Closed surface error

[patgarz]

Hi all,

I'm a grad student working on a multi-winglet design on CATIA. I'm having an issue with some of my models, specifically, an error specifying that the group of surfaces I'm trying to close cant be closed by a singular planar face. I've tried increasing the join distance tolerance, using the Heal tool, manually checking each surface and its connection to the adjacent surface to see if I can see any gap but nothing has resolved the issue.

The surfaces in question do come to a cusp at one end yet it seems the connection there is alright, as neither the heal nor the join tool highlight anything around there green as it does with open gaps usually. In another model (very similar but different measurements on certain parts), the close surface tool worked just fine, so I know that in principle it should work and that its just a planarity error I have to fix somehow but I'm at a loss as to how to do that given what I've tried now. Any insight would be appreciated, thanks in advance.

PS: Not sure if it'll open to the specific part I'm talking about already but if you hide everything on the model, and unhide the Feather # and # Top Fairing Connection joined surfaces object under the feather extras and connections geometrical set, specifically the one from feather 1 to 2 (that's the one I've been wrestling in particular), you'll see it.

 

[jackk]

Another way to check for gaps in surfaces is to highlight the surface boundaries. This can be done with Tools + Options, General + Display options, and look in the Visualization page. In the middle of the page, turn on the option for Surface Boundaries. (see below) OK when done.

A closed Join or Healed set of surfaces should have no boundaries if each surface shares common boundaries with adjacent surfaces. But problem areas will be highlighted with bright green boundaries.

Increasing the allowable gap in the Join or Healing is one way to try to avoid problems, but that's not always the best solution.

If you have the green boundaries, you may have the add a new surface - a Fill surface based on boundary curves.

Sometimes you have to delete a surface and rebuild it by replacing it's boundary with the boundary of the adjacent surface.