Tutorials

diverse shape translation to JT or STP

9 2 Intermediate
Have found a way to import / translate easy shape files like 3ds, wrl, skp, stl, ifc and so on into JT or STP. The shape files can have texture or not. My interest was how to get the shape files with texture translated to JT. For this, I use PCon Planner and save as 3DS. After this, import it into MeshLab (single texture file / no layer) and save it as WRL (VRML 2). This is than easy to import into Teamcenter Livecyle Visualisation (TCVis) and save as JT. If you like to have more imported WRL/JT files into TCvis (JT2Go) please rename the texture or the view results in TCVis (JT2Go) are bad, looks like unplaced textures. If you like to export files with not a texture another way is to use. The fast one with no colours is to save as stl and import it into your volume modeller. The longer way is here to import it into PCon after this save as Skp (Sketchup) and now is to use Automapki (~40 $ or € / year sorry no freeware I have found) and save as STP file. The result you can now import into a volume modeller and use it there or (and) save it as JT and many other files too. Hope you like this tutorial a bit. If you have any questions please let me know.

Proper Method to Produce Lobster-back Duct Bends

3 1 Beginner
One type of industrial component I have been involved with the design and manufacture of is lobster-back bends. This type of duct bend is made up of segments cut from flat sheets or plates, rolled into cylindrical parts, then assembled. These can be light sheet-metal or manufactured from thick plate. This quick tutorial is a supplement to the one I produced an outline of a method I have used modeling this type of component using Alibre Design. As this supplement concerns producing parts ready for manufacture and applies to whatever software you have used, that is not important as this short tutorial is to outline turning your modeled bend into the flat profile ready to be made into the completed bend. In this modern world, the bend parts will be cut out using CNC laser, or CNC Plasma cutting machines. Sometimes we produce the nc programs ourselves or we are required to produce the correct files for the laser / plasma department to program and cut out. Making the program to cut out the parts starts normally from a 2D dxf file at a scale of 1 : 1. This is the first part of the process that has to be correct. If you produce this dxf incorrectly the finished parts will be useless. Producing this at the right scale, 1 : 1 is different with different 3D cad applications, other problems can be caused by you working in different drawing units. If you are not doing the program, talk to the person who is to make sure you produce the dxf as required. Having a large quantity of wrongly cut parts is not a good thing

3D Printable Threads in Alibre Atom 3D and Design Professional

2 0 Intermediate
In this tutorial you will see how to create fully formed threads for 3D printing in Alibre Atom 3D and Design Professional. If you watch it in YouTube you will also see the cards points to the video that shows the process for Alibre Design Expert.

Robocon

2 1 Beginner
number-1

Parametric Arty Glass Model

2 1 Beginner
A recent question asked on GrabCad is the inspiration for this quick tutorial. A Grabcad member. His task is tp produce a model of a existing glass tumbler. The basic model consists of two triangular profiles, the base profile separated from the top profile and rotated 180 deg. from the base profile. If you have the original in front of you it is possible to take a few measurements, but a big part of getting the final that you are happy with will probably involve a bit of tweaking to get something that looks right. This concept can be expanded as by building a good robust model, by adjusting values in the function editor, one of the many useful tools available in Alibre Design software, many different versions can be produced with little effort. Alibre Design is great product available for a price well bellow more fancied products like Solid Works and Inventor. For small time use Solid Works and Inventor are too expensive for the possibility of paying there way, which is why there are many pirated copies being used commercially. Alibre Design enables me to own an excellent tool that has paid its way.

Lobsterback Duct Bends Sheetmetal Method

1 0 Beginner
This is the method I use to construct lobster back bends with sheet metal tools that I can produce flat patterns from, These flat patterns can then be used to produce files for CNC profile cutting machines. I have come across other ways of doing this using surfaces, thickened and turned into sheet metal parts. The software I am using is Alibre Design. As the version I have is low on surfacing tools I have found this a good way to model lobster back bends, which I have been involved with the design and manufacture for many years.

Variable Geometry Patterns

1 0 Intermediate
Two way to create geometry patterns where every instance has a different geometry. And both ways can do it in a parametrically controlled way.

Parametric Multitasking: Global Parameters in Alilbre!

1 0 Expert
How to use Global Parameters in Alibre!

Exhaust Manifold in ALibre!

1 0 Intermediate
In this video I show how to design an Exhaust Manifold in Alibre based on a drawing that came up in a question in the Alibre Forums. Enjoy!