Re: CAD experiment entry

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "timgoldstein" <timg@...> wrote:

>
> I have put my files in the Files section of the group. I created a CAD_Experiment folder and the files are then in a sub folder under my name.
>
> Autodesk Inventor 2011

Hate replying to my own posts, but it dawned on me that some of the members that are not full up on working in 3D CAD might like to know how we approach doing our models.

So from memory, here are the high level steps I took to do mine. This same approach would be applicable to many of the 3D model programs like Alibre and Solidworks and I am sure many others. This is not going to be a tutorial, but just a general how I did it.

Started with a new empty part file.

First I created the flange as looking down on the t-nut.
Selected the XY plane and create a sketch (2D drawing) on it.
Used the rectangle tool to throw an rectangle on the drawing grid with the bottom left corner anchored to the origin.
Used the dimension tool to set the horizontal dimension to .750 and the vertical dimension to .5.
Closed and saved the sketch.
Used the extrude tool to extrude the flange in Z to a thickness of .250. Saved.

Next I created the neck portion.
Selected the top of the flange extrusion and selected the sketch tool.
In the sketch tool I then used the project geometry tool to bring both vertical edges of the flange to the current sketch.
I then used the rectangle tool to throw a rectangle on the sketch. No attempt to line it up with anything, just to get it on the sketch.
I then used the horizontal constrain tool to constrain the center point of my new rectangle to the center point of my projected flange. This centers the rectangle that will be the neck on the flange.
Next I used the co-linear constraint tool to tie the vertical ends of my rectangle to the vertical ends of the projected flange.
Finally, used the dimension tool to set the neck width to .250.
Closed and saved the sketch.
Used the extrude tool to extrude the sketch to .250 thick and the neck is done.
Saved.

Putting in the hole.
Selected the top of the neck extrusion and selected the sketch tool.
Used the project geometry tool to project a vertical and horizontal edge of the neck to the sketch.
Selected the point tool and made sure the center point option was enabled. Threw a point on the sketch, again no attempt to put it where it needed to be exactly.
Used the horizontal constraint tool to locate the point to the center of the vertical edge.
Used the vertical constraint tool to locate the point to the center of the horizontal edge.
Closed and saved the sketch.
Selected the Hole tool and it brought up the dialog box. Set the hole for through all. Selected chamfered hole and selected threaded. Picked my thread size and set the diameter of the top of the chamfer. Apply and the hole is done.
Saved.

Selected the Chamfer tool. Picked the vertical edges of both flange and neck (8 total), set the chamfer dimension in the tool and hit apply.
Saved.

3D part complete.

Tim Goldstein
A2Z Corp
A2Z CNC Division

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