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Implicit Modeling
Create implicit models with primitives, lattices, point clouds, fields, offsetting, Booleans, inverting, smoothing, morphing, and filleting.
Offset Implicit Geometry
Offset an implicit body. The offset can be made into a hollow shell.

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New to Inspire? Learn the basics here.
Tutorials
Start using Inspire with our interactive tutorials.
Parametric Modeling
Create parametric sketches, geometry, and PolyNURBS with construction history and variables.
Implicit Modeling
Create implicit models with primitives, lattices, point clouds, fields, offsetting, Booleans, inverting, smoothing, morphing, and filleting.
- Overview
  An overview of Inspire's implicit modeling and its benefits.
- Visualization Quality and Mesh Settings
  Learn how to use the Visualization Quality and Meshing Settings to manage compute times, the visual appearance, and the geometric accuracy of implicit and mesh geometry when working with Inspire Implicit Modeling. This includes working in Implicit Modeling, converting other geometry formats in Implicit Modeling, and meshing implicit geometry for export or other downstream processes.
- View Field
  Use a colormap and contour lines to visualize the underlying field of an Implicit Body.
- Create an Implicit Primitive
  Create simple geometric shapes that can be used for repetitive tasks or combined into more complex shapes. Implicit primitives include a cuboid, cylinder, and sphere.
- Create an Implicit Surface Lattice
  Fill a body with a surface lattice, which is a cellular structure constructed from one — or sometimes two — surfaces. The body can be a Parasolid, STL, PolyNURBS, or implicit geometry.
- Create an Implicit Planar Lattice
  Fill an implicit body with a planar lattice, which is a 2.5D cellular structure with a clearly defined 2D cross-section that is drawn or extruded along the third dimension.
- Create an Implicit Strut Lattice
  Fill an implicit body with a strut lattice, which is constructed from nodes that are connected by beams.
- Create an Implicit Stochastic Lattice
  Create a randomized strut lattice by defining points, edges between points, filters to remove certain points and/or edges, a method to thicken edges into struts, and outer body treatments such as combining the lattice with an outer body or shell.
- Create a Conformal Coordinate Space
  Construct a conformal coordinate space to make body-fitted implicit patterns and lattices.
- Point Clouds in Implicit Modeling
  To drive a field or create implicit geometry, you can import a point cloud or create one from scratch.
- Thinking in Fields - A Primer for Implicit Modeling
  A detailed description of how fields are used in Implicit Modeling within Inspire, with videos and illustrative examples that will help you think intuitively in terms of field-driven design.
- Create a Field For Implicit Modeling
  Create a field to define geometry or control the parameters of an existing geometry at every location within the bounds of the field.
- Convert to Implicit Geometry
  Convert parts to implicit geometry. You can select CAD, PolyNURBS, meshes, or optimized parts.
- Move Implicit Geometry
  Translate and rotate implicit bodies.
- Combine Implicit Geometry
  Combine two implicit bodies into one.
- Subtract Implicit Geometry
  Carve out implicit bodies ("tools") from another implicit body ("target").
- Intersect Implicit Geometry
  Retain only the intersecting portions of two sets of implicit bodies.
- Offset Implicit Geometry
  Offset an implicit body. The offset can be made into a hollow shell.
- Invert Implicit Geometry
  Swap the "inside" and "outside" of an implicit body by reversing the sign of all scalar values in the underlying field.
- Pattern Implicit Geometry
  Create a rectangular, circular, conformal, or point-cloud pattern of implicit bodies.
- Mirror Implicit Geometry
  Mirror implicit bodies across a symmetry plane.
- Morph Implicit Geometry
  Morph one implicit body into another and vice versa. Physically separate bodies may not produce meaningful results.
- Smooth Implicit Geometry
  Used to denoise objects created in Implicit Modeling. This reduces the size of, or removes, unwanted small and sharp features in an implicit body.
- Fillet Implicit Geometry
  Round edges of implicit bodies to create fillets with a constant or variable radius.
- Remap
  Remap a generic field of scalar values into a signed distance field.
Structures
Set up your model and run a structural analysis or optimization.
Motion
Set up and run a motion analysis, plot the results, and export the results.
Fluids
Prepare and run a computational fluid dynamics simulation.
Design Explorer
Evaluate designs by using geometric variables and applying a design-of-experiments (DOE) or optimization method. We recommend fully constraining your sketch when sketch variables are used in the design exploration.
Manufacture
Set up and run a basic porosity or thinning analysis.
Print 3D
Prepare and run an additive manufacturing simulation, and export a file for 3D printing.
Rendering
Adjust the materials and environment of objects in the scene to create a photorealistic image.
Inspire Python API
Learn how to access the Inspire Python API including online help, quick start demos, and the Extension Manager.
Reference
View the glossary, frequently asked questions, and errors and alerts.
Keyboard Shortcuts and Mouse Controls
Learn keyboard shortcuts and mouse controls for common operations.

Offset Implicit Geometry

Offset an implicit body. The offset can be made into a hollow shell.

Inwardly (negative) or outwardly (positive) offset the surface of an implicit body. The offset surface is always normal to the original surface. The offset amount can be a constant value, a variable, or a field. Turning on the Shell option will hollow the model and populate the region between the original and offset surfaces with material.

On the Implicit Modeling ribbon, select the Offset tool.

Tip: To find and open a tool, press Ctrl+F. For more information, see Find and Search for Tools.
Optional: For Visualization Quality, select from Low to Very High quality, which corresponds to a low to very high density of elements. A higher quality produces sharper geometry features but is more computationally intensive. When creating a complicated function, it’s recommended to work using a lower quality and then switch to a higher quality after the function is complete.
Select a body.
Optional: To create a hollow shell, turn on Shell. This will hollow the model and populate the region between the original and offset surfaces with material.
Optional: Select the shell's offset direction. The surface offset always propagates in a direction normal to the original surface.
- Inward (negative): Offset the shell inward.
- Outward (positive): Offset the shell outward.
- Both: Offset the shell both inward and outward.
- Symmetry: Symmetrically offset the shell both inward and outward.
Optional: Define the shell thickness.
Define the offset amount, which can be a constant value, a variable, or a field.
Note: Not all fields in Implicit Modeling are true signed distance fields, where each scalar value in space denotes the precise distance to the surface. When a field is not a signed distance field, offset operations might not produce constant or precise offset thicknesses. For example, care should be taken when offsetting a surface lattice, such as a Gyroid as these are close to, but not exactly, signed distance fields.
- Inward Distance: Define the distance to offset the body inward.
- Outward Distance: Define the distance to offset the body outward.
Click OK.
Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.