Laser cutting a profile from a tube... - NX10

[mechjames]

Hi Guys,
I need to make a drawing to send to a laser cutting fabricator. The part is simply a tube that has a section cut from its wall. The laser is stationary (directly on axis of the tube) and the tube revolves around its axis and moves backwards and forwards along its axis.
How would I make this profile and subsequent extrusion accurately? Ordinarily I would simply make a sketch on the appropriate plane, extrude and trim but this does not accurately simulate the cutting path of the laser which stays at 90 degrees to the axis and tangential to the surface of the
tube at all times...

many thanks,
James

NX10

 

[Toost]

Wrap the profile onto the tube. ( Wrap feature)
If you have the Fill Surface feature ( don't know what license it belongs to) Use that to create a face inside the wrapped curves. Else you can use Divide face.
Thicken the face ( Thicken feature).
then ?


Regards,
Tomas

 

[cowski]

The thicken feature is the key; the side faces of the resulting body will be normal to the sheet body being thickened. Attached is a small example file. I used different features than those mentioned by Toost to get to the thickened body, but the result is the same.

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[mechjames]

Guys, absolutely awesome. That is what I was looking for. I will test it out come back if I have any further questions regarding this - many, many thanks....

James.

 

[Toost]

Here's another solution to the case. ( NX 10 format.)
I used a Law extension surface, normal to the outer face, to trim away the interior.

Regards,
Tomas

 

[JNieman]

In a past life, I programmed and ran a Trumpf tubing laser when I was overseeing installation at a manufacturer I worked for. What I would do is model the tubing part with a .001 wall thickness, or something close to it. Then I would be able to "unwrap" it for bringing in to program. What the fabricator will want to know is the geometry of the outside diameter, and the tube profile. While the print may /look/ deceiving if you make straight extrusion-cuts, a note can cover the visual differences in whatever way you deem fit.

It's better to model it accurately but sometimes it isn't worth the hassle, IMO. Especially when the tube is thin wall, like .040" wall on a 3" diameter.