Claris CAD: What Are Fillets and Chamfers?

What are fillets and chamfers?

This information was provided by Claris Corporation on 16 March 1998, and incorporated into Apple Computer's Tech Info Library.

These terms come from wood and metal working terms. An edge that is cut at a 45 angle is said to be chamfered. A corner that is smoothed until it is rounded is filleted.

As an example: Let's say that you are making table legs out of wood. Perfectly square table legs might look cheaply finished, so a common detail is to cut the sharp edges of the legs at a 45 angle. The name of that cut would be a chamfer.

If you were making a part that had a sharp edge, you might fillet the edge so that is not sharp.

Published Date: Feb 18, 2012