Test Surface dialog box

Use the Check Model option to analyze surfaces for the following conditions, which pose problems in surface machining and surface shading:

Self intersection

A condition in which part of a trimmed surface loops around and crosses over another part of the same surface. You sometimes encounter this condition in trimmed surfaces that have been read into Mastercam from an IGES file. The following image shows an example of a self-intersection.

Backups

A condition in which part of a trimmed surface overlaps itself exactly or within a defined tolerance. You sometimes encounter this condition in trimmed surfaces that have been read into Mastercam from an IGES file. The following image shows an example of a backup.

Internal sharp ridges

A condition in which a surface contains one or more sharp corners within its outer boundary. You sometimes encounter this condition in trimmed surfaces that have been read into Mastercam from an IGES file.

You can use this option to correct backups. However, it cannot correct self-intersections or internal sharp ridges. We recommend that you fix these conditions in the file's native system before importing the file into Mastercam. You can also try to fix the problems in Mastercam by trimming the self-intersection from the trimmed surface and by splitting surfaces along the ridges.

Checks for surfaces that line on top of other surfaces with the area size you define. When working with surface files created in other CAD systems, parts often include small surfaces lying on top of existing surfaces that complicate calculations or give unexpected results. These small surfaces can affect solids creation and surface toolpath creation. The Small surfs option identifies any surfaces smaller than a specified area and allows you to change the color of these surfaces. You can then delete or edit the surfaces to adjust your results.

Use the Normals option to analyze the normal vector of selected surfaces. Bad surfaces are those whose normal vector reverses direction abruptly in one or more locations. These surfaces are inherently unstable and may present problems during machining or may be unmachinable. After testing, all bad surfaces appear highlighted in the graphics window.

Once you have identified bad surfaces, use the Analyze, Dynamic function to further analyze the direction changes.

To correct a bad surface, trim the portion of the surface containing the direction reversal from the surface, if possible. Otherwise, you must recreate the surface.

Checks for base surfaces and allows you to optionally blank or unblank them in the graphics window. A base surface is the untrimmed parent surface of a trimmed surface. When you trim a surface, Mastercam creates the trimmed surface as a new surface and, in most cases, blanks the base surface. This allows you to work with the new surface and does not crowd the graphics window with the associated base surface.