Sheets to Solid Bodies

[REDesigner09]

Hi NX'rs,

I have 4 sheet bodies with unique profiles. I now want to make a solid body either directly from the sheet bodies or use them to cut the final profile.

I "sewed" the sheet bodies together, but don't recall on how to make a solid body. Creating another solid body & using the sheets to trim does not seem to be working.

What's the process to create a solid body from the sheets or to use them as cutting tools?

Thanks

 

[JohnRBaker]

OK, take the model I uploaded and delect the solid body and start over. Rotate the model around so that the two Green 'Guide' curves are displayed as being on the 'front' of the model. Now using 'Swept' feature, select multiple 'Sections' (one at a time) using 'Tangent Curves' selection intent, by starting your pick at the end of the long curve near the Left 'Guide' curve. Under 'Section Options' set Interpolation to 'Cubic', Alignment Method to 'Arc Length' and Scaling Method to 'Uniform'. In the 'Settings' section, set the Guides Rebuild to 'Manual' and the Degree to '5' and the (G0)Position to '0.001'.

Anyway, give it shot.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi John,

So, this is the trick! I need to change my 'Section Options'.

I'll have to check this when I get back to work.

Thanks agian...

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi John,

I changed my Selection Options as instructed, however, I'm still not quite getting the results you got.

Compared to before, It's much "cleaner", but the top half of my solid, where the majority of my sections are, is coming out a little rigidity.

I had no problem duplicating your process in your model, but for whatever reasons, something is still different in my model.

I'm selecting my sections from the bottom-up

Selected my two guide curves & changed my selection options.

However, NX is instructing me to first select my orientation, which I simply selected the guide curves.

Then in the Scaling Method area, I am not initially getting the "Uniform" option. Instead, I am getting:

Constant
Blending Function
Another Curve
A Point
Area Law
Perimeter Law

I kept the Constant option.

Changed the Guide area to Manual & Degree to '5'.

The result is a solid that is kind of rigidity.

If I edit my the Swept feature, then it displays "Uniform" in the Scaling Method area.

How can I remove the "rigidity" appearance?

Thanks again...

 

[cowski]

Did you set alignment to 'arc length'?

 

[REDesigner09]

Yes - That was an option available that I selected.

 

[cowski]

Then in the Scaling Method area, I am not initially getting the "Uniform" option

You won't get the uniform/lateral scaling option until you have selected 2 guides.

Are the arrows on all your sections pointing the same way? If not, use the reverse button on the oddball section(s).

If this doesn't fix it can you post another .jpg?

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi,

As far as I can tell, I have the same selction process & orientation & Swept Feature preferences.

I attached a zip file with a handful of pics.

 

[cowski]

I can't open John's file (I'm still on NX6) but take another look at his file. At a guess, I'd say he didn't use as many sections as you did.

 

[cowski]

I'm curious, did you find the solution?

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi,

Thus far - No!

As far as I can tell, John used the same sketch or line entities that I submitted from my CAD file. We have the same guide point locations & my cross-sections are from the bottom-up, with the vectors point in the same directions.

My select options are now the same, as far as I can tell, which they weren't before.

However, for whatever reasons, part of my solid is coming out "rigidity".

I'm not sure if this is not a graphics thing, but I don't expect that being the issue.

The Design Intent was to layout a handful of cross-sections, then be able to sweep those cross-sections in some way to make a nice "clean" parametric model.

Thus far - That's not working...

 

[cowski]

Can you get an acceptable result if you take out some of the sections? The combination of a cubic fit and lots of sections makes for 'burples'. Think of fitting a polynomial through X,Y point data - you potentially end up with lots of inflection points to get the curve to smoothly pass through all the points. That's what NX is doing, except in 3D. Less sections will result in a smoother solid.

If you really need it to pass through all those sections and be smooth, you may need to try plan B. Build it in sections. Use swept along with the bottom 3 sections and top 3 sections and use a command such as through curves or through curve mesh (that allow you to define tangent conditions) for the middle part(s).

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi Cowski,

I cold do this, but then I loose some of the profile that I need to contrain to. In areas where I don't pick my cross-sections, the solid will eithe result as being over or under - or a combination of both around the cross-sections.

This area is almost like an airfoil where I have to keep a specified profile all the around. I cannot deviate from this if it's not within tolorance.

 

[JohnRBaker]

I don't see what the problem is? I've all but provided a step-by-step written description of what I did. All you have to do is EDIT my SOLID body and look at the settings in the dialog. You will see exactly the options and values that I used when I created the solid.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[REDesigner09]

Hi John,

I don't see what the issue is either. I "think" I did what you did & have my preferences the way you have & yet, as you may have seen in my pictures, part of my solid is coming out "rigidity".

I'm still reviewing, but at the moment, I can't find anything. Perhasp, we have a virtual meeting through Teamviewer or something.

I'm also on the Pacific Coast, so we can schedule.

Thanks

 

[JohnRBaker]

Perhaps, but technically I'm on vacation until January 5th, 2011 and so I'm 'working' from home where my network connection is not always the fastest.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.