Session 12

1. Introduction

Effectively using the Design tab’s functions—such as Replace, Fill Pattern, and Mirror—is essential for productive geometry creation in SpaceClaim. This session explains how these vital commands can help you build precise shapes and work faster.

2. Replace

With the Replace command, you can swap one or multiple chosen faces for a different target face or surface. SpaceClaim trims or grows the new surface as needed to match the original boundaries and seamlessly reconnects neighboring faces—ensuring the model remains watertight and edge positions are preserved. This makes it especially helpful for reshaping parts or exchanging a flat or curved face for another form, without manually recreating complex features. You can use surfaces from sketches, existing geometry, or imported data. Should the replacement not completely cover the target area or introduce overlaps, the operation may not succeed; often, extending or refining your replacement surface will resolve these issues.

3. Fill Pattern

The Fill Pattern tool automates creating an array of features. By setting the desired spacing in both X and Y directions, SpaceClaim calculates how many repeated copies should be made, evenly distributing them across your geometry. This streamlines the process of populating areas with repeated elements.

4. Mirror

The Mirror command instantly creates a reflected, symmetrical version of selected geometry using a reference plane. Mirror lets you duplicate sketch curves, faces, or entire solid bodies across a specified datum, planar face, or global reference. The resulting copy is positioned opposite your original, which remains unchanged.

5. Summary

In this lesson, you explored several core tools within SpaceClaim’s Design tab that are crucial for accurate and efficient modeling workflows. After mastering these commands, you’ll be equipped to create more precise geometry faster; however, their advanced use depends on a good understanding of earlier concepts and related commands. Future sessions will reveal how these tools pair with foundational knowledge for even greater modeling capabilities.