Basic Combine Operation

[davidmrosner]

I have a flat panel that i've modeled which is just an extruded rectangle. Then I have a component part that I want to "insert" into the panel and have the panel get cut away where the component has gaps. When I use Combine as in my screenshot the solid parts of the component don’t “cut” into the target body. So I get a solid rectangle in the center as you see on the face instead of negative space like there is on the component. 

Is there an operation that will take the outside of the component and cut those dimension out of the target and then i can insert my component into the resulting space? I’m doing this manually now simply using an extruded rectangle to cut out the component outer dimensions. But it would be faster and more repeatable with a lot of these to do if I can do it in one operation… 

 In my screenshot below I show the panel with the component embedded after the combine. The face of the target body shows the inner rectangle that was negative space in the original component which is what I don’t want.

 
I also added a copy of the component by itself for reference.

[jeff_strater]

I'm not sure exactly what result you want, but the Combine that is already in your design did, indeed, cut away the target body.  Perhaps I am missing your intent.  If so, please add some more info if you can.

[davidmrosner]

Thank you for taking the time to investigate for me…

Where my component (the jack) has openings the target body (panel) geometry remains instead of being replaced, or cut away, by the opening of the component. So when you hide the component as you did in your video the center of the hole shows a rectangle that I don’t want.

Kinda hard to explain so I’ll update my post with a little more to illustrate what I’m trying to do. Maybe said another way….when I move the component into the body of the panel I want the outside of the component to cut away the body AND then insert the component into that cut out opening….

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

OK, thanks.  But, that is not how Combine works.  Combine merely subtracts one body from another.   It cannot "know" that you want that center geometry area removed as well.  The tool body in this case (Keystone Jack) does not have any geometry in that area:

So, Combine cannot remove geometry in that area.  Because that center block is not touching the rest of the geometry, a new body is created.  You can use Remove to get rid of that:

[davidmrosner]

Ok that makes sense as to why combine couldn’t do it. Not terrible to remove (or is it delete!) but was hoping for a single operation to extract the outer portion of the component into the body. This will work for me though….thanks! Fusion rocks!

[jeff_strater]

"or is it delete!"

You want Remove here.  For details, see:  what-is-the-difference-between-delete-and-remove-a-component-or-body .

"was hoping for a single operation to extract the outer portion of the component into the body"

You can look into Boundary Fill, which should be able to do it one go.  But, the UI is complex, and I had trouble with it on this model, so I need to look into that.  Stick to Combine + Remove, IMO.

[davebYYPCU]

Project the body to a sketch, 

Extrude > Cut, with do it in one go, 

don’t forget the clearance can be added to the sketch before cutting.

Might help…..