Teuvo
This page describes how to freeform objects. NOTE: As the name proposes, you cannot define or give limits to what you´re going to do with freeforming. This brings you another level of freedom and lets you be more artistic in your designs.
Freeform is a model based feature, thus you need a model to begin with. In this example 50x50x50 millimeter cube is used.
First, go to "Insert", "Features" and then "Freeform...".
The interface will look like this.
Freeform feature wants you first to select a face where the freeform will be done. In this example the topmost face is selected.
After you´ve selected the face you need to start adding "Control Curves". If you look at the next picture, the "Continuity" says everything else except "Contact". "Contact" is the preset and in the picture they´re all selected differently by just clicking the text on the small window. Now you can see that there are "Contact", "Tangent", "Curvature", "Moveable" and "Moveable/Tangent". At least the two latter result in a way, that the edge is freeformed also!
In this picture, two "Control curves" are inserted, the direction of the curves can be changed by pushing "Tab" or clicking "Flip Direction" on left. In this picture "Add points" is also pushed, and the cursor is on the control curve to add a control point. "Direction 1 Symmetry" and "Direction 2 Symmetry" will result in control curves which are symmetrical to the center of your selected face.
Control points are called "Triads" - and they look like this:
You can set the "Triad orientation" by "Global", "Surface" or "Curve". You can also set the display to "Zebra stripes" or "Curvature combs" which might help you freeforming. The control over curves can be through points or control polygon.
After you´ve done setting up the properties go to the model and click on one of the lines and the control points will be shown, then just click the point and it will change to triad. Just select one of the axes on triad and start dragging it - in other words freeforming.
You can do some really intriguing geometry with this as you can see!
To get more idea what it will look - I attached a video as well!
(:quicktime Attach:Part1.avi height=400 width=1300 controller=true:)
Can you imagine the pain of drawing something like that by 3D-splines perhaps :)?