Very Basic Revolve Questions

[bobus17821]

I need to Revolve the sketch (in the attached f3d) to create a body which will look sort of like a section of pipe, BUT with an indentation on the outside and not rotated a full 360 degrees (because it has to be able to snap onto a rod).   My naive first thought is to just revolve it around the Z axis, and I am able to do that.  But what I have not been able to do is to move the sketch exactly the right distance from the Z axis so that I get the correct inside diameter.  

Another thought I've had is to draw a construction line parallel to the Z axis and use it as the axis of revolution.  But again I do not know how to get the distance right.  I've also wondered if the axis of revolution needs to be (or can be) part of the same sketch I am revolving or can it be (or needs to be )a separate sketch

I will be grateful for all pointers and advice.  Thanks,  Bob

[jhackney1972]

Bob,

You have not specified your dimensions completely, in your sketch, so I am just guessing with the dimensions I used.  You need to practice fully Constraining your sketches before you try and use a feature command such as Revolve.  I took a guess at the notch you mentioned in the middle, if I guessed badly, let me know, glad to help.  Model is attached with a different name.  Screencast will show my process.

[jhackney1972]

Bob,

I may have misunderstood your model, you have been talking about a pipe and I gave you a solid rod.  I have created another model and Screencast which I hope is what you really want.

[bobus17821]

Hi John,

Thanks for a prompt response and especially on a weekend day!  I did a poor job of explaining what I am trying to do.  It's needs some context.  I think of the part I am designing as a "sleeve".  It has to snap onto a 1/2 inch rod.  (Which is actually, according to my calipers, .544" although it was sold as 1/2" aluminum rod.  It needs to have an indentation/notch running around its middle because another part has to snap into the indentation/snap.  The whole length is only 1 inch.  The thickness of the sleeve is only 3/32".  The end result has to be hollow so that it can snap onto the aluminum rod.  So I can't use the right side as the axis to revolve around since that creates a solid rod.  And that's why I was asking about moving the sketch a specified distance from the Z axis.  The specified distance will have to be 1/2 of the diameter of the aluminum rod plus a bit of tolerance.  In my limited, previous work with Fusion 360 I became a fan of parameters and have used them for this project.  Whether they might be useful or not to anyone but me I do not know.  

More later, I have a long todo list for today and as much as I enjoy letting Fusion 360 beat up on me I have to get to my errands.  Thanks for your continue help.  Bob

[jhackney1972]

Bob,

I looked at your parameter table, in your original model, but some of the dimensions did not make much sense, especially the angles and length of 5 inches, where you said in your post, the total length is only 1 inch.  I decided to create a new model and use an many dimensions as I could to show you the method I would use to create the sleeve.  By the way, I used the same sketch for both features, this is just one of my preferences, you could do separate sketches.  I do feel you should always keep your features separate so you could come back later and use them individually in separate operations.  Model is attached as well as the Screencast.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@bobus17821 wrote:

1. The whole length is only 1 inch.  

2. In my limited, previous work with Fusion 360 I became a fan of parameters and have used them for this project. 

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1. I do not see this dimension on your Sketch?

2. If you are a fan of parameters - why did you not use them to fully define your sketch? Blue lines and white dots should keep you awake at night.

Note that my sketch is fully defined.

[bobus17821]

Thanks for your continued help CADWhisiperer.  I thought I was using my parameters to define my sketch.  BTW what made you think that I didn't.  But maybe I wasn't.  The parameter values are for the total part.  BUT from the get go I planned to do half of the sketch and then mirror it. (This was before John showed me how to center things, in particular the indentation/notch around the circumference.)  So when I used the parameters I was defining only half of, e.g., the length and thus entered "SeleeveLength/2".  Is using arithmetic on a parameter not the same as using a parameter?  Or did the mirror operation somehow obscure that I had used parameters.  

John has been telling me too that black lines are much better than blue lines.  But I am not sure that I understand how to make a blue line black.  What's the significance of white dots?  

Thanks,  Bob

[bobus17821]

Thanks for your continued help CADWhisperer.  Somehow when I thought I was responding to this post I was actually responding to one of mine.  So if you see that response it is intended for you.  Thanks again.  Bob

[bobus17821]

Hi John,

Screencast attached.  But a few things I forgot to mention in the screencast ... For context (and my apologizes for not providing this sooner)  This project consists of two parts - the sleeve which you and CADWhisperer have been helping me with) and an S hook which I haven't begun to design yet but which should be much easier.  So three of my parameters STopDia, SBottomDia, and SThickness pertain to the S hook (although SThickness is used for the width of the indentation/notch - a cross section of the S hook is square).  If it all works out the sleeve will snap onto a rod, then the top of the S hook will snap onto the sleeve.  I know I could have done it all in one part but 1)this approach is easier for me, 2) this approach will require no supports, and 3) if I've messed up somewhere (and I expect I will) maybe I will be able to reprint only one of the two parts. 

Not likely I will get back to this tonight, I will get back to it tomorrow but not likely until late in the afternoon.

Thanks again for all of your help.    Bob

[bobus17821]

Screencast ...

[bobus17821]

I've made two attempts to specify a screencast (https://autode.sk/3T4Yrk4) but don't see it where I think it should be. ???  Bob

[jhackney1972]

Bob,

I do two main things in the attached Screencast.  First, I show you how you can assign a couple of your parameters to a model sketch and Second, I show you how the Revolve works.  You did not attach your latest model so I imported your parameters into my model and used it to demonstrate the placement of two parameters.

About the revolve problem.  If a model only has one centerline (axis), it is selected automatically.  When it says 1 selected, that means it is already picked by the application.  If there is only one sketch profile, the application will select that automatically also.  If you select the box and pick again it will de-select.

I hope my Screencast helps and the model I used is attached.  By the way, I have always had the ability to Embed Screencast in my Forum posts, do not ask me why, but most others cannot.  You should simply attach the URL as you did in your post.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@bobus17821 wrote:

1. I thought I was using my parameters to define my sketch. 

2. But I am not sure that I understand how to make a blue line black. 

3. What's the significance of white dots?  

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@bobus17821 

Did you examine the *.f3d file that I Attached previously?

1. You only partially used your Parameters.  For robust and absolutely predictable models you should tie to some logical reference (usually the Origin Center Point).

2. Use the BORN Technique  😉 of modeling as much as possible and practical.

3. White dots (like blue lines) are not fully defined points.  Attempt to click and drag them around the screen.  Robust and predictable editing requires that all geometry be fully defined in a logical manner.

(Note:  I just realized the "white dot" in my image above might confuse.  This is not an unconstrained sketch point - this is highlighting of Origin Center Point for datum reference.)

[bobus17821]

Hi John,

In one of the screencasts you did for me (but not this one), if I recall correctly, you moved some sketches from one component to another using, I think, drag and drop.  But I am not able to do that.  I did a Google search and got a hit saying that sketches can be moved from one component to another using drag and drop.  But I also got hits saying it isn't possible!.  (All most all of the hits involved "move" but not moving from one component to another.)

Thanks,  Bob

Same situ

[jhackney1972]

If you move a sketch from one component to another, you are changing the structure of both components.  I believe you want to Copy/Paste a sketch from one component to another.  In the first Screencast I show this process.  I copy/paste between two components in the same assembly but you can create a new file and component to paste the sketch into if desired.

In the second Screencast, I show the Drag and Drop method of moving a sketch from one component to another.  This process is dependent on two things, the two components must be in the same assembly and there must not be any dependency between the sketch and another sketch or component in the assembly.  This process in not a normal method and normally should not be used, it can give undesirable problems.