Welcome to the Onshape forum! Ask questions and join in the discussions about everything Onshape.

First time visiting? Here are some places to start:

Looking for a certain topic? Check out the categories filter or use Search (upper right).
Need support? Ask a question to our Community Support category.
Please submit support tickets for bugs but you can request improvements in the Product Feedback category.
Be respectful, on topic and if you see a problem, Flag it.

If you would like to contact our Community Manager personally, feel free to send a private message or an email.

Best Of

Re: ZigZag loft (for lack or a better word/term)

Something like this?
I used the "connections" option in the loft tool

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/aa4b2868e13e6d573665fb62/w/47a3ee0dec1feaa2fb884126/e/62055eda4ee0487d189e5e7a

If you need more control, you could start with a block and cut one groove using a sweep (maybe along a helix or something) and then circular pattern the groove.

eric_pesty

Re: ZigZag loft (for lack or a better word/term)

I interpreted it to mean something like this… but with all surfaces zig zagged. If you twist this too far it becomes problematic with self interecting body. This example was only twisted 45°

MDesign

Re: CAM for sheet goods/routers, what do you want?

My guess is CAM Studio is more like Fusion in that it's great for metal machining and fixtured parts. Fabber is much more geared towards flat/nested parts. Think plywood, plasma cutters, water jets, etc.

eric_schimelpfenig

menu on android

Hello everyone,
pretty new to ONSHAPE and trying to get used to the Android app concept.
Is there a way to change the top toolbar in the android app for tablets?
The bar is empty except for the two buttons, and it's annoying to go in there every time just to measure.
maybe its possible to add a tool to favorites so it will always appear?

In addition, does anyone know if it is possible to set an action for the button on the S-PEN, or its too much to ask for?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5022071/uploads/editor/wo/69afyb7seoxb.jpeg

ido_ganel

Feature request: Filled toolbar on Android

Would be super useful to have and the toolbar is empty now anyways. Ideally the toolbar would be customizable, but I would already be happy if line, circle, rectangle and dimension are permanently there😂

stefan_rodenburg

CAM for sheet goods/routers, what do you want?

Onshapers!

As you all know right now to nest/machine an Ohshape model like cabinets, sheet goods, sheet metal, etc you have to get your model out of Onshape and use a 3rd party CAM tool. If you could imagine your ideal CAM utility for Onshape what would it look like? What are some must haves, if you use another CAM tool for this sort of thing now what do you like about it, and what do you dislike about it.

Below are 3 examples of different CAD>CAM tools nesting and toolpathing complex models for sheet goods. I have my own opinions and thoughts on these, but I'm interested in hearing yours!

SketchUp/Fabber

https://youtu.be/ug3TvrJtVLQ

Fusion 360

https://youtu.be/UH3RhTTp30k

Mastercam:

https://youtu.be/ne-ZAe9GGsk

@bryan_lagrange @MichaelPascoe I know you've weighed in on other discussion threads but I'd be interested in hearing you chime in here if you can spare the time.

eric_schimelpfenig

Re: Recommend a CNC selection

Here is a custom feature that @jeff_brown304 made that will generate g-code directly within Onshape!
https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/20285/introducing-camel-cam…

And Onshape will be releasing their CAM Studio in the future, should be soon now. However this will only be for pro users I think? Can't remember.

MichaelPascoe

Re: How to sweep a profile along a curve and maintain its orientation with respect to one plane?

Okay, I have worked a little more on it. For anyone else trying to create a marble works it seems like the actual best approach is to do two sweeps, one after the other.

The first sweep will create a surface along which the track can run. This sweep uses lock profile direction with the top plane as the direction. This ensures that at each point the line on the surface perpendicular to the curve is also parallel to the top plane.

The second sweep creates the solid. This is created using the desired marble carrier profile. With this sweep, you lock the profile face to the surface you just created.

The benefit of this approach is that at each point along the curve, in the plane perpendicular to the curve, the cross section of the sweep has the same profile as it does in the original sketch. (If we were to do this step first with lock profile direction, then the cross section of the vertical plane that is perpendicular to the curve in xy would have this property, which in the case of extreme curvature could distort the actual cross section along the direction of marble travel).

Now, I don't know how well this would work for really sharp curves — but I'm not sure Onshape could really help with that because the calculating where the marble will be on the track is a physics question, not a shape question. I think for reasonable shapes the approach described here will be adequate.