Create component that fits exactly between the surfaces of two other components

[Anonymous]

I have two components facing each other with non-flat surfaces. I want to create a third component that's between the two components such that it exactly fits on the surfaces of both components.

How can I do that?

[jhackney1972]

Simply create a new body that overlaps you two components in whatever fashion you desire, the use the Combine tool to cut the new body using the two existing component bodies as tool bodies.  Do not forget to check the box to keep tool bodies. I roughly created your two components, you did not attach your model, and then created created a new body with an exact fit.  First capture is the two similar components and the second capture is the new body in section.  Section is cut at an angle to show the contours of both components.

[HughesTooling]

Looking at your parts you have bolt holes in them so after following @jhackney1972 's procedure you'll have bosses where the holes are. Just create an extrude and select the top faces of the bosses and use them to cut holes and remove the bosses. Something like this.

Mark

[chrisplyler]

Is this for some kind of "remove during setup" part that is only used for packaging/shipping? Seems like it would prevent the two slides from sliding along the bars.

[HughesTooling]

I built an engraving machine with a similar setup, the X slides along one pair of bars and the Z, the bars slides through the bearings.

Mark

[chrisplyler]

Gotcha, so the two units always stay together anyway? Like, that's where the engraving unit itself mounts? And planar motion is allowed because the bars aren't fixed? Have I got it right?

My bad. I had imagined those were fixed bars and each had an independent head that slid back and forth.

[HughesTooling]

Here's what my machine ended up like, slightly different design as the bars are bolted into V sections along the length and C section bearings. I've seen some designs where the vertical bars are fixed to the front of the X axis carriage. I didn't like that because the C section bearings are week in one direction. So not good if there's any force pulling the Z axis away from the X carriage. With the openings on the bearings facing each other the weak direction on the bearing is canceled out.

Mark