Creating Spirals

You can create curves in the shape of spirals, that is in 2D plane, as opposed to the helical curves.

Before you begin: Create a 3D shape containing a surface and an axis or a point.
Related Topics
Creating a Helix

  1. Click Spiral in the Wireframe toolbar (Curves sub-toolbar).

    The Spiral Curve Definition dialog box appears.

  2. In the Support box, select a supporting plane for the spiral.

  3. In the Center point box, select the center point for the spiral.



  4. In the Reference direction box, specify the direction along which the Start radius value is measured and from which the angle is computed, when the spiral is defined by an angle.

    The spiral is previewed with the current options:

  5. In the Start radius box, specify the value of the start radius, that is the distance from the Center point, along the Reference direction, at which the spiral's first revolution starts.

  6. In the Orientation box, define the spiral's orientation, that is the rotation direction: clockwise or counterclockwise.

  7. In the Type list, select the spiral creation mode, and fill in the corresponding values:


    • Angle & Radius: the spiral is defined by a given End angle from the Reference direction and the radius value, the radius being comprised between the Start and End radius, on the first and last revolutions respectively (i.e. the last revolution ends on a point which distance from the center point is the End radius value).

      Ref. direction = Z, Start radius = 5mm, Counterclockwise, End angle = 45 degree, End radius = 20mm, Revolutions = 5

    • Angle & Pitch: the spiral is defined by a given End angle from the Reference direction and the pitch, that is the distance between two revolutions of the spiral.

      Ref. direction = Z, Start radius = 5mm, Clockwise, End angle = 45 degree, Pitch = 4mm, Revolutions = 3

    • Radius & Pitch: the spiral is defined by the End radius value and the pitch. The spiral ends when the distance from the center point to the spiral's last point equals the End radius value.

      Ref. direction = Z, Start radius = 5mm, Clockwise, End radius = 20mm, Pitch = 6mm

    Important: Depending on the selected creation mode, the End angle, End radius, Pitch, and Revolutions boxes are available or not.

  8. Click OK to create the spiral curve.

    The curve (identified as Spiral.xxx) is added to the specification tree.