Subtracting one part from another

[dav2008]

Hello,

Is there any way to take the complement of two parts? Say I have a part A and part B and I want to make a part C where C = B \ A. That is, I only want to have material that is in B, but not in A.

I'm basically looking to do something like the "remove material" option, but instead of just one extrude or revolve that cuts away material, I would like to remove material in B wherever A intersects it.

I am using Wildfire 3.0 (4.0 also available, but it is preferable to do it in 3.0)

Thanks.

 

[nofalloff]

If model A as a surface then Solidify as a cut will do what you want.

 

[tobbo]

if you can (got to have adv asm) , then create part C , import all the solid surfaces from part "B" , then solidify. Then import all solid surfaces from "a", and soidify (remove material) and your done...

you can probably do this with "master merge" technique too...or maybe use cut out in asm

(if you dont have advance asm)

//Tobias

Edited by: tobbo

 

[design-engine]

old school merge can do it too without the AAX ...AAX is better tho.

 

[dav2008]

I can't install any add-ons on these computers.

How would I do it with merge? Both of the objects are solids, not surfaces.

Another thing I could do would be to "invert" all of the material in a given space. Is there a way to define boundaries and say "Change all of the solid to being empty and all the empty space to being a solid"?

I wouldn't need to keep it as a pro/e .prt. If there's a way to do it with an .stl or something that would work as well.

Edited by: dav2008

 

[seipean]

Maybee you can put both parts in an assembly and use Edit->Component operations->Cut Out?

 

[tobbo]

using only "cut out" will give the result that "part b" is modified.... and not a new part ( "c" ) . ..unless you copy all the surfs from your modified part b into a new part called c...but ..naaa. thats not a good way to do this


So, somehow you (dav2008) have to get the geometry (from"B") into your part called C and then do the "solidify cut" using surfs from part "a" . The easiest way to do this is by "copy geometry" comand, do you have AAX? or else you can copy surfaces using , like I (and Bart) says, the old school "master merge" techique. Are you familiar with that?


good luck!!


//Tobias

 

[tobbo]

I did a quick search here atmcad and ...:


[url]http://www.mcadcentral.com/proe/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37 815&PN=25[/url]


might help?


//Tobias

 

[krow72]

I think that seipean has the right idea. I would open part b and save-as part c. Then start an assembly, insert part c and part a then use cutout.


Krow 72

 

[dr_gallup]

Make an assembly of part A, B & empty C. Merge B into C and cut out A.

 

[dav2008]

Maybee you can put both parts in an assembly and use Edit->Component operations->Cut Out?

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for.

 

[tobbo]

I think that seipean has the right idea. I would open part b and save-as part c. Then start an assembly, insert part c and part a then use cutout.


Krow 72






if you use "save as" ,then b and c doesnt have any "connection" or dependency... (if you update B, then you have to manually update C , BUT if you copy the surfs, then this is done automatically)


but hey!! your techique works as good as any other!! you absolutly could do it this way too ,specially if B and C doesnt have to have any dependency. it all comes back to your "design intent"


//Tobias
Edited by: tobbo