Creating an off center assembly

[fsonnichsen]

I am trying to create and "off center" assembly of 2 components so I can cut one of the pieces and create a slot. I have done this when there was some type of symmetry to drive the "assembly" feature but I cannot find one here. I think the attached screencast will show it.

  In the screencast I have manually moved the parts to approximate positions and done the "cut" to show what I am trying to accomplish. I basically want a slot symmetrical along X of the box. One face of the slot coincides with a plane intersecting the "middle face" of the construct, the top faces of both the "slot" and box coincide.

  This problem seems to open a whole issue about joining pieces for unions and cuts in general. I have used individual "components" as this seemed to be the prevalent suggestion on this forum although I expect there are other ways to do it. I cannot do it aligning sketches without going to a 3D geometry and I further doubt that this is what is intended in Fusion.

  Any help appreciated

Fritz

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/7b3eeb8e-c7c3-4a61-a62e-5b6873de657d

[jhackney1972]

I have embedded your Screencast so everyone  can make it larger for viewing if desire.

[jhackney1972]

Why did you make a separate component just to cut out a slot in another?  You should just activate the first component, sketch your slot where you want it and extrude to the depth you desire.  As you have it, the Align command will do what you desire.  I really did not fully understand the location of the slot except being centered on the X-Axis.  If I missed the location, clear it up for me.  Model is attached.

[fsonnichsen]

Thanks John.

   Basically I did not use the Align command but it is clearly useful for these situations and I will remember it.

The construct you ended up with is close to what  need except that the slot does not go all the way to the adjacent channel-that is the "slot piece" should only go about midway in the wall created by the "bulge".  So I was thinking about some type of work-plane in the bulge for alignment but perhaps that is not correct.

  Regarding your other idea (sketching on the same component) I will play with this. I used separate components based upon the comments of others here and it works in some cases but probably is a complex way of doing this for this case. So I will see what I can come up with adding a 2nd sketch to the original component.

Thanks!

Fritz

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

I used the Sketching method to create the slot and again I hope I understood where you wanted the cutout to be.  Make sure you activate the component you are sketching on first and then when finished be sure and activate the top level assembly, which I forgot to do before I ended the Screencast.  Model is attached.

[fsonnichsen]

Thanks John. That is exactly what I needed. I did something similar with your advice but your way is better (of course!). I used distances but I like your use of symmetry and midpoints. I have to review all that. 

   There are some really basic philosophies that one needs as a beginner and I think AutoDesk fell short on them-so I missed them starting out. I need to review a lot of basics. Moving forward I am doing fine with machining and such--at any rate I am happy with the product thanks to help like yours.

Cheers

Fritz

[laughingcreek · Accepted solution]

a nice nighttime video for you to watch in case your having trouble sleeping-

[fsonnichsen]

Ha! 70 years later I still can't sleep--my doctor told me to put away the books at night and watch movies!

Your example-and you spent a lot of time on it! - is really good. I will look at it a few more times-a lot good stuff there.

    Four score and twenty jobs ago I used a pencil and the good will of the machine shop to do my rather simple designs but those days are gone. A good CAD and a lot of the cheap machines out there go a long way in the lab these days. 

     The good news-and bad news- about all these design programs is that there are a lot of ways to do the same thing and with enough experience you can pick and choose the best. I of course, don't have that experience yet.  I think Fusion is sorely lacking a more advanced book that discusses and compares the ups and downs of various methods of accomplishing the same thing. I have learned a few methods over the months from guys like you and John.

Thanks a million times

Fritz