topic Re: Converting lines to surfaces, "close to offset tool" in Inventor Forum

Converting lines to surfaces, "close to offset tool"

matous_hala — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:24:21 GMT

Hello, I have a quite complex sketch geometry (as shown in the picture). I would like to make the lines "thick", or rather I want them to be paths of sorts, so I could extrude them, and 3d print them, because you can't 3d print lines only as far as I know, they have to have some thickness. I need something like the offset tool, but that doesn't seem to work for such complex geometry. It's a line art that I want to 3d print, but as the name line art suggests its made only from lines.

Re: Converting lines to surfaces, "close to offset tool"

89198826955 — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 21:46:39 GMT

the sketch cannot be printed on a 3D printer

there are two ways here

1 long: create a plane perpendicular to the line. draw a circle, shift along the path

2 quick: transfer sketch to assembly

frame generator select the frame and put the sketch

3 save as stl - print

Re: Converting lines to surfaces, "close to offset tool"

johnsonshiue — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 22:25:20 GMT

Hi! There are ways to do this using Rib command or Grill command in Plastic Features. Another option is to use Fusion 360, which supports Thin Extrude.

Many thanks!