Tube notching

[RSUVI]

Is there any way to notch tube to neutral cut like here? So that it would be possible to cut it with laser.

 

[rsaucier]

I know what you are doing and why you are trying to do it.  First, let me say that there may be a way to do it, but I have never investigated because of the following.  I have a customer that I do a ton of handrails for (and this appears to be a tube for a sloped rail) and they laser cut all their rails.  My belief is the laser program compensates automatically for creating that neutral plane.  My suggestion would be to check with the company that is doing the laser cutting, but in every project I have ever done, I simply trim the tube so it mates to the pipe.  When all done, I send them IGES files of the pipe that is being cut.  In 4 years of doing this, I have never gotten a call that a piece did not fit correctly.  As mentioned, this is just my experience that a simple trim is all you need but checking with your laser company is your best bet.  But I am pretty sure that the simple trim is all you will have to do and the laser program will do the rest.  

[RSUVI]

I need this for tube chassis manufacturing. I would also like to  add tabs and slots for easy placement of tubes. 

[SSIMMONS]

On 11/10/2020 at 1:57 PM, rsaucier said:

I know what you are doing and why you are trying to do it.  First, let me say that there may be a way to do it, but I have never investigated because of the following.  I have a customer that I do a ton of handrails for (and this appears to be a tube for a sloped rail) and they laser cut all their rails.  My belief is the laser program compensates automatically for creating that neutral plane.  My suggestion would be to check with the company that is doing the laser cutting, but in every project I have ever done, I simply trim the tube so it mates to the pipe.  When all done, I send them IGES files of the pipe that is being cut.  In 4 years of doing this, I have never gotten a call that a piece did not fit correctly.  As mentioned, this is just my experience that a simple trim is all you need but checking with your laser company is your best bet.  But I am pretty sure that the simple trim is all you will have to do and the laser program will do the rest.  

I have had the same experience as RJ in this. Mostly handrails in my case. A lot of them are angled and mate weird, but I send what it should look like and they have no issue making the part and it always fits up.

 

-Spencer

[tlehnhaeuser]

Whould something like this work for you?

Revised for angled end cut.  This approach uses Design Variations and SmartAssembly.

 

Edited November 12, 2020 by tlehnhaeuser
Saw it should be angled

[rsaucier]

Here is a short video on how you can add a tab to a sloped and trimmed tube.  You can actually take this feature and put it into a catalog for future use so you d o not have to keep recreating. .  I will attach that next.

[rsaucier]

Here is an example of how you can reuse the tube at a different angle without having to recreate the sketch.

[rsaucier]

Finally, here is an example of how you can use the catalog to reuse the tab.  hope these help.

[RSUVI]

Well i found a way how to do it, but can there be any quicker way?

 

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by RSUVI

[Malcolm Crowe]

For your interest, attached is a video demonstrating a method where the outside faces of both parts mate. The steps include the following:

1. Intersection 3D Curve between the original CHS Parts

2. Splitting of Outside Faces of the CHS Parts (using the above Intersection 3D Curve)

3. Selecting the unwanted split faces and using the Thicken Tool to create trimming parts

4. Using the created Trimming Parts above trim the original CHS parts

We also use trimming surfaces (created normal to outside face) in some situations.

Malcolm

Edited December 15, 2020 by Malcolm Crowe

[Malcolm Crowe]

For structural applications where only the branch CHS part is being trimmed, the process is as follows:

1. Intersection 3D Curve between the outside faces of both CHS Parts

2. Intersection 3D curve between the inside face of the CHS part to be trimmed and the outside face of the other CHS part

3. Splitting of Outside Face of the CHS Part to be trimmed (using the outside Intersection 3D Curve)

4. Splitting of Inside Face of the CHS Part to be trimmed (using the inside Intersection 3D Curve)

5. Selecting the unwanted inside split face and using the Thicken Tool to create a trimming part

6. Selecting the unwanted outside split face and using the Thicken Tool to create a trimming part

7. Use the Boolean Subtract tool to subtract the created Trimming Parts above from the CHS part to be trimmed

8. Add a blend (such as CHS outside radius) to blend the transition between the inside and outside trimmed sections

Malcolm

 

Edited December 14, 2020 by Malcolm Crowe

[RSUVI]

Super! Thanks.

[Malcolm Crowe]

The previous videos demonstrated the principles involved. This video demonstrates how you can use these principles to create a "Trimming Part" to simplify the process.

Here we've created a multi-bodied "Structured Part" (as opposed to an Innovative Part), so that we can toggle between different bodies for trimming any of the following:

- Branch Inside Intersection

- Branch Outside Intersection

- Main Inside Intersection

- Main Outside Intersection

This is a good example of how "Structured Parts" can be used to assist when modelling "Innovative Parts".

Malcolm

[Malcolm Crowe]

If wanted, you can use an "Offset" within the "Trim" feature to create a welding gap as well.

Malcolm

[RSUVI]

Malcolm, you are the KING! Thank you very much. Very helpful videos. Can you share the trimming part file?

Edited February 1, 2021 by RSUVI

[Malcolm Crowe]

For the purpose of helping demonstrate how multi-bodied "Structured Parts" can be constructed and used to help with "Innovative" modelling, I've attached the requested Trimming Part file (as used in the above videos). I hope that helps.

Malcolm

 

CHS Intersection Trimming Part.ics

Edited February 9, 2021 by Malcolm Crowe