Extrusion Offset?

[CelticDesignServices]

Had a user today come up with a very good question/suggestion.

He wanted to do an Extrude of a profile but he wanted it to go from an offset.

In other words, let's say he has a sketch on a plane but wants the Extrusion to start 2 inches off that plane and then go another 5 inches.

Yes, I know he can simply create a new plane 2 inches off the main plane, project the entities and then Extrude, but why bother dupicating the geometry? Does that make any sense?

Is there a way of doing this that I just haven't seen yet?

[rhasell]

Hi

Create a Workplane 2 inches off the base.

Create another workplane 5 inches from that one.

When doing the extrude, use the "Between" option, this will extrude the profile between the two workplanes, without projecting the geometry.

[agpksrock3]

I think the easiest thing would be to extrude the first sketch, make a plane 2in off the original surface, create a sketch on this plane and then extrude with subtract the 2 inches you don't want.

Hope this helps

[stevec781]

My guess is that your user has some solidworks experience as this is one of those nice features that solidworks has had for years and for some strange reason autodesk hasnt bothered to play catch up with it (as well as thin extrude & direction along a vector).

There is no way to do what you want without creating another work plane.

[soctavio]

2017.

Still nothing...?

[mflayler2]

<cough> <cough> beta.autodesk.com

It was an accepted idea and should be making its way in soon.

[mcgyvr]

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@mflayler2 wrote:

<cough> <cough> beta.autodesk.com

It was an accepted idea and should be making its way in soon.

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First rule of fight club 

[graemev]

Extrude 5".

Share sketch.

Extrude cut 2".

Hide sketch.

[david.beal]

Looking forward to this new feature.  I would use it a lot!

[Mark.Lancaster]

@david.beal

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but its Inventor 2018.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! If I understood the request correctly, this workflow is available as of Inventor 2018. Are you on 2018 already?

Many thanks!

[david.beal]

Hi.

This new command in 2018 is close to what CelticDesignServices was asking for and what I was hoping for.  Difference is that the 2018 command requires you to pick a beginning surface then specify an extrude distance vs specifying any beginning numerical distance (not picking a surface) then specifying an extrude distance.  Not quite the same and less versatile but better than before.

Thanks!

[vmware556YF]

So it appears that this feature was added in 2018 but has since been removed.

Look, Inventor, you don't like me and I don't like you.

But this single feature would allow users to make simpler, easier to read and understand parts.

Why?

Because much of a part could be defined from a single sketch...like in the good old days.

All the features from one sketch would almost be like a blueprint.  It would be so simple and fast.

And clear...and clean...and human readable.

You know...all the things Inventor isn't.

Yes, I COULD make a plane for this...but that makes things less clear...less simple...more cluttered.  It's a half-solution... By the way, I used a dash instead of a 3 letter word.

I feel like someone at Autodesk is philosophically opposed to this idea from some arbitrary reason.

Open YOUR mind... because you are one person, and we are thousands, if not millions, of SolidWorks users with DECADES of experience, each... And with stuff like this, basic....basic features, we will never choose you.

[rhasell]

Hi

Nope, still there, just improved interface. (Inventor 2021) So I am making an assumption that its in version 2022 as well.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Like @rhasell points out, the Offset Extrude is available. The workflow may not be apparent since there is no explicit option calling out Offset. You need to select the starting face (default to source sketch) and set the offset distance.

I appreciate your feedback! You seem to have some negative sentiment toward Inventor. Inventor is a tool of choice. It is not perfect. It will never be perfect but it has to be useful.

Our biggest competitor does have a large user base. So does Inventor. Otherwise, you would not be making comments here. Please feel free to share your feedback here. Or sign up Inventor Feedback Community (https://autode.sk/InventorBeta), where you can try the latest internal build in an install-free, browser-based environment. And, discuss issues with project team members directly. Any feedback is welcome.

Many thanks!

[Wukits]

SO I updated my account to state that this in fact does not exist like *cough* *cough* the competitor does.
"Our biggest competitor does have a large user base. So does Inventor." Is nonsensical to the issue asked.

The above posts stating it does exist, please detail how to acomplish it. Just to be clear the OP asked, and clearly stated the desire:
"... he has a sketch on a plane but wants the Extrusion to start 2 inches off that plane and then go another 5 inches."
Please show the steps specifically addressing this exact problem.

This is an amazing feature that is DOES NOT exist in Inventor.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I am not here to argue about Inventor vs its competitors (SWX and others). That is not the point. SWX has the ability to offshoot Extrude by distance. Inventor's workflow requires a planar reference to offshoot. So, it is true that INV does not have the exact workflow as SWX in this case. But, the same result can be obtained by selecting an offset reference (a planar face or a plane) as the starting plane.

I suggest you look into Fusion 360 which offers many SWX-like workflows. You may enjoy using it more than INV.

Many thanks!

[paul.hadleyEBN96]

Just add the function, i don't see why such a simple task is treated with such disdain?

[mcgyvr]

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@paul.hadleyEBN96 wrote:

Just add the function, i don't see why such a simple task is treated with such disdain?

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@paul.hadleyEBN96  Paul show your support for this functionality by voting here.. 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/ability-to-specify-offset-from-extrusion-start-end-fac...