Hi Burr,

> Could be poosible to have a "checked" type dropdown you
> would find in a Menu option where multiple items could
> be checked.

Might be a possibility for the future... The dropdown that is being used there currently though happens to be a kind that can only contain text though.

I think it sounds like having one more item that did constant distance but with a circular cross-section would be useful though, is that correct?

- Michael

For me having the additonal option would be good. Having it combine with other functions like the G's Is beyond me a bit, I only commented on it because you had mentioned it.

Thanks.

Hi Burr & Danny - I've got constant distance hooked up for the next beta now, this is what it looks like:



Does that seem ok?

It is kind of nice how it keeps the overall size of the fillet more controlled when things meet at different angles, rather than the regular rolling ball method.

- Michael

Welding kingdom !

I feel like I've got the power!

Moooah ahahahahahaha!!!!

Thanks,
Burr

Is it easy enough to explain the "Rolling Ball Method" so I understand better what I'm looking at?

It looks like you have to be able to roll a ball that is the radius selected around the area to be filleted. So in that angle selection of your animation the ball has to roll farther away from the edge to go under the truss bar??? Is this it?

Hi Burr,

> I feel like I've got the power!
>
> Moooah ahahahahahaha!!!!

Well, not until the next beta is released.... Until then only I have the power. Bwahahahahaha! ;)

re: rolling ball, yeah I think you've got it - the rolling ball method is literally like taking a ball bearing and rolling it around the pieces to be filleted, the fillet is like a kind of trail left by it.

That method keeps the radius constant (the ball bearing does not change size), but if you go to a narrow angle, the ball bearing will move out a ways because it does not shrink in size... The radius stays the same but the arcs get a larger "subtended angle" - they are larger portions of that same radius circle.

- Michael

Foiled again! I'll get you and your little statue. :)

Hi Michael,

> Does that seem ok?

Nah! hate it, it's another option I have to think about ;)

It's like you have these features stashed away and when someone asks, hey presto! just whipped this up for ya over a coffee :)
As I said previously, it's nice to have as many styling options for design as possible.

BTW I consider you more of a magician than a mad scientist.

Thanks for this

Very handy feature Michael, thank you :)

Michael,

The constant fillet looks great, this will come in handy. Also I like the way you listed the drop down order as Danny suggested.

- David

Chiming in kind of late, would it be better to have a set of radio buttons under circular (and probably the G1, G2, etc.) modes? Given that this is a modification of a circular fillet, it seems more like a separate thing, like the profile variations on sweep. And for a name for the two modes, "constant radius" and "constant arc distance" come to mind.

Yes this constant option seems handy :)

Very useful indeed and a welcome addition to the MoI toolbox.
Waiting for variable fillets now... :-)

Am I fooling myself to think this is a representation of a variable fillet? I've been thinking that if I can draw the curves of the fillet I want then blend can give the surface, but maybe not understanding blend, the surface created may not represent what a variable fillet would give.

Any input.

Thanks

Hi Dymaxion,

> Chiming in kind of late, would it be better to have a set
> of radio buttons under circular (and probably the G1, G2,
> etc.) modes? Given that this is a modification of a circular
> fillet, it seems more like a separate thing, like the profile
> variations on sweep

Yeah, it is actually a kind of modification of circular.

But I'm not too thrilled with expanding the UI with a whole lot of additional buttons, all to control something which may never even be needed (Constant distance with blend shape).

Let me know later on if you run into a situation where you are wishing you had that combination.

By using the method I showed above, it lets me add in this option but with a very minimal impact to the existing UI, which is always something that I am looking out for.

Also it does alter the overall shape of the fillet as well (see in previous screencap) so it does not seem totally out of place under that Shape: option.


Basically if there is a way to add something with only a minimal (or ideally no) increase in complexity to the current UI, that is the kind of thing that I will bump up to a high priority and do some work much more quickly to add that.

- Michael

Hi Burr,

> Am I fooling myself to think this is a representation
> of a variable fillet?

Yeah actually technically it is a kind of variable radius fillet, since the radius is not fixed and varies throughout the length of the fillet.

But normally "variable radius fillet" means something else, which is a fillet where you have more manual control over setting specific radius values at different spots along the fillet.

The "Constant distance" method automatically varies the radius to fit that single distance value (where the distance is a chord of the arc - the chord plus tangent conditions will determine the radius), it doesn't let you control the radius manually.

- Michael

> But I'm not too thrilled with expanding the UI with a whole lot of additional buttons,
> all to control something which may never even be needed (Constant distance with
> blend shape).

Sure, that makes a lot of sense. I mentioned it mostly because it wasn't clear if a more complex UI with a simpler mapping to how people might understand the problem would be a tradeoff in the right direction or not, here. I'll try to remember if I find myself wanting the more complex versions.

/Ella

I just wanted to follow up here for any of the CNC guy's who may have looked at this.

THe answer was "not possible with the type of machine and tooling we have. Here's a quote from an experienced machinist that was working with me on this:

"there is no way to produce this part with a corner rounding endmill. Like he stated in his recent post, there is no way to have the tangency point be correct all the way around the circle/oval. Even with two tool paths, it won’t work, due to the ever changing radial drop caused by the cylinder and the perpendicular hole through the middle of the part, the radius would only be tangent to one surface at a time, except for the 0 and 180 degree positions in a quadrant.
Even though a corner rounding endmill has a one to two degree lead in/lead out for the radius, there is no way to properly follow the hole and radial drop on the cylinder od without losing tangency of one or the other. Like he said, even if you could “match” two paths to produce the tangent points, the radius would not be correct. It would change size in each quadrant. It would start the correct size then decrease as it move to the 90 degree position on the quadrant, then start to increase again as it move to the 180 degree position. With that being said, it would produce more of an oval than a true radius. "

Tech Talk!!!!

The only thing I have left to wonder is if a "True 4th axis software" (Something I dont have yet) and cutting a "Specialty tool", Can I make it work.

The answer and followup to this is not for the MoI forum though.

Thanks Michael! I've added "Subtended angle" and "Rolling Ball Fillet" to my knowledgebase!

Someone have 13 axes ! :) Maybe it's not CNC :D
http://www.edgb2b.com/GS_Technologies-6832-noprofil-2002582-73775-0-1-1-fr-societe.html
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