[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":116},["ShallowReactive",2],{"y4vzgQ1QVcnVXcB_9PnkRBpbhmpE0vp6BDb6InjVH48":3,"article_using-curvature-combs-to-inspect-curvature_solidworks":10,"_apollo:default":114,"_apollo:identified":115},{"mailchimpAudience":4},{"actionUrl":5,"slug":6,"locale":7,"default":8,"__typename":9},"","using-curvature-combs-to-inspect-curvature","en","https:\u002F\u002F3ds.us3.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe\u002Fpost?u=ed4601044e1936748c0d2aa6b&id=e5080ff9fe&f_id=002d4de2f0","MailchimpAudience",{"posts":11},{"nodes":12,"__typename":113},[13],{"id":14,"slug":6,"title":15,"uri":16,"excerpt":17,"locale":18,"featuredImage":21,"tableOfContents":29,"content":30,"date":31,"authorJobTitle":5,"author":32,"masterings":43,"globalTags":47,"products":71,"disciplines":83,"seo":102,"__typename":112},"cG9zdDo0MTY1Mg==","Using Curvature Combs to Inspect Curvature","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fusing-curvature-combs-to-inspect-curvature","\u003Cp>One of my favorite ways to inspect curvature is to use curvature…\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"locale":19,"__typename":20},"en_US","Locale",{"node":22,"__typename":28},{"large":23,"__typename":24,"medium_large":23,"thumbnail":25,"srcSet":26,"sizes":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fsolidworks.jpg.webp","MediaItem","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fsolidworks-150x150.jpg.webp","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fsolidworks.jpg.webp 588w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fsolidworks-300x168.jpg.webp 300w","(max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px","NodeWithFeaturedImageToMediaItemConnectionEdge",[],"\u003Cp>One of my favorite ways to inspect curvature is to use curvature combs. These are graphical elements that display the amount of curvature at a given point on a sketch element. They’re fantastic for predicting problem areas in sketches, especially splines, that will be used to generate complex surfaces.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>To display curvature combs for a sketch entity, simply right-click on the entity and choose Show Curvature Combs from the pop-up menu. When you do, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.solidworks.com\u002Fsw\u002F3d-cad-design-software.htm?scid=sm_bl_GSXIcombs\" target=\"_self\">SolidWorks\u003C\u002Fa> will create a set of lines normal to the sketch entity at points along that entity; the longer the line of the comb, the more curvature there is at that point.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>While the combs are very useful as is, they become even better more useful when you turn on the bounding curve. The bounding curve of a curvature comb makes it very easy to see even subtle changes or inflections in the curvature of an entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.gxsc.com\u002F.a\u002F6a00d8349cbbac69e2016767e4298c970b-pi\">\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Curvature Combs with Bounding Curve off\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.gxsc.com\u002F.a\u002F6a00d8349cbbac69e2016767e429b3970b-pi\">\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Curvature Comb with Bounding Curve on\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>To turn on these helpful bounding curves, go to Tools, Options, System Options, and pick the Sketch page. On that page you’ll find a checkbox: Show curvature comb bounding curve.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.gxsc.com\u002F.a\u002F6a00d8349cbbac69e2017742bf0d26970d-pi\">\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>It’s an option I knew I had, but I had forgotten about it until recently when I was trying to explain using Curvature Combs in an Advanced Part class. I could mentally trace the flow of the curve because I knew what I was looking at; my students had a harder time until I increased the density of the curvature combs. I then thought to myself, “Wasn’t there a way to show the flow of these curvature comb ends?” A little digging into the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.solidworks.com\u002Fsw\u002F3d-cad-design-software.htm?scid=sm_bl_GSXIcombs\" target=\"_self\">SolidWorks\u003C\u002Fa> option pages and there it was! Use it and you’ll find it even easier to predict surface behaviors when created from your sketches.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>—\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>John Setzer is Training Coordinator at \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gxsc.com\u002F\" target=\"_self\">Graphics Systems\u003C\u002Fa>, a SolidWorks Value Added Reseller with locations across Wisconsin and Illinois. He is a regular contributor to the Graphics Systems’ blog: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog.gxsc.com\u002Fgraphics_systems_solidnot\u002F\" target=\"_self\">SolidNotes.com\u003C\u002Fa>, your source for SolidWorks, Simulation, Data Management, & Product Communication Tips & Tricks.\u003C\u002Fp>","2012-07-10T10:43:51",{"node":33,"__typename":42},{"nicename":34,"description":5,"slug":35,"name":35,"firstName":36,"lastName":37,"avatar":38,"__typename":41},"jeff-setzer","jeff setzer","Jeff","Setzer",{"url":39,"__typename":40},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F01\u002Fgsc-120x120-1.png-96x96.webp","Avatar","User","NodeWithAuthorToUserConnectionEdge",{"nodes":44,"edges":45,"__typename":46},[],[],"PostToTaxonomy_masteringConnection",{"nodes":48,"__typename":70},[49,55,60,65],{"id":50,"name":51,"slug":52,"uri":53,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjAx","3D CAD","3d-cad","\u002Ftags\u002F3d-cad\u002F","Taxonomy_tag",{"id":56,"name":57,"slug":58,"uri":59,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NTk5","Design","design","\u002Ftags\u002Fdesign\u002F",{"id":61,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":64,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjAz","SOLIDWORKS","solidworks","\u002Ftags\u002Fsolidworks\u002F",{"id":66,"name":67,"slug":68,"uri":69,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjMz","Surface Modeling","surface-modeling","\u002Ftags\u002Fsurface-modeling\u002F","PostToTaxonomy_tagConnection",{"edges":72,"nodes":80,"__typename":82},[73],{"isPrimary":74,"node":75,"__typename":79},false,{"id":76,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":77,"__typename":78},"dGVybTo1Ng==","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002F","Taxonomy_product","PostToTaxonomy_productConnectionEdge",[81],{"id":76,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":77,"__typename":78},"PostToTaxonomy_productConnection",{"nodes":84,"edges":97,"__typename":101},[85],{"id":86,"name":51,"slug":52,"uri":87,"parentId":88,"disciplines":89,"__typename":96},"dGVybTo2MA==","\u002Fdisciplines\u002F3d-cad\u002F","dGVybTo1OA==",{"nodes":90,"__typename":95},[91],{"title":51,"uri":92,"parentId":93,"__typename":94},"\u002Fdisciplines\u002Fdesign-engineering\u002F3d-cad","cG9zdDozNzcz","Discipline","Taxonomy_disciplineToDisciplineConnection","Taxonomy_discipline",[98],{"isPrimary":74,"node":99,"__typename":100},{"parentId":88,"id":86,"name":51,"slug":52,"uri":87,"__typename":96},"PostToTaxonomy_disciplineConnectionEdge","PostToTaxonomy_disciplineConnection",{"canonical":5,"title":103,"metaDesc":5,"opengraphAuthor":5,"opengraphDescription":104,"opengraphTitle":15,"opengraphUrl":105,"opengraphSiteName":106,"opengraphPublishedTime":107,"opengraphModifiedTime":108,"twitterTitle":5,"twitterDescription":5,"readingTime":109,"metaRobotsNoindex":110,"__typename":111},"Using Curvature Combs to Inspect Curvature - Blog Solidworks","One of my favorite ways to inspect curvature is to use curvature…","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fusing-curvature-combs-to-inspect-curvature\u002F","Blog Solidworks","2012-07-10T14:43:51+00:00","2026-02-12T17:25:06+00:00",2,"noindex","PostTypeSEO","Post","RootQueryToPostConnection",{},{},1776970388970]