Drawing a U-Bolt in isometric Drawing?

[mrkmpn]

Hi, I am trying to draw a "u bolt" in an isometric drawing. I found one solution, that served the purpose of giving the customer the general idea of the stands we are trying to sell them, but I'd like to know if there is a way to draw it properly.

 

I have attached a pdf to show what I came up with. Pipe Stands.pdf The only way I could think to get it to work (look right) in isometric view was to draw to vertical lines, make an arc across them with the elipse\isocircle, and then use the path array to fill the U shape with the isocircles. This keeps the tubular shape, and the number of circles resembles bolt threads.

 

My problem is that the u-bolt is only threaded on the ends, the arched part should be smooth. Since this u bolt is to clamp fiberglass pipe to the stand, those threads (in my drawing) could cause damage. In this instance, I just explained this in the email to the customer, but I'd like to find a way to draw it proper.

 

Does anyone know of a way I can accomplish this? Thanks in advance for your time. (BTW, I learned to do those hex nuts from another poster on this site... Love this site!)

[ReMark]

3D U-Bolt: Solid model as drawn in plain AutoCAD.

[ReMark]

2D U-Bolt. Created via the SOLPROF command from a 3D solid model in plain AutoCAD.

[JD Mather]

Model in 3D as suggested and make your life easier.

[mrkmpn]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I think I can get the screw threads, I remember doing a tutorial on making a bolt in 3D over a year ago. Part of my problem is that after learning and doing this extensively for a brief period, I went about a year or so without doing any cad drawings, except simple line drawings of tank batteries using symbols, so I've forgotten a lot.

 

What is the best way to go about making that in 3d, (I'm assuming you just draw the U and extrude a circle at the end to get the basic shape?), and then get it in with the rest of the items in my isometric drawing?

[JD Mather]

Sweep might be easier than Extrude.

You most likely don't need true helical threads (by the time you zoom out you cannot tell anyhow), use a simple revolved subtract (or better yet, just revolve that portion and only sweep the u shape).

[mrkmpn]

Sweep might be easier than Extrude.

You most likely don't need true helical threads (by the time you zoom out you cannot tell anyhow), use a simple revolved subtract (or better yet, just revolve that portion and only sweep the u shape).

 

I can figure out the threads part. But I don't know how to draw the object in 3d and then position it so that it looks the same as the items drawn in isometric view. I tried just sweeping the U drawn in iso, and then adding the helix to it, but even though I drew a circle (not iso) and rotated it on the x axis, after sweeping it it appears to be an elipse instead.

[ReMark]

You are aware that you can either rotate the object and/or select one of the predefined isometric views to achieve the desired results.

 

Yes, appearances can be deceiving. But you know for a fact that you swept a circle so no need to second guess yourself. Remember that you are not drawing a 2D isometric circle.

[mrkmpn]

It wasn't the appearance, I must have done the elipse/iso circle on that without realizing it. I couldn't get it to sweep at 1st, (forgot I had to rotate my circle 90 deg ) so I decided to start over with a U not drawn in isometric, I think it was at this point I realized I just need regular circle, and never went back and changed my mistake.

 

Thanks for all the help guys, it's not perfect, but I just need to play around with the helix command and sweep command to figure out how to make it look better on the threads, the tutorial I followed had me sweep a rectangle along the helix to created the threads, so the squared threads make too many lines causing that part to look way dark. But I think I have the jist of it.

 

I tried to rotate to get it in line with the rest of the drawing, but It wasn't working for me. Probably need to go back and review the angles for isometric along the y and z axis. But I got it working drawing the U in isometric and then following your advice to get the threads.

[ReMark]

From your description it sounds like you are making this way more involved than it needs to be for a simple pictorial view. Sometimes newcomers to 3D would be better off doing everything flat in a SE isometric view then rotating the finished model. But it's your drawing so do it any way that works best for you.

[mrkmpn]

I don't quite get what you're saying... I was doing a flat (2d if that's what you mean) drawing in isometric view, I only started with the 3d at your suggestion for the U-bolt. I learned a good deal about 3D drawing a few years ago, but tend to stay away from it on most things because I get frustrated with things snapping the the wrong sides of things and only realize it after rotating the view to another angle. I've actually been doing this for awhile, but for the most part (until recently) the drawings I've been asked to do are so spread out I find myself having to go back and relearn what commands I need to accomplish something and/or how to use those commands again.

 

Pretty much all the work I've done with Autocad has been 2D work, and due to time limitations, many times it's just been simple line drawings of tank batteries, rather than actually drawing out the pipes, valves, fittings etc. I have no problem doing plan view, and elevation view drawings, where I know exactly what the angles need to be, but when It comes to isometric drawings I get stuck trying to figure out how to make things look right. Seems like I ran into similar problems in 3D, trying to figure out how to get fittings/pipe to snap to the spot I want on the tanks. That the frustration with things snapping to the wrong side of something, and I just cant tell. And wireframe sometimes just makes everything even more confusing.

 

I took a class on autocad and got my associate certification, but they had no offerings for 3D modeling to further my knowledge in that aspect.

 

I forgot to mention, I know this particular drawing doesn't have to be perfect, as I stated earlier I figured out a way to do it originally that got the point across, and just explained it in my email that the ubolt wouldn't be all thread, but I would prefer my drawings to look more professional, and situations like this give me a way to learn how to get the desired results.

Edited November 19, 2013 by mrkmpn
Additional information

[rkent]

mrkmpn - I agree with the guidance to draw that in 3D. For your Isometric - if you simply want to make your u-bolt not look like it is made from all-thread, just erase the ellipses along the curve of the u-bolt and down along the straight part as far as necessary.

[ReMark]

mrkmpn: Any chance you are using the old 2D isometric mode that is accessed via SNAP > STYLE > ISOMETRIC and the crosshairs (for the isometric planes) are controlled via the F5 key?

[gazza_au]

Here you go.

 

 

U-BOLTS-.dwg

[ReMark]

gazza_au: It might be nice to mention the source of the drawing that you provided (looks like Andry Brenkman's AutoCAD 2004 drawing posted over at the CADforum). I think the OP wants to know "how" it would be done and not necessarily have it provided for him. BTW...there are no threads on any of the U-bolts in Brenkman's drawing which is one of the things discussed by the OP.

[ReMark]

One way to create a 3D U-Bolt. Everything in the image was created in a top down view using a 2Dwireframe visual style.

 

On the far left is my 2D centerlines. The red lines represent the threaded portion of the U-bolt. The yellow objects you see are 3D solids. The smooth top portion of the U-bolt was created by sweeping a circle while the "threads" were created by revolving a closed profile. Since all we need is a pictorial view I see no reason to use a helix and a swept profile of the tooth. On the far right is the 3D model of the threads. Are you with me so far?

[ReMark]

Now what's changed?

 

I've simply switched to the standard SW Isometric view of my objects and used a Conceptual visual style. Nothing has been rotated at this point.

[ReMark]

Can you see me now?

 

To achieve this I changed the orientation of my UCS and rotated the 3D solids. I moved the single solid thread to one leg of my U-bolt and copied it to the second. I unioned everything together and switched to a Realistic visual style. It probably took no more than 5 minutes to create.

 

Note that changing your UCS can be done manually (old school) or via the Dynamic UCS. Choose the option you feel the most comfortable with.

 

Disclaimer: The above was meant for demonstration purposes only. Any semblance to accuracy was purely accidental!

[ReMark]

The threads were bugging me so I changed them from very coarse to fine.

[mrkmpn]

mrkmpn: Any chance you are using the old 2D isometric mode that is accessed via SNAP > STYLE > ISOMETRIC and the crosshairs (for the isometric planes) are controlled via the F5 key?

Yes, I think maybe that's where to confusion comes in. For most things that's the easiest way for me to get a 3D look without having to do it all in 3D.