Points, Curves, Planes, and Coordinate Systems can be created from scratch in HyperX. The CAD creation form is launched from the CAD section of the Model tab on the Ribbon.
Note
You can preview the CAD entities created by each method by pressing the “Preview” button. Press “Apply” to create CAD Entities and save them to the Database.
XYZ Coordinates
This approach creates Points at specified XYZ coordinates. There is an option to toggle between single and multiple Point creation. Optionally, a Coordinate System can be specified, allowing Points to be created relative to that system instead of in the global coordinates.
In the most basic mode, the user can simply type in XYZ coordinates. There are also several functions (directly above the XYZ inputs) on the form to assist with generating coordinates from the FEM or Discrete Fields.
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Import from Discrete Field - User can choose Discrete Fields that are using a Point entity type. The Point Table on the form will be populated with all the Points from those fields.
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Select Node from main Viewport - When toggled on, the Nodes on the visible model will become selectable. Clicking on a Node will push its XYZ coordinates to the Point creation form. In multiple mode, a new row will be added for each Node clicked.
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Select a Point in the Viewport - When toggled on, the user can click on the FEM and HyperX will extract the XYZ location from the Point clicked on the FEM surface. In multiple mode, a new row will be added for each click on the FEM.
On Zone
This approach creates a Point on the centroid of each selected Zone.
On Curve
This approach creates Point(s) through the length of a curve. There is an option to toggle between single and multiple Point creation.
In the single mode, a Curve needs to be selected. There are two options that can be selected in order to specify the location of the Point:
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Distance - Specify the distance offset measured from one end Point where the Point will be created.
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Percentage - Specify the percentage of the Curve's length measured from one end Point as an offset which is where the Point will be created.
In the multiple entry mode, first you must select a Curve. Then you must specify the offset point(s) as a start and end (if using "Count") for the span of the Curve where Points will be created. There are two options available:
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Distance - Specify the start and end points using distance offsets from the ends of the Curve.
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Percentage - Specify the start and end points using offsets based on the percentage of the Curve's length from each of the end points.
Next, choose how to space the created Points. There are two options available:
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Count - Specify a number of Points to evenly space between start and end offset positions.
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Spacing - Specify the spacing and a start offset to generate Points between the start offset and end of the Curve with that spacing.
Note
For single and multiple entry modes, you can switch which end point used to measure offsets with the “Toggle End Point” button beside the input field.
Center of Circle/Arc
This approach creates a Point on the center of an Arc or Circle imported into HyperX.
On Joints
Create a Point on the centroid of each selected Joint.
From Points
You can create a Curve (spline) that passes through each selected Point with C1 (tangent) continuity. You can optionally define a surface to follow so the Curve follows the geodesic path between the selected Points along that surface (the Points must be close to this surface).
Add and modify Point selection with the following tools:
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Add Points to bottom (default) - Selected Points will be put at the end of the list.
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Insert Points above - Selected Points will be added above the selected row in the table.
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Insert Points below - Selected Points will be added below the selected row in the table.
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Delete - Selected Points will be deleted.
To follow a surface, select "CAD" or "Mesh" from the "Type" dropdown and select the surface from the Viewport or CAD Tree.
Note
The Curve can be previewed in the Viewport before it is saved to the Database by clicking the Preview button at the bottom of the form.
Point and Direction
Curves can be generated from an origin point along a line or a surface (CAD or FEM Mesh) in a specified direction.
If not on a surface, the result is simply a line that extends in the direction of the selected vector. If on a surface, the resulting Curve uses the input direction as an initial vector and then marches along the surface, following the curvature of the surface. This option can be useful when considering AFP paths and/or where to split Zones.
The required inputs are:
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Point - XYZ coordinates for the start of the Curve.
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Direction - Vector representing the direction to extend the Curve onto.
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Length - Length of the Curve.
Optionally, you can define a surface to follow when creating the curve. Select "CAD" or "Mesh" to define the type of surface and select the desired surface from the Viewport or CAD Tree. For CAD surfaces, you can choose to follow the "Surface" or "Vector" i.e. choose to follow the natural curvature of the surface or follow the direction vector only.
Parallel
Curves can be generated on a FEM surface with a user-defined uniform offset between Curves.
The required inputs are:
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Offset - Defines the distance between each Curve, along the surface.
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Forward # - Number of parallel Curves generated ahead of the Curve.
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Backward # - Number of parallel Curves generated behind the Curve.
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Guide Curves - Curves which will be used as a reference for the parallel offset Curves.
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Zones - Defines the FEM surface which the parallel offset will be performed on.
Tip
Some experimentation may be needed to determine "forward" and "backward" direction. This can depend on the start and end Point of the guide curve and the normal vector of the surface.
Three Points
You can create a Plane passing through three Points simply by defining and/or selecting them. You can simply type XYZ coordinates for each Point into the form or use the buttons to select FEM Nodes, CAD Points, and/or Points selected on FEM or CAD surfaces in the Viewport.
Point and Vector
To create a Plane with this method, define or select a Point and define a vector to act as the normal direction of the new Plane.
From Existing
You can create one or more Plane(s) parallel to a selected Plane with this method. There is an option to toggle between single and multiple Plane creation. The options and procedure are similar to creating Points on Curves except there's no Curve needed as newly create Planes are parallel to the existing Plane.
Note
Unlike the entities above that live in the CAD Tree, Coordinate Systems are found in the Structures Tree after creation.
Two Vectors
Coordinate Systems can be generated by defining or selecting an origin and defining two vectors as basis for axes.
To create a Coordinate System with this method, first select the type: Cartesian, Cylindrical, or Spherical. Next, define/select the origin and the two vectors. Finally, preview if desired, and click "Apply" to save.
Some notes on how the vectors are used to create the Coordinate System:
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Vectors 1 and 2 are placed at the origin and form the XY (or R\(\theta\) for cylindrical/spherical) plane.
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Vector 1 is the X- or R-axis of the system.
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Vector 2 does not have to be orthogonal to Vector 1.
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Vector 1 \(\times\) Vector 2 provides the Z-axis.
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Z-axis \(\times\) X-axis provides the Y-axis because Vector 2 may not be orthogonal to Vector 1.
Plane and Vector
You can create a Coordinate System by selecting a Plane as XY (or R\(\theta\)) plane, defining the type of coordinate system, and defining a vector to project to the plane as the X-axis.
Some notes on how the plane and vector are used to create the Coordinate System:
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The selected Plane is the XY (or R\(\theta\)) plane.
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The input vector does not have to be in the plane but it cannot be perpendicular to it.
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The input X (or R) vector is projected to this plane becoming the X- (or R-) axis.
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The Z-axis is the normal of the plane.
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Z \(\times\) X provides the Y-axis.
From Existing
You can create a Coordinate System based on another with options to rotate and/or translate the new from the existing. Rotation will be applied before offsetting the origin of the new Coordinate System.
Note
You can enable Coordinate System Labels by checking the corresponding box in Viewport Settings (found on the View tab of the Ribbon).