Draws a helix (or a spiral if top and bottom radius are different).
How to use
1. Click the Helix icon or choose the Tools > Curves > Helix command.
2. The program console prompts Local axes origin.
3. Position the helix either by clicking and dragging in any view (release the mouse button to confirm placement) or by typing its XYZ coordinates in the console. Values must be separated by a space or a comma, i.e. 1 2 3 or 1,2,3, and confirmed by pressing Enter. If you press Enter without typing any value, the axes origin of the helix will be placed in correspondence with the XYZ origin.
4. The program console prompts Bottom radius.
5. Define the bottom radius by either clicking and dragging the Bottom radius hotSpot or by typing the radius value in the console. Hold the mouse button down after the click to interactively define the bottom radius value.
6. Repeat step 5 at the Top radius console prompt.
7. The program console prompts Height.
8. Define the height by either clicking and dragging the Height point hotSpot in a view or by typing the height value in the console. Hold the mouse button down after the click in the view to interactively define the height value.
9. The program console prompts Turns.
10. Define the number of turns by typing it in the console.
Options
Bottom radius
To change the radius of the first turn of the helix.
Views. Choose the Edit mode. Click the Bottom radius hotSpot and drag it. Release the mouse button when you reach the desired radius.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Top radius
To change the radius of the last turn of the helix.
Views. Choose the Edit mode. Click the Top radius hotSpot and drag it. Release the mouse button when you reach the desired radius.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Note: Set the top radius value lower than the bottom radius one or viceversa to obtain a spiral.
Height
To change the height.
Views. Choose the Edit mode. Click the Height hotSpot and drag it. Release the mouse button when you reach the desired height.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Turns
To determine the number of turns of the helix.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter.
Pitch
To determine the distance between two turns.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter. This value is inversely proportional to the number of turns. The higher the pitch value, the lower the number of turns.
Turning
To make the helix clockwise or counterclockwise.
Modeling Tool panel. Switch on the preferred radio button option.
Points per turn
To determine the number of control points that will be created per each turn of the helix if you use the Collapse Construction Tree command.
Modeling Tool panel. Set the value either by moving the slider or by typing it in the data field and pressing Enter. The value can range from 4 to 20.