Internal part volume

Just found this - I'll give it a try - seems very cumbersome solution to an easy task?

There are easier ways than what was worked out in 2001.

You were on the right track before. Extrude a box over the part, and subtract the part. You now have two bodies. Go to the bodies folder at the top of the tree and delete one. You should now have a delete body feature at the end of the tree and a model of the interior of your part.

Use an assembly with your hollow blocked off part internal volume in side a "block" and then use the cavity function.

You will be given a choice of which Bodies to save and can chose the internal part.

Bo

Its in a really dumb place. Insert-feature-combine

Brian Hokanson Starting Line Products

ok - I can get the delete feature that looks like the inside of my part - how can I get the volume? If I do "Mass Properties" the volume is incorrect. I assume it is still added volume for unvisible pieces?

Can I get this > Its in a really dumb place. Insert-feature-combine

You may not be measuring what you think you are when you pick Mass Properties. If you don't have a body selected, SW defaults to the part itself, so it measures the volume of both bodies. You have to preselect the internal volume body, or unpick the part and then pick the body.

If that isn't the problem, maybe you are doing something else. The suggested system works for me. Extrude a body that completely surrounds your original body, with merge result not checked. Then Insert/Features/Combine with the Subtract Operation Type. Pick your surrounding body for the Main Body and your original body for the Bodies to Combine. You can keep all of the bodies or pick just the one that lies inside your original body. Take the Mass Properties of the internal volume body. When you are done, delete the feature that made the surrounding body and all of it's absorbed features.

If you want to keep the internal volume body around, then make a copy of your original body. Then when you do the combine you will end up with the original body and the internal volume body.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

ok - great, thanks - works perfectly

WRT c>>

The cavity function actually may be a bit easier to do (set to 0.0 scaleup), but that is just my guess, because that is what I do with my hollow plastic containers to get the internal volume.

When you are through with the cavity feature, the encompasing block is removed and the original part is removed and you are left with only the internal solid (if you pick that from the selected bodies).

Bo

You can rmb a body from bodies folder and save it out as a separate part if you like. "Insert into new part."

You could also find the interior volume by doing a surface offset of zero millimeters and filling in any holes. Then do a knit and solidify.

"Insert"/"Features"/"Move/Copy", Check Copy, select your body, and leave the translation at 0.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"