Unable to sketch on my extruded surface

[timtom1]

Hello,

I am new to Inventor and need help.

I have draw in DWG the front view of a ship's frame. I've closed the loop in inventor and extruded the object but I am unable to sketch on most of the surface to complete the side view..??

I can only sketch on one section the upper and lower sections it won't allow me too.

The top should be offset to the right but I am unable to draw the sketch onto the fame.

Please help, Tim

[cbenner · Accepted solution]

Welcome!

Well from the picture it looks like you're trying to sketch on a curved surface.... you can't so that.  Also, please mention what version you are using, as we are all on a variety of releases, and only some people will be able to open your part file.

Further review shows your sketch is not fully constrained, nor does it have any dimensions on it.  This is going to result in a very unstable model as you progress. I have to ask... have you had any training or run through any of the tutorials?

Try this link: http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/SkillsUSA%20University.pdf

[JDMather]

As noted - you an only create 2D sketches on a plane or planar face (2D is 2D).

There are other ways depending on your design intent.

I recommend that you do not use AutoCAD as your sketcher (nothing really wrong with using AutoCAD, but your sketch is not dimensioned, lacks geometry constraints and does not appear to be logically oriented about the origin.

I recommend you go through these

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/SkillsUSA%20University.pdf
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com/p/inventor-tutorials.html
http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/enu?adskContextId=HELP_TUTORIALS&language=ENU&release=2014&product=Inve...

[blair]

In the mean time, you should be able to place a sketch on the top or bottom face, sketch the new profile and use the extrude to get the modified shape. As with the other posts, you work on your model and model techniques.