Extruding a path

[einarpe]

I'm trying to extrude this path, but unable to.

Some of the lines do not seem to be connected.

How come?

See screencast

[SBix26]

Nothing attached or linked...

---

Sam B
Inventor Pro 2020.1 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[WHolzwarth]

Screencast is here:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/profile/LIT66Q3CJJXKF/screencasts?_ga=2.129072463.25756698.1564902876...

I'd use a contour flange in sheetmetal alternatively.  2018 IPT attached.

[einarpe]

The screencast path is
https://autode.sk/2N31GsJ

[Sergio.D.Suárez · Accepted solution]

Your sketch does not seem to be properly closed, if you project some entities, you probably need to project a small radius that prevents the selection of a closed contour. If you created the sketch and did not project geometry, perhaps you made a linear pattern and the intersection points of each instance of the pattern are not closed, they can be seen as closed but not closed.
Here, I stop to make two suggestions. If you use linear patterns I would advise you not to work this way, instead I would advise you to create the first instance as a solid, and then make a linear pattern of this solid or this operation. you would avoid such problems.
On the other hand, its sketch seems to maintain a constant thickness (in the curvatures the spokes appear to be concentric and tangent to the intersecting edges). Keep in mind that if the thickness is constant, you can treat the part as a metal sheet part. Although the part was not actually sheet metal, you can take advantage of the sheet metal properties.

I hope this helps. Grettings!!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! I think Sergio explains the issue well. Please feel free to attach the part so experts can help take a look. I am marking Sergio's reply as a solution.

[einarpe]

Thank you Sergio!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Another option to extrude a profile or 3D wire in a given direction is to use Ruled Surface -> Vector option. The result is a ruled surface body. You can use various commands to solidify it.

Many thanks!

[JDMather]

---

@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi! Another option …. is to use Ruled Surface 

---

@johnsonshiue Do you have a collection of Ruled Surface models?

I am embarrassed to admit that I have never used Ruled Surface since it was introduced and would really love to have some exceptional examples.  The more complex the better.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi JD,

Unfortunately, I cannot give you a real world example, because I deal with proprietary design too much. I cannot reveal any of them. But, what I can say is that, in Surface Modeling workflow, this is the most frequently used command I used (much more than Boundary Patch and Loft). It has many applications like in Mold related workflows (drafting, runoff, patching, and so on). It also helps creating offset curves from offset surfaces, This is a super useful command that I cannot live without.

Let me dig around and see if I can find a practical yet non-proprietary example.

Many thanks!