topic Re: Help creating complex shapes in Inventor Forum

Help creating complex shapes

98267a — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 22:04:23 GMT

I a currently trying to cad this statue so that i can 3d print it and eventually make it out of metal. I am struggling to figure out how to create the shapes in cad. I'm not trying to make it to scale maybe a few inches tall model not more then a foot.

Thanks.

Re: Help creating complex shapes

JDMather — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 22:12:20 GMT

@98267a wrote:

I a currently trying to cad this statue so that i can 3d print it ... maybe a few inches tall model not more then a foot..

What is the build envelope size of your 3D printer?

Can you attach your *.ipt file here?

Re: Help creating complex shapes

98267a — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 22:16:47 GMT

This is what i have so far for the back legs so to speak. The build volume is 28.5L X 15.3 W X 15.5 H CM its on of the earlier Makerbot Replicators.

Re: Help creating complex shapes

johnsonshiue — Tue, 01 Aug 2017 23:59:09 GMT

Hi! The statue is an art piece. You might need to consult with the artist before trying to replicate the piece. The artist should have the exclusive right to any work he or she did unless it was specified otherwise. Before you straighten out the legal issue, I personally would not suggest any modeling technique to replicate the piece. All I can say is that you can create the same model in Inventor possibly by importing some geometry like the skeleton.

Many thanks!

Re: Help creating complex shapes

98267a — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 00:02:31 GMT

Thanks. Its from a tv show so guess ill just email the studio and ask for permission to recreate it, right?

Re: Help creating complex shapes

kelly.young — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 00:48:35 GMT

@98267a I see that you are visiting as a new member to the Inventor Forum. Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

That is a pretty fun project. I would suggest using 3d Sketch with Sweep to get a more dynamic profile. If you setup a good point system and use 3d Sketch Spline Interpolation you can get the desired effect. Furthermore you can convert it into Freeform and edit it through those features to get a good tentacle shape instead of a uniform tube. Agreed that you should always get permission if replicating an existing work.

Something to be aware of in general, in the Edit Sketch environment R+Click > Show All Degrees Of Freedom. In the bottom right corner it shows 15 dimensions needed. This means the sketch is under-constrained and can move all over the place, this will cause huge issues in future modeling. Try to use the Constrain Commands to lock in some of those locations by using Tangent, Coincident, Concentric, etc. As a good practice you want your sketch to be Fully Constrained. Be sure to seek out available tutorials and let us know you are progressing.

Re: Help creating complex shapes

98267a — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 23:31:05 GMT

After working on it for a little bit i have gotten this. i think it looks pretty darn close.

Re: Help creating complex shapes

WHolzwarth — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 07:46:00 GMT

How about that? (2018 IPT)

Re: Help creating complex shapes

98267a — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 19:49:32 GMT

thanks that is really good. I appreciate it. The front leg is far more complicated any suggestions on how to do it. I have tried doing it but i don't think I'm doing a very good job.