Power Solids Boolean Tree Automatic Filleting

PowerBoolTree has a very powerful integrated automatic filleting option.  The two advantages
of automatic filleting are that you don't have to take time to select edges and the fact that you
get predictable and usually desirable results when modifications are made to the original
objects.


Original Object with the Big Box as the Tree Root and the Primitives in a Union Operation

 


To apply a fillet to an Operation you first select it in the Tree.  This is very important
because nothing will happen if you change values and the Operation is not selected.
We also need to know which Operation to apply the fillet to.  In this case we are going 
to choose to fillet the intersection edges with a 0.5 radius. Click on the "Automatic Fillet" 
button to activate the Automatic Filleting dialog (shown below).  For Power Solids 
customers, there is also a simple way to access the PowerFillet command.  Select 
the object in the PowerBoolTree dialog tree view, and then click on the PowerFillet 
button (or menu).


Set Automatic Fillet type to "Fillet Intersection Edges", and Radius to 0.5.

 


Here is the Result.  Note that only intersection between the big box and the primitives
have fillets.  The intersections between object within the Operation do not.  For example
there is no fillet between the two boxes on top of each other.

 


Note that modifications to the position and the shape of the primitives and even the addition
of new primitives produce predictable results and don't require reselection of the edges
manually.  This can save a lot of time and tedium if you are designing a complex object and
need to make several design changes.

 


Here is the shaded result of a fillet of the Operation with the Operation Edges and the Intersection
Edges selected for filleting.  Note that you can combine all three of the selection techniques in
any combination.

 


Here is the shaded result of fillet applied to the intersection edges and the operator edges.

 


Here is the shaded result of all of the edges being filleted.

 


The cross section type can also be changed.  In this image it was changed to Linear to effect
a chamfering of the objects edges.

 


Here is the G1 Blended Curve with a 1.5 Blend Scale.  Note that the blend curve options can 
produce more aesthetically pleasing results in some cases than can the circular cross sections.  
The G2 Blend Curve will generate an even smooth transition between the surfaces, and the G3
Blend Curve will be even smoother.

 


Note how sharply defined the edges in this circular fillet are.

 


This is a close up view of the G1 Blend Curve Cross Section filleting.  Note how gradual the
transition is between the surfaces surrounding the fillets.  For an even smooth transition between    
the surfaces, choose the G2 Blend Curve option.

 


The Zebra analysis of the Circular Fillet shows the constant curvature of the fillets.

 

 


Here is the Zebra analysis of the G1 Blend curve.  See how the stripe size and spacing changes
gradually.