thermoforming question

[Ray H.]

Does anyone know of a way to model a draped surface or solid. What I mean is that the part for instance be a convential light buld for an older car. Laying on a table for instance. It would be ideal for the model to be drafted with a fillet on all drafted edges internal and external that would match the profile of the say 5 degree tapered ball endmill. It is possible to machine the part the way I want but no way to model the part efficiently. As far as I this cannot even be done in Solidworks.

[Chris Rizzo]

Rhino has a create draped surface. There used to be a free trial download of Rhino. not sure if they still do that.

[ERIC14779]

just thinking out loud....

 

could you cut a cross section thru the widest part of the headlight model and then project the outer contour to a plane at the bottom and do something simular at the top and then create a lofted surface between...

 

I am sure that it does not have to be exactly perfect to the bulb....

 

 

just my thoughts...

[Ray H.]

I found last night that the best result is to do a create, parting line curve then draft a surface down from there. Although I tried a few models and it seems to work. Only on models that have a tangency arc rather than sharp corners and cannnot be vertical (like). When the latter occurs the Drafted surface that I creat folds over itself when placed at almost any angle. As for solids it has to have a planar chain set. I also tried to perform a ruled solid or surface and the syncing twists on any setting. Swept didn't give good results either.

 

Thanks Eric,

 

By the way ther is a software called sculpt CAD that does really cool stuff like this.