Hole feature along in a specified direction

[Peter__B]

Hi

I do not know if this feature exists but I cannot find it.

Several times I have need for "drilling" holes on the surface of a tube or other structures. My usual way to do this is to construct an offset plane on the cross sectional area in order to have a conveniant way of moving the holes along the tube by just changing the offset value. Next is to draw construction lines in that plane from the centerpoint of the tube to the outer cylindrical surface. The points can then be adjusted along the circumfence by adjusting the angle to the construction line. The result will be that we now have the every endpoint of the construction lines on the cylinder surface. Now it is very easy to connect the "Holes" feature to the points. However, now I will be able to perform the "drilling" along the construction line because the holes have to be perpendicular to the cylindersurface. Functions for defining/selecting the direction should be by e.g. "along a vector/line", direction between two point, edges, coordinate axis etc. If this function exists all the information will be in the available in "history tree" as well. This function will simplify for the user, who not now have to  define sketch planes along the cylindrical surface in order to get the correct direction of the hole.

I know that I can use the hole function "at point" instead but the translation of the hole seems not to be reachable after the hole i defined and I is much easier to predefine a sketch that positions all the holes.

In some situations it should also be very conveniant if there is a possibility to flip the up and down of the hole e.i. rotate the hole 180 degrees. It is especially powerful in situations when the hole is added with "counterbore" or "countersink".

Best Regards

Peter

[pdsnape]

This method performs the function you describe but as a sequence of operations.  These could possibly be recorded as a script:

1. create a construction plane tangent to the cylinder or tube at the at the desired angle.  (Mine starts at 30 degrees from the horizontal)

2. create a sketch on this plane.

3. draw a line or point on the intersection to identify where to drill the hole you can project the axis of the tube to define this line. (Say 27mm from the end of the tube)

4. create the hole using the point defined.

5. use circular pattern to create duplicates of the hole at the desired angles around the circumference.

Each of the above opertions appears in the time line, giving the ability to retrace and correct errors.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Can you File>Export and then Attach *.f3d file here?

Sounds to me like you are doing too much work and not resulting in flexibility (easy control/editing) of design.

[gtprototype]

Looking for a way to create a hole with the center line co-linear to a sketch line.  It's an oil feed to a bearing that's not normal to any surface.  I've created planes perpendicular to the line and gotten extruded solids angled correctly but not on location.  Is there a way to do this with the hole tool?  If not, any suggestions?

Can't attach a file; here's a screen shot, I need an oil feed hole along the line.

Need oil feed hole along line.

[laughingcreek]

@gtprototype -

"plane along path" using the line for the oil feed as the path.

place hole feature on the plane

[gtprototype]

@laughingcreek  Perfect! Thank you.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Revolve-cut of rectangle does not require additional work plane.

[gtprototype]

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@TheCADWhisperer wrote:

Revolve-cut of rectangle does not require additional work plane.

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LOL!  Well that's just too obvious, how could I have missed that?  Kind of a forest through the trees sort of thing I guess.

It amazes me how sometimes when I'm focused on the task I can't see the solution.  Thanks for the dose of reality, now which one is it the blue or red pill?

Special thanks to you and @laughingcreek for the quick simple responses.