Wrap sketch on curved surface

[PinRudolf]

Hi everyone,

While designing a product that made use of a similar mechanism to a retractable pen I realized there was no way for me to draw correctly! Therefore I would like to request new functionality that will help us out working with curved surfaces:

The retractable pen mechanism makes use of a surface which is extruded from the center of the shaft outwards. To be able to create something like this we will need a function to wrap a 2D sketch around a 3D object such as a cylinder, then the extrude function will need to be able to extrude perpendicular to the surface of the wrapped sketch.
I believe that for many curved models we will need additional functionality to be able to draw these designs with Fusion 360. To illustrate how common these situations actually are I've put together a few examples:

To wrap a sketch around a curved surface will not only give us the possibility to create rotational mechanisms such as the pen and the bayonet coupling, but it will also create the possibility to emboss and create custom threads easily! 

I realize that some of the above examples can be made using some tricks that make it look like it is correct, but please realize that as long as we cannot extrude perpendicular to a curved surface; the angles of our extrusion will be all wrong. See the following illustration, left would be the situation I suggest vs. the current situation on the right:

Please let me know what you think and feel free to add any suggestion!

[Burnum]

tried to reply to a question by email and it posted here?  odd....  wasn't asked in here that i can see.......

[Anonymous]

Think about something like a bicycle hand grip.  You want to take a cylinder, and, separately a rectangle sketch, which is roughly the circumference and height of the cylinder.  The Sketch could incorporate any patterns, logos, etc that should be able to wrap 360 around the cylinder. Once the sketch is projected/wrapped, should be able to push pull the features from the sketch to make the grip geometry. I believe this is a good representation of the issue.  This can only currently project to the surface in one direction, and should wrap around the surface, scale and move as needed, in order to push/pull the sketch features.

[Anonymous]

Now that we have 4-axis simultaneous CNC, add the 'wrap to surface' functionality that we have in Inventor.

This will allow for features such as variable pitch helixes or bayonet fittings to be modelled accurately.

Dave

Envisage Uk Ltd

[TrippyLighting]

Or you can make a barrel cam, which currently - while possible - is very limited and convoluted.

[PinRudolf]

I Just realized the cam lock nut I have posted above is a 2 directional cast; a bad example. I've updated the image with a emboss example:

From left to Right: Cam mechanism in retractable pen, Long tire profile, "custom" thread for light bulb (wrap sketch 5x360 deg), bayonet coupling,Emboss in leather bike seat

[jsejcksn]

But not just in one axis, as in the case of these cylindrical forms—also in 2 axes, as in the case of a sphere or other geodesic topography. (I asked for this back in April with no feedback yet.)

I think this is so important to rapid prototyping! Obviously, designing these objects using other methods is not impossible, but it takes so much longer without this ability!

[jsejcksn]

Making cylindrical or spherical keyways is a real pain without this feature. Here's an example file: http://a360.co/2AMyZKj

Screenshot of keyway example

[Anonymous]

This could be handy for creating embossing patterns directly on a roller die press or cutter.

[PinRudolf]

Hi Jsejcksn,

You are absolutely right, it will need to work in multiple axes! My examples were put together is bit hasted, unfortunately i cannot update the original post, the first comment with the bike saddle shows a more complicated surface example. 

Your example shows very nicely what the issue is. I was looking a how you ended up creating this and i noticed that the problem still persists in the final model, though much smaller.

Hi Johannes,

Yes! I absolute feel like this would solve the embossing issue as well! As you've sad; not only will the consumer product have an emboss but the tooling could be made as well!
I feel like Fusion 360 is much more focused on consumer product design then it is on tooling design so i only used consumer products in my examples. There are many great examples to think of that can be used for manufacturing designs though, yours is definitely one of them! And what about helical gears?

I have just watched the video on the December update and it demonstrates a nice add-in for creating custom threads in combination with the updated sweep command. I will have to admit that is a much nicer method of creating threads than my solution above! 

[PaulMunford]

Inventor has a command called 'Ruled Surface' - is this what you mean?

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2018/ENU/?guid=GUID-5A8568DF-5BDA-47B9-97FC-2722B8A78A89

[PinRudolf]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for asking!

Yes, that looks much like the effect i'm hoping for! Specifically creating a "ruled surface normal to the selected edge". The edge should have been created with an option similar to Inventor's Project to Surface with the option Wrap to Surface. (See link) I would like both functions to work in the model environment. 

[PinRudolf]

Fundamentally, this is a request for the function Emboss as used by Inventor. (Other CAD software, like SolidWorks, has similar functionality)

[abulfetouh_1987]

That would be great! cause am struggling with the tire grooves 

[Anonymous]

Don't you need to take a photos "360" around a pen for example" and flatten that image. To be able to use a wraped image in fusion? Otherwise it will just wrapp a photos around it. Not sure how useful that is?

[PinRudolf]

Hi Monarchy,

Thanks for your reply!

Correct me if i'm wrong but i believe you are referring to a method of creating a photorealistic image of a pen? (In which case you might indeed be able to work with an image wrapped around a cylinder.) However, i am reffering to modelling the pen in 3D. Well, not specifically a pen of course; i would like to model a mass that would be extruded perpendicular to a curved surface, for which i like to wrap a sketch around the surface. The mechanism of the pen is an example of a 'normal' case. My request is focused on a product for production instead of for rendering.

[Burnum]

No

I want to make a SKETCH by taking a curved face from a model I’m working on. Right now you can draw a new sketch on flat model faces. I want the same thing for curved surface.

Nothing to do with rendering, this is about modeling.

[PinRudolf]

Hi Burnum,

Please note my previous response was directed to Monarchy.

It seems our idea's have been merged by the autodesk team. Which is great for the vote-count! Let's hope we soon have enough votes for the Autodesk team to put this request up higher on their priority list.

[Burnum]

As was mine?
He was talking about decals or something.
I want actual model geometry to work with.
Though generating actual geometry from displacement or normal maps could be interesting.

[Anonymous]

Right On! Let's get this feature integrated into Fusion!!!

[Anonymous]

Please, still have issues here! Don\t know how to solve it. My pattern cuts always not parallel to the outter shape and therefor my pattern is also stretched. Would be thankful to have that.