Oval loft?
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Re: Oval loft?
I just put a new macro in the addon manager called WireFilter that might be of use in this case. It can offset the wires of a sketch, similar to the Part 2D Offset tool. Here is how I used in for this model.
Delete the Loft
Select the first sketch, run the macro. It asks to create a file, elect to have the file created.
Select the second sketch, run the macro.
Now you have 2 WireFilter objects:
Select them both and in the property view set Offset to -2 (for 2 mm offset inwards)
Set Offset Fill to True (this makes faces between original sketch edge and new offset edge)
Select one face and make the Loft. In the dialog select Add section, then select the other face:
Now you should be able to make changes in the sketches and the WireFilter object will update itself automatically to those changes. But if you add more wires, all bets are off. It will probably break the WireFilter and you will need to delete it and remake it.
Delete the Loft
Select the first sketch, run the macro. It asks to create a file, elect to have the file created.
Select the second sketch, run the macro.
Now you have 2 WireFilter objects:
Select them both and in the property view set Offset to -2 (for 2 mm offset inwards)
Set Offset Fill to True (this makes faces between original sketch edge and new offset edge)
Select one face and make the Loft. In the dialog select Add section, then select the other face:
Now you should be able to make changes in the sketches and the WireFilter object will update itself automatically to those changes. But if you add more wires, all bets are off. It will probably break the WireFilter and you will need to delete it and remake it.
- Attachments
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- Oval Loft_markster.FCStd
- (26.28 KiB) Downloaded 19 times
Re: Oval loft?
TheMarkster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 7:54 pm I just put a new macro in the addon manager called WireFilter that might be of use in this case. It can offset the wires of a sketch, similar to the Part 2D Offset tool. Here is how I used in for this model.
Delete the Loft
Select the first sketch, run the macro. It asks to create a file, elect to have the file created.
Select the second sketch, run the macro.
Now you have 2 WireFilter objects:
Snip macro screenshot-2fbf07.png
Select them both and in the property view set Offset to -2 (for 2 mm offset inwards)
Set Offset Fill to True (this makes faces between original sketch edge and new offset edge)
Snip macro screenshot-2a3f2f.png
Select one face and make the Loft. In the dialog select Add section, then select the other face:
Snip macro screenshot-b82376.png
Now you should be able to make changes in the sketches and the WireFilter object will update itself automatically to those changes. But if you add more wires, all bets are off. It will probably break the WireFilter and you will need to delete it and remake it.
OK thank you very much.. I downloaded and installed the macro.. created the sketches and wirefilters like you said and that worked great... but when I try to loft, it gives me an error every time (see attached).. I tried a number of times, same thing.. So then I downloaded your FCstd file, I deleted the loft in that file, and tried to recreate it as you said, but I still get the same error.. so I figure I must be missing some file in my FreeCAD version or maybe it's not quite up to date.. I will check on the newest version and go from there.. please see attached..
- Attachments
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- Wirefilter.png (88.84 KiB) Viewed 1243 times
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- sublement.png (71.78 KiB) Viewed 1243 times
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- FreeCAD Version.png (152.45 KiB) Viewed 1243 times
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Re: Oval loft?
Select the face of one of the WireFilters, then run Loft. Then in the dialog click Add Section button, and then select the other face.
Re: Oval loft?
Duh!!.. that works... I was selecting them in the left pane.. Thank you very much for all your help. much appreciated..TheMarkster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 21, 2021 8:54 pm Select the face of one of the WireFilters, then run Loft. Then in the dialog click Add Section button, and then select the other face.
Re: Oval loft?
Not sure if I need a new thread for this or not, but it's regarding ovals.. please move if needed..
When I try to slice an normal oval solid with a pocket in Flashprint or Cura, it doesn't show as it does in FreeCAD.. So I'm not sure where the problem is.. I have a simple 10mm oval solid with an oval pocket. Yet when I open the file in FlashPrint, it wants to "repair" it, and when it does, the pocket is not at all like in FreeCAD. The pocket shows as rectangular.. so then I did pockets with 2 circles at the ends and a rectangle to get the same result in FreeCAD, but then the Flashprint "repair" shows parts of the circle pockets and the rectangle pocket is still solid. If I ignore the repair, they just show as solid.. In Cura, it doesn't ask to repair, but both files are opened as completely solid, with no pockets showing at all. I thought this would be pretty simple and straightforward, but it's just a bit confusing why it is doing that.. Any ideas why it is doing this ?? see pics...
When I try to slice an normal oval solid with a pocket in Flashprint or Cura, it doesn't show as it does in FreeCAD.. So I'm not sure where the problem is.. I have a simple 10mm oval solid with an oval pocket. Yet when I open the file in FlashPrint, it wants to "repair" it, and when it does, the pocket is not at all like in FreeCAD. The pocket shows as rectangular.. so then I did pockets with 2 circles at the ends and a rectangle to get the same result in FreeCAD, but then the Flashprint "repair" shows parts of the circle pockets and the rectangle pocket is still solid. If I ignore the repair, they just show as solid.. In Cura, it doesn't ask to repair, but both files are opened as completely solid, with no pockets showing at all. I thought this would be pretty simple and straightforward, but it's just a bit confusing why it is doing that.. Any ideas why it is doing this ?? see pics...
- Attachments
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- OvalE-FP_model repaired.png (316.83 KiB) Viewed 1135 times
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- OvalE.png (86.2 KiB) Viewed 1135 times
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- OvalDorE_Cura.png (164.91 KiB) Viewed 1135 times
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- OvalD-FP_model repaired.png (258.07 KiB) Viewed 1135 times
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- ovald.png (89.5 KiB) Viewed 1135 times
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Re: Oval loft?
Attach your file and your stl. I can try the stl in cura, but I don't have the other one installed.
Re: Oval loft?
Ok.. like I said.. one is just a padded oval with a pocket.. the other one has 3 pockets to see if that would work.. I'm trying this first to get it to work before I try to build what I want, which will have a thicker pad.. here's the files.. fyi, I'm using Cura 4.8.0 .. I can give you the install file for FlashPrint if you need to test..TheMarkster wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:05 am Attach your file and your stl. I can try the stl in cura, but I don't have the other one installed.
Thanks..
- Attachments
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- Oval_E.stl
- (48.32 KiB) Downloaded 16 times
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- Oval_D.stl
- (181.14 KiB) Downloaded 15 times
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- Oval_E.FCStd
- (19.9 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
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- Oval_D.FCStd
- (29.19 KiB) Downloaded 21 times
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- Veteran
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Re: Oval loft?
Select either the Body or the last feature (Pocket), and then Mesh Design menu -> create mesh from shape. Examine your mesh for defects using the analyze and repair tool in that workbench. Export from the workbench. You probably exported the Pad instead of the Body or the Pocket.
- Attachments
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- Pocket (Meshed).stl
- (12.97 KiB) Downloaded 19 times
Re: Oval loft?
wow.. I've always selected all the objects under the body to export, but I've not done any hollow stuff to date, and never played with meshes yet..TheMarkster wrote: ↑Sat Oct 23, 2021 12:29 am Select either the Body or the last feature (Pocket), and then Mesh Design menu -> create mesh from shape. Examine your mesh for defects using the analyze and repair tool in that workbench. Export from the workbench. You probably exported the Pad instead of the Body or the Pocket.
Snip macro screenshot-bcfd2f.png
so ya, I selected the Pad and the Pocket to export... I've been using FreeCAD since around Jan this year.. made a few things, but just solids.. still learning.. lol.. Great.. I will give that a try..
thanks again for your prompt responses and help...
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Re: Oval loft?
I've been using FreeCAD for about 3 1/2 years now and still learn new things all the time. It is a huge project that is constantly evolving.