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Old 06-17-2008, 04:00 PM
Emul Emul is offline
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Question How to create simple web-pieces, strengthening/lightening ribs.

I am fluent in a few different CAD modeling systems through work. But I downloaded CoCreate modeler personal edition for my own use, and possibly to recommend - if I liked it. I was hoping it would be everything that I read about it, but have encountered one major stumbling block. It IS a very powerful system, and easy to use - i am very impressed and I'm certainly not complaining - after all, it is free software. But...

I am trying to accomplish a very common modeling task, and it is extremely difficult to accomplish in this product. I assume that I must be doing something wrong, although I've gone through all the tutorials including the in-depth ones, browsed through all of the help files, checked the online FAQs and forums, and I cannot seem to find an answer. Some other postings here reflect that other people are having the same problem. (Sorry about the long lead-in, I do tend to run off at the keys.)

Most of my parts are manifolds in shape. They are solid models of various types, but they are full of openings that are there to make the part lighter in weight. The bottom of the part often has blends around the base or the bottom is not flat. I'm sure you've seen such parts in any mechanical assembly. CoCreate seems to offer no convenient way to create such parts. The obvious approach, draw a 2D model and extrude it, cannot be used because such parts are not simple closed curves. I can draw multiple parts and add them together, but that is extremely tedious and takes forever. I create a cross-section-like workplane along one surface of each web-piece, draw a 2D contour of the web-piece, then extrude it to give it thickness, but again that is extremely time-consuming.

I've attached an example below. Note that I can easily create web-pieces that do not extend all the way to the bottom, simply by extruding a rectangle. I can also create ones that go to the bottom, but that protrude through the bottom or sides. Ideally I could create the entire shape in 2D, extrude it, then apply the blends or reshape the bottom. Better yet, I should be able to add such web-pieces and have them constrained/clipped to the interior.

Update: I have now figured out how to do this, but it's still nowhere as easy as it might be. I can create the web-pieces so they do not go all the way to the bottom. Then I can merge the bottom face of each web-piece, pushing it down to the bottom. The result is perfect. However, it is very difficult to do the merge because you have to select the bottom edge of each web-piece. This would be much easier if the product had an X-Ray viewing mode so that I didn't need to make myself real tiny, crawl way up inside the model, and fuss around with the view so I could see (and select) that bottom edge. Is there some kind of X-Ray mode or transparency setting for the entire model that can be easily set?

This common task is straightforward in any other modeling system, even Google's Ketchup. Am I missing something, or is it really that much of a chore to accomplish this simple task? I love the product otherwise, but this one inability cripples it beyond use for me.

Thanks in advance,
-Emul


Last edited by Emul; 06-17-2008 at 05:09 PM.
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Old 06-17-2008, 10:40 PM
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jkramer jkramer is offline
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Re: How to create simple web-pieces, strengthening/lightening ribs.

Hi,

you can simply draw a rectangle (or all the ribs at once) on a Workplane (see attached picture).
Then you choose extrude, and instead of using the standard Extrude-option "Distance" you choose "To Faces". You can select the bottom and blends of the model by pressing Shift, clicking the faces, and then pressing the middle moude button while keeping the Shift depressed.
Then, click OK in the Extrude menu.
This will do the trick.
Kind regards,
Jaap
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Old 06-18-2008, 05:12 AM
Emul Emul is offline
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Thumbs up Re: How to create simple web-pieces, strengthening/lightening ribs.

jkramer,

Thanks a lot. I'll give it a try later on. The product looks really nice and is easy to use as well as powerful; so i am very interested in learning how to use it properly.

Thanks

Update: Yes, I'm flying now! Nice product. I still wish for two things:
1 - A trasnslucent/x-ray mode that let's me select "through" surfaces like Probe (a la Google's Ketchup)
2 - Better support for absolute coordinates with expressions and such (a la AutoCad)
But CoCreate has many features that make it much better than other systems.

Last edited by Emul; 06-19-2008 at 11:14 AM.
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Old 06-19-2008, 04:38 PM
May Kung May Kung is offline
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Re: How to create simple web-pieces, strengthening/lightening ribs.

There is a Probe tool for selecting faces inside a solid. It should be next to your Select Toggle arrow (bottom of screen).
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Old 06-19-2008, 10:58 PM
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jkramer jkramer is offline
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Re: How to create simple web-pieces, strengthening/lightening ribs.

Hi,

you can type in coordinates in the "command line" easily.
In case of 3D coordinates, type something like:
123.2,45.4,100
and in case of coordinates on a Workplane:
25.5,34.3

Regards,
Jaap
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extrude, manifold, rib, strength, web


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