Creating a hex nut using draft function

thomas_holford

Here is a video of a technique for creating a hex head bolt and nut in Solidworks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXwCE1P02wc

I tried applying this technique in OnShape and I can't get the draft to work. I can create the hex shaped extrusion and sketch a circle on the end face of the extrusion.  But the OnShape draft function only allows me to select the side faces of the extrusion which does not provide the desired result.

Help.  How do I make a hex nut?

Wynand_Nel

Hope this helps: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/5112a40680d94713a8e1877a/w/59a1448a39934b1980f5957c/e/800700473d974c9ba417b599

The feature tree should give a clear indication of the steps involved in creating the nut. As can be seen from the model, the nut is fully detailed with all the necessary chamfers, internal recesses, etc. since it's a production part that we run on a regular basis. A perfect real world example of the importance of detailed part modeling within Onshape. 

Narayan_K

thomas_holford, this knowledge sharing discussion may help you.

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/1190/new-video-learn-how-to-make-a-nut#latest

traveler_hauptman

That's a strange use of drafting to create the chamfers on the nut. It works but...

Onshape's features don't have a lot of the useful combined operations yet (like drafting an extrude). To replicate the above exactly you would have to combine the features manually. Extrude the circle as a solid (instead of as a cut), draft the cylinder, and then intersect it with the hex body.

If you share your model as public and post the link I'm sure people will give you a bunch of alternative approaches.

andrew_troup

I used to make nuts like this in Solidworks, because it's quicker than a revolve, but (as @traveler_hauptman  points out) it is not yet possible to extrude in Onshape with a draft angle.

It's hard to improve on the method in the "new video" linked to above, given Onshape's current feature set.

If it was possible to split a solid face, another option would be to apply draft to an outer face, on the end of the nut outboard of the circle which matches the AF dimension of the hex.
This would be vaguely similar to what you tried to do, but there's currently no simple way to split a planar face in Onshape.

andrew_troup

As a general rule it's not fruitful to try to "port across" methods optimised for Solidworks to Onshape. This is partly true for solid modelling as in this case, but especially true for putting parts together, where Onshape adopts a rather different approach. 

It's a bit like trying to translate, word for word, into a foreign language where ideas are expressed in quite different ways.

Wynand_Nel

Hope this helps: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/5112a40680d94713a8e1877a/w/59a1448a39934b1980f5957c/e/800700473d974c9ba417b599

The feature tree should give a clear indication of the steps involved in creating the nut. As can be seen from the model, the nut is fully detailed with all the necessary chamfers, internal recesses, etc. since it's a production part that we run on a regular basis. A perfect real world example of the importance of detailed part modeling within Onshape. 

thomas_holford

Wynand_Nel said:

Hope this helps: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/5112a40680d94713a8e1877a/w/59a1448a39934b1980f5957c/e/800700473d974c9ba417b599

The feature tree should give a clear indication of the steps involved in creating the nut. As can be seen from the model, the nut is fully detailed with all the necessary chamfers, internal recesses, etc. since it's a production part that we run on a regular basis. A perfect real world example of the importance of detailed part modeling within Onshape. 

Now THAT'S what I call a serious hex nut.!