Identifying self intersecting loops automatically.

[rcloseFUBDN]

I am dealing with an extremely complex drawing made for an art department. I am attempting to offset each of their lines in order to extrude the entire thing to be 3d printed. I cannot share the sketch here for copyright reasons, but is there a way to automatically identify where self intersecting loops are? I have zoomed all the way in and followed the lines manually to find a few, but this is unimaginably time consuming and will not work for doing the entire drawing in a practical amount of time. I am wondering if this feature exists, and if it doesn't I would like to submit that as a feature request.

[todd_cannon]

@rcloseFUBDN, have a look at the Sketch Doctor. Right click in your sketch in Inventor and select Sketch Doctor. Then click Diagnose Sketch and you will see an option to analyze for self intersecting loops. Sketch Doctor will provide suggestions. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Todd

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

You can use "Extrude" at the lines as a surface, then apply  "Thicken" tool to the surface and you will have the same final result.

Thicken will solve many  overlaped geometry (hopefully)

Final result

[rcloseFUBDN]

Thank you! That still doesn't solve the issue of self intersecting loops though it appears, after having just tried it.

[rcloseFUBDN]

Found it. Thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Another command to try is to use Rib command. It has the ability to select individual line segments as profile. It can also help creating the geometry. Please take a look at reply#11 on the following page.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/modelling-groundwire-grid-as-solid-bodies/m-p/11137714

Many thanks!