How to cut a shaped hole on a curved surface

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

Sadly a fairly basic user of Inventor 2021/Win10 here. I'm trying to make a model that involves cutting a hole in a curved surface. I can define the cut I want using 4 custom planes, but each end of the cut "box" is actually a curve, because the those 2 planes are 3 deg off from vertical. I can't figure out how to define the curve of each end so as to project a cut from a 2D plane tangent to the curve, so I tried to define the cut by planes - but now I can't figure out how to use those planes to define the cut. I hope the attached pics and model show what I mean.

FYI, the part in question is a glassfibre panel, but I've modelled it as sheet metal because after making the cut, I want to flatten the panel, export a DXF from the face, laser-cut it in thin card and use the card as a template to mark out the actual cut on the panel.

Please could some kind soul advise as to how best to do this?

Is it better to model this as a surface, cut it, convert it to a solid, then to sheet metal for flattening?

Thanks for any help you can offer

[Scott_Parker]

You can use Split and select the body option to break the body into multiple parts at each plane.  For the first 3 splits you should use use the option to Keep both sides.  The last split you can use to remove the hole.  You can then combine the bodies back into a single body.

 

 

[SBix26]

Use the Sculpt tool, change to Remove (instead of Join), pick the four workplanes, OK.

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Sam B
Inventor Pro 2022.1.1 | Windows 10 Home 20H2
LinkedIn

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Peter,

On top of what Scott and Sam already suggested, you may want to try Cut Normal. I believe you are trying to create a cut so that a square rod can go through, right? Then Cut Normal is the option to use. Just create the square profile. Use Cut command -> check Cut Normal -> Through All.

Many thanks!