How to draw a pressed steel plate?

[marlon]

A steel plate is pressed to form an arc. Also notice that the bottom is narrower. How do I draw it in 3D? (If the plate is a perfect rectangle I would be able to draw it even if it is bent like an arc.)

 

Thanks!

[ReMark]

Using 2002?

 

I think you would have the draw the top view, extrude it the required height then use move faces to add the taper or slice each end at a taper.

[fuccaro]

This is why surfaces exist: sometimes we just can't model with solids. So draw the edges and use EDGESURF on them. You may wish to set SURFTAB1 and 2 to higher values (say 20) before using EDGESURF

If you really need it as solid (to punch the holes), use the m2s lisp routine (it was published in this forum)

[ReMark]

I did this example without using loft. Dimensions of my own choosing.

 

I constructed a plan view of the desired shape using arcs and straight lines and combined them using the Pedit command. I extruded the resultant geometry to a height of 12 inches. I set up some temporary lines to orient myself on each end and used the Slice command to remove an angled sliver from the chairback. Result: a curved back that tapers at each end from narrower at the bottom to full width at the top. It took but a few minutes to do.

 

Chairback.dwg

[rgarjr]

U can also use the intersect command which is very powerful. That's the thing about drawing in 3D, u can use many different way of getting there.

[ReMark]

That's a good point rgarjr. I hadn't thought of using that approach.

[Pocket]

Done in 2002

 

Extrude simple arc region and blank of front view

Arc region is rotated back teh angle of the backing

 

Align pieces

 

Intersect

Simple cyl extrusions will complete the chair

Additional backing design should be done prior to intersect

 

Option B is to extrude the arc region at a taper but calculating where to exactly position the cyl tubes becomes tricky

 

Option C is to draw the cyls first then orient an oversized arc extrusion to pass thru the cyls and ending with the slice command to trim the excess arc

[marlon]

...seriously.

 

I tried the SOLIDEDIT -> FACE -> TAPER and it worked for me. However, the real steel plate looks like this from the top (when you're standing next to the chair and looking straight down at it)

 

CanYouStillTaperThis.jpg

 

Notice that apart from the arc region, the steel plate is pressed at the left and right sides too. The reason for this is that it would be easier to weld the plate onto the steel tube, and it also adds strenght to the structure.

 

I can't seem to use the face-taper command on it, unlike the drawing that I made which is similar to Pockets' (right and left ends of the plate are NOT pressed).

 

Suggestions?

 

By the way I'm just a beginner so try to keep it simple and pretend I'm a moron.

[shift1313]

i dont think you need to use face/taper command. just extrude your arc section like stated above, and use the intersect command with another solid.

 

the face taper command will take the face of a solid and create a tapered face. Since you do not have a solid in that screen shot it will do nothing for you.

 

if you draw the back like above. you can draw the "ears" after and extrude them along a path(being the edge of your chair back).

 

let me draw something so you can see.

[shift1313]

so i drew the back just like above. then i created the ear and a line that went down the side of the back so i could extrude along this Path. mirrored the ear and Union all 3 pieces together. then drew the holes in the back and did a fillet on them from the front side so it looks like an iron worked pressed the holes. to get the back to look accurate may take a little more work on your part if thats what you are aiming for though.