Degenerate surfaces

[Chris Glupker]

What is a degenerate surface and how do you fix it? Part checker tells me one of my parts has a degerate surface but I don't know what to do to fix it. This is a complex free form surface so I can't just insert a new one.

[Mike Kennedy]

First set labels on in the part checker and see exactly what edges are involved in the degenerate face. I have had some success in milling away the edges that the part checker points to. If this doesn't work, for a degenerate surface, I would try getting rid of all blends or chamfers that might surround the surface that the system indicates is degenerate (to get this info, make sure to set labels on in the part checker). If you saved primitive version of the part with the surface in it's simplest possible version (no ribs, blends, chamfers, etc.) Go to the "Surfacing" menu if you have version 5.1 or "Face Tools" in earlier versions. and "cut" (5.1) or "delete" (earlier versions) the face. Then create a face using "insert" where the original face was deleted. The "insert" function will ask yuo to select all of the edges that are to make up the face that will be created. Select all of the bounding edges and the system should create a face and make the surface part into a body. I think there is a maximum of 8 edges that can be selected to create a face. This is why I said to get the body into the simplest possible form with the surface involved. If you have ribs, cuts, etc around the surface, the number of edges will likely be higher than 8 and the "insert" function won't work. Mike