Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
198
AutoCAD and Its Applications—Advanced
Converting to Solids Converting to Solids
Additional fl exibility in creating solids is provided by the
CONVTOSOLID
command.
This command allows you to directly convert certain closed objects into solids. You
can convert:
• Circles with thickness.
• Wide, uniform-width polylines with thickness. This includes polygons and
rectangles.
• Closed, zero-width polylines with thickness. This includes polygons, rectan-
gles, and closed revision clouds.
• Mesh primitives and other watertight mesh objects. Working with mesh objects
is discussed in Chapter 9.
• Watertight surface models.
First, select the command. Then, select the objects to convert and press [Enter]. The
objects are instantly converted with no additional input required. Figure 8-23 shows
two different objects before and after conversion to a solid.
If an object that appears to be a closed polyline with a thickness does not convert
to a solid and AutoCAD displays the message
Cannot convert an open
curve, the poly-
line was not closed using the
Close
option of the
PLINE
command. Use the
PEDIT
or
PROPERTIES
command to close the polyline and use the
CONVTOSOLID
command
again.
PROFESSIONAL TIP PROFESSIONAL TIP
To quickly create a straight section of pipe, draw a donut with the correct ID and OD
of the pipe. Then, use the
Properties
palette to give the donut a thickness equal to the
length of the section you are creating. Finally, use the
CONVTOSOLID
command to
turn the donut into a solid.
CONVTOSOLID
Ribbon
Home
Solid Editing
Convert to Solid
Type
CONVTOSOLID
Top
edge
Hole diameter edge
A
B
Top edge
(second selection)
Base surface
(first selection)
Intersection edge
(third selection)
Figure 8-22.
A—A hole is chamfered with the
CHAMFER
command by picking the top surface, then the
edge of the hole. B—The top edge of the cylinder is chamfered by first picking the side, then
the top edge. Both edges can be chamfered at the same time, as shown here.