Laser cutting using Inventor

[kellings]

I am attaching some files of something that I would like to be able to do in Inventor that we are currently doing in Solidworks. The tube that I have attached is cut using a laser. The attached solidworks file is a 2007 file. If you can view Solidworks files, you can see that this part is built using a radiate surface feature. Is there something similar in Inventor, or is there a different way to accomplish the same thing? I haven't seen the laser acutally cut anything yet, but I am going to head out to the shop floor to see it in action today.

I am using Inventor 2008.

Thanks,

Kevin

[fllaserjim]

Yes you can do this with inventor. And the same way will work.

[Anonymous]

Two methods in Inventor....

1. This part looks like it could be cut using an angled sketchplane and an
extrusion.

2. If the above method does not suit the part it could be done using an
emboss or a split with a 3D sketch.

--
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wrote in message news:5674645@discussion.autodesk.com...
I am attaching some files of something that I would like to be able to do in
Inventor that we are currently doing in Solidworks. The tube that I have
attached is cut using a laser. The attached solidworks file is a 2007 file.
If you can view Solidworks files, you can see that this part is built using
a radiate surface feature. Is there something similar in Inventor, or is
there a different way to accomplish the same thing? I haven't seen the laser
acutally cut anything yet, but I am goin
g to head out to the shop floor to see it in action today.

I am using Inventor 2008.

Thanks,

Kevin

[rblawson]

Kevin,

It appears that you want the edges of the cut to be perpendicular to the surface of the pipe, not just a fishmouth?

try using the Thicken command, it's pretty powerful for this stuff. Extrude the pipe, then extrude surfaces for the ends, then split the inside face of the pipe with the surfaces and thicken it as an intersection outwards. If an intersection won't work, extrude the ID of the pipe as a surface.

I've done a good bit of rolled flatpatterns where the round surface needs clearance about tubes that do not cross the round part's centerline - this requires two intersect thickens, one in and one out.

-Barrett

[rblawson]

example part in IV10

[kellings]

Thank you Barrett. You are correct saying that the intent is to keep the edge perpendicular. I apologize to the rest of you for not being more clear with my intentions. I am pretty new to this laser cutting stuff and I don't exactly have a handle on it. That is why I was going to head out to the shop floor to see the machine work.

I am attempting to duplicate your workflow right now. Does anyone else have any other workflows that they might want to share?

Thanks everyone for your help.

Kevin

[mechcad8]

I am very much intrested in a simular application where I need to do the same type of thing. I have a design that was created in Solidworks and exported to me as a STEP file. I need to modify on the angles but cannot get the person who did it for me to do it for another couple of weeks. The difference with this example is that the tube is not perpendicular.

If you have any useful comments it would be much appricated.

I have attached an image of the tubuar frame I wish to modify?

Shaun

[JDMather]

Download the feature recognition add-in from http://labs.autodesk.com

Looks like a some simple sweeps.