Partial Edge select on solid

[GreggT]

How do I select partial chains from a solid.

 

I am currently using Create>Curve>One Edge>From Solid and then using these entities to define my paths. Is there a way to select the edges individually from the solid with out getting a loop?

TIA

[jeff]

Do you have the edges checked "Y" and faces set to "N"?

Or am I way off track?

[mayday]

toolpaths,contour,chain,partial

you may also want to turn on plane masking in chain options

[Hardmill]

Do you mean loop when your chaining??

If so select chain-partial, you pick your first

entity then the last one.

 

 

PEACE

[GreggT]

If I selct chain>partial I can't select anything? Cursor just waves around and no entities are highlighted????

 

I do have edges "Y" and faces "N" set.

 

I am selecting Solids and then attempting to define a partial chain???? What am I missing?

[mayday]

I dont mess with the solids chaining.to impractical for me. I create curves all edges from solid and 2d chain it. but as you can see there are a 1/2 zillion ways to do it

[GreggT]

I guess I'm doing it the same as you MayDay. First I have to Create>Curve>Single>From solid to get anything to select. Solids are great now give me the chocolate cake........ There has got to be a better way......

[mayday]

you have to have edge curves to 2d contour on a solid. you can select a raw solid edge in analyze but you cant 2d contour it. you may also want to convert all splines to arcs too

[Hardmill]

If your using:

toolpath-contour-solid

Stop!!

 

Only use toolpath-contour-chain-partial.

 

 

PEACE

[GreggT]

Hardmill, Alright, now what, why won't it allow me to select anything?????????

 

It's asking me ot select the first entity but nothing will highlight?

 

I have copied an operation and have deleted the chain, now I want to select a new partial chain from my solid w/o generating lines and arcs.

[P_Scott]

GreggT and others,

 

quote:

---

Solids are great now give me the chocolate cake........ There has got to be a better way......

---

Here's the "chocolate cake" (my wife makes a killer Banana cream pie, but, to each their own). Contour-Solids-Edges "Y", Faces "N", Loop "Y", Partial "Y". Select the first edge of where you want to start. Solid Edge "chaining", for whatever reason, tends to favor the clockwise, or conventional milling direction. Just a heads up.

 

When you select the first edge, think backwards of regular wireframe chaining. You can always reverse the direction after the last edge has been selected. Then it's just like partial chaining of wireframe. Select the first edge, then select the last edge when prompted. Reverse direction if needed. Go on to select another partial edge loop. Repeat for as many contours as necessary. HTH

 

BTW, if the wrong edge is selected, just left-click the same edge again to unselect it. Try it out. There's no need to create edge curves ever again. Oh and for a neat view of an unshaded solid part without the confusing "wireframe" appearance, try this. Select Screen-Surf Display-Solids and check the Hidden button on, but nothing else, in the Solids Display dialog.

[GreggT]

Peter;

 

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you...........

 

That is exactly what I was looking for, I new they wouldn't make us generate geometry from the solid.

 

Now, how do I adjust my start and endpoint along this edge w/o generating geometry?

[iowajim62]

Gregg,

 

quote:

---

Now, how do I adjust my start and endpoint along this edge w/o generating geometry?

---

Go to Ops manager and open that op,go to Lead in/out and check on Adjust Start of Contour and Adjust End of Contour and set it up the way you want.

HTH

[Rocketmachinist]

I know I am brining up an old thread, but I am having the same problem. I'm trying to use X8, and either one of 2 things solid selection sucks, or I have no idea how its acutally suppose to work. I watched the videos of using the new 2d highspeed toolpaths for X8 and the guy made it seem so simple. Is there a video out there that just talks step by step of solid chaining?

[Rocketmachinist]

Bump, anybody? I usually try to select and edge and get stuck with surface selections. How do I solve this.

[CADCAM3D5AXIS]

GO to mill contour just like you do 2 d stuff then hit the 3d button and then all the icons turn to solid selection icons .click one that says edge its the top left side of the box the others are face loop partial loop then select a edge of the solid and it should say edge when your near then click and go it take you back to the tool manager and do the rest of the data input just like 2d. Poke around the buttons and then look at the help file once you open up the select edge icon.

HTH

[Rocketmachinist]

Well, I guess in X8 it must be broken. I cannot concistantly get it to work correctly. All that it ever does it try and select surfaces or give me the "select other surface" option.