# Adding feature to ellipse surface

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 24, 2021, 12:20am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441 "2021-04-24T00:20:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 12:20am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/1 "2021-04-24T00:20:39Z")

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Hi -  
I am trying to add a cone shape on the 3rd ellipse body but i cant copy it by rotating.

can someone help please - thank you

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/2 "2021-04-24T03:52:43Z")

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I have notified the authorities. You should pack light and run to a country with no extradition… (who would try to do such a thing! 🙄).

Could you give us a screenshot with what you are trying to achieve? Show us the 3rd ellipse body?

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**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 24, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/3 "2021-04-24T23:29:12Z")

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![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/8/81516a5be8ad8b0902a922854abf1266c79e3b6d.jpeg)

LOL!  
Thanks for your reply mate… pls see the photo attached  
Thanks again  
Cheers

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 4:53pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/4 "2021-04-25T16:53:53Z")

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If I understand correctly, You are trying to attach nubby things to the outside of your ellipse body? Since it is not uniform body, copying by rotation does not position them on the surface of the body. Is that the problem?

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**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/5 "2021-04-25T17:33:03Z")

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You are correct, that is what i am trying to do but as you said copying by rotation doesnt work. what is the alternative solution for such shape?

Cheers mate

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 6:00pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/6 "2021-04-25T18:00:29Z")

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Well plotting points around an ellipse is no trivial matter. How accurate do you need to be is key?

I would approach the ellipse body from the side and create the “nubbies” around the surface circumference and then copy my objects the other direction or width of the body. If you put the nubbies in a new folder to make selecting them all at once easy peasy!

This might be very tedious depending on how many nubbies you want. All the way round the Ellipse?

You can make a drawing plane off the side of the ellipse to help plot your rows of nubbies around the ellipse.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/7 "2021-04-25T18:04:00Z")

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When drawing lines remember you tangent and perpendicular constraint tools.

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**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 25, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/8 "2021-04-25T18:48:43Z")

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I tried that but as soon as i copied them, they didn’t land on the surface and/or tangent to the surface …, have to move the plane 5 to 10 deg to maintain surface contact … not easy and not accurate (but i can live with lack of accuracy) … i was thinking must be an easier solution to create a pattern on such surface… thank you again for your help mate

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**Author:** ![Past1320](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e57/32.png) [@Past1320](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Past1320)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 4:51am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/9 "2021-04-26T04:51:07Z")

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It might be easier to create a rod slightly larger than the object and send it thru the center then rotate it to the angles needed. Once you have the pattern you need, go back to original sketch and do an offset line the distance from the face of object. Then use that to subtract the excess from both the outside and inside.

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**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 6:52am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/10 "2021-04-26T06:52:06Z")

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Thank you  
not sure if i fully understand 🙂 but thank you very much for your reply.

cheers

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**Author:** ![milouchien](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/milouchien/32/10020_2.png) [@milouchien](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/milouchien)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 9:41am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/11 "2021-04-26T09:41:55Z")

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Perhaps this might help if perfection isn’t absolutely imperative. You’ll need to keep the chord short to minimise inaccuracy due to the non circular curve.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/c/c018e08cd311b44955e30fe0fe6547bc33d38b00.jpeg)

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![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/0ccc12eb83c12f332dc63fbbcbdc905312f7727d.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![milouchien](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/milouchien/32/10020_2.png) [@milouchien](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/milouchien)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 9:44am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/12 "2021-04-26T09:44:51Z")

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Sorry about that - I’ve added the first few images again because they didn’t upload…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/13 "2021-04-26T13:59:11Z")

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Thanks mate- Thank you very much indeed  
I really appreciate your time & support. it is crystal clear now.

Thanks again  
Cheers

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**Author:** ![milouchien](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/milouchien/32/10020_2.png) [@milouchien](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/milouchien)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/14 "2021-04-26T15:41:42Z")

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No problem.

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**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 7:29pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/15 "2021-04-26T19:29:23Z")

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So I did this for learning. I used a vector program and created a 34 sided polygon constrained to a circle and then squashed. Exported and imported in DFX format to get the segmented ellipse. The rest is self explanatory. However I learned something cool when creating construction planes. I was able to create multiple planes at one go. Very cool!

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d9646a0267dcc4cfa8166612d7aa633b5281b13e.jpeg) ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/014b94377e65c6fb47a6297cea017a06434780ef.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Arma72](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Arma72](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Arma72)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2021, 10:51pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/16 "2021-04-26T22:51:14Z")

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Thank you for sharing this…  
This part isn’t quite clear to me as i’m still learning this tool…

\ ***So I did this for learning. I used a vector program and created a 34 sided polygon constrained to a circle and then squashed. Exported and imported in DFX format to get the segmented ellipse**

can you please elaborate …

thank you

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 12:32am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/17 "2021-04-27T00:32:22Z")

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Most vector art programs (Illustrator, Corel Draw, Inkscape, etc.) have polygon tools. I used that to make a polygon in the shape of the ellipse main body. The pic below shows the polygon before and after squashing to make it ellipse shaped. I exported in DFX format and then imported that DFX into shapr to use as my drawing to create the nubbies. I then drew a parallel drawing plane to draw and extrude the main ellipse feature.

 ![Vector1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/4/4135535a096e2fc587c537698913c8c57fe78da5.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 12:43am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/18 "2021-04-27T00:43:34Z")

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I imported the DFX (34 sided polygon squashed to ellipse).

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/c/c3b10cffcb9b4ff6fab9416f9fddf617b1ed61eb.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 12:45am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/19 "2021-04-27T00:45:11Z")

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Then I drew lines at mid segment and used the perpendicular constraint on them

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/f/f0b3a3991cb0582b1a66d6a7ae163518395da111.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oregonerd](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/oregonerd/32/8012_2.png) [@Oregonerd](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Oregonerd)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 12:48am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/adding-feature-to-ellipse-surface/12441/20 "2021-04-27T00:48:49Z")

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Those lines allowed me to make construction planes at each mid segment. Use the “make plane perpendicular to curve at point” to make the planes. Then you draw the feature or nubbiest on each plane.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/068788eec9803b00f7a7056ca9674e52d729fac3.jpeg)

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