help with cad software

[bobby_hamill]

I have a 3d part drawn with solidworks 2011 and need to split the part in half and save each part as a individual part file

OR

have a mold constructed from the part

I worked on the problem 4 hours last night and 5 hours today

and my grey hair is getting thinner by the hour :-(

Bobby

 

[GregGleason]

I haven't worked with Solidworks so my help will be limited.

Is this a time problem, technique problem, or technique problem that has become a time problem?

Is it possible to post a pic? How many parts are there? When you say split, an actual cut down the middle or a division in a logical parting area?

Does Solidworks have a macro/programming language to help process the parts?

Greg

 

[bobby_hamill]

part that needs to be split down the middle

 

[dhbarr]

part that needs to be split down the middle

Post the file? No promises, but I may be able to have someone split it ( I'm assuming vertically ).

 

[GregGleason]

If you can post or send me a .stl file, I can split it for you.

Greg

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

here is the stl file

Bobby

View attachment STL FILE.ST.STL

 

[Ravenex]

I can handle this in native solidworks. I will have to reinstall 2011 since if I open it in 2016 in it will no longer be openable in 2011.

 

[GregGleason]

Ok. I was able to split it. But ... the volume of the halves are not the same but the aggregate is equal to the sum of the original.

Let me know if you need 0.000 precision. I will say the human eye cannot tell the difference, well at least my Mark 1 Eyeballs can't.

Greg

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.B.stl

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.A.stl

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

Thanks for your help .
I may need the 0.0000 precision as the 2 parts will be used to carve a mold so I can cast the fin with Alumilite

 

[GregGleason]

How long is the fin root?

If the fins are big (like the fin root is longer than a foot) then it may make sense.

If the fin root is a few inches and unless you are milling to +/-0.0001", you will never miss it.

Greg

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

Thanks for your help .
I may need the 0.0000 precision as the 2 parts will be used to carve a mold so I can cast the fin with Alumilite

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

fin root is 12.9 inches

How long is the fin root?

If the fins are big (like the fin root is longer than a foot) then it may make sense.

If the fin root is a few inches and unless you are milling to +/-0.0001", you will never miss it.

Greg

 

[rocketguy101]

bobby, you may be aware of this already, but here is how I handle making two parts from one part in SolidWorks...the use of configurations is pretty powerful. As stated in the attached you could "Save As" to save each fin half into it's own file.

I don't work with surfaces, so I had a hard time trying to create a solid from your STL surfaces. I just made a demo for the tutorial. I am using SolidWorks 2014.

View attachment SolidWorks_FinSplit_Demo.pdf

 

[bobby_hamill]

David

Thank you for taking the time to work up the demo .
I think I was close in trying the split but it would only extrude cut the 3 bottom tabs but not the fin body
I will give your demo a try later on on Saturday and let you know the results

again thank you !!

Bobby

 

[GregGleason]

Here are the 2 parts. I split the fin and mirrored one of the halves, so the result is an exact clone of one side with exactly the same volume (Volume = 19.7925906 (+/- 1e-08) cubic inches), with a fin root of 12.897399".

HTH.

Greg

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.B.Rev.1.stl

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.A.Rev.1.stl

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

Thank you for taking the time to make 2 equal halves of the fin !
As soon as the mold is carved I will post photos of the casting process for all to see


Greg I dont know if you know this but I read where if one is a veteran a student version of Soldiworks 14 can be had for 20 bucks !
And for 20 bucks the license can be renewed each year.

This will defiantly help me out a lot

Thank You !

 

[bobby_hamill]

I wish to thank all who responded to my request :smile:

Thank You !

Bobby

 

[GregGleason]

Greg

Thank you for taking the time to make 2 equal halves of the fin !
As soon as the mold is carved I will post photos of the casting process for all to see


Greg I dont know if you know this but I read where if one is a veteran a student version of Soldiworks 14 can be had for 20 bucks !
And for 20 bucks the license can be renewed each year.

This will defiantly help me out a lot

Thank You !

Always glad to help out where I can.

Greg

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

I ran into a snag last night . I realized that the middle and rear fin tabs had leading and trailing edges that were not perpendicular to the sides of the fin
I hope this will be the last time I need to bother you for a while , Could you split and mirror this STL file like you did the last one ?
Good thing I caught the error before the person started carving the mold


Thank You in advance !

Bobby

View attachment GOOD FIN NO ERRORS flat.STL

 

[GregGleason]

Sure.

Ill ll take a look at it when I'm home.

Greg

 

[GregGleason]

See if this is what you are looking for.

Greg

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.B.Rev.2.stl

View attachment BH.Fin.Part.A.Rev.2.stl

 

[bobby_hamill]

Greg

That's what I need
Thank you !

Bobby

 

[My Gypsy]

Greg

Thanks for your help .
I may need the 0.0000 precision as the 2 parts will be used to carve a mold so I can cast the fin with Alumilite

If you need to hold such a tight tolerance, keep in mind that Alumilite has a shrinkage factor of .0025"/1". You'll need to scale your model up before creating the mold halves.

 

[bobby_hamill]

Dennis

Thanks for pointing out the shrinkage of .0025"/1" for the Alumilite
I am hoping during curing there wont be a problem with heat for the remboard mold
it will be sealed with mold release, wax. and another product that I don't have the name of in front of me
This will be for "sport scale" so .00 thousands will be fine

Bobby