Trim-Extend to Face

[BillB]

Hello again guys,

 

Whats the story on Trimming a frame member to a Workplane in Frame Generator, (using Trim-Extend to Face) The Help says I should be able to do this but I sure can't get it to do it. I am trying to cut/trim a 5" x 5" piece off of a 6" x 2" x 3/16" Rect. Tube. Anybody have any suggestions?

 

BillB

[kencaz]

I believe it may be a typo in the help file... I also tried to trim using a work-plane and it would not let me select it.

 

Here is another example of the trim-to-face feature in the help file and it does not mention selecting either a face or work-plane.

 

 

What you can do is go back to assembly, create a component, then constrain the face to the workplane, offset to the distance you want.

 

 

Then you can select the face of your new component to trim...

 

 

I have never actually used the frame generator, however, it seems to be quite a timesaver and I'll probably use it more often.

 

Let us know if you found an easier solution.

 

KC

[BillB]

Hey KC,,, thanks for replying back,,, thought I was going crazy,,,,,DOOOOH.

The way I did get my cut was to make a Work Plane on the side of the tube and then sketch what i want to cut off and use Extrude Cut to remove the material. May not be the right way but it did work. Thanks Again.

 

BillB

[kencaz]

The way I did get my cut was to make a Work Plane on the side of the tube and then sketch what i want to cut off and use Extrude Cut to remove the material.

 

That works... The only advantage my method would have is if you wanted to cut multiple objects on the same plane you could just move the component rather then make a new sketch.

 

KC

[shift1313]

works fine for me guys. were all your components created using the Insert Frame command. If not you will only be able to select them as a plane reference.

 

If both components were created with the frame generator then you simply select the "tube" you want to cut, then you have to click the "face" button once you are done selecting members to cut. For the face you can either select the face of a frame member or a plane you have previously created.

[kencaz]

Hey Matt,

 

The issue was more of a contradiction in the help files...

 

What bill was attempting to do was cut a frame member using a "Work Plane" and not the actual member face.

 

The help file states you can use a work plane as a cutting surface here:

 

 

 

However, other references mention nothing about being able to use a work plane as a cutting surface, which we found was correct.

 

 

 

I have found by playing with it a little more that I did not need to cut the frame as I did above. I simply could have use "Lengthen Shorten -- Frame Member" and saved the trouble of having to jump back to assembly.

 

I'll certainly have to delve into this more deeply when I have time.

 

Thanks

 

KC

[shift1313]

i see what the problem is now. I too tried several combination with no luck. I put my work planes in the frame "sub set", created work planes off other frame members and so on. Very odd indeed. The only thing i forgot to try before i closed the file was selecting the plane in the design tree on the left. but i cant see how this would work and nothing else. I dont use the frame generator but the few times I have used it, ive always used other members to "trim".

[BillB]

Hi KC and Matt,

 

Yeah,, the problem I was having was that I needed to trim a member but there won't be another member going along the cut plane

 

Thanks again guys

 

BillB

[shift1313]

does it need to be at an angle? or is it parallel to a face on the existing member?

[BillB]

Hey Matt,

 

I have a 6" x 2" Rect tube that at one end will have 5" x 45 degree cut taken off of it.

 

BillB

[BillB]

Hey Matt

 

Here's a pic,,,,,, I hope

 

 

BillB

[shift1313]

is the red rectangle tube the one you need(ed) to trim?

[BillB]

Matt,

 

Yep, I have two members identical on this frame.

BillB

[shift1313]

ill have to play with it a bit more tonight. Did you end up drawing another object and using its face to trim? What does that attach/weld to?

[BillB]

Hey Matt,

 

Actually I went in and created a sketch plane on the 6" side and sketched the "triangle" on it and then used the Extrude - cut on it. I don't think this is the RIGHT way but it did work. It may or may not get capped with a piece of 1/8" material in the future. Was just wanting to find the right and best method to trim or cut members without having to create a separate part that may not get used just to use as a cutting plane.

 

BillB