Oval loft?

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TheMarkster
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2018 1:53 am

Re: Oval loft?

Post by TheMarkster »

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
Snip macro screenshot-2fbf07.png (50.2 KiB) Viewed 1265 times
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
Snip macro screenshot-2a3f2f.png (45.24 KiB) Viewed 1265 times
Select one face and make the Loft. In the dialog select Add section, then select the other face:
Snip macro screenshot-b82376.png
Snip macro screenshot-b82376.png (38 KiB) Viewed 1265 times
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
Oval Loft_markster.FCStd
(26.28 KiB) Downloaded 19 times
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Giterdun
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:34 am

Re: Oval loft?

Post by Giterdun »

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
Wirefilter.png
Wirefilter.png (88.84 KiB) Viewed 1244 times
sublement.png
sublement.png (71.78 KiB) Viewed 1244 times
FreeCAD Version.png
FreeCAD Version.png (152.45 KiB) Viewed 1244 times
TheMarkster
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Re: Oval loft?

Post by TheMarkster »

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.
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Giterdun
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:34 am

Re: Oval loft?

Post by Giterdun »

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.
Duh!!.. that works... I was selecting them in the left pane.. Thank you very much for all your help. much appreciated.. :D
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Giterdun
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:34 am

Re: Oval loft?

Post by Giterdun »

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...
Attachments
OvalE-FP_model repaired.png
OvalE-FP_model repaired.png (316.83 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
OvalE.png
OvalE.png (86.2 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
OvalDorE_Cura.png
OvalDorE_Cura.png (164.91 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
OvalD-FP_model repaired.png
OvalD-FP_model repaired.png (258.07 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
ovald.png
ovald.png (89.5 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
TheMarkster
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Re: Oval loft?

Post by TheMarkster »

Attach your file and your stl. I can try the stl in cura, but I don't have the other one installed.
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Giterdun
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Re: Oval loft?

Post by Giterdun »

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.
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.. ;)
Thanks..
Attachments
Oval_E.stl
(48.32 KiB) Downloaded 16 times
Oval_D.stl
(181.14 KiB) Downloaded 15 times
Oval_E.FCStd
(19.9 KiB) Downloaded 18 times
Oval_D.FCStd
(29.19 KiB) Downloaded 21 times
TheMarkster
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Re: Oval loft?

Post by TheMarkster »

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
Snip macro screenshot-bcfd2f.png (531.15 KiB) Viewed 1086 times
Attachments
Pocket (Meshed).stl
(12.97 KiB) Downloaded 19 times
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Giterdun
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Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:34 am

Re: Oval loft?

Post by Giterdun »

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
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..
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... :D
TheMarkster
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Re: Oval loft?

Post by TheMarkster »

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.
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