Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: How would you copy a part

  1. #1
    Site Owner CNCadmin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    6,947
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    3

    How would you copy a part

    If I had a flat plate with lots of holes and complicated shapes let's say and wanted to copy it, how would I go about it. In the past I would scan it and convert raster to vector.
    Thank You,
    Paul G
    Site Owner-Webmaster-
    Administrator
    www.rfqwork.com
    www.cnczone.com
    www.welderzone.com


  2. #2
    Community Director cadcam's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    3,135
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    Are you stating a hand drawing persay or cad file?
    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
    Cadcam
    Owner, contract Programming and Consultant , Mastercam Instructor and on line trainer at www.eapprentice.net
    Some tips: http://www.youtube.com/PrecisionProgramming


  3. #3
    Site Owner CNCadmin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    6,947
    Downloads
    2
    Uploads
    3
    No a physical part.
    Thank You,
    Paul G
    Site Owner-Webmaster-
    Administrator
    www.rfqwork.com
    www.cnczone.com
    www.welderzone.com


  4. #4
    Registered Wjman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    England
    Posts
    60
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    How would you copy a part?

    Hi,
    In answer to your question (How would you copy a part)
    Basically I would measure the plate and all the apertures on the plate on our CMM, getting all the positions of the apertures as points from a known datum. then I would draw in all these points on the cad system and then literally join up the dots. Then its just a case of making a program from the resulting DXF or DWG file. It might seem a long way to do it, but we regularly do this when a customer needs a new die or something else making and we did not make the original, and we have no information about it.
    Mark...


  • #5
    Gold Member Klox's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    NZ
    Posts
    507
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    You "digitise" the component. It is a machine that measures the component either using a laser or with a (very) sensitive probe.
    Then the info is printed out point by point. You can use these points to generate a cad drawing then.
    I know that Hu can tell you more than me on this topic.

    Klox
    *** KloX ***
    I'm lazy, I'm only "sparking" when the EDM is running....


  • #6
    Moderator HuFlungDung's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Canada
    Posts
    4,826
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    I wish we all had CMM's! Shouldn't this be a human right?

    I usually do the "reverse engineering" with a vernier caliper, measuring the hole diameters and distances from adjacent edges to various features.

    If there are a lot of holes, then typically a lot of them would be in some kind of regular spaced pattern. If possible, I try to reason out what the part is being used for, whether it is a component from a "metric-scaled" machine or "inch-scaled". This can help a lot to determine what a measurement should be.

    A quick overview of the part to gain this kind of perspective is liable to pay off, rather than slavishly copying what may not have been laid out all that accurately to start with.
    First you get good, then you get fast. Then grouchiness sets in.

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


  • #7
    Registered
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    US
    Posts
    307
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    I think that Hu's answer brings up a good point. That the part can only be accurately measured to it's largest tolerance. In other words, the part falls within the tolerances that it was made to. But that measurement may or may not be the exact size it was designed to.
    So an overview or some reasoning must be applied also.

    Chris


  • Similar Threads

    1. Beginner moldmaking questions
      By fastturbovet in forum Moldmaking
      Replies: 17
      Last Post: 06-23-2005, 04:38 PM
    2. Problem machining accurate size part on my Bridgeport CNC conversion
      By fastturbovet in forum General Metal Working Machines
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 05-24-2005, 01:01 AM
    3. Machined Aluminum Part Needed
      By Philip in forum Employment Opportunity
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 03-13-2005, 04:14 PM
    4. How to copy existing part to make a mold?
      By dbassett74 in forum Moldmaking
      Replies: 30
      Last Post: 11-08-2004, 08:20 PM
    5. Replies: 0
      Last Post: 07-05-2004, 02:03 AM

    Posting Permissions


     


    About CNCzone.com

      We are the largest and most active discussion forum from DIY CNC Machines to the Cad/Cam software to run them. The site is 100% free to join and use, so join today!

    Follow us on

    Facebook Dribbble RSS Feed


    Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.