Fillet on curved surfaces.

[Edwinh]

Hi, i'm new here at the forum.

I tried to fins solutions to similar problems, but was unable to find them.

 

I'm using 2011 version to try and crate a propellor. The lade is a dxf import. I created a hub to it and made a circular affay of the blade.

 

What I am looking for now is a way to ceate a fillet between the "airofoil" blade and the conical hub.

I think this might just be impossible in autocad, but maybe one of you knows a slution. Maybe even an other cad-program.

 

With kind regards,

 

Edwin

[ReMark]

Could you post an image?

[JD Mather]

Maybe even an other cad-program.

 

Autodesk Inventor - Face Fillet

[kencaz]

It's quite possible... Try combining the blades and the hub with union then fillet each edge. Chain option may or may not work depending on how complex the foil is.

 

This is a very simple example:

 

 

KC

[Edwinh]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the hints.

I tried to attach the picture.

 

 

I also tried union, but it did not work out well.

Command: union

Select objects: Specify opposite corner: 11 found

Select objects:

Cannot fix orientation.

Modeling Operation Error:

Coedges are not configures

I accidently selected some lines, wich were not needed, it did become one part. The baldes actully are a surface! I can not change them to a solid.

Fillet returned this:

Command:

FILLET

Current settings: Mode = TRIM, Radius = 0.0000

Select first object or [undo/Polyline/Radius/Trim/Multiple]:

Enter fillet radius or [Expression]: 5

Select an edge or [Chain/Radius]:

Select an edge or [Chain/Radius]:

1 edge(s) selected for fillet.

Unable to fix face orientations.

Modeling Operation Error:

Coedges are not configures as expected.

Modeling Operation Error:

Unknown convexity.

Failed to perform blend.

Failure while filleting.

 

The blades were made from a mesh, which was hard to transfer to a surface.

 

After messing aroung with mome mesh to solid 3rd party tool I got a surface and not a solid.

 

What I am trying to do is creating a propellor for a solar powered boat wich has to run in the Frisian Solarchallenge.

 

Javaprop so I hadd to create the hub and add the blades to it to be able to make a design for machining.

 

Maybe Inventor is a better tool to use, I don't konw anyone who has it, maybe there still is an autocad solution, of maybe something even better.

 

Open to all suggestions

 

Edwin

 

PS. I tried to link to the DXF I used, but it seems that is not permitted yet. In order to ban spam.

[JD Mather]

Attach your file here (right click on the file name and select Send to Compressed (zipped) Folder).

[Edwinh]

The file exeeds the limits.

 

I have to try to get it smaller if I want to attach it.

 

With kind regards,

 

Edwin

[ReMark]

JDM suggested a zip file be attached.

[JD Mather]

The file exeeds the limits.

 

I have to try to get it smaller if I want to attach it.

 

Don't need both wings - delete one of them before zipping. In fact, don't really need the hub either as that is easy enough to recreate.

[Edwinh]

I hope my file got attached.

 

The file I attached is the dxf I have been struggling with. I could only use this mesh dxf when I converter it to a surface with MSCONVERTMESH (Sycode mesh to solid)

This converted mesh is 500k big.

 

Maybe I should have used an other way to make my dxf usable in the fist place.

 

Anyway, the dxf mesh (mess) should be attached.

 

Edwin

prop4.zip

[JD Mather]

Anyway, the dxf mesh (mess) should be attached.

 

I stitched the mesh surfaces to a solid in Inventor - but the zipped file was a little over the limit.

 

In any case I would not use a mesh to model this (even in AutoCAD) as the results is not a curved face but rather a bunch of planar faceted faces representing a curve.

 

You could Loft this as a solid in AutoCAD and the results would be much better.

[Edwinh]

Thank you for trying,

The only output I can get from the prop analyzer is a mesh .dxf or a .iges file. I don't know if the iges file could be better, i don't know the format.

 

I would like to try the solid you made in Inventor amd use it n Autocad.

ehouwertjesATgmailDOTcom is the mail address I mostly use.

 

Maybe a trial of inventor is available, I'll see if I can find how to use it.

 

Edwin

[JD Mather]

I would like to try the solid you made in Inventor amd use it n Autocad.

ehouwertjesATgmailDOTcom is the mail address I mostly use.

 

If you already know AutoCAD it might be easier for you in AutoCAD.

 

But I wouldn't consider AutoCAD for such an application. A parametric program like Inventor or SolidWorks gives you much more editing control.

 

You should have mail with the file attachment.

[Edwinh]

Thanks JD,

 

I got the file!

Several years ago (maybe about 12) I used to be good at Pro/E, unfortunately that is quite rusty now. Pro/E evolved into versions I don't know how to work with.

Solidworks is something I have never tried maybe this is worth a try. Inventor sounds good, but I can't download a trial, I might be able to get a DVD shipped by autodesk.

 

I tried the part you sent me, but still the fillet fails. It gives a preview of the fillet, but is says teh fillet failed.

I guess I have to try to get me solidworks or Inventor to continue.

 

Edwin

[JD Mather]

It gives a preview of the fillet, but is says teh fillet failed.

I guess I have to try to get me solidworks or Inventor to continue.

 

Edwin

 

I think if you give the preview a good look you will see why it fails. Doesn't matter what program you use - you will need to get a good NURBS face rather than these faceted planar faces.

 

You could use the existing geometry to set up a Loft.

[Edwinh]

Hello,

 

I just tried to loft the ribs which I traced using PlineCV. But still I still can't create a fillet. Any ideas what I could try?

 

Thanks,

 

Edwin

propdunloft2.zip

[JD Mather]

If you do a List do you have surfaces or do you have solids?

 

I'll answer the question for you - you have surfaces.

 

Also, I would not use a "knife-sharp" edge along that trailing edge.

If you look at real parts it would not be razor sharp but have a bit of a rounded edge. This will help your fillet go around the edge.

[Edwinh]

I did allready sculpt them to a sold, probably is the sharp edge which is bugging me. Somehow I do not get this edge filleted.

 

I'll have to find out how too get a small fillet to the trailing edge.

 

Thank you for mentioning the shap edge, this already looked weird in the preview.

I'll try to work on it.

 

Edwin

[JD Mather]

I did allready sculpt them to a solid...

 

Sounds like you are working in Inventor now? I guess you also figured out that you needed a boundary patch to close up the end.

[Edwinh]

JD, thanks for all your help.

 

I think I am where I wanted to be. Still using Autocad!

I wish I had Inventor, is Inventor a new name for Mechanical desktop? When the company I worked at started solid modeling they used Pro/E, at that time Autodesk had Mechanical desktop as af as I can recall. I believe the company chose Pro/E because they were more ahead with solid modeling. I also installed solid works, it has nice tutorials in it, look nice to work with. Unfortunaltely my imports looked quite bad.

Hope to try inventor some day.

 

About the fillet, when I trace the cross-sections with Spline CV, and use the close command it does not make asharp edge.

I was able to make a small fillet with a max. radius of 3mm. I don't know why this fillet does not want to be made with a 5mm radius. The preview does not quite match the foil-shape.

 

Well, after all experimets I will try to produce a complete prop, and let you all know how it worked-out.

Maybe even writing a small tutoral, also for the boat builders forum.

 

With kind regards,

 

Edwin