How to create part?

[john_t_h]

Is there a tutorial or guide available that will help me create the part as shown in the below pic?



I am assuming that this will need to be machined using more than one operation i.e. machine one bit, reposition the part on the table and machine the next bit??

[cam1]

Hi: The part looks familiar, did you post a similar question a while ago?
I recall that a couple of good suggestions were posted.

regards

[john_t_h]

Originally Posted by cam1 ..... I recall that a couple of good suggestions were posted. regards

Not for DolphinCAD.

The other questions were relating to designing the part in Solidworks. My Son did have access to a school computer with Solidworks for a while, but now I need to learn DolphinCAD

[metalworkz]

Hi John,
Are you planning on making this part from one piece of material? What type of material will it be made from? Not sure what the application is for this part but it looks like a good candidate to be made from 2 pieces. Would be easier to machine and then asemble &weld etc?
Regards,

[john_t_h]

The part is for a model power boat. It is the strut that supports the prop shaft at the rear of the boat.

My plan is to make this out of one piece of aluminum stock. Welding is not an option as I can not weld aluminum. I have a commercially made one that I based my drawing off and it is machined in one piece.

The only DolphinCAD tutorials I have found use 2D drawings only so I can see how I can draw this part in DolphinCAD in 3D and then machine it in 2.5D.

[metalworkz]

Since it needs to be made from one piece it looks like if you imagine it with a parting line thru the center and draw a top and bottom views accordingly you should end up with the blank of the strut with the obround slot included. Perhaps you can manually drill the hole for the prop shaft.
What level of Dolphin Partmaster do you have?

[john_t_h]

Ok, I understand what you mean.

To get started I can't workout how to draw the part in 3D so it will show the blade part and the external shape of the propshaft. None of the tutorials I've found show this?

[Dolphin USA]

You won't be able to draw a 3D model in Partmaster. You would need our 3D program that allows that. Partmaster can draw 2D / 2.5D / machine 2 / 3 / 4 axis.

[metalworkz]

I think it can be done in 2D if you make 2 opposing views(top and bottom).Then the blank can be machined one side at a time being careful to flip it correctly and gauge from the same sides of the blank. I think the wedge area could be done in a 2nd operation and also the drilling of the shaft hole if not done manually. I would sketch the part views and add the dimensions and then start drawing in the CAD. It does seem tricky but I think it can be done. Otherwise you will need to obtain a 3D CAD/CAM program and this part does not seem that complicated that you could even fab it up manually.

[john_t_h]

Originally Posted by Dolphin USA You won't be able to draw a 3D model in Partmaster. You would need our 3D program that allows that. Partmaster can draw 2D / 2.5D / machine 2 / 3 / 4 axis.

Ok, going with the idea of drawing half the part. Is there a tutorial that shows how to draw a 2.5D part?

Couldn't DolphinCAD machine the blade area in the same operation as the rest? Drilling of the hole would obviously need to be a seperate operation. So this part could possibly be done in three operations??:

1. Machine Side A
2. Machine Side B
3. Drill propshaft hole

[metalworkz]

I think so. I'm not sure about the wedged blade area as far as doing it in the same operation with the other sides. Might need the 3D machining because of the angled plane. I was just visualizing how to do it without 3D and it can be done as a flat rectangular shape and the angled section can be done in a later operation. You may find someone with a better and or different idea how to make this when it is read tomorrow.

[john_t_h]

From what I have been reading it should be doable in theory as the blade area is within 2.5D

I see the images on DolphinCADs website like the one below which shows curves. It should be the same thing in principle I would think.