Mike Goetzke said:
Thanks for all the input. Guess I'll give F360 a better try. I did make a couple models but seemed like too much of a challenge to make something more complex.
I do have a 24" monitor to use for the modeling.
Thanks
Mike
Mike,
Same initial experience I had. Major frustration, couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong, etc. I finally learned how to cobble together good-enough designs to get the result I was aiming for, which morphed over time into a smooth workflow. YT is your friend.
Baseline, from my experience:
1. Focus first on understanding sketches and constraints.
2. The timeline is important, once you realize you can go back in time and change a parameter which will totally update the design.
3. I will make a base sketch, get it "fully constrained" (look that up, it prevents a lot of frustrating errors later) then extrude that shape into a body.
4. If the body needs additional features, start a new sketch on the relevant surface and add those features.
5. Lather, rinse, repeat to develop the overall part in a series of steps. This way if you need to change anything you can go back in the timeline and make the edit. If you lump too many operations into a single sketch (for example) it's more complicated to make alterations.
An example of which is a simple flat plate with rounded corners, a few holes and a slot. My approach would be to sketch the profile of the plate then complete the sketch and extrude it to final thickness (this is now a body). Next create a new sketch on a face of that body for the holes, use dimensions to set their distance from the edges or each other, complete the sketch and extrude (cut) the holes through. Next, select the side of the body for the slot, sketch it (a simple rectangle), again use dimension to size/locate the new rectangle from the other edges and extrude (cut) it out. Finally, select the corners and apply a fillet to round them.
An alternative to this would be to include the holes into the first sketch, then when you extrude the first body don't select them and it'll accomplish the same thing.
The most basic constraints are simply dimensions and angles, start with them. I find that creating the original profile sketch with a randomly sized series of lines and then adding dimensions afterwards speeds things up. Summary:
* Sketches - basic features
* Constraints - starting with dimensions and angles
* Extruding - creates a body or cuts through one
* Bodies - 3 dimensional parts
* Timeline - use this to go back in time and, for example, change a hole size or location, then when you go forward again this change is reflected
I know this'll probably cause your head to ache, but once you get the basics down it'll hopefully make sense and you can then hone your skills. Feel free to PM if you want to discuss directly. Have fun.
RMW
