Normal Cut

[onefjef]

I have a sheet metal panel with a round tube passing through it at an angle of 20 degrees from normal. I want to make a cut through the panel to allow this passage. The hole would be manufactured with a Laser cutting machine and has to cut normal to the panel. Is there a command that will make the cut with clearances adjusted for the material thickness? I've seen this in other modeling packages where it automatically projects a cut from the top of the material down and from bottom up. Solid Edges calls it a normal cut. Otherwise I have to make my angle cut then another cut using projected geometry on the surface of the panel.

Jef

 

[rollupswx]

I noticed that your first sketch isn't constrained or making use of symmetry about the origin. You might read this document.

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa university.pdf

Once you have learned the basics of constraining a sketch I can show you my solution which I think you will find trivially simple - no extra workplanes like you have used.

 

[onefjef]

rollupswx,
I could not help to notice the tone of your post seems to be to "school" me on proper sketching. I intend to read your article but I hope it contains useful insight on my particular problem and not just proper sketching methods. The part file provided was a sample which contained underconstrained sketches and a few other things I was playing with at the time. I provided it just to show a tube passing through a panel. I am not opposed to learning new or different methods of work but please help me with my specific problem.

Thank you.

 

[rollupswx]

...please help me with my specific problem

Before I help someone progress beyond the basics - I generally verify that they can in fact constrain a sketch.

I created the attached example, but it took me extra work because I modeled your example right out to dimensions that didn't make logical sense. If you don't want my help, I'm sure others will be along to help and you can simply ignore my example.

Notice with angle cylinder going through cut normal to plane that you will have to allow for clearance. Post your real part if you can't figure it out.

 

[rollupswx]

Notice that in my example that I did not need to create any workplanes to reproduce your part and add the normal "cut".

It could be simplified even more if your real part is actually symmetrical.

 

[onefjef]

rollupswx,

First of all let me apologize for being rude. I do appreciate any help someone gives me in this forum or the others I visit on EngTips.

I viewed your image and either I haven't explained what I'm trying to do well enough or I'm missing what you are trying to show. Please see my .pdf attachment. I have used this command is Solid Edge many a time. If you make a cut in a sheet metal panel with this command it will make clearance on the top and bottom of the panel that is normal to the faces. This is handy because our laser can only cut normal to the panels. If you change material thicknesses it will automatically adjust the cut size.

I see you've thickened the cylinder to create clearance. When you do this will it make the cut project perpendicular to the faces? To me it does not look like it would.

If I'm missing something please have patience with me and explain.

Jef

 

[onefjef]

Sorry meant to upload .pdf
Jef

 

[rollupswx]

I knew exactly what you wanted. Examine the attached general solution and adjust as needed for the clearance you need. The file was done in edu version - so delete after examination of one technique (I can think of several others.)

 

[onefjef]

rollupswx,
Your example is still not quite what I am looking for but thank you. Let me see if I read you here. You used a revolution to create a cut profile on the top of the panel then thickened it with the cut option on to create a hole down to the bottom of the panel. Right? You have clearance on the top of the panel but if you look at the bottom of the panel your tube interferes with it. This is not what I want. My orginal question was if Inventor had a command that automatically created the clearance on top and bottom of the panel normal to faces. See the attached zip file. This was created with one command in Solid edge with a contour flange and one sketch of the tube profile already present. The command is called Cut with normal face cutting option on. Just trying to find out if Inventor has the same command.

By the way I've read the article you provided from Skills and there are quite a few very useful tips. Thank you.

 

[EngAddict]

No, Inventor does not have the same functionality that SolidEdge does for cut normal.

One simple method to get the correct dxf profile is to (in the flat pattern model) project both sides of your sheet metal part on to either side of your sheet, join the tangent quadrants on either side of the projection, then extrude out the opening.

This method will keep your model with the exact hole opening and your flat pattern (the one that gets exported) with the correct opening size.

There are other methods that work, particularly if you want the correct size in the model too but this is a quick method to achieve the correct output.

Let me know if you need an example.

 

[onefjef]

EngAddict,

Thanks for the response. I believe your solution is very close to the one I was using. It required a few extra steps on the tree but it's not difficult. I assume Inventor has a macro language or is VBA capable. If I had to do it a lot I could write a command.

Thank you.

 

[EngAddict]

Yes Inventor ships with VBA and visual studio support.