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Making line configurations closed shapes for extrusion?

16 REPLIES 16
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Message 1 of 17
sciguy77
4891 Views, 16 Replies

Making line configurations closed shapes for extrusion?

I just completed a sketch for a simple part I'm working on. It contains some arcs, lines, and rectangles that I've drawn. When I went to extrude them to make the sketch 3D, not all of the shapes I created could be extruded, presumably because in my sketch the lines/arcs did not come together properly to create a closed shape.

 

How do I fix this?

16 REPLIES 16
Message 2 of 17
Paul.Normand
in reply to: sciguy77

Hi,

 

Inventor determines closed shapes by finding all the coincident loops. I would need your actual geometry to troubleshoot. However, if you turn on the constraint display, you can see if you are missing coincident constraints at intersections that should form a closed loop and add them manually.

 

Best regards,

 

Paul



Paul Normand
Principal Content Developer/SME
Design Lifecycle and Simulation (DLS)
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 3 of 17
sciguy77
in reply to: Paul.Normand

I've attached the .ipt, as you can see its very simple sketch, but hey, we've all got to start somewhere, right?

 

I tried manually adding a closed loop, but got a "too many constraints" error. How can I fix this?

 

 

Thanks!

Message 4 of 17
Dennis_Jeffrey
in reply to: sciguy77

This is not a simple sketch. Time to lose the AutoCAD habits and create multiple features from this geiometry.

 

 


sciguy77 wrote:

I've attached the .ipt, as you can see its very simple sketch, but hey, we've all got to start somewhere, right?


 

Please mark this response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
____________________________________________________________
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Message 5 of 17
Paul.Normand
in reply to: sciguy77

Well, it wasn't missing coincident constraints - it was mainly geometry that was not sketched well. By that I mean:

 

-The long arcs on both sides extend past where they should intersect the line and needed to be triimmed back the intersection with the straight line.

 

-One of the long arcs had a duplicate sketched on top which needed to be deleted.

 

-Some of the geometry didn't actually extend far enough and had a gap etc.

 

Also, with the symmetry of this sketch, I would create one half and then mirror the duplicated portions. That keeps things that could go wrong to a minimum.

 

I've attached the cleaned up geometry that will extrude (R2011), but the best advice to keep this from happening again is to make sure you have a clean, well modeled sketch. The green dot when you are sketching is your best friend. It means you have a clean termination and coincident constraint.

 

 

 

Best regards,

 

Paul



Paul Normand
Principal Content Developer/SME
Design Lifecycle and Simulation (DLS)
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 6 of 17
sciguy77
in reply to: Paul.Normand

Thanks a million Paul, that was really helpful.

 

Yes, it was sketched poorly, that was my 1st sketch ever (never even used AutoCAD). Thanks for understanding and helping me out. 🙂

Message 7 of 17

 

Hi sciguy77,
I addressed the issue of simple sketches in a recent blog entry. Have a look, and give the suggested method some study, and then I'm certain you'll find sketching in Inventor to be more friendly going forward.
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/2011/03/inventor-101-simple-fully-constrained.html
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis

 

Message 8 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: sciguy77


@sciguy77 wrote:

.... that was my 1st sketch ever....


You might also read this document.    http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf

 


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Message 9 of 17
teresa
in reply to: sciguy77

Dear everyone,

 

How can I extrude a line which is a 3D sketch that I used the command "project to surface"?  Can Inventor do this?

Message 10 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: teresa

Instead of projectomg to that surface - why didn't you simply extrude to that surface.

That is exactly what you are requesting, but done in the logical order and fewer steps.
Attach your file here.


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Message 11 of 17
teresa
in reply to: sciguy77

Dear,

 

Thank you for your quick response.  I have to do that way as I need to use those projected lines on the slope side to extrude a surface / sheet metal.  The purpose doing that is I want to unfold that surface to identify the sheet shape.  Can Inventor do this?

 

The sheet will be along those projected lines, then I can fold it into a tube.  Then when I unfold it, I can see the cut shape.

 

Thank you

 

Teresa

Message 12 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: teresa

Sounds like you are going about it all the wrong way.
Attach the file here.

also, attach another file using standard tools (not sheet metal) that shows something similar to what you are after as the final results.

 

You should have started a new thread for this.


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Message 13 of 17
teresa
in reply to: JDMather

Dear Sir,

 

Here is the attached file.  I want to use all those blue lines to create a sheet so that it can be bend and unfold.  Thank you!

 

Regards

 

Teresa

Message 14 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: teresa

I noticed that your first sketch is not constrained or making obvious use of symmetry about the origin.

You might want to read this document

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

 

You are doing wayyyyyyyyyyy too much work.
I have to run out the door now - but I will try to post a better technique later tonight if someone else doesn't jump in here.


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Message 15 of 17
teresa
in reply to: JDMather

Dear Sir,

 

I have 1 wish.  Could you make a part for me so that I can look all the steps you did if possible?

 

Thank you

 

Teresa

Message 16 of 17
teresa
in reply to: JDMather

Dear Sir,

 

I forgot to tell you that I have to use those 2 lines on the slope side as those are fixed anchor bolt center line to fix the sheet.  I tried to extrude, however, it wont allow me to choose those projected lines.

 

Regards

Message 17 of 17
JDMather
in reply to: teresa

I really have no idea what you are trying to do.
Look at attached and see if it is close (done in edu version so you will have to delete and recreate once you figure it out).

Your (missing) dimensions don't make logical sense to me.

You didn't indicate the thickness of the sheet?


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