Page 110 - Mastering SolidWorks

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identifying Sketch entitieS 79

Figure 3.20
The text has been
attached to a curve,
created within the
current sketch.

The Face Curves tool applies the underlying U-V isoparameter mesh to a selected face. It is
most commonly used as an evaluation tool for complex surfaces, but you can also use it to create
curves to rebuild faces. Accepting the results by clicking OK creates a separate 3D sketch for each
spline (unless you have a 3D sketch open before clicking Face Curves, in which case you get a
single 3D sketch with all of the curves). Figure 3.21 shows the original surface and the results of
using face curves on a complex lofted surface.

Figure 3.21
Using face curves on a
complex surface

The Extend tool extends a sketch entity up to its next intersection with another sketch entity.
This is not to be confused with the Extend for surface entities. The Power Trim tool mentioned
earlier can be used to extend if you hold down the Shift key while dragging the cursor over
sketch entities to be extended.