Need some thoughts on modeling approach

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br4n_d0n
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Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by br4n_d0n »

I'm still new to FreeCAD and wanted to get some more experienced user's thoughts on what they think might be the best approach to modeling the example I crudely drew below. I understand this is probably subjective, but I'm hoping some people could weigh in and let me know which process might be better.
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crude_drawing_example.jpg
crude_drawing_example.jpg (12.3 KiB) Viewed 2121 times
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Thoughts:
  1. I can start off by sketching the top profile and then extruding(padding) it, but I'm not sure how I would get it to the bent shape of the front profile
  2. I can start with sketching the front profile, creating the top sketch, and then doing a pocket or something. The problem is that I would want some of the dimensions of the front profile to be dependent on the top profile dimensions, but that is created after this sketch in this scenario. It's kind of a chicken and egg scenario.
  3. My other thought is do something similar to #2, but have a spreadsheet with some of the dimensions that both sketches reference
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If anyone has any better ideas, I'm willing to listen.
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P.S. How does one get line breaks in this forum? I've tried multiple BBCode tags and nothing seems to work.
freedman
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by freedman »

Use PartDesign. Place sketches on Origins. Use Pad to make a shape. Pocket the material away to add details, much like a mill or drill.
br4n_d0n
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by br4n_d0n »

freedman wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 5:09 am Use PartDesign. Place sketches on Origins. Use Pad to make a shape. Pocket the material away to add details, much like a mill or drill.
Not to be rude, but you didn't actually give me any advice on which profile to even start with; you just gave some general advice.

Can you be a little more specific to make your comment actually relevant?
chrisb
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by chrisb »

It works either way. I would start with the front, guessing that the holes somehow depend on the length of the middle piece.
For the holes use Sketcher External for referencing the previous sketch.
A Sketcher Lecture with in-depth information is available in English, auf Deutsch, en français, en español.
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M4x
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by M4x »

Referencing the sketch is the important part. Sketches are more stable regarding the Topological_naming_problem. You could use Expressions too. I personally like to use spreadsheets a lot rather than expressions and external references.
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OficineRobotica
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by OficineRobotica »

Sorry for the interface and the fact that I'm using a different branch of Freecad but given that you are interested only in the process of modeling I hope this can give you a hint

phpBB [video]
Check out my Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@OficineRobotica
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Shalmeneser
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by Shalmeneser »

:idea:
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br4n_d0n
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by br4n_d0n »

Thanks for the ideas and especially to @OficineRobotica for going above and beyond by creating a video for me. :D

I'm most likely going to start with the front like suggested, but I was curious, for future reference, how one would go about making the bent front shape if I had started out with creating the top shape instead. You never know when I may run into a similar situation.
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Shalmeneser
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by Shalmeneser »

:idea:
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chrisb
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Re: Need some thoughts on modeling approach

Post by chrisb »

As you can see from the solutions: you don't bend things in FreeCAD, you rather add and subtract material so the solid get the bent shape.
A Sketcher Lecture with in-depth information is available in English, auf Deutsch, en français, en español.
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