curves.
Cross Curve Select the Cross Curve command from the Surfacing toolbar as shown.
First Curve Select the side view curve as the first curve. Click accept on the ribbon bar.
Second Curve Select the top view curve as the second curve. Click accept on the ribbon bar.
Cross Curve Click Finish on the ribbon bar. Soon the cross curve is formed. The cross curve is neither in the top plane nor in the side plane. It travels in 3D space, giving us the desired curve to create the backrest. In other words, the top view curve is effectively bent by the side view curve.
The Bounded Surface Hide all sketches. Click the Bounded Surface command from the Surfacing toolbar. Select all the edges of the cross curve by dragging a window around it. Click Finish on the ribbon bar. A surface will be formed from the edges.
Surface to Solid Click the Thicken tool on the Features toolbar. The Thicken tool is in the same flyout as the Thin Wall and Thin Region tools. Select the bounded surface to thicken. Use an appropriate value to thicken in any direction. Round off sharp edges of the backrest and mirror the half part to complete the backrest.
Summary The figure on right shows the summary and sequence of all commands.