Profiling shape with support tabs to stock (not sheetmetal)

[KMoffett]

What I want to do is mill the outside profile of a part but leave tabs at the bottom of the part connecting the part with the stock. This may be more in the CAM than CAD...not sure.
GeoDesign 2014 and Alibre CAM Standard.
Think of a 4" square of 1/4" Plexiglass. The final part is a 1/4" x 3" diameter disk cut from the middle of the 4" square. However, I want to leave three 1/4" wide x 0.05" thick tabs at 120° intervals around the bottom of the part to temporarily hold the part in place after the through cut. The tabs between the part and stock would be manually cut, releasing the disk after the milling operation.

Ken

 

[dwc]

Looks like a CAM function to me.
I don't have the foggiest idea about AlibreCAM, but, for example, CAMBAM supports holding tabs as a simple parameter for profiles.
I use it all the time.
Maybe AlibreCAM has this function too.
Best,
Don

 

[KMoffett]

Yeah. I know Aspire has it too. But I can't find anything in Alibre CAM that supports it. I was hoping maybe there was some way to do it in Geomagic Design to create a 2-1/2D post, other than implementing a long 3D CAM process.

Ken

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Ken,

Not being sure which version of GMD you have could make this a wrong answer, but you could create a <Configuration> with the excess material & tabs for machining purposes with the primary <Configuration> being the completed part. ???

 

[Jim C]

Ken,

Is this something similar to what you want? I use this method of cutout for various parts. In some cases it is easiest to use material that is thicker than the final part, make a cutout similar to that shown, flip the part over, fixture on the desired section and machine the back away.

Jim C

 

[fabcadmz]

Ken,
In AlibreCAM, under 2 1/2 Axis Profiling > Advanced Cut Parameters tab, you can create bridges/tabs.

 

[KMoffett]

Thanks Marlin!

I knew it had to exist. Searching "tabs" in HELP came up with all kinds of irrelevant stuff. "bridges" took me right there.

Ken