KEYCREATOR 3D Direct Modeling Software
KeyCreator Lesson KC5102 Virtual Drills
The Boolean Difference
Function provides you with an
easy way to quickly machine the
same hole in a part on a
repetitive basis.
The part illustrated to the right is
a molded plastic pipe hangar.
If you look closely at the detail,
you’ll see that basic cylinder
bosses appear at 1 inch intervals
in both a vertical and horizontal
orientation.
Each boss has an identical through hole. Now you could create this part by first creating
the main body and all of the cylindrical bosses with a follow-up drilling operation for
each hole. There’s a much less demanding way, however, to get the same end result.
Let’s start with a new file in View 1. (The Top View.) Since the main body shape is a
simple modeling task, I’ll give you a basic bullet list below to guide you through the
steps. (If you find this tough, I suggest you spend time in the basic solid modeling
courses (KC2101-KC2701) before tackling this lesson.)
Step One: Create a
basic profile with
the following
dimensions:
Step Two: Switch to the Isometric View and Extrude the profile 0.3 inches.
Step Three: Shell the extrusion, selecting the top surface to be open. Use 0.05 for the
shell thickness.
Step Four: Switch to the Front View and Xform Mirror Copy the solid vertically around
the bottom edge.
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KEYCREATOR 3D Direct Modeling Software
Step Five: Use the Xform Delta Move Function to move the lower part (The mirror
copy) upward 0.050 inches.
Step Six: Use the Boolean Union Function to make the two solids one object and switch
back to the Isometric View.
At this point your part should look like
this: The part has a matching core section
on the top and the bottom.
Now let’s assume that the cylindrical
bosses are 0.230 in diameter and the
through holes are 0.120 in diameter.
The first boss is located 0.5 inches from
the right end of the part and a boss
appears every 0.5 inches, alternating
between horizontal and vertical.
Select a new construction color.
Now, click on the CREATE CYLINDER Icon.
A Dialog Box
appears.
Click on the Two Positions Option.
Type 0.115 for the Radius and hit the ENTER
Key.
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KEYCREATOR 3D Direct Modeling Software
Now, using the CtrMid Option, click on the
front and back vertical edges on the right end
of the part.
Then, click on the top and bottom edges on the
right end of the part.
Your screen should look like this:
Select a new construction color.
Now, click on the BACKUP Button. You are
returned to the Cylinder Dialog Box.
Type 0.060 for the Radius and hit the ENTER Key.
Using the CtrMid Option, click on the same
locations again to create cylinders that lie inside the
first ones. These are your virtual drills.
Now we created the cylinders on the end of the part since it was easy to position them
here. Our next task is to use the Xform Delta Move Function to reposition the initial
cylinders in the proper positions.
To provide vector directions, click on the CONSTRUCTION PLANE
Icon.
Then, move the cursor over the front face of the main part and click
on it when it highlights.
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KEYCREATOR 3D Direct Modeling Software
Click on the XFORM DELTA MOVE Icon.
Select the two horizontal cylinders and hit the ENTER Key.
Since the X vector points to the left, type 0.5 for the dXC
value and hit the ENTER Key three times.
This moves the two horizontal cylinders into position.
Repeat this process, selecting the two vertical cylinders and
moving them 1 inch to the left.
Your construction should now look
like this:
Now we need to duplicate the cylinder sets 6 more times, since
there are a total of 7 vertical and 7 horizontal bosses on the
part.
Click on the XFORM DELTA COPY Icon.
Select the four cylinders and hit the ENTER Key.
Type 6 for the Number of Copies.
Type 1 for dXC and hit the ENTER Key three times.
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KEYCREATOR 3D Direct Modeling Software
Your screen should look like this:
Now, click on the BOOLEAN UNION Icon.
Click on the main body. Then, click on the ALL DSP Option
and the BY TYPE Option.
Select the color that you used for the larger cylinder and hit
the ENTER Key twice.
Next, click on the BOOLEAN DIFFERENCE Icon.
Select the main body. Then, click on the ALL DSP Option and
then the ALL Option. Hit the ENTER Key.
The virtual drills (The small cylinders.) create holes at all
fourteen locations in one shot!
You can see how effective the virtual
drill approach is when you have a lot
of the same size hole to drill.
It is also useful if you have to recreate an unusual hole shape that would require several
steps with conventional operations.
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