How to create an Offset Imprint

[carrols8]

I have an intricate plastic moulded component, and I am trying to design a nesting block that it will sit into. I am going to print this block on a 3D printer, so what I want to do is create an imprint of the moulded part onto the nest block. As there is a dimensional tolerance on my plastic moulded components, I would like to offset my imprint by 0.2 mm so that it can still accommodate any plastic parts that are on the high end of the tolerance range.

I have created an assembly with the 2 components; plastic moulded part, and the nest block. I have tried using Insert - Combine - Subtract, but as my moulded component is shelled I not only end up with an imprint, but also with a lot of pieces floating in space on the nest block. Is there a way to create the imprint by selecting only the faces that I am interested in on my moulded part? Bearing in mind that I also want to offset any imprint that I create by 0.2 mm.

I am using NX7.5 with Teamcenter 8.

 

[Toost]

You should try "Trim Body", select the outer side of the component as the trimming faces. Use a selection rule such that you don't need to pick everything.
then hopefully you can use Offset faces on the imprint. ( Offsetting complex geometry is difficult math.)
An option which probably always will work is scaling the body instead of offsetting. NX7.5 : Insert - Offset / Scale- Scale Body...
0.2 mm offset is not much and a very small scale should give quite a similar shape.,- If the Offset fails.


Regards,
Tomas

 

[carrols8]

I can't see how to make the Trim Body command work. I can select my nest block as the Target, but I am unable to select the moulded part as the Tool. Maybe I am going about it the wrong way? As I mentioned, I am in an assembly with 2 components. Before using the Trim Body command, I made the nest block the Work Part.

I like the idea of using the Scale Body to create the offset though. I think that will work.

 

[Toost]

Ah,
For the Trim Body feature to work, you need both the body to be trimmed and the trimming objects to exist (The geometry will be saved in ) in the same file.

You need either to create a Wave Linked .... ( type depending on object ) or a promoted body.
Both features will copy geometry from one partfile into another partfile. Associated ( when the parent updates, so will the copy)
A promotion can only copy from component to an assembly above. A Wave link can copy in any direction. The work part is the receiver.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[capnhook]

I'm not sure what type of 3D printing you will be doing, carrols8, but when I made similar nesting blocks with SLA, I could simply increase laser beam diameter compensation, and get an adequate tool. That eliminated having to build a "thickened" or scaled model.

Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

[green]To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?[/green]