Cutting a path into a thick-walled tube

Hi,

Can anyone advise me on how to cut a slotted path into a thick walled
tube. Similar to cutting a slot for a bayonet fitting, except I need
to go much further down the pipe, and rotate further around.

I have a feeling that this is a daft question and I will kick myself,
but it's causing a bit of head-scratching at the moment!

Many thanks!

Nick

www.solidworkers.co.uk

 

There was a long thread a while back about an angled O-ring grove that might
answer some questions. There are some models that you could download a
picture is worth a thousand words. If that doesn't help let us know. here
is the link.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?E29B31928

Corey Scheich

 

....in SW2k4 the new "wrap" with deboss option, may fit your needs, but it
will not wrap more than one revolution, the other tool that may fit the job
is "cut-Sweep" but without knowing how the job will be produced its
difficult to be specific.

Best,

JAG

 

Hello Nick,

I have taken a couple of approaches in the past.

1. create a using sheetmetal functionality and unfold to a flat.
- create your cutout path
- refold and fill the small gap using normal functionality

2. use the warp functionality someone else mentioned if it doesnt do a
rull rev

3. If you do this alot, you might want to check out a great program
called CAMtrax from Camnetics

http://www.camnetics.com/

Hope it helps,

Mike

 

Brilliant. That's just the job. Thanks Mike and everyone else who helped!

Nick

www.solidworkers.co.uk

 

Keep in mind that the groove modeled with sheet metal tools will NOT
have parallel sides once it is rolled up again. If you're trying to
model a groove cut by an endmill, this will only be an approximation.
And it may give some heartburn to a CAM program trying to figure out
what cutter to use.

I had to model some barrel cams for a zoom optical system, and finally
bought a copy of Solid Sketch from DynaBits. This let me wrap a sketch
around a solid cylinder to sweep a toolpath. It was worth every cent,
and paid for itself the first day.

Art W.