Convert Solid face to Surface

[Anonymous]

I want to extract a single face from a solid contained in a step file.

I have tried many ways to convert the face directly into a surface but none have worked. In SW this is so simple (you just select the face and offset the surface by a distance of 0). Seems like the best I can do is first save the STEP as a part and then use the Derive tool to import it as a surface (so horribly clumbersome), but that gives me a single surface for the eitire solid, not the surface I want and I can't delete the unwanted faces. 

Is there an easier way? Is there a way to Offset in the same way as SW? 

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

...In SW this is so simple (you just select the face and offset the surface by a distance of 0). ... 

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In Inventor this is so simple (you just select the face and offset the surface by a distance of 0).

Attach your file  here if you can't figure this out.

[Anonymous]

Got there finally. Offset was hidden from me. Thanks for confirming what I was hoping. 

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

... Offset was hidden from me. ..... 

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Let me guess (but you should state this explicitly) - you are using r2015.

They messed up the interface in 2015 hiding many of the tools they must have thought beginners shouldn't see.

This has been fixed in r2016.  If you are using 2015 you can customize the Ribbon so that your tools aren't hidden.

[Anonymous]

Yea. That's it. I have a student Licence so am upgrading to 2016 now. Follow up question... Not I have an offset surface and the origional part. Can I export the surface on it's own, or remove the dependancies on the solid so I can modify the surface?

[TheCADWhisperer]

Several different ways, but personally, I would Derive Component (of the surface only) and select Suppress Link (or Break Link, but I seldom Break Link as you can always do that later, but once you've done that....).  If someone else might be using your file and you want to set in concrete, then Break Link.  If only you will be using the file - Suppress Link is effectively the same as Break Link, but with a safety valve, just in case....

Actually, since your source is a STEP file rather than a full-history native file, Break Link....

When you reach advanced experience there are some deeply hidden tools that might be used for editing imported surfaces (like untrimming an imported STEP surface).  These tools are in the Construction Environment and Repair Environment.

These are "black-ops" tools that few know how to use.  I have never found equivalent tools (yes some, but not all) in SWx for working with imported neutral format geometry.

[Anonymous]

Great answer... Thanks

[Anonymous]

Hi can anyone say how this is done? Using inventor 2019 and the convert tool isn't working. What is the name of the tool I should use to create a surface from a solid?

[TheCADWhisperer]

Zip and Attach your file here.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Like JD mentioned, you just need to use Thicken command and set output type to Surface -> select the faces and set the distance to 0.

Many thanks!

[0x3FA5]

Cannot set offset to 0, as well as no surface output.

What should I do?

[0x3FA5]

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In Inventor this is so simple (you just select the face and offset the surface by a distance of 0).

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REALLY??

[SBix26]

Just need to find the right control in the dialog:

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2022.2 | Windows 10 Home 21H2

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@0x3FA5 wrote:

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In Inventor this is so simple (you just select the face and offset the surface by a distance of 0).

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REALLY??

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Yes, really.

[0x3FA5]

Ahaha, required functionality is hidden behind tiny icon IN THE TITLE SPACE (so you accidentally don't find it), but there is a very important Selector Style!

Inventor UI engineers are extraordinary! After 3 years of using this software they can still surprise me.

Amazing!

For example, if you want to create, offset or modify a surface, the first place you look into would be the Surface panel

Just because it makes sense!

In SW, you go to Surfaces ribbon, that takes care of all your surfaces needs:

Reason: it makes sense.

In inventor the offset surface functionality is hidden in a completely unrelated place, I guess because it would make way too much sense to put surfaces manipulation actions under Surface panel.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@0x3FA5 wrote:

Inventor UI engineers are extraordinary! After 3 years of using this software they can still surprise me.

Amazing!

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In SOLIDWORKS you have to go to a different ribbon tab to get to the Surfacing tools, at least in Inventor it is a simple toggle for all of the features.

[0x3FA5]

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IDWORKS you have to go to a different ribbon tab to get to the Surfacing tools, at least in Inventor it is a simple toggle for all of the features.

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I am seriously asking now, have you ever had a need in a solid thicken feature, but then you realized "wait! I want to make surface instead!"

Why WHY the hell would thicken and surface offset be combined under the same menu?? Why Solid and Surface features are together??

[SBix26]

Maybe because so much of the two tools are common?  It's a perfectly logical choice to keep tools together that do exactly the same thing except one produces a solid and the other a surface.  Likewise, it's also a perfectly logical choice to group all solid tools together and all surface tools together. 

There are upsides and downsides to each choice.  Someone for each application had to make that choice.  Turns out you prefer the opposite of the one that the Inventor folks made.  I happen to like the more efficient interface, now that I know how it works.  But I recognize that it's harder to find the first time you use it.

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Sam B

Inventor Pro 2022.2 | Windows 10 Home 21H2

[0x3FA5]

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@SBix26 wrote:

Maybe because so much of the two tools are common? 

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For a programmer. Not for an engineer.

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do exactly the same thing

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From a programmer's perspective. Not from an engineer's.

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Someone for each application had to make that choice.

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Strongly agree. I am amazed how little Inventor developers take engineers' needs into consideration.

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I happen to like the more efficient interface

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Me too! Sticking a functionality into window section title is a horrible interface choice, that you would expect from a first year CS student, not from the highly experienced and qualified Inventor developers.

I swear, I wouldn't even look into solid modifications section while looking to create a surface. I am just curious, what functionality I am missing (and the support agents I am contacting) due to an extremely logical and intuitive placement of functional components..

[br.sbrava]

Thanks for this discussion guys, led met to the right path. Almost impossible to find this on your own

If anyone is still looking for how to do this, I made a little guide below.

This is the best workflow I found for this on sheet metal parts. If your part is not in sheet metal, you'll need to pick the faces one by one.