Slot car track

[Anonymous]

help please I am new to this.  I am trying to design a slot car track to be CNC’d .   I have so far been able to do a 2d layout.  What I need to do is figure out how to do elevation change and I will need to divide it up into sections (separate pieces).  If their are video tutorials great just could not find one for “slot car track”.  The track will be cut from 6mm thick pvc sheet.  The pieces will be 133.35mm wide with 9 parallel slots cut into surface.   If I should search for something similar what would you suggest?

[jhackney1972]

Please attach you model as the forum users will need it to help you.  If you do not know how to attach your model, open it in Fusion360, select the File menu and then choose Export and save the .F3D file to your hard drive. Then use the Attachments section of a reply forum post to attach it.

[Anonymous]

Here is the file I have made so far.  Thanks for reply

[jhackney1972]

I am not real sure on what you really want so I will submit what I think you mean by elevation in my model from your sketch.  I am unclear why you have the outside borders so maybe you need to explain what the final model should show.  Model attached.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for assistance, the outside boarder is the table the track will be on. I tried to make the outside lines “construction lines” but like I said I am new to this. The elevation change would be hills and valleys. The track would have elevation changes. A question I have is if the elevation changes are put in rendering when I go to make it construction file for cutting will it “flatten” the drawing because on the CNC machine it would be cut “flat” not milled out. The elevation changes add to the length.

Tom

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:
... but like I said I am new to this. 
....the elevation changes are put in rendering when I go to make it construction file for cutting will it “flatten”
The elevation changes add to the length.

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You would need to do this as Sheet Metal (or Convert to Sheet Metal) to generate the flat pattern (actually at least two flat patterns because of the cross-over).

Looks like a fun project, not terribly difficult, but not an endeavor for a beginner.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I know it doesn’t seem difficult, but like you said not a beginner project.  Where should I start,  That would be going in this direction?  I have been watching tutorials but there are so many I wish I could narrow the search.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Start by fully defining your sketch.

There should be zero blue geometry (all should be black).

Make sure that you arcs are concentric to each other and tangent to connecting lines.

Of course it would be easiest to start with the flat sections and after that is completed (and posted here).

I would then offset plane on do any flat sections on elevated plane.

Then I would work on connecting the elevations with smooth tangent transitions. 

Then I would do any arc transitions that you might have.  Let's start with only smooth transitions.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Tip: If you are on a Windows OS, you can use Shift Win S to grab screen captures rather than you camera and then Ctrl V to paste.

[TheCADWhisperer]

I think that I would do this as several more simple sketches.

You can P for Project connection lines/points from one sketch to another.

[TheCADWhisperer]

...and I would use as few sketch elements as possible.

Here you have 4 curves where only 2 are needed (this would also reduce the number of Tangent constraints that would need to be solved by the sketcher).   I take that back - maybe you have different radii, you need to dimension your arcs and add Tangents.

Actually - you do not need both inside and outside of the track.  You can very signficantly reduce and simplify this by sketching ONLY the outside or ONLY the inside or ONLY the center line. Extrude a surface and then Thicken.  Oh, that will make things sooo much easier for Fusion to calculate...

[TheCADWhisperer]

YIKES!  As I was simplifying this for demonstration - I discovered that you have numerous duplicated lines and arcs overtop of each other.  This might be the single biggest mistake in all of CAD.

[Anonymous]

Thanks I will give it a try, might take a day or 2.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I did that to have a copy on phone.

[Anonymous]

Like I said I a new. I have a bad habit of clicking mouse to much. It is hard to tell when I have duplicate lines.

Tom

[TheCADWhisperer]

In that case, I recommend starting from scratch and Attach your file after creation of ANY new geometry.  Someone will diagnose at each and every step.

[Anonymous]

Hi

     Thanks for the help, sorry for slow response but I don't get to work on this everyday, I work in healthcare so I am kind of busy most days.   Basically yes that is part of what I want to do.  This race track is going to be a scale diorama( like a train set) it will replicate a few of my favorite corners from racing history.  I will need to add addition changes in elevation in a few areas of the track.  The reason I ask is it will be milled flat and then assembled with the elevation changes, which when flattened make it longer.  It may not be an issue but I see potential for it to be.  The track will be several pieces and the joints need to be perfect for the slots to line up.  It was suggested I work in " sheet metal mode" as it will be very similar in milling process.  I have found some more tutorial videos and I am working on my skills, I still have a ways to go.

[Anonymous]

thanks yes I realize that works but I also wanted on phone to show some pals.  That just seemed easier.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, That is how I started the sketch by drawing 1 side.  I did not "extrude" I used offset.  I will tray again with extrude and see how that works.   The sketch I posted does not need to be the exact item I end up with.  It is the basic Idea I have .  I wanted first to make sure it fit and I hade room to build scenery and it "flowed".  I do not know if you run slot cars but they do not like to stop just slow down.

[JDMather]

There is a bit more to it than I might have let on (Surface modeling and Sheet Metal) but the first step is to get a good sketch.