Newbie Question about sketching box section frames.

Newbie Question about sketching box section frames.

Anonymous
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Message 1 of 33

Newbie Question about sketching box section frames.

Anonymous
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Hi all getting back to trying to learn Fusion more and wondering how to achieve what I am after with Fusion.

Situation is I would like to sketch -model box section frames that I weld together for friends to use as dog cages on ute trays and no one item is the same.

Can I use Fusion to create the frames with the driving parameters to allow changes on the fly as a whole model or can i just use it to sketch 1 plane? 

I have attached a file of 2 sides of a frame spaced apart that is a rough idea of the shapes I am after, on the left and right view there will be doors to match the angles.

On the front view I need driving parameters for the bottom bar, uprights, angled pieces, and top bar. Is this achievable as a full 3d modeled part or should i stick to sketches?

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Message 21 of 33

Anonymous
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Ok great I never realy thought of getting that deep into the design of it but it makes sence to do it that way. Yes from a building point the frame say from a right hand side view would be 32mm boxsection 1700 long with 45* miter at each end then the uprights join- weld to the miters. The uprights are cut with the angle setout to the joiner then joiner to the top. If I've made sence there at all haha. 
Message 22 of 33

Anonymous
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The enclosed file will show you how to do a full extrusion for the door.  The dimensions may not be exact but this will give you an idea as to how to do it.

I went ahead and did it from your original file. I just deleted some sketches and features, but worked the door extrusion from your original Sketch that defines the side frame of the Box.

Hope this will help.

 

IK

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Message 23 of 33

Anonymous
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The enclosed file will show you how to do a full extrusion for the door.  The dimensions may not be exact but this will give you an idea as to how to do it.

I went ahead and did it from your original file. I just deleted some sketches and features, but worked the door extrusion from your original Sketch that defines the side frame of the Box.

Hope this will help.

 

IK

 

************* I HAVE NO IDEA WHY IT POSTED AGAIN AND WITH MULTIPLE FILE UPLOADS. I WENT AHEAD AND DELETED THE FILES.  Smiley Embarassed

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Message 24 of 33

Anonymous
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Accepted solution

That's how I thought you would build it. so each tubing section will be its own component and it will all be welded together. I assume you want both doors to swing?

If you want the doors to swing the easiest method (I think) would be to drill holes on the frame and weld a post to the side of the door frame that will make the hinge function.

 

IK

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Message 25 of 33

Anonymous
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Soooo many was to archive the similar outcomes this programme is awesome.

Just logged on the work pc on my break and the cloud didn't upload-save my file, good thing I did a local save! 

I can see how this would really affect paying users who use it as a platform for their business.

 

Ok that's good to know you can do that with the projected sketch!

 

I will have a go at building the box again as separate components and practice the joints functions.

If I get that process into my head it would make a lot more streamlined for construction.

I can just print out a cut list of materials instead of sketching out full size on a table to get angles and dimensions.

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Message 26 of 33

Anonymous
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This is the second time in a short period that Autodesk has had issues with their Cloud services.  I wonder if they are using their own equipment because I have worked on other major projects and software that runs off the Cloud without any issues.  Most major companies that use Cloud services contract with Amazon and various other huge providers.

I hope they get their Cloud issues fixed because businesses cannot take the risk. I am a big fan of the cloud and I'm sure they will get it right quickly.

 

I had to run several Simulation analysis today and I was not able to do them.  Now I will have to stay up late working on them. I could not do them locally as the analysis I need only run via the Cloud.

 

With regard to the way you design and approach your projects if you do it right you can get all of your working drawings straight from Fusion 360.  Have you used the Drawing environment to generate working drawings?  Once you finish your design then you will need to learn quickly how to use the Drawing part.  That's where you get all your output to generate your work.

 

You can create great working drawings with all your dimensions, notes, BOM's etc...  You will like it!!!

 

BTW, did you understand the procedure to extrude the door from a sketch?  I hope the file I sent you helped.  If you have any ?? just let me know.

 

Take care! 

 

Message 27 of 33

Anonymous
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This is a completed box all painted up.Thanks again for your time.
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Message 28 of 33

laughingcreek
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Accepted solution

Hey, I took a quick stab at your cage to illustrate what I meant by the first suggested approach (generally referred to as top down) to designing this thing.  There is a base sketch that defines the foot print and a skeleton sketch that defines everything else.  (there's a third sketch that resides in the door component that was necessary to create a parametric joint location for the door offset.  only necessary b/c the offset you can enter in when defining joint locations aren't parametric.  Hopefully AD will be fixing that soon.)

 

play around with the user parameters and see how things work.  When you separate things out like this your BOM that is generated from the design will be correct, be cause it goes by components, and not separate bodies.

 

Next step is to insert a hinge from McMaster Carr.  Then you can remove the rigid joint I used to place the doors and put a revolute at the hinge.  Maybe a wide piano hinge across the top? 

 

Next step after that is to further refine by going into each individual component and breaking them down in to their raw material shapes.  each shape will then be a component also, but will reside inside it's master component.  then your technical drawings will really rock.  You'll be able to produce a drawing that shows the length and angles to cut for say the side of the door AND a drawing that show how the door goes together.

 

couple of notes on your workflow-

-your work flow is generally considered a bottoms up, or maybe sideways workflow, which is perfectly fine if that works for you.  but always try to find ways to keep thing simpler, cleaner and more organized as you learn more.

-see above about components and bodies.  You've got a joiner component with five bodies.  That should just be five joiner components.  (more organized)

-bodies are placed with the mirror command during the process of creating what will become a component.  It shouldn't ever be necessary to mirror a component because they are placed with joints.(simpler,cleaner)

-might be fun to figure out how to get what you want without creating that extra plane (simpler, one less feature)

 

Also, on your sketches-

In fusion, it's a good idea to avoid mirror, offset, and pattern constraints when possible.  This isn't a good design thing, it's a Fusion thing.  There are still some weird buggy things that creep in with those types of constraints inside of sketches.  They do work, until they don't...

 

Message 29 of 33

Anonymous
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Wow that's awesome Ill be digging through that model tonight for certain!

 

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Message 30 of 33

Anonymous
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Just to over complicate things I found the details of the aluminium box section I used and wondered how to incorporate that into the model?

Sweeping a profile looks to change the sketch to box center lines as the easiest driving tools?

I understand this is diving over my head ATM but would be cool to do.

Always up for a challenge!

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Message 31 of 33

laughingcreek
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Good morning!.  Did a screen cast while I was drinking my first cup of coffee.  I just let it run, so it's a little meandering, but I went through the process of thinking about how you might approach doing what your asking about.

 

key concepts (that I can remember.  coffee hasn't kicked in yet)-

-shell command, and at what point in the process to use it

-split body

-making bodies into components

-fillets.

-moving around in the time line to keep things organized

-section view analysis

 

Off to work, enjoy

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Message 32 of 33

laughingcreek
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Mentor

FILLETS!  always put them in as late in the process as you can.  Sometimes it helps to suppress them while placing joints.  Avoid drawing fillets the in a sketch.

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Message 33 of 33

Anonymous
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hi @Anonymous;

 

I am glad that @Anonymous took the time to explain to you in more detail the procedural methodology.

 

You are on the right track based on what both of us have explained and suggested not to mention your dedication, common sense, and abilities..  ,

 

Based on your type of design, a BOX that uses the same extrusion throughout the entire build (just at different lengths) I would suggest to create a tubular section as a master component.  From that create all your Components to the correct dimensions and then Join them to create your sub assemblies (doors and frame)and the final assembly.

Using the correct parameters changes will be swift and simple.  Using this process it will take less time and effort to create and build your box.

 

 You will be able to create better working drawings to cut all your components and follow the assembly process.  Anyone should be able to pickup your working drawings and build the Box without having to ask to many questions.  That is the final outcome of a good design.

 

Unfortunately I do not have the time today to create the model for you and go into more details.  However, I think you already grasp the concept and you should be able to create your BOX with the methodology I suggested.  I assure you that once you figure it out you will see how fast you will build your entire model in Fusion.

 

If you have any ?? do not hesitate to ask.  I will do my best to get back to you today.

 

I have a hectic day today. .

Yesterday I was busy too but I did my best to get back to you as quickly as I could. I actually enjoy working with you!!!!!

 

You have no idea how glad I am to see how quickly you have picked up Fusion.  Keep on the good work!!!!