Laser cutting tube

[bearracecars]

When cutting tube with a laser, the laser stays 90 deg. to the surface of the tube. In the attached ipt. the cut is as if it were cut with a saw or sanded flat. What is the proper way to draw the cut, that would be able to be cut by a laser? Sorry for any confusion, don't know if i explained that clear enough.

 

Thanks in advance

Bear

sample tube.ipt

[Dadgad]

Have you read the similar threads shown, all of which relate to laser cutting. There was a recent thread regarding bicycle frame construction which also dealt with such problems, I would guess that was about 5 weeks ago, or so.

[bearracecars]

No, I haven't. I tried searching before posting and found nothing. I tried searching for the bicycle frame thread that you mentioned, but I couldn't find it. Do you know the name of the thread? Or similar threads?

[kencaz]

Well, Here is how a standard laser tuber cutter would cut that angle, (assuming it has a non tilting head).

 

You'll have to make your hole and notch patterns in the unfolded state... It's a little different then the way we normally work with tubing...

 

[Dadgad]

Interesting, so you make your cuts first on the flat piece, which is easy, then roll the tubing?

 

Hey, JD was right, that really IS a modern 3Dcad program!

[bearracecars]

Ok, been playing with it today. I open it in an assembly, place an instance of it, create new part, copy object in modify, then copy face, output to a surface then thicken to tube thickness, click open on new part and there it is. still not sure what the proper way would be since there always seems to be more ways than one to do something. I would like to know what JD would recommend.

Part10.ipt

[stevsmith]

Another way would be to extrude the tube as a surface. draw the cutout on an offset perpendicular plane and use an extruded surface down to the surface of the tube, use the trim command to remove unwanted items then use the thicken command to add thickness to the tube. This will give you the laser cut at 90deg to the surface face.

Edited April 9, 2012 by stevsmith
Cleaned up.

[kencaz]

Another way would be to extrude the tube as a surface. draw the cutout on an offset perpendicular plane and use an extruded surface down to the surface of the tube, use the trim command to remove unwanted items then use the thicken command to add thickness to the tube. This will give you the laser cut at 90deg to the surface face.

 

That's an even Faster and Better way Steve...

[Bishop]

You could even conceivably use Frame Generator to create the frame out of sections of bar stock, then once you've got your pieces trimmed and set up the way you want, go back through the pieces and use SHELL to hollow them out, make them into tubes instead of bars.

[stevsmith]

That's an even Faster and Better way Steve...

 

Thanks Kencaz,

 

If it's part of a frame, use the frame generator.

I can't open the file because I no longer use Inventor. But I have came across this situation before. I actually used this method for alot of things.

[JD Mather]

I actually used this method for alot of things.

 

Trim will use a sketch directly - no need for secondary extrude.

[stevsmith]

Ah, true JD.

 

Good Call

[jdporter]

thaks good idea

[jdporter]

try "pipe cutting template"