Creating a strange shape

JamesT

I have attached a shape as an outline which i made from my design in Mechanical. I do not know about obscure shapes and how to make them a solid piece. This shape is then going to be sent off and create a fibreglass mould so it needs to be in a drawing they can understand.

Is anyone able to show me how this can be done.

Many Thanks
James

RSW

IIn case you have not yet solved your question yet, below is a way to create a solid from your design curve.

Your shape is a single closed spline but you cannot directly create a solid with thickness from it.

The first step would be to explode the spline
Then join the two spline segments at the bottom
The curved segment running to the straight vertical line is single segment so that is ok
Then loft the bottom sline and the curved vertical Spline to create a lofted surface.
Once you have that surface you can use DMTHICKEN to give the surface a thickness (in this case I used 10mm but you can use a value you need).

Now you have a solid that you can export to e.g. a STEP file or another 3D format that your mould maker can use.
Also see attached video for the steps described above.

Hope this helps.

JamesT

Perfect thank you so much. Can you also flatten it as we would like to cut it out on a laser and then form ourself.

Thanks
James

Tom Foster

Don't think you can flatten it (unless stretched out to the corners) - is a compound-curved surface.

JamesT

Would it be possible to make this shape another way and then unfold it.

Tom Foster

Only if you turn it into an approximation, made up of flat triangular facets - then, once laser-cut, you'd have to bend it at the joint lines and weld the free edges together where they come edge-to-edge after bending. In other words, No!