Extrude in non-normal direction - workaround.

romeograham

Anyone that is coming from SolidWorks may be used to using the "extrude direction" capability in Extrude features: you can select a direction that is not normal to the sketch's plane for the extrude. 

I was trying to figure out how to do this in Onshape (but there isn't that exact feature).

I stumbled on a work-around, using a temporary body / sketch.

Turns out that an extrude feature will go in the direction normal to the first sketch / face selected. Then you can select a different sketch / face, and it will be extruded in the same direction as the normal of the first sketch:


Sketch 4 (on my "Line of Draw" plane) is selected first. Then Sketch 3 is selected. This is the body that I really want in my model. You can see the body extruded from Sketch 3 goes in the direction I'd like, but originates from a different plane.

This could save using a sweep or other combination of features to achieve the correct geometry. Combined with a draft in the Extrude, it reduces the number of features required for some types of geometry where the Line of Draw is not necessarily normal to planes / faces in the model.

For the extra seed extruded body, you would have to delete it after this feature. For Subtract or Intersect extrudes, the "seed" body is not created, and doesn't have to be eliminated after you're done.

Does anyone have a FeatureScript that allows an "extrude in direction" option?

I created an IR a while ago, but now can't find it....

Thanks
Romeo

lana

Please try this one https://cad.onshape.com/documents/95b6b10616fa81d9419fcdd2/w/cc24386f808341a7df6eaf67/e/431b4ee0027a693d94189360

romeograham

@lana
That's perfect! works just like I hoped.

Why oh why is not part of the default Extrude command?

Thanks!

MBartlett21

@romeo_graham392
You can also use this feature (It has a thin-feature option as well)
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/24819ddab7dc83c810eb8246

romeograham

Thanks @MBartlett21. That's a great FS too!

Jake_Rosenfeld

@romeo_graham392

To answer your question, we are always fighting an uphill battle of simplicity vs. robustness.  We haven't heard a lot of people asking for extrude direction selection, so it's not worth making the extrude command more complicated for a use case that people haven't expressed interest in.

wouter_visser

Strange that people haven't expressed interest - it's a killer feature for designing injection molded products. When adding a feature on a part that has to be injection-molded, it's really convenient to extrude it in the open/close-direction, which often is not normal to the part surface.

MBartlett21

@Jake_Rosenfeld
If a direction selection is added to the extrude command, will we then be able to select non-planar faces to extrude and non-sketch edges?

elif

All this can be achieved by sweep, all you need is a linear edge as the path which will act like the direction+length of extrude. 

romeograham

One of the advantages "Extrude in Direction" is the ability to add draft as part of the extrude feature. While not useful in every situation - sometimes building the draft in is handy.
A sweep wouldn't be able to do that without a separate feature.

elif

Agreed.

bruce_williams

I use @MBartlett21 ExtrudeInDirection all the time. Thanks Morgan!  You can just pick a face, plane, or edge for direction.

here is the closest IR I found - please vote!

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/95b6b10616fa81d9419fcdd2/v/5e7ee41b4f8366b40b835f1b/e/c29448656f30372b1d04a5f7

brucebartlett

I've always wanted this in Onshape, it was a great tool to use in SW. I often think I wish I could just select and face and define a direction up to another face. 

ryan_mcgoldrick47

bumping this, saves a lot of time and unrequired sketches.

Jake_Rosenfeld

Voting on this IR is the best way to make your voice heard on this:
https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/11235/option-to-extrude-along-vector

ryan_mcgoldrick47

done

brucebartlett

done, looking forward to this. 

erik_st_gelais

I'm brand new to OnShape and I'm already looking for this feature. My very first drawing, designing a step stool. I see the above comment regarding simplicity vs robustness, and I certainly appreciate how easy it is to learn the basics. That said, the workaround that will be least complicated is still more tedious than I think it needs to me (and I can't get the sweep function to work in my favour here). Hope to see this feature sometime soon!

brucebartlett

erik_st_gelais said:

I'm brand new to OnShape and I'm already looking for this feature. My very first drawing, designing a step stool. I see the above comment regarding simplicity vs robustness, and I certainly appreciate how easy it is to learn the basics. That said, the workaround that will be least complicated is still more tedious than I think it needs to me (and I can't get the sweep function to work in my favour here). Hope to see this feature sometime soon!

I am still missing this.  Make sure you vote to get this included.