Can't copy shapes (block, cylinder) with blends or chamfers

[wile e coyote Genius]

I am developing a new modification for an existing computer keyboard but I have run into a problem. I have created a structure by dragging and dropping  various shapes together to create a desired part. I now need to copy a collection of those shapes which also have blends and chamfers about 100+ times. The problem is that if I select the blends and chamfers along with the shapes they have been applied to there isn't a triball option and thus no copy option. If I remove the blends and chamfers the triball is available but at this level if I make the copies it means I have to go and place the blends and chamfers over 100 times (take forever). I can't find any way to allow me to copy parts with blends and chamfers unless you are copying the entire component and in my case I am trying to copy a portion of the part. I am wondering if there is some reason why Ironcad cannot copy a shapes with a blend or chamfer applied to it. I would think that it would be a no brainer. Anyway, looking for advice on how to solve my problem.

Thanks and regards.

[IronKevin]

I don't think we can copy Blends with the TriBall, if I recall correctly that has always been a limitation.

[Cary OConnor]

The pattern feature can support this but the TriBall pattern cannot support this type operation. Or you can add the blends/chamfers as intellishape features on the Intellishape properties then the TriBall will allow it. 

Cary

[IronKevin]

Thanks Cary, I should of mentioned those options, good ideas.

[HDEAR]

3 hours ago, Cary OConnor said:

Or you can add the blends/chamfers as intellishape features on the Intellishape properties then the TriBall will allow it. 

Cary

Hi Cary. If I interpret that correctly, does it means making a blend/chamfer, saving it to a catalogue, than applying it? Or am I sitting up the loopy tree? - in which case how do you do this as I have a project coming up probably requiring similar action ( copying a certain number of parts with blends ). 

Thanks - Harley

Edited January 7, 2022 by HDEAR

[wile e coyote Genius]

Thanks for the input guys. I will look into those suggestions. I have been using Ironcad since version 1.0 and the issue has been around since then. What I don't understand is why Ironcad hasn't addressed these copying issues. Sure would make things easier. Is there a way to make an intellishape out of selected shapes? I tried creating a group but I couldn't copy the group with the triball unless the blends and chamfers were not included in the group. Unfortunately all of the copies  I need to make are not in a regular pattern for array. I got a couple of ideas but the amount of work will eliminate all of Ironcad's advantages. Maybe a future version will be coded to handle the move/copy triball functions with respect to blends and chamfers.

Regards

[Jonas@Solidmakarna]

As Cary said, you can use more of the IntelliShape functions to include a Blend/Chamfer and even Shell and other functions within an extrude feature. An "IntelliShape" is an Extrude with extra "enriched" functions, it's not only the "stretching" Sizebox handles that are added.

Remember that the TriBall can work with "standalone" features, such as positive/negative Extrude, Spin, Sweep and Loft shapes within a Part. When it comes to features that are based on (and only existing because of) a certain Face/Edge/Point ID number, such as Blend, Chamfer, Draft and other similar features, you can't use TriBall to move/copy (you wouldn't try to activate the TriBall for a Blend feature). You will always have to select and define the new edges (which will be created by a new hole) for the existing Blend feature. Also remember the order of the features under the Part. The Blend feature then must be placed after the new hole that was created, of the hole moved up in the Part structure before the Blend feature.

I wouldn't always want to get Blend features copied with selected holes (if that was possible), but maybe if it is possible to implement such a function in the future - it could be an option.

Here's how to make a "more rich" hole feature using IntelliShape properties.

(I should have renamed the hole in the Scene Browser first instead, then the name would have followed to the Catalog item and to all the new features created by it).

[wile e coyote Genius]

Hello Jonas and all others who have replied.  If you look at pic 1 you will see a large flat plastic plate with additional shapes in the lower left corner. In the scene browser you will see the top intellishape highlighted.

Pic 2 shows the components I want to copy.  You will see them highlighted in the scene browser and you will see that the items selected include both blends and chamfers. In the example Jonas provided it only showed adding a single radius to the hole whereas my components have several bends and chamfers.

Pic 3 shows all the switches that the shapes highlighted in pic 2 must line up with (over 100).

I guess my only solution appears to be creating the flat sheet with the notch as one  piece and create the other shape as a part and place multiple copies onto the sheet where needed.

Thanks to all who replied and like I said maybe Ironcad can find a way to move/copy the blends/chamfers when a part/shape is moved.

Best regards.

[Jonas@Solidmakarna]

Your own suggestion of making the "notch as one piece" (a standalone part) which is later boolean as its own feature (as a brep shape) within the flat plate is quite good! It probably won't solve it completely (like blends in intersections) but very close and quite fast and easy to make.

Without actually seeing the exact shape I cannot guarantee it, but I think you probably can make that "shape" of all those features using less number of features and also using the concept I showed in the video with IntelliShape bevel and even draft faces. I'm pretty sure you can do this with maybe 2-3 features and then use the TriBall to CopyLink them by clicking once on each switch below. If it was a "regular pattern" you could of course have used a Pattern Feature instead of the TriBall (though it does have an "instance/sketch point" option too, but then you would need each switch to be represented by a point on a sketch).

[Malcolm Crowe]

Have you considered trying the "Sketch Pattern Feature" to create an irregular pattern? If you're not familiar with it see the attached video,

Malcolm

IRONCAD - Sketch Pattern Feature.ics

[wile e coyote Genius]

Thank-you Jonas and Malcolm. After much contemplation and further digging I decided to take the long road of creating the flat portion with the notch as a single, filling it with the required holes for the switches it covers and then created a single part/intellishape which I then dropped onto the flat part. I then made copies of the dropped part. While that has worked, what could have been a 1 hour job and turned it into a six hour job. It is done and I have come up with an idea of a new multi-copy feature that can be a real time saver. Just got to figure out  how to convey it to the appropriate IC engineers.

Have a great day everyone.