Splines
Draw smooth curves with splines, mix them with lines and arcs, and shape them with handles and the Smooth, Corner and Break modes.
A spline is a smooth curve that passes through the points you place. Splines work like any other shape: a spline can become a board, a profile path, a pocket or a groove, and it can take edge banding.
Drawing a spline
- Click the Line button, then choose the spline icon in the options bar below the toolbar.
- Click to place points. The curve flows smoothly through them.
- Press Enter to finish.
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enter | Finish |
| Backspace | Remove the previous point |
| Esc | Cancel |
| Click the first point | Create a smooth closed shape |
Mixing with lines and arcs
Switch the type of the next segment while you draw. A single path can mix lines, arcs and splines. When a spline follows a line, the curve continues tangent to that line.
Splines in each editor
| Editor | Behavior |
|---|---|
| 0D part | The Line button has three types (line, 3-point arc, spline) and works on the face of a solid or on the work plane. Push/Pull turns a closed shape into a solid or sinks it into the solid. The direction doesn't depend on the order of your clicks. |
| 1D cross-section and tool profile | The spline button appears next to line and arc while you draw. Handles and the Smooth, Corner and Break badges work the same way. |
Coming soon
In the cross-section and tool profile editors, Trim, Extend and Cut don't work on splines yet.
Handles
- Select a spline point. Only that point shows its two handles.
- Drag the tip of a handle to reshape the curve. The handle's angle and length appear next to it.
- For an exact value, click the angle or length and type a number. The angle is measured from the line to the neighboring point on the same side.
Coming soon
Spline handles accept numbers only for now. If you need a formula, enter it in the design tree.
Smooth, corner, break
Three badges appear under the selected point:
| Badge | What it does |
|---|---|
| Smooth | Keeps the two handles aligned. |
| Corner | Makes the point sharp. |
| Break | Lets each handle move on its own. |
Double-click a point to switch it between Smooth and Corner.
Note
Spline points can't be filleted or chamfered.
Moving with the shape
Handles travel with their points when you move, rotate or copy them, and when the points are driven by formulas. The same is true on boards, profiles, pockets and grooves.
Like any other shape
A spline can become a board, a profile path, a pocket or a groove, and it can take edge banding:
- The curved side of a board is smooth, and the edge band follows the curve itself.
- Pockets and grooves cut exactly along the curve.
- In a profile path, a corner that's a spline has no joint button. See Profiles and joints.