Thicken/offset/shell inward beyond smallest radius

[2Dto3D]

As I understand it, you can't offset, thicken, or shell inward thicker than the smallest radius in the outside surface. Anyone know a simple workaround for this? To further define my particular question, I have a free form surface defining the outside of my part, which is shaped somewhat like a horse shoe. This outside surface must stay as it is; changing it to eliminate the smaller radii is not an option. Uniform thickness is another design requirement. To further complicate things, constructing geometry off of this particular surface or its parent geometry is extremely difficult at best. The requirement that's killing me, is that the thickness being asked for is greater than the smallest radius in the outside surface.

Any suggestions?

Charley Leonard
CSWP

http://www.2Dto3D.com

 

[TheTick]

There are a couple approaches you might consider:

1.) Offset the portions of the surface that can be offset, and bridge the gaps with loft surfaces. A basic example is if you had two planar surfaces with a 5.0mm fillet between them. To apply a 6.0mm offset, offset only the planar portions, and join with a new fillet (unless a sharp corner is OK).

To get a portion of a large free form surface, copy it using offset at distance=0, an divide with surface trim functions.

2.) If you have all of the feature construction entities (such as the guide and section curves for a loft), try constructing a new surface from new guide and section curves that are offset from the original.

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