cavity question

I need to make a cavity in a component, so within the assembly, I used the cavity feature on BlockA, referencing a casting that is in the top level assembly. In another configuration, I need to move BlockA with respect to the referenced casting, but I want the cavity cut to stay unchanged relative to the origin of BlockA. Is there an external reference that needs to be broken? I looked at the external references in BlockA, and the only option is to break All external references, which would appear to include sketch entities on other features, on which I want to keep the external refs. I am a newbie on the cavity feature, and I have probably missed something simple. Thanks, Bill

Reply to
bill allemann
Loading thread data ...

"cavity feature on BlockA, referencing a casting" "I need to move BlockA with respect to the referenced casting" "I want the cavity cut to stay unchanged relative to the origin of BlockA"

Seems to be inconsistent statements, quoted above, so I am not sure of what is desired.

Bo

bill allemann wrote:

Reply to
Bo

I think I understand what you are wanting to do. Basically, you want to create some motion to BlockA but keep the cavity feature intact.

I have not found a way to do it without creating a totally different assembly. If you create a different assembly, the referenced feature will remain in the first assembly. So you can move anything, anywhere and the cavity feature will remain in the location that was defined from the first assembly.

There may be one other option I can think of. It involves the use of base parts. Its a little in-depth to explain, and I have to leave work soon. So maybe tomorrow I can either explain more, or send you a down and dirty example.

Reply to
Seth Renigar

Try, insert-component pattern-, with block A selected. Then supress/hide the original block A.

Reply to
Brian

Bill Try creating configurations of Block A, one that has X dimension to the origin and one that has x-1 dimension to the origin. This in essence moves the block around relative to the origin. In your "Cavity" assembly create 2 configurations, One using the X dimension Block A configuration and one using the X-1 block A configuration. You can change the configuration of Block A by a RMB under component properties. Hopefully this is what you were looking for.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Eckstein

maybe what I actually need to do is subtract the casting from BlockA, so that the "cavity" doesn't depend on the relative position of the casting with respect to BlockA. I found some help file stuff on combine/subtract. I'll see if I can decipher it. Bill

Reply to
bill allemann

I figured out how to do it. Had to make an assembly out of (only) BlockA and the casting, and then save it as a part file. Now both solid bodies are in this part file (this is what I wasn't picking up on before). The combine/subtract feature now seems pretty simple and does what I need. I am still wondering if the altered BlockA has a "live" external reference to the original casting file used for the subtract. I'll save that for the morning. This is probably simple stuff for many, but I just never needed it before.

bill

Reply to
bill allemann

Bill,

You might consider doing this in part mode instead of an assembly. In in-context assemblies, you can't control the point in history where things are done without some crazy wrangling.

Use Insert Part to put the part you want to use to make the cavity into the part with block A. After the cavity (called Combine, Subtract in part mode), use a Move Bodies feature, so the cavity is parametric and the move is parametric and history based.

If you break or lock references and god forbid something changes, you'll be going back through and doing a lot of work over again. Another thing you could do would be to have multiple instances of the part you want to move in the moved assembly config.

good luck,

matt

bill allemann wrote:

Reply to
mjlombard

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.