qiao Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I have a frustum with 2 ends having different diameters and I need to open the frustum, flatten it and then measure the total surface area in AutoCad. I know the formula for calculating area and stuff, but I have no idea how exactly to draw the flattened frustum with all the dimensions given. i have both diameter... show more Update: And again I am not looking for any mathematical formulas to find out area, I just want to know how to do it in AutoCAD as I am just a beginner in AutoCAD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadgad Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Welcome to CADTutor. Unfortunately Autocad does not have any special functions nor tools for dealing with such unfolding or unfurling of pipe like shapes. Inventor does have such tools though. Possibly the free FUSION 360 (I think that is what they call it now), from Autodesk MAY have such capability, not sure. Be patient, and no doubt somebody will have a suggestion for how to handle this, but it won't be automagically done by Autocad vanilla. It just occurred to me that if you model it as a SURFACE, instead of a solid, that might be the way to go, but I never use Surfaces, so not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGAL Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 This may be a way but you do need one calc draw your side view etc extend to vanishing pt draw a arc with rad of total side length dont worry about its correct length for moment, the length of the arc must be PI * diameter yes get you calculator or "cal pi * linelength * 2.0. Ok using Lengthen you can stretch the arc length to correct required Pi*d length add inner arc etc and hatch this will give you area. Lengthen T length pick arc. Please any one if this is incorrect I am happy to remove post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmcz Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Dagdad is right. AutoCAD doesn't do this automagically but this attached lisp file will. Save it where you can find it, open autocad, type appload, in the dialog find this file, select it and then, click "load". Then, type CNN + Enter and follow the prompts. You can also search this forum for "how to work with lisp files" cone.lsp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scj Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 For more complicated problems have a look at http://www.ant-ares.de Regards jochen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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