The Weld tool is used in two completely different cases:
· Weld selected points on an object.
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This tool does not use Dynamic Geometry properties. In fact, it will delete the D.G. properties (if any) of your object, and you will no longer be able to use the features of D.G. to modify your object. (Amapi 3D will not display the palette described above for this object).If you want your object to retain its D.G. properties, do not use any of these tools on it. See chapter User Manual/The objects/Dynamic Geometry).
q Welding different objects together
Welding objects together will transform them in to a single entity (but it will not distort them).
You cannot weld together closed curves and open curves having no common point.
Usage:
1. Select the Weld tool.
Click on the icon depicting the Weld tool in Tools Palette.
The Lasso cursor is displayed when you select the Weld tool.
2. Select the elements to weld.
Select at least one point of each object to weld using the Lasso.
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Lasso selection of at least one point of each object. |
3. Validating the selection.
Press the Return key to end and validate the selection. The elements are now a single entity.
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The objects are welded. There is now only one object (entity). The sphere and the cube are displayed in cyan, the color of the current object. |
Welding automatically eliminates the redundant points.
Welded objects can not be “unwelded”. You must undo the operation (Ctrl+Z on PC; Command+Z on Mac; or select Undo in the Edit Menu) if you make a mistake.
4. Ending the tool action.
Validate or put the tool aside to end the tool action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
If, while drawing curves, you mistakenly created two different curves where you wanted only one, weld those two curves together. They will become one single curve. But remember that you cannot weld together open curves that do not share a common point.
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Practical exercises:
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q Welding points within an object
· Welding selected points
Welding several points of the same object means to merge the selected points into a single point. This point will replace the other ones and will be positioned at the center of geometry of the selection. The shape of the element will be modified.
Usage:
1. Selecting the element or the part of the element to be welded.
Click with the Wand on the element to be selected.
2. Selecting the Weld tool.
Click on the icon depicting the Weld tool in the Assembly palette.
The Lasso cursor is displayed when the Weld tool is selected.
3. Selecting the points to weld.
Surround the points using the Lasso.
4. Ending the selection.
Press the Return key to end and validate the selection. The selected points will be merged into one, positioned at the center of the geometry of the selection.
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In this example, the four points of the top of the cube are welded together, transforming the cube into a pyramid. |
5. Ending the tool action.
Put the tool aside to end the action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
You can weld two objects together into one single object, and then weld points of the new single object together.
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This sphere and this cube were welded together into a single object (See paragraph Welding different objects together). |
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Selecting points of the same object using the Lasso. |
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The selected points are merged into a single point. |
Now, you may put the tool aside or do a new welding.
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See Practical Exercise:
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The Weld tool gives you the option of welding the closest points of an object. You set the maximum distance which determines if two points are close or not.
This tool must not be confused with the Decimation tool (User Manual/Tools/Modeling/Simplify/ Decimation).
Usage:
1. Selecting the element or the part of the element to be welded
Click with the Wand on the element to be welded.
2. Selecting the Weld tool.
Click on the icon depicting the Weld tool in the Assembly palette.
3. Specifying the maximum distance between two “close” points.
The data palette displays the distance. There are several ways to set these values:
“Remote” interaction:
You can switch from one data field to another by pressing the spacebar. The editable data will appear darker. You can change the values as follows:
· Use the Tuner “+” and “-” keys or the “+” and “-” icons of the Assistant Palette,
· The Remote Control (see User Manual Tools/The data window/Distant interaction/The remote control)
· The Slider in the numerical dialog (See chapter User Manual/ Data window/ Modify a numeric data/ Remote interaction/ The slider).
Numerical setting:
If you prefer to specify the value numerically,
· Press the Tab key.
· Enter a value and validate.
· Now, you may put the tool aside or do a new welding.
4. Ending the tool action.
Put the tool aside to end the action (depending on the interface). See chapter User Manual/Tools/Generic use of a tool/How do you end a tool action?
