basic - help with lug design

[jamie.q.white]

I'd like to use Fusion 360 to design lugs for bicycle frames. The tubes of the frame need to be represented precicely (size, wall thickness), and positioned precisely with respect to one another (position, angle).  I'd like the lug itself to be more free-flowing. My thought was to place cylinders of precise size, angle and position to represent the tubes and then design lugs around the tube.

Is this a good general strategy?

Specifically, I'm having trouble placing cylinders to represent the tubes precisely. What is a good way to do this?

I've attached a screenshot of one of my attempts.

Thanks,

-jamie

[Oceanconcepts · Accepted solution]

This thread:  http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Get-Help-with-Fusion-360/Fusion-360-snapping-aligning-or-assembling-pi...

may provide some help with positioning the tubes. Since you are dealing with precise shapes, I'd suggest doing that part of the model in the Model workspace rather than in Sculpt. This will allow you to position the tubes precisely.  You need to get comfortable with the concept of components, creating construction features inside an activated component, and then using those features to position the component. Alternatively, a sketch could be used as a template for positioning, or used as a path to sweep a profile- for instance if the frame tubes were not cylinders but a more complex shape.  There are multiple ways to this end.  

Once you have the tubes drawn and joined, creating the lugs is perfect for T-splines. Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F4rg31UjBE&feature=youtube_gdata

on the object snap tool for how to map a t-spline body to a solid, and also the razor tutorial videos in the Learn section.  

This seems like an ideal approach for the project you have in mind.

[jamie.q.white]

Thanks! This should get me going in the right direction.

-jamie

[deyop]

We are working on a new command in the Sculpt area called Pipe.  It has a lot more flexibility for managing the transitions between tubes.  Here is a little sneak peak of how the command works.  I will work on the concept while we are testing the tool and show the progress.  

Thanks

[jamie.q.white]

wow!  That is super-cool! I can see a lot of potential applications.  Thanks for the preview. -jamie