Surface connection
Use the Surface connection tool to link two coincident or parallel surfaces with a continuous hinge, rigid link or spring layer.
When you select Surface connection, a tool palette opens.
Main tools
- Define – create a new surface connection
- Properties – check or edit properties of existing surface connections. Opens the Default settings dialogue for the selected elements
- Hole – cut an opening inside an existing surface connection
- Edit connected elements – add or remove objects linked by the selected surface connection
- Default settings – set the default parameters for new surface connections (read below in more detail)
Additional setting
Available when Define tool is selected.
- d – distance between the two connected surfaces (thickness of the connection layer)
Area definition methods
Available when Define tool is selected. All except Pick existing region are also available for the Hole tool.
- Rectangular – draw a rectangle by two opposite corners
- Circular – draw a circle by centre and radius
- Polygonal – pick consecutive corner points to close a polygon
- Pick lines – select existing lines or edges to form the boundary
- Pick existing region – apply the surface connection to an existing region (slab, plate or contour) as a connection area. Unavailable when the Hole tool is active
Default settings
When you press the Default settings button, a dialogue window opens.
This dialogue contains two tabs: General and Data. These follow the settings used in all support elements and edge connections.
note
To read more about these settings, see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Edge connections