Can't shell: could not create a new shell

[s2105398]

Dear all,

I recently switched from Fusion to Inventor and get problems with shelling. I have two beams extruded in my part and I could shell one up to a thickness of 2mm, but the other wouldn't at all. The error is "could not create shell" and then "errors occured during update" and then "could not build this shell". I attached my file and some screenshots. Would be great if one of you could help me out, I've tried to figure it out myself for at least and hour but no luck.

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@s2105398 wrote:

I recently switched from Fusion to Inventor...

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First - we will have to address robust modeling techniques that you did not learn in Fusion 360.

Your Sketch1 is not fully defined?  You should always strive to fully define your sketches in Inventor.

Second - notice that you have only One solid body (disjointed solid) in the Solid Bodies folder.

You need to do this as two different Extrusions with the second extrusion as New Body.

Then you can Shell each solid body.

Using the Frame Generator in Inventor (doesn't exist in Fusion 360) might be a more efficient technique...

[s2105398]

Dear JDMather,

thanks so much for helping me out! I will learn how to use the frame generator!

I struggled a bit with fully constraining the sketch since when I fully define it, close it and reopen it, it again tells me that dimensions are missing. Then I hit the auto dimension button and it added far more dimensions than it said were missing, and the dimensions appeared duplicated. If you have a tip for that, I'd be very grateful, but otherwise I'll figure that out myself.

Thanks,

Lalit

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@s2105398 wrote:

Then I hit the auto dimension button and it added far more dimensions than it said were missing, and the dimensions appeared duplicated. If you have a tip for that,

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Forget that you ever saw the auto-dimension tool.  

You need to take complete control.

Any time you have trouble with a sketch - STOP - and attach the file here.

Sketching Tip #1  Click and drag geometry and observe the behavior.  This should give you a clear visual indication of what geometry constraint or dimension is missing.