Plate

The Plate Command

The Plate command is a versatile tool used to create four-sided metallic structures. Unlike the Patch, which is restricted to the horizontal plane, a Plate can be oriented in any direction or even twisted into a non-planar shape.

Key Characteristics

• Geometry: Defined by four arbitrary vertices in 3D space.
• Bilinear Surface: If the four corner points are not in the same plane, AN-SOF automatically generates a “bilinear surface.” This is a curved quadrilateral where the edges remain straight but the surface itself twists to connect the points.
• Degenerate Case: If all four points are coplanar, the command simply creates a standard flat quadrilateral (rectangle, trapezoid, or rhombus).
• Flexibility: Can be used in free space or above a real ground.

Configuration Steps

To open the tool, navigate to Draw > Wire Grid / Solid Surface > Plate.

1. Plate Tab: Enter the (X, Y, Z) coordinates for each of the four corner points (P1, P2, P3, and P4) (see Fig. 1 and 2).
2. Attributes Tab:
   • Selection: Choose Circular for a wire grid or Flat/Rectangular for a solid metal sheet.
   • Facets: Define the grid density (e.g., $N \times M$ facets).
3. Materials Tab: Specify the resistivity and any optional insulation or dielectric coating.

Common Use Cases

• Reflectors: Creating tilted or vertical ground planes and corner reflectors.
• Complex Housings: Modeling the metallic chassis of a device where surfaces are not perfectly aligned with the primary axes.
• Aero-structures: Modeling segments of aircraft wings or fuselage where the surface may have a subtle twist or non-planar geometry.