I'm trying to make a small indented panel on this model based on the shape I've drawn (points highlighted):



I've tried to construct a curved shape on the surface both using the "Project" construction and by extruding the shape up and using the "Isect" construction (with the plan being to then extrude that shape slightly inward and subtract it), but both of them give me a shape that does not extrude with caps (it just exists as an outline, forming a sort of "duct" when extruded), causing the boolean operation to do nothing.


(This is the opposite direction of the way i'm trying to do it, for clarity.)

Hi Stuart

Can you post the model it makes it easier to see what the problem is. I would project the curve use the projected curve to split the surface using the trim command then extrude the surface not the curve inwards. You can then delete the top surface leaving the indentation then join it all together into a solid.

regards

Jamie

Here's the model (I added a handle since posting).

Hey stuart,
Extruding non-planar curves doesnt cap. With the setup you have there, you can run trim and select the curve and surface it's on and hit done to seperate that surface out. Then you can shell it inwards and delete the outer face of the shell and then join it back together.

So for instance you would select the surface and curve and run trim to get this:



then you can select that surface and run shell, which gives you this:



Then you can do a drill down selection on the outer surface of the shell, which is selecting the shell, then click a second toime on the surface to select it seperatly from the shell:



Then hit delete and end up with the offset to join back to the other parts of the model:

Hi stuart

Attached a model with the offset done. Also a step by step. 1 choose surface and use separate command, 2 select surface and projected line and run trim command for options press done and done this splits the surface. 3- choose the split surface and use the shell command (under the offset command) choose a thickness.
4- delete the top surface and join the rest into a solid. Then you have what is in the attached file.

regards

Jamie

Hi Burrman

Beat me to it. same method though so must be good.

Jamie

I tried using the new inset command, but to keep his original curve and the inset at the same size, I offset his trimming curve by the inset distance I was going to use. But the resulting inset didnt match the original curve, so I did the shell as jamie did. But, in the future, the new inset command can make shorter easier work of this without trying to reverse engineer the curve to work with that method.

Hi Jamie, just a quick note:


The Trim command actually has stuff built in to it to project planar cutting curves itself, so there is no need to do the projection as an extra step beforehand.

It actually makes things a bit easier for the Trim calculations if you do let Trim do the projection itself.

- Michael

Hi Stuart - it looks like both Jamie and Burr have you covered with some steps to get what you want above?

That method of trimming out a piece and then either shelling or extruding the trimmed fragment is probably the best way to do this.

Also check out these previous posts from some other illustrations on this method:

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=3024.4
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=3318.1

- Michael

As a side note, I did this too just for fun.

Select pipe.
Do a trim, selecting the panel curve as the cutting object (keeping all parts).
Delete extra panel curve at bottom.
Do an Inset on the panel (using separate height).
Boolean pieces together.

Worked fine :)

Inset command is good!