Pipe - Making a more sweeping elbow ??

[CAD_e_shack]

Hello, I'm trying to follow along with all the advice on making pipe joints but I hit a snag.

 

I want my pipe/tube to follow the edge shown below. The beginning and end of the joint are slightly offset. The path I created is an arc in the side view and an arc in the top view. (the intersection of two solids) When I try to extrude along the path of the edge I get an error "cannot extrude along this path".

 

I can extrude along a 3d arc created between the two points, but the result would be a straight line in the side view or top view (depending on the way I set the UCS).

 

I'm game for any ideas just looking for a nice curve. This is not for work, just a model I'm fooling around with. I will use this technique to create exhaust ports on an engine.

 

PS im on AutoCAD 2005, no loft or sweep commands.

 

Thanks

[JD Mather]

 

PS im on AutoCAD 2005, no loft or sweep commands.

 

Thanks

 

Perhaps an Extrude along a Spline Path.

[shift1313]

if your red piece is a single object you can explode it twice and it will leave you with your line to use as a path(although i dont know if this is a valid path in 05). easier thing to do would be to draw a spline using your curve intersection points to snap to.

[CAD_e_shack]

Thanks guys. For what ever reason it does not like the edge of the solid. I'm trying some splines now.

 

Any tips on making good splines in 3d? Mine seem to be jumping all over the Z axis and making tight little radii at the ends.

 

Thanks again

[shift1313]

you cant use a solid edge as a path as far as i know.

 

for drawing your spline, just use the edge of your existing solid. Typically the fewer control points used will give you a better spline but in this case i would snap to all of them. like indicated below.

[shift1313]

also i dont remember but i think your path needs to be in the center of your profile.

 

I have 05 at home so i can try this. I have a bad feeling that you can not use splines for extrude paths in 05. If not one thing you can try is to create a ucs so that an arc can lay in that xy plane and use an arc.

[CAD_e_shack]

finally! spline was a good suggestion, but in the end 05 could not extrude along the path of the spline (at least when I tried). You are correct Shift. I figured out how to get a pline to follow the edge by moving the UCS so that x is on the bottom edge and y is diagonal across the end of the solid.

 

Its not pretty but I'll fine tune it. Thanks again

[shift1313]

no problem. i know when ive made pipe runs in the past with 05 ive had to draw the arcs in the xy plane and rotate them a bit to get what i wanted.

 

i drew this in 05 but it was a major pain

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/shift1313/cad/MotorcycleFrameRe3.jpg

[CAD_e_shack]

cool shift, I am doing a Formula One car, starting at the engine and working my way out. I'll let you know when I get to the sequential gearbox (which I believe is almost identical to a motorcycles) for some knowledge. At this rate... should only be a few more decades. (At least then I'll be able to send it out to a desktop 3D printer)

[shift1313]

are you doing the entire thing in acad05? if so you are going to have some real fun when you get to the body.

[JD Mather]

I am doing a Formula One car, ... (... send it out to a desktop 3D printer)

 

Something like this?

[CAD_e_shack]

Neat JD, Ive been reading your tutorials thanks.

[BOOJAN]

wow...that is one great formula one car....

[Came]

nice tutorial

 

did you made that wooden staff , if did give some tips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

am learning basic

[shift1313]

it wasnt drawn in acad 05 JD, no fair:) i see inventor in the background