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Hello all!

So I am pretty new to this whole CAD thing <6 months and I thought I was getting the hang of it.

But the las 2 sketch's I did will not extrude. For the life of me, I cannot figure out what I am doing wrong. I have attached them.

Basically some simple name plates I would like to cut out on the CNC Plasma cutter.

I have gone over them for hours and can't find anything wrong with them.

Also my "analyze" sketch tool will not light up.

Thanks for taking the time to look
 

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  • New Name Plates 1.25 inch.AD_PRT
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  • Names 1.25 inch MULTI.AD_PRT
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DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
Stu beat me to it for that first one. The open loop is found by the Analyse tool, it seems you can ignore the overlap it mentions.

For the multiple one - DON'T put all the items in one sketch, user a separate sketch for each plaque - you can dimension from the previous feature. Similarly there are several open loops cause by short extraneous lines. Also some open loops in the characters, which the Analyse tool will offer to Heal.
 
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Stu3d

Senior Member
Location of a couple of odd lines in the multi sketch. Very complicated sketches as mentioned, Alibre prefers simple sketches.

Screenshot 2025-02-04 143609.png
 
Thank you gentlemen. The reason I put them altogether was to save the hassle of moving the metal round to different zero points


@DavidJ you were correct. I was able to manually go in and select "analyze". Thanks!!!!!

Although I still cannot delete that point?

Here is the one I can't delete.
 

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  • possible defect.jpg
    possible defect.jpg
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  • possible defect.jpg
    possible defect.jpg
    356.4 KB · Views: 6

Stu3d

Senior Member
Thank you gentlemen. The reason I put them altogether was to save the hassle of moving the metal round to different zero points


@DavidJ you were correct. I was able to manually go in and select "analyze". Thanks!!!!!

Although I still cannot delete that point?

Here is the one I can't delete.
I think that's the origin.
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
The reason I put them altogether was to save the hassle of moving the metal round to different zero points
But you don't need to do that - you can arrange multiple sketches to give exactly the same end result as in you original. BUT each sketch will be simpler, it'll be easier to find errors/mistakes, and if you do have to edit, there'll be less risk of wrecking the entire part.
 
But you don't need to do that - you can arrange multiple sketches to give exactly the same end result as in you original. BUT each sketch will be simpler, it'll be easier to find errors/mistakes, and if you do have to edit, there'll be less risk of wrecking the entire part.
I did not know this.

If it's easy enough, Could you expand on how to do this.

I don't have much time with my "machine" and even less experience with CAD/Alibre.

I have no problem redoing the sketch, but I would be lost at "arranging them"
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
See example part attached - you can edit plaque dimensions and fillet size, without upsetting the text. You can change the plaque spacing. You can work on each name in its own sketch.

Drag the blue dog bone up to the first feature, then step down one feature at a time to 'replay' the method.

I've centred the plaques and the text on the Y axis. Text is centred mid way up each plaque.
 

Attachments

  • Example Plaques.AD_PRT
    8.5 MB · Views: 8
Thankyou for the example David.

That looks exactly like what I need.



So how how you get the "Features" tree to show that many extrusions?

The only way I can think of, is to keep hitting the extrude button as I go.

But I thought that once you hit "extrude", you could not modify anything after that? No?

Sorry for the dumb new guy questions.
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
Perhaps watch some videos to get more of a handle on the processes in Alibre. Here is one set that may help...

 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
So how how you get the "Features" tree to show that many extrusions?
The basic process I used (and you can replay that as I mentioned) was;

* Sketch a rectangle - dimension to size it and constrain it to fix position. Extrude that.

* Add fillets to corners of the extrusion - it's easier to change the radius later for a 3D fillet than it is to edit fillets in a sketch.

* Linear Pattern the extrusion and the associated fillets to give multiple plaques - you can easily alter number of instances or spacing afterwards.

* Start a new sketch on face of first plaque - use text tool to add text, apply dimensions / constraints to position the text centrally. Extrude cut the text.

* Repeat previous step for each plaque/name. For any mistakes or adjustments, you only need to edit the sketch containing the particular name.

As Nate mentioned above you can go back to any element in the Design Explorer, right click and choose 'edit' to make changes.
 
Ok guys so this is my "new and improved" drawing.

Am I doing it right?

It appears to have a "tree" this time, cause I kept stopping and 'extruding" it, then moving on to the next plate. Is that what I was supposed to do?

Also, @NateLiquidGravity ........can "Nikki" be "centered" on the first plate? I have no idea what I did wrong? remaking it would probably be easier, but I would like to learn a new skill if possible.


1738854531633.png
 

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
Well that will work - BUT go back and compare to mine, and read my description.

I extruded ONE plaque - I then used a Linear Feature Pattern


This ensured all the plaques were evenly spaced, and all the same size.

I used a new sketch for each name to drive an extrude CUT.
 
Well that will work - BUT go back and compare to mine, and read my description.

I extruded ONE plaque - I then used a Linear Feature Pattern


This ensured all the plaques were evenly spaced, and all the same size.

I used a new sketch for each name to drive an extrude CUT.

Ok David, I am stuck on how you made multiple copies of the plates.

When I extrude mine, I cant figure out how to use the "linear pattern" function in order to make multiple copies?

1738941078484.png
 
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