Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

Hi,

I'm quite new to Inventor and working with student version of inventor pro 2013. This is one of my first models and I keep hitting a wall when trying to create a shell.. Can't seem to do it succesfully for this part. I'd need the wall thickness to be approx 6mm. I've tried anything between 1-10 mm but nothing seems to work and the errors seem to change all the time depending which thickness I'm using. Is that form too complex for the shell or am I just doing something plain wrong?

Edit: Also I'd like to remove one of the narrower side faces to see inside the box. 

Thanks,

Niko

[#2]

Apparently Shell function does not like fillets that much... Any way to create round edges if I want to use shell?

[#3]

I noticed that your 1st sketch is not constrained.

You might want to read this document while I take a look at your part.

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf

(shell works fine with fillets when created properly)

[#4]

Is there a reason you are using G2 Fillets (that part doesn't look like something I would expect to require G2 fillets)

This one still has G2 fillets but in a slightly different order.

Shelled at 3mm (that seems a little thick to me for something like this.

I would expect something like 1 to 2 mm thickness.

[#5 · Accepted solution]

Same size fillets (and G2) but notice no sharp point.

Imagine offsetting an arc towards the inside - how do you offset a zero radius arc?

To see inside the box you could do a Section View on the View tab or better yet,

looks to me like that would be at least two parts - use the Split Part command and turn off one of the resulting solid bodies.

[#6]

Thanks for the link! I actually spotted that already when searching the forums but it's extremely informative pdf anyways and helped me greatly.

Are constraints required for all the functions to work properly? I've been trying to search some basic data about why to use constraints and if they are really needed but can only find loads of info about how to add constraints etc..

Is there big difference between the fillet types? I just used the ones I thought look nicer in this case..

Thanks for the image showing the problem! Need to focus more on the small details to find the errors =)

By the way this is meant to be one big product as the imagined manufacturing methdod is rotational moulding so can't really divide it to parts.

[#7]

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niko.jarvinen wrote:

Are constraints required for all the functions to work properly?

I just used the ones I thought look nicer in this case..

By the way this is meant to be one big product as the imagined manufacturing methdod is rotational moulding so can't really divide it to parts.

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Constraints aren't actually needed at all (see AutoCAD), but they help in solving and especially in avoiding problems.  Think of it like a math problem where you are expected to show how you got your solution rather than just the "solution".  And out on the shop floor anyone making real parts has to set up datums (constraints) on the machines, so why shouldn't the designer do the same?

Use whatever fillets you want - but consider the cost of manufacture as well.  Will the customer pay for the feature?

Knowing that it will be rotational molded we know more about the design intent.  Check on your 6mm thickness idea.

  Use section view on View tab to see inside

or

create a Split feature and then Delete or Suppress the feature when done (I like to drag the EOP above the Split.

[#8]

Thanks for all the info! Now I don't need to bang a hole to wall next to me with my head... (:

That section view hint was great too, hadn't noticed it before!