Session 13

1. Introduction

The Shell tool is a valuable feature in SpaceClaim’s Design workspace, enabling you to quickly hollow out solid bodies by applying a consistent wall thickness, which you set. It’s commonly used to lighten parts, save on materials and costs, and to create thin-walled geometries for components like plastic housings or similar designs.

2. Learning Objectives

This lesson demonstrates how to effectively use the Shell command through hands-on examples. You’ll explore different ways to shell a geometry—such as making a completely enclosed hollow part with a specific wall thickness. We’ll walk through the exact steps to create such a part in SpaceClaim.

A further method is face-based shelling, where you select particular faces for removal. The rest of the part is hollowed out, leaving openings only where you’ve chosen.

Additionally, you’ll learn about the More Shell feature. If you’ve already shelled a model and then add new features later, using More Shell automatically applies the existing thickness to those new additions.

3. Summary

In summary, the Shell tool in SpaceClaim allows you to hollow out solids to a custom uniform thickness. By selectively removing faces, you can open up the geometry while ensuring all remaining walls match your specified offset. This is especially useful for making lighter, material-saving designs or for manufacturing plastic-style thin-walled parts. The More Shell function lets you keep shelling consistent when modifying a shelled design later.