Learning CAD with Alibre Atom3D

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Nige on 13/01/2019 13:38:27:

Im trying to find an 'Undo' button and failing miserably Any help please guys.

Try the little button with an anti-clockwise arrow on it next to the save icon at top left.

Neil

[NigeParticipant @nige81730]

Thank you Neil

I have made the mistake of clicking where I shouldn’t have on the very first screen the result was to change the planes from XY to XZ. The Undo button is useable at this point and when dimmed is difficult for me to recognise 🙂 which I’d why I couldn’t see it !

Trying to change the planes back is proving difficult as I thought the choices in the left pane might do it but no. Easiest thing at this point is to abandon the sketch and start again 😊 Thanks for the help 😊

[Tim Taylor 2Participant @timtaylor2]

Posted by David Jupp on 13/01/2019 08:52:03:

Tim – the feature pattern tool should be able to cope with multiple features in a single pattern.

Yeah, I figured out what I needed to make it work. Part of the problem was that i was focused on creating the extrusion at the final radius, then it dawned on me that all I had to do was create it at the origin, extrude to the final radius, then extrude cut what I didn't want.

Rather than using multiple steps to shape the bucket as I did originally, I created a sketch of the final profile, then simply extruded it. Both rows of buckets on the picture I posted above were created simultaneously by one extrude boss, followed by one circular pattern.

I've only been playing with the software off and on since mid-December, but I think I'm starting to get a feel for it. IMHO the integral help is good in some respects, but in others is only enough to make you dangerous. I've kind of filled it in by playing with it, and also tips found here, on the Alibre forum, and some Youtube vids.

Tim

[Tim Taylor 2Participant @timtaylor2]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 13/01/2019 08:29:37:

Hmmm… Nylon 6 can stand temperatures up to 150C, which is steam at 50psi.

How about 3D printed turbine Blades for a low-pressure steam turbine, say 30-40psi?

Neil

Neil,

Might work with a single row wheel. In the design I posted above the clearance between the 2 rows of the wheel and the reversing sector is only 0.025", so you would need to really open it up. Also, the buckets are relatively small – roughly 0.2"x0.2"x0.15" – pretty small for a 3D printer….using fewer, larger buckets would probably work.

The disc and hub for my design will be machined out of a singe piece of steel. The buckets will be brass and silver soldered into slots in the wheel, the rim soldered to the buckets, then machined true. Right now I'm working on the best way to make the buckets, and I'm getting closer (in the real world they're done out of SS on a broaching machine).

Tim

[Terry ThurtleParticipant @terrythurtle25397]

Creating the clamp component as per MEW Issue 276.

Restarted the drawing several times following the instructions to the letter thinking I was doing something wrong but each time I try to deactivate sketch mode after creating the clamp hole and positioning it I get the error message that the sketch is not closed and then when analysed says "Open Loop" and "Intersection". I can't get past this point.

What am I doing wrong? Help!!!!!

Edited By JasonB on 14/01/2019 18:21:11

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Terry. If you click where it lists the open loop and intersection it will highlight that on the sketch with a red dot which should give you an idea of where you have gone wrong. often a line not quite meeting another or one on top of another. If not obvious at first zoom in on the red dot.

failing that can you post a screen shot for us to look into.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Nige on 13/01/2019 15:41:01:

Thank you Neil

I have made the mistake of clicking where I shouldn’t have on the very first screen the result was to change the planes from XY to XZ. The Undo button is useable at this point and when dimmed is difficult for me to recognise 🙂 which I’d why I couldn’t see it !

Trying to change the planes back is proving difficult as I thought the choices in the left pane might do it but no. Easiest thing at this point is to abandon the sketch and start again 😊 Thanks for the help 😊

Just click these icons for the different views:

Neil

[Garry HillParticipant @garryhill66996]

I have been following the articles in MEW and managed to draw the base and column and am currently working on the clamp. I have been able to follow the steps needed to create the clamp up until figure 11 and when I try to make a rectangle as instructed in the steps listed the rectangle feature won’t work. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Garry

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Garry – what do you mean by 'rectangle feature won't work'?

Is the rectangle tool visible in the Ribbon? If so, can you activate it? A bit more detail will help to understand what has happened.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Garry make sure you are not holding the button down. Click to place the first corner, move, click to place opposite corner.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

For anyone that does not get the Alibre newsletter and is looking for inspiration or depression depending on how you look at it they have been running a design competition and the entries are shown here, there are some done with Atom.

BTW should anyone fancy making one of the small KURT style vices shown in one of the entries then casting kits are available and I can point you to a very good build thread.

Edited By JasonB on 17/01/2019 08:28:25

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Garry – further to Jason's comments, here is a video that covers rectangle sketching. It is a bit outdated, and was produced using an older version of Alibre Design, so it does cover more than the 2 corner rectangle available in Atom3D.

If you still can't get the tool to work, get back to us – there may be other things to try depending upon precise symptoms.

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2019 08:22:02:

BTW should anyone fancy making one of the small KURT style vices shown in one of the entries then casting kits are available and I can point you to a very good build thread.

Wow, some pretty impressive modelling!

Mind you I doubt Kurt would sully a vice with a swivelling base; and I've got a genuine Kurt so don't need to make a copy.

Andrew

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes some good stuff there.

Kurt do sell Swivel bases for them Andrew so someone must want them. You would also have to make a 1/4 scale Bridgeport to put it on!

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2019 11:46:42:

Kurt do sell Swivel bases for them Andrew so someone must want them.

Well I never, so they do, although it took me a while to find them. And they cost not far off the cost of the vice! Of no use to me anyway. I've only ever set my vice off square once in living memory, so not an economic proposition.

Andrew

[John HardingParticipant @johnharding75458]

Opening Atom 3D to-day brings up window stating: LICENSE INITIALIZATION NOT SUCCESSFUL.

Contact Alibre or ressller. Guidance please.

JH

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

John – this article deals with that problem.

[Garry HillParticipant @garryhill66996]

Thanks David for the reply and I read my post again and found I wasn’t very clear. Yes the rectangle icon works the drop down box works when I hold the mouse over it. I am clicking on one corner releasing moving to the opposite corner clicking again. I can make a rectangle anywhere on the page including a rectangle around the the part but I can’t make one on the part so I can proceed with the constraint instructions then to extrude function to create the slot in the clamp. I had already watched the video but I watched it again and I realized that the person is clicking anywhere on the page including the center of a grid box and getting results. When I do it my rectangle corners are always on grid intersections. The line feature as well. I can’t start or stop a line or a rectangle in the centre of a box for example. Now this may be the answer but how do I change it? Thanks to Jason for replying as well. I hope that s is enough information. Thank you. Garry

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Garry – sound like you have snaps turned on, that'll force points to grid intervals.

Make sure that snap to grid is unchecked.

[John HardingParticipant @johnharding75458]

Thank you David, License initialization Successful. found a folder labelled Alibre Design, cross fingers and delete contents.

John

[mickParticipant @mick65121]

I'm playing about designing a cylinder, cylinder head and piston. The cylinder was pretty straight forward but I've got a problem with the head. Every time I get to the stage in the screen shot where I rotate the sketch of the dome I get the result you can see, but when I click OK in the revolve boss box all the rotated detail disappears leaving the original sketch, which I have to delete as the rotate boss won't allow a second attempt.    The red sketch line showing through is a previous attempt that I can't delete as the return arrow will only allow me to go back one operation.

Edited By mick on 18/01/2019 17:26:13

Edited By mick on 18/01/2019 17:27:58

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Mick, that red line points to your problem. you only need half the profile eg draw a vertical line up the middle axis and delete what is to one side. It should then revolve around that vertical line.

To get rid of the red sketch from previous locate that sketch down the left hand side, right click and select delete

 

Edited By JasonB on 18/01/2019 18:01:10

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Or edit the existing sketch…

Jason is correct. For revolutions, the profile sketch can touch, but must not cross the axis of revolution.

[Garry HillParticipant @garryhill66996]

Thank you David snaps was turned and I had changed the settings as per instructions to do the crank universal joint wheel project. I was able too finish the clamp. The only thing that I couldn’t do was to get the radius on the drawing. All other dimensions worked so I saved it without them. Garry

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Garry – for the radius on the 2D drawing

• Make sure that circular dimensions are set to 'Smart' as in Fig 33C.
• If still not right, hold down the Shift Key whilst first applying the dimension to the feature to force Radial mode.

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