Dynamic Block - Rotate/Stretch along a linear path.

[dblclkmatt]

Hello CADtutor,

 

First time post, long time reader. Huge fan. I tried to find this problem on the forum before posting, but had no luck.

 

I am trying to have a dynamic block that will show the profile of a steel plate, detailing the angle of a bevel. Including the plate thickness, the land, gap and the actual angle of the bevel. I've gotten most of it figured out, but having a grip to SET the angle at a specific number, while maintaining the drawing's integrity is proving difficult. I have attached the block I have created so far (minus the previous attempts to rotate the beveled angle).

 

BVL_detail.dwg

 

The basepoint of the rotate parameter should be at the junction of the bevel & land. I need it to stay connected to the end point of the top-most flat line as it rotates, which means the lines need to stretch to match the changing angle. It will either rotate that line along with it, or if I apply a stretch tool, it gets all disconnected and just plain wrong.

 

One of the things I am liking about my current set up is I can grab a grip, and then type the number I need and it will pop on into place. Was hoping for the same effect if I typed in the angle, it would be exactly that, while also adjusting the drawing.

 

I'm hoping to get some direction of things to try, or a straight solution. I've been tweaking with it for the better part of the day and finally conceded to ask for help. Even alternate solutions would be greatly appreciated. My first attempt was to have prompts that ask me for the details, and after I answered them all, it would just makes the detail for me. But that's some super secret CAD magic I just don't possess yet.

 

If clarification is needed at all, please let me know. Thanks in advance!

[dblclkmatt]

I see a bunch of people viewed, but no replies. So maybe my question isn't clear?

Attached here is what'd I hope to achieve, emphasis on the handle grip that controls the angle.

 

BVL_detail_v2.dwg

I'd like to rotate it to a specific angle (ex: 27 degrees) and it automatically stretches the lines appropriately, while also adjusting the dim over what I've labeled as the gap distance.

 

One thing I have tried attempting is rotating the line in a set linear direction instead of along the radius. Is that possible?

Edited November 20, 2013 by dblclkmatt
Updated Attachment

[Tuns]

Why is it that you only want one corner of it to rotate? That is the way you want it or was that a mistake? Also, yes you can rotate it on a radius.

[dblclkmatt]

I'm trying to rotate the object by adjusting the handle grip in a straight line (instead of a circle). I'm wondering if that's possible.

 

If not, which I'm sure it isn't, I would like to control the angle of the object while maintaining its upper-most point's X-position.

[Tuns]

Is this what you want?

 

[ATTACH]45280[/ATTACH]

[dblclkmatt]

Attached image for clarification. Picture worth a thousand words I hope.

 

 

I want to be able to control of the angle with the handle grip, while the circled point in the image only goes backwards or forwards.

 

Essentially rotating the angled line, while stretching both lines' end points to maintain the horizontal position.

[Tuns]

So.. You want it to do exactly what it does, just using rotate instead of stretch?

[dblclkmatt]

Correct. Right now the block has control over the gap. Not the angle.

[Tuns]

I would find it hard to believe that something like you want could be done with rotate. Is this for a blockout in a structure or precast or something?

[steven-g]

I don't think you will manage it with just parameters. A polar stretch for the angle, combined with a couple of constraints for the top face may work, but constraints isn't an option in LT so I cannot test it.

[dblclkmatt]

From all my attempts to make it possible, I'm not surprised that it may not be possible at all.

I was just looking for a more precise solution to getting the exact angle I needed instead of piloting the gap back and forth.

 

I make hundreds of details like that a day, and as simple as it is, you'd be surprised how much time it can take to draw/dim it each and every time.

I was just looking for a detail that's quick to drop in, adjust, and already have all the dimensions called out so I could move on to the next one.

[Tuns]

You shouldn't need more than a couple of the same bevel for a job though. If you just copy and paste the same few bevels it will make it easier. What we do here is have just one or two bevel sizes for an entire job and we just copy and paste them and use them universally. As far as the angle goes, it isn't important on a bevel. I'd worry more about the X and Y dimensions than the angle.

[dblclkmatt]

The bevel details can vary wildly on just one order, which usually includes about 30 to 40 items, half of which probably need a detail. And I'd be lucky if they were all the same angle/thickness/land.

 

If you looked at my drawing I had a visibility setting I was waiting to update until I figured out this issue. But the bevel can be different on either side of the plate, even being double beveled. It's rare, but sometimes a bevel on top of a bevel. The details need to be included with each part of the shop order so the burner/grinder/inspector can validate the part before it goes to the customer.

 

As far as the angle goes, it isn't important on a bevel. I'd worry more about the X and Y dimensions than the angle.

But you're right, the angle isn't as important, I'm just a bit of a control nut. If I can make it happen, awesome. But in this case it seems more trouble than it's worth, so my original solution seems to be the best. The reason I ask is sometimes I'm given the angle, but not the lan. So I need to put my gap and angles in, to figure it out.

 

Thanks for the attention Tuns and Steven.

Edited November 20, 2013 by dblclkmatt
Second Thoughts

[steven-g]

As I said, I can't create constraints, but you can . In the attached block try adding constraints as I have suggested in the text,

it might not work, but the theory sounds good. In any case by using a polar stretch in place of the rotate it might make the block a bit easier to work with, a bit fiddly, but with the correct osnaps it doesn't take too much adjusting to get good results, I found adjusting the angle and length of the slope first so that the end aligns to the top face, and then drag the gap grip to the same point worked quite well.

BVL_detail_v2 (1).dwg

[dblclkmatt]

As I said, I can't create constraints, but you can . In the attached block try adding constraints as I have suggested in the text,

it might not work, but the theory sounds good. In any case by using a polar stretch in place of the rotate it might make the block a bit easier to work with, a bit fiddly, but with the correct osnaps it doesn't take too much adjusting to get good results, I found adjusting the angle and length of the slope first so that the end aligns to the top face, and then drag the gap grip to the same point worked quite well.

 

Constrained version attached:

BVL_detail_v4.dwg

 

Was able to follow your instructions and it works great, but this happens:

 

 

The blue point being the grip for the polar stretch, which originally was positioned where the two lines meet. The drawing alters exactly as I wished it (with the addition of some fixed points), but the dimensions follow the grip instead of the lines. Is there a way to constrain the dimensions lines?

[steven-g]

Sorry I can't help with that question. It maybe that there are too many constraints, but LT won't play with constraints, I can see them (delete them) but thats it. Maybe someone else can help at this point ?

[dblclkmatt]

I wasn't able to get it to work quite like I had wanted with the control over the angle itself, but overall, it will do the job.

 

Final Bevel Detail Block Attached:

BVL_detail.dwg

Compatible with 2008 and above.

 

The only thing that I'm some-what unhappy with is that the angle dimension goes wide instead of narrow (reading 162 degrees instead of 18 degrees), when the gap distance becomes real small. I've tried different ways of laying it out, but CAD is reserved to interpret the angle how it wants. And on the double bevel mode, if you make the LAN 0", the angles disappear completely. Weird.

 

It's not perfect, but figured I would share the final result.

Thanks for the help Steven.

[steven-g]

Thanks for posting the results, it's a shame it's not 100% but it does look good.