Home
Parametric Modeling
Create 2D sketches, surfaces, and solids.
Geometry
Create and modify parametric surfaces and solids.
Patch
Fill in a missing surface.

Welcome
What's New
Discover new features and enhancements.
Get Started
New to Inspire Extrude? Learn the basics here.
Training
Explore Altair's resources for training and support.
Inspire Extrude Metal
Get started with Inspire Extrude Metal.
Inspire Extrude Polymer
Get started with Inspire Extrude Polymer.
Inspire Friction Stir Welding
Get started with Inspire Friction Stir Welding.
Inspire Resin Transfer Molding
Get started with Inspire Resin Transfer Molding.
Parametric Modeling
Create 2D sketches, surfaces, and solids.
- Construction History
  View and edit the construction history of your model.
- Global References
  Global references are the global origin, axes, and planes shown in the modeling window. They can be helpful when creating and defining your model.
- Sketching
  Create and edit 2D parametric sketch geometry.
- Geometry
  Create and modify parametric surfaces and solids.
  - Reference Geometry
    Create and modify reference planes, axes, or points.
  - Extrude
    Extrude profiles or 2D surfaces in one or two directions to create solids or 3D surfaces with optional end caps. Create a new part or combine, merge, subtract, or intersect the extruded shape with existing parts.
  - Revolve
    Revolve one or more faces, sketches, lines, or 2D edges about an axis.
  - Extract
    Extract selected geometry features and transfer them to a new part.
  - Sweep
    Sweep a profile along a path to create a solid or surface. Create a new part or combine, subtract, or intersect the swept shape with existing parts.
  - Multi Sweep
    Sweep multiple profiles along a path to create a solid or surface. Create a new part or combine, subtract, or intersect the swept shape with existing parts.
  - Pipe
    Create a pipe along one or more edges/lines. The pipe has a uniform cross section that can be circular, square, rectangular, or triangular.
  - Loft
    Create a solid loft or a lofted surface from profiles and guide curves. Create a new part from the loft or combine, subtract, or intersect the loft with existing parts.
  - Patch
    Fill in a missing surface.
  - Pattern
    Create a linear or circular pattern of parts or faces.
  - Mirror
    Mirror parts across a symmetry plane.
  - Rib
    Extrude rib geometry from a sketch to stiffen your model. You can select an arc, curve, straight line, or curved surface.
  - NURBS Curve
    Create a NURBS curve, which is a free-form curve.
  - Blend Curve
    Create a free-form curve that blends into one or more existing curves, surfaces, or edges.
  - Offset Curve
    Create a copy of one or more curves at a specified distance from the source curves. This tool can be used on both 2D and 3D curves.
  - Helix Curve
    Create a helix (or a spiral if the top and bottom radii are different).
  - Extend Curve
    Extend a curve and modify the shape of the extension.
  - Face Curve
    Extract curves from a face in the U or V direction. This is useful for creating trim curves that run along a face.
  - Divide Curve
  - Intersect Curves
    Split intersecting curves or wire bodies into several curves.
  - Simplify Curves
    Simplify one or more curves by changing the number of control points and inverting their sequence, joining multiple curves, or by applying an arc length parametrization.
  - From Surface Intersection
    Extract curves from the intersection of two surfaces.
  - Boolean
    Create a new part by using one set of solids to edit another set of solids.
  - Fillets
    Create fillets or chamfers along an edge.
  - Trim/Split
    Remove part of a surface or solid by projecting a profile curve onto it. Or use a set of tool surfaces to split a set of target surfaces.
  - Slice
    Slice a set of solid objects with a cutting plane or surfaces.
  - Intersect
    Retain only the intersecting portions of one or more parts.
  - Shell
    Remove material and create thin walls to generate a shelled part.
  - Draft
    Add draft to one or more faces of a part.
  - Push/Pull
    Push, pull, or revolve a face, sketch, line, or 2D edge to extrude it into a solid or surface, create or resize a hole, eliminate rounds, or modify wall thickness.
  - Extend Surface
    Extend a surface along one or more edges. You can extend the surface to a curve or another surface.
  - Offset
    Offset surfaces or parts, thicken surface parts and convert them to solids, or thicken and hollow solid parts.
  - Move Faces
    Translate, rotate, copy, or extend features.
  - Partition
    Divide a solid part into design and non-design regions by selecting a hole, pocket, or face to offset.
  - Simplify
    Clean up problem areas in the geometry of a model before running an analysis.
  - Delete Faces
    Delete faces from solid or sheet parts.
  - Close Holes
    Use the Close Holes tool to fill in missing surfaces, or to remake bad or problematic surfaces.
  - Midsurface
    Extract a midsurface or side faces from thin solids, and determine where surfaces are represented.
  - Scale
    Resize parts in your model, which is useful when working with an imported model that is associated with a different default unit system.
  - Tags
    Assign or query tags (metadata) that can be associated with one or more entities in a model.
  - Deform
    Twist, bend, taper, shear, or stretch parts within a specified region (deformation zone).

Patch

Fill in a missing surface.

On the Geometry ribbon, select the Patch tool.
Note: The tool may be hidden in the dropdown menu. To access the dropdown menu, you can do one of the following:
- Select at the lower right corner of the currently displayed tool.
- Click and hold the currently displayed tool.
The guide panel appears.
Next to Edges, the Select button is active. Select one or more edges. An edge can be a sketch or curve.

Note: To select all connected edges, turn on Select Connected Edges. When you select one edge, the entire chain of edges is selected.
To deselect, hold down Ctrl while clicking.
To group the selected edges into a single edge set, turn on Group Edges. Turn off this option to define the continuity for each edge.
Define the Continuity for the Edge Sets:
- Position (G0): No constraints are set; the patch surface is connected to the surface edge, but not tangent to it.
- Tangent (G1): The patch surface is made tangent to the surface edge but does not follow the curvature of the adjacent surface.
- Curvature (G2): The patch surface is made tangent to the surface edge and follows the curvature of the adjacent surface.
Next to Internal Curves, the Select button is active. Select internal curves. An internal curve can be a sketch or curve. To deselect, hold down Ctrl while clicking. To also select all the tangent edges when clicking an edge, turn on Tangent Propagation.
To merge target and patch surfaces, turn on Merge Result. Turn off this option to make the patch a new part.
To show all open loops, which could be patched, in the model, turn on Show Open Loops. Otherwise, turn off this option.
Click Apply.
Right-click and mouse through the check mark to exit, or double-right-click.