How can I create a curved extrusion of a part face?

[HaroldL]

Here's another hint:

If you're trying different design variations then suppress those features/sketches that are not part of the current design. IF you have configurations use them to control what is suppressed or unsuppressed for each design variation and rename the configs to identify each variation. That way if you upload a file it won't be confusing to anyone that downloads the file.

Yeah, dimensions may not be critical in the early design stages but I'd still apply them so sketches are controlled. If you name the dimensions then when you are finalizing the design you can tweak the dims in the Equation Editor so you don't have to roll back to each sketch you need to change then wait for a rebuild of the model.

Just sayin'.

 

[GIOV]

I also recorded this short video showing how to add a Sweep Boss to the part.

Hi Harold,
Great Video, only I suggest to simple do a copy Sketch and past to the new sketch plane. Will save a lot of time!!! of your section.

 

[concept]

Update: Brian at Alibre waited 6-8 minutes and the export was successful. I guess it was not a bug, more like a delayed calculation due to the geometry.

I no longer work for large companies, but if I did, I would've asked the Quality department to measure the mating part with a CMM or laser scanner. If scanned, I'd use the model to determine dimensions of my new part.
However, as I now design things for my own tiny company, expensive measuring equipment and 3D printers are not possible. So I measured the tapered part (installed in a much larger assembly) as best I could with calipers. I wish I had a radius gauge set (goes on my tooling list) but I do have a very low end Anycubic 3D printer and a spool of PLA.

This part is for home use, so I was designing variations of it in a hurry. Thanks to Ken and Harold for taking the time to look at it. I was pretty good at using Solidworks (after 16 years of practice) but am slowly getting back to Alibre after many years. Alibre support has been great, also.

Ken, I 3D-printed your version of the part and will try it out.

Dave

 

[GIOV]

I also recorded this short video showing how to add a Sweep Boss to the part.

Good!

 

[concept]

You cannot Loft a double sketch as you show. Create a sketch on the perimeter of the Face you want to loft to and change the angled sketch to a single profile, one that matches the face sketch. Then you can Loft BOSS those two sketches. Then create a second pair of sketches to create a Loft CUT to remove the inner part of the loft boss.

I also recorded this short video showing how to add a Sweep Boss to the part.

Sweep Boss.mp4

Shared from Screencast.com

www.screencast.com

While I was at it I figured that I should also demo the Loft Boss and Loft Cut.

Loft Boss.mp4

Shared from Screencast.com

www.screencast.com

I just finished watching the videos, Harold. Thanks again for spending the time to do them. Since my design time is not consistent, I tend to learn what I need to learn when it is required. But then again, that's the fun part about keeping our mind's sharp - always learn new things. (In addition to exercise and eating walnuts, pistachios, pecans, and macadamia nuts)

 

[HaroldL]

@concept, I had another look at your model to see if I could determine why the sweep didn't work for you. I think I found a solution and recorded a short video for you.

Sweep Solution.mp4

Shared from Screencast.com

www.screencast.com

And here is the resulting model.

 

[concept]

Great! Thanks, Harold. By the way, I was able to export (after 15 minutes of wait time) the STL file from the original but when I printed it, it looked like the attached. So the model was generated but the translation to STL was not quite right.

But yes, your tips are much appreciated. I was able to print Ken's model and it worked as hoped. The idea was to redirect airflow that for some reason (perhaps an assembly error) was aimed at an angle and not straight ahead as it should've been.

Back in the 90s and part of the 2000s, I used a CAD program called IronCAD - the best conceptual modeler I have ever used. Initially there were no planes, as the Triball did not require them. I used this software for 7 years. It was not history-based and had many catalogs of positive and negative shapes that could be dragged into the "scene".

Alibre is certainly among the best bang for the buck CAD software package and with help from you guys here on the forum, my techniques will certainly improve.

 

[DavidJ]

If STL export is taking 15 minutes (and the resulting STL file is very large), I'd suggest that your STL export settings are over ambitious. Experiment to optimise the export settings, and check the result in your slicer to see if it is acceptable.

The settings illustrated at head of this Help section

Articles

help.alibre.com

are a good starting point for most cases - I would though change export units to mm, as most slicers assume mm anyway.

 

[concept]

Thanks, David. I have printed at least 5 Alibre-exported models, so far and every one except the one shown in the photo had turned out well with default normal deviation and surface deviation numbers. Do you know if the Surface deviation default number is in millimeters or inches? Or does it match the output units?

 

[Ken226]

Thanks, David. I have printed at least 5 Alibre-exported models, so far and every one except the one shown in the photo had turned out well with default normal deviation and surface deviation numbers. Do you know if the Surface deviation default number is in millimeters or inches? Or does it match the output units?

I had the same issue trying to export that model as a .stl file.

I've been using the same export settings for a year with no issues. Only this version of this model had that happen.






The version with the revolve boss, and Harolds version with the displaced sweep path both export perfectly.

I don't think your .stl export settings are the cause.


During the long export process my CPU was running at 8%, The memory at 18% and the GPU at 0%. My computer never actually finished the export, it was hung at 19% for half an hour before I gave up and forced a shutdown.

 

[concept]

Thanks, Ken. Yes, there is something about the model, since there are no other variables coming into play. The good news is that your version's printed part performed well.
I know now that certain tactics of design when 3D printing is required are not ideal. I've had other parts printed by a Sculpteo and Xometry without any issues.