About Slots

You can sweep a profile along a center curve to remove material for creating a slot. This topic provides you with the information you need to create a slot.

The following are discussed:

This page discusses:

See Also
About Trimming Ribs or Slots
Creating Slots

Slot Definition Options

This section describes the various options available in the Slot.x dialog box to create a slot.

Profile Control

You can control the profile position by choosing one of the following options:

  • Keep angle: keeps the angle value between the sketch plane used for the profile and the tangent of the center curve.
  • Pulling direction: sweeps the profile with respect to a specified direction. For example, you need to use this option if your center curve is a helix. In this case, you will select the helix axis as the pulling direction.
  • Reference surface: the angle value between axis h and the reference surface is constant.
  • Contextual commands creating the directions you need are available from the Selection box:
    • Create Line: For more information, see Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Creating Wireframe Geometry: Creating Lines.
    • Create Plane: see Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Creating Wireframe Geometry: Creating Planes.
    • X Axis: the X axis of the current coordinate system origin (0,0,0) becomes the direction.
    • Y Axis: the Y axis of the current coordinate system origin (0,0,0) becomes the direction.
    • Z Axis: the Z axis of the current coordinate system origin (0,0,0) becomes the direction.
    • Create Join: joins surfaces or curves. See Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Performing Operations on Shape Geometry: Joining Surfaces or Curves.
    • Create Extrapol: Extrapolates surface boundaries or curves. See Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Performing Operations on Shape Geometry: Extrapolating Surfaces and Extrapolating Curves.
    • Create Tessellate: Creates a Tessellate.

If you create any of these elements, the app then displays the corresponding icon in front of the Profile box. Clicking this icon enables you to edit the element.

If you have chosen to work in a hybrid design environment, the elements created on the fly via the contextual commands mentioned above are aggregated into sketch-based features.

  • Move profile to path: Easily associates profiles with center curves but also sweeps a single sketch along multiple center curves. This option can be accessed if Pulling direction or Reference surface is already selected, and builds the profile with the following understanding:
    • The origin of the sketch plane (i.e. 0,0) will be swept along the path.
    • The vertical axis of the sketch plane (i.e. 0,1) will be kept parallel to either the pulling direction (if the profile control is set to Pulling direction) or the normal to the Reference surface (if profile control is set to Reference surface).

Merge Slot's Ends

The Merge slot's ends option is to be used in specific cases. It lets the app create material between the ends of the slot and existing material. For an example, see Trimming Ribs or Slots.

Defining a Slot

You can combine the different elements for creating slots.

Closed Profile Open Profile
Open Center Curve

(ThickProfile Option on)

Closed Planar Center Curve
Closed 3D Center Curve

(ThickProfile Option on)

Center Curves

The following rules should be kept in mind:

  • 3D center curves must be continuous in tangency.
  • If the center curve is planar, it can be discontinuous in tangency.
  • Center curves must not be composed of several geometric elements

About Profiles

This section provides information on the profiles used to create a slot.

You can use the following geometry to define a profile.

  • You can use wireframe geometry as your profile.
  • It is recommended that the profile be on the center curve in a plane normal to the center curve. Otherwise, it may lead to an unpredictable shape.
  • In some cases, you need to define whether you need the whole sketch, or sub-elements only. For more information, see Using the Sub-elements of a Sketch.
  • Slots can also be created from sketches including several profiles. These profiles must be closed and must not intersect.
  • If you launch the Slot command with no profile previously defined, just click the icon to access the Sketcher and then sketch the profile you need.
  • You can also create your profile by using any of these creation contextual commands available from the Profile box:
    • Insert Wireframe > Create Sketch: launches the Sketcher after selecting any plane, and lets you sketch the profile you need as explained in the Sketcher User's Guide ..
    • Insert Operations > Create Join: joins surfaces or curves. See Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Performing Operations on Shape Geometry: Joining Surfaces or Curves.
    • Insert Operations > Create Extract: generates separate elements from unconnected sub-elements. See Generative Shape Design User's Guide: Performing Operations on Shape Geometry: Extracting Geometry: Extracting Elements.
    • Insert Operations > Create Tessellate: Creates a Tessellate.

    If you create any of these elements, the app then displays the corresponding icon in front of the Selection box. Clicking this icon enables you to edit the element.

If you choose to work in a hybrid design environment, the elements created on the fly via the contextual commands mentioned above are aggregated into sketch-based features.

  • You can use an open profile provided existing material can trim the slot. For more information, see Trimming Ribs or Slots.