Make 'Between Points' an Available Selection for an Extrusion

[andrewdroth]

Sometimes I'd like to extrude a profile between two points, without needing to harvest the dimensions from the sketches.

You can select a point for an extrusion when using a 'To' Extent, I would think it would work just as well to have that option when making a 'Between' selection.

Here's a simple Screencast. Obviously this is just to illustrate the concept, this feature wouldn't be necessary for a part this simple.

[DRoam]

Hi @andrewdroth. Essentially what you're asking for is a sweep. You can achieve this exact functionality with the Sweep command:

[andrewdroth]

I'm just using the line to create the two points for this example.

In many instances the line may not be there, and the points may not even share the same plane or sketch. 

[DRoam]

OK I wondered if that was what you're after. I agree that could be useful. I don't often want to extrude between two points but I do often want to extrude a profile between two lines which are part of a sketch perpendicular to the profile's sketch, like this:

Right now to do this I have to create a plane for each line like I did in this part. If I could extrude between points like you're proposing, I could pick an endpoint of the lines I want to extrude between rather than having to create several planes. Good suggestion, Kudo given.

[Anonymous]

The extrude extents 'Between' option needs to allow the selection of sketch entity end points to determine the extrusion distance. Currently it only allows the use of work planes or surface geometry. This is OK, but seems we're often adding specific work planes that are unnecessary.

The extents 'To' option already supports the use of sketch entity end points.

We often use multi-bodied part designs where each part is represented by a body in the design file...

This requested feature would assist in reducing the tendency to select surfaces of other bodies to determine the extents (when creating a new body). We like to keep all bodies free of inter-body relationships, rather they be supported by sketch geometry & work features. It helps keep complex designs flexible.

[DRoam]

This has already been requested here: Make 'Between Points' an Available Selection for an Extrusion

Please add your votes and comments to the original so feedback is not split between posts.

[DRoam]

@Discussion_Admin, please merge the following duplicate into this Idea: Extrude extents 'Between' option needs to allow the selection of sketch entities

[Anonymous]

Instead of the "workaround" of needing a mid plane and 2 Extrusions.... 

[Yijiang.Cai]

@Anonymous, could you share more details about the expected result after the extrusion here?

[Anonymous]

Take a look at the options in Solid Works... Inventor has Extrude To (a point), all it needs is to Extrude from (a point).  Yes, you can do 2 extrusions to "Work Around" this but .... how about we do away with work arounds... it is 2018... 

[dba78]

Actually there is an option to extrude "between". You're right, this only honors planes/faces as terminators and no points (sketch, or Workpoints).

Maybe you might redefine the request to extend the Extrusion-Option "between". 

Currently you could accomplish this by using the "Sweeping" feature.

[Pate.MacKenna]

There is an another idea on the board that addresses this issue.  I suggest these be combined.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/make-between-points-an-available-selection-for-an-extr...

[dan_szymanski]

Idea added to backlog for future consideration [38105] Thanks!

[DRoam]

Hi all,

I've re-brought this idea to the Inventor team's attention many times on the Beta forums, and the response has been that it's not simple to implement. I'm hoping we can finally garner enough support to demonstrate that this is worth investigating further and devoting resources to.

To that end, I recreated this idea with a slightly different presentation, that I'm hoping will more clearly demonstrate how useful it could be and attract more votes. I'm also hoping the winds of chance will simply be more in our favor this time (sometimes, for whatever reasons, just re-creating an idea can bring in a lot more votes the second time).

The new idea is located here: Extrude between sketch points or geometry points.

@andrewdroth, many thanks for the creation of this idea, and my apologies for duplicating it. I assure you my goal is to get this feature implemented, nothing more. I hope you understand and approve of my intentions.

For all who wish for this feature, please consider adding your vote to both this idea and the new one. Hopefully we can give one them enough momentum to rise above the pile and get enough votes to be accepted.

Thanks!

[andrewdroth]

👍

[al_inventor]

Hi All,

It restricts functionality only between the surface!
The use of different influencing elements (Surface, Plane, Point, Line/Axis etc.) will be highly functional in performing some operations and I can state that the designer can make his job more practical.

👍💪

Best Regards.

Ali Osman GÜLER