Can't make a union from different cuts

[fentabi]

Everyone's advice have been very helpful to help me mover the project along. However, now I feel totally stuck at this point!
I would very much appreciate any advice about where to go from here.

[chrisb]

The extrude from the shell is really a problem as Check geometry shows. I would give this a try:

- Make the Extrude a Loft with the outer end as is and the inner end being arcs in the middle if the cones.
- Create the cones as Part Cones
- Apply Thickness

Since thickness is sometimes picky: if it doesn't work, I make a union if the loft and the cones and subtract the inner cones.

[chrisb]

Here is my proposal: As suspected thickness didn't work. Something I hadn't thought of was the half moon to be cut out of the cone. A drafted helper pad and a sketch positioned with the helper pad solved the problem.
The Loft makes a slight bend at the end because I used the same angle as your ruled surface. If you don't want it, make it rectangular to the bottom and cut the angle off later.

[fentabi]

That is quite impressive. Thank you so much!.. How do you propose I add the other two cylinders to this shape? I will continue to tinker with it and see if I can figure out a way to do that and will let you know either way

[chrisb]

That is quite impressive. Thank you so much!.. How do you propose I add the other two cylinders to this shape? I will continue to tinker with it and see if I can figure out a way to do that and will let you know either way

Since there are several steps to get the cones I would use a Draft Array. I would have done this myself (even more impressive ) but I had started with the middle cylinder and the array goes to one side only so I didn't go through the redesign.

- Before doing the fusion with the loft you can move the outer cylinder to one side,
- then use an array to get all outer shapes (select the "Fuse" field).
- fuse the three cones with the loft
- move the inner cone to the side
- array
- make a cut of the inner stuff with the outer cones and the attached loft.

It might not be the most elegant way because you have to array twice. This is needed because the inner cones have to cut away some stuff from the loft as well.

If you want to extend the loft with the small bars in between: keep in mind that both ends of the loft have the same number of segments, i.e. you have to add the same short straight lines at both ends.

[fentabi]

well... I followed your advice and it didn't work . I wasn't able to fuse the array to the loft. I attached it. See I was able to attach one cylinder to the other part from the beginning. Although it didn't look elegant at all. Your method is much simpler and efficient. However, we are still not able to fuse the three cylinders with the other part. Any other ideas?

[chrisb]

- Before doing the fusion with the loft you can move the outer cylinder to one side,
- then use an array to get all outer shapes (select the "Fuse" field).
- fuse the three cones with the loft

well... I followed your advice and it didn't work

You forgot to fuse the array. You find it in the data tab of the array and it has to be set to true.
If it still doesn't work I can post teh model, but I definitely did only these two things: Set fuse to true and make a fusion of the array and the loft.

[fentabi]

Woo hoo....You made my entire week. I spent way too many hours struggling with this and you resolved it very elegantly... Thank you so much!...

[chrisb]

You're welcome. I found here great help myself when I tried to do simple things in a very complicated way or didn't see simple glitches in the model. Now I can sometimes give something back to the community.