Help! NEWBY question on Creating Surfaces

[aussiegazza]

Hi all, first post and I am very new to Mastercam X4 and CAD/CAM.

I have searched the forum, but cannot find an answer to my problem...

I want to create a top plate for an archtop guitar (yes, starting at the harder end of the skills category!) and have created the following:



My problem is that I have a lot of curves that attach to an outside chain that is the top plate outside edge. All the curves connect to the edge.

My questions are:

What surface Ceation Option should I use? Net Surfaces seems correct from my reading the manual.

In any event, how do you order the chaining? Every option complains about the order I select them by.

Help would be greatly appreciated.

Garry

[aussiegazza]

I am creating the surface using Net Surfacing. Can only do bits at a time and need to trace over the outside body edge to get all the way to the edge.


MUST be a better way.

[aussiegazza]

I have done all of the Surface 'rectangles', as these work when using 'Net Surfaces'

I have triangular areas etc left that do not want to become part of the surface! I have tried everything I can think of.

Any suggestions on how to complete the surface? Eg:



Garry

[Toonz]

you might find it a lot easier to create a large oversize rectangular surface and simply trim it to the contour shape (outline) of your finished part

[aussiegazza]

Originally Posted by Toonz you might find it a lot easier to create a large oversize rectangular surface and simply trim it to the contour shape (outline) of your finished part

I can understand that can overcome the issues with across and along chains intersecting etc. at apexes.

I am worried about whether extending the profile curves will cause them to have the incorrect angle at the eventual edge of the guitar top.

Then again, I can adjust them. I will give it a try! Thanks!

Extra question: does anyone have a good training guide on chaining and surface profiling?

[cadcam]

I see using loft surface and the trim to outside profile.

[aussiegazza]

I worked it out.

Some of my curves were in three dimension (just) instead of essentially 2D. After fixing, everything worked OK.

Thanks for your help.