Box

The Box Command

The Box command creates a right rectangular prism structure in the workspace. The generated box is initially aligned with the $X$, $Y$, and $Z$ axes of the reference coordinate system, but its orientation and position can be modified later using CAD editing tools.

• Geometry: Defined by its edge lengths along the three spatial axes and the coordinates of its center point.

Configuration Steps

To open the tool, select Draw > Wire Grid / Solid Surface > Box from the main menu.

1. Box Tab: Enter the Length (along the $X$-axis), Width (along the $Y$-axis), and Height (along the $Z$-axis). Specify the center coordinates ($X, Y, Z$) to position the box (Fig. 1).
2. Attributes Tab:
   • Selection: Choose Circular for a wire grid or Flat/Rectangular for a solid metal sheet representation.
   • Facets: Set the mesh density by entering the number of facets along each axis direction ($X$, $Y$, and $Z$).
3. Materials Tab: Specify the material resistivity and configure optional wire insulation or dielectric/magnetic coatings.

Defining the Facets

On the Attributes tab, you define the mesh density used to represent the wire grid or solid surface by specifying the number of facets along the $X$, $Y$, and $Z$ directions.

Grid vs. Solid Surface

• Wire Grid: Select Circular cross section on the Attributes tab to generate a hollow wire frame or grid structure.
• Solid Surface: Select Flat or Rectangular to create a box with solid surface faces. AN-SOF automatically uses flat strips to cover the faces completely.

Materials

On the Materials tab, you can assign physical conductor properties (such as the resistivity of copper or aluminum) or apply a dielectric or magnetic coating if the wires composing the box are insulated.

Changing Orientation and Positioning

To change the orientation, shape, scale, or position of a box in the workspace, use the Box Select tool on the toolbar:

1. Click the Box Select button on the toolbar.
2. Click and drag with the left mouse button to draw a bounding box that encloses the target structure (or specific parts of it). Enclosed wires are selected and highlighted in light blue.
3. Use the Move, Rotate, and Scale commands under the Edit menu to edit the selected elements in bulk.

For detailed instructions, see Modifying a Grid or Surface.