Flattened/Tapered (?) Pipe

[MoonFallsDown]

I've recently taken up drawing some simple buildings (greenhouse frames) in 3D in CAD, and for the most part I've been able to figure it out on my own. This one has be stumped.

 

What I'm trying to draw is the end of a pipe that has been flattened, where it is attached to a vertical brace. I don't really know how to describe what I'm asking ... not really sure what to call it, so please see the attached pictures.

 

Obviously the pipe portion will be a cylinder, and the flattened part will rectangular solid of some kind, but I can't figure out how to connect the flat edge of the rectangular portion to the round edge of the non-flattened portion without it looking "chunky" at the rounded end.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Edit: I'm using 2010.

[MoonFallsDown]

Okay, I stumbled upon the LOFT command. I'm not sure if that's what I need or not. I tried drawing a rectangle, and a circle laterally from it, but running LOFT on it results in what kind of looks like an arrowhead. Any thoughts?

[Glen Smith]

Section the part perpendicular to the center line of the tube near the end several times. Draw those sections and then loft your sections. If one part of the transition from cylinder to squashed part looks wrong, undo the loft and add a section between to fix it.

 

Glen

[ReMark]

I think you are on the right track it just depends on how realistic you want it to look. I did this using the Loft command as well.

 

 

Created with just two profiles. One for the pipe and another for the flat end. Probably could have gotten results closer to the picture you posted had I used a third profile.

[MoonFallsDown]

I think you are on the right track it just depends on how realistic you want it to look. I did this using the Loft command as well.

 

[ATTACH]18849[/ATTACH]

 

Created with just two profiles. One for the pipe and another for the flat end. Probably could have gotten results closer to the picture you posted had I used a third profile.

 

That is exactly what I'm trying to do. It doesn't have to be pretty -- it just has to look similar to the third picture above. (That's actually a scan from the document that I'm trying to duplicate.)

 

I'm not sure I understand how to use the command though. This is obviously more complex than simply having two planar surfaces and trying to join them?

[ReMark]

All you need is one circle and one rectangle to create the transition piece itself. Just make sure the rectangle is as wide as your circle's diameter.

[ReMark]

This is all it takes to make a rudimentary transition piece.

 

 

Copied from AutoCAD Text window:

 

Command: loft

Select cross sections in lofting order: 1 found

Select cross sections in lofting order: 1 found, 2 total

Select cross sections in lofting order:

Enter an option [Guides/Path/Cross sections only] : Accept default

[MoonFallsDown]

Ha, I'm dumb.

 

It apparently did LOFT the way I wanted it to, but I was looking at it in 2D Wireframe. Everything I've looked at in 2D Wireframe looked relatively 3D (good enough for my purposes anyway) but this was only showing an edge that resembled an arrowhead, as stated above. When I switched to one of the 3D styles, it looked perfect.

 

Thanks for your help.

[MikeScott]

Excellent! Thanks ReMark, I finally get the loft concept..

 

I don't have 2010, so I always just get quiet when someone suggests using the loft command. I've looked at JDMather's tutorial, but without knowing what it was supposed to do, I couldn't tell what it was happening.

 

I got a similar result when I made a cylinder with an overlapped "flatbar" projecting through the end of it. I unioned them together and used an oversized fillet at the connecting joint.

 

I was able to fillet the cylinder face independantly too though(filleted by it's radius, creating a bulbed end).. and by doing both THAT, plus the intersection with the flatbar, it got even closer.

 

but good grief.. that loft is an awesome command.

[ReMark]

I sometimes forget about loft and until I have the DUH moment (Could have had a V-8.)!

 

Loft is great for transition pieces like round to square/rectangular ducting or ventilation piping for those of us who do not have a speciality program for that kind of fabrication.

[Glen Smith]

I know you're looking for 'close enough' but since we are drawing it, don't forget that the flat part is wider than the diameter of the circular part. About 1.5 times should be really close.

 

Glen

[MoonFallsDown]

I got it. Need to draw the hardware, but that should be simple.

 

You guys rock. Thanks again.

[ReMark]

Good point Glen.

 

Nice job Moon.

 

Sometimes we rock, sometimes we roll and sometimes we do both!