Silhouette Curve

Dean_Gardner

Is there such a way of generating a curve over a part around the perimeter outermost edge, in the current view or orthogonal view?  I need to create a split-line for a tool over a complex shape.  Other packages call this a silhouette curve.  By the way, the curve may not be planar if the thickest parts go in and out of the screen.

S1mon

There are a couple custom FeatureScripts out there that do this. They both do essentially the same thing, but the first one is newer and has a little more modern logic which will enable it to work as part of a pattern.

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2dd6d1fe1d89637ea7fc1963/v/355c002924517068fb137860/e/88ee772b21fefde5d657f2d1

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/5370e14526610dcdfe34a4a4/v/cf7da8ecbedcc162cc04499f/e/95f4e29d028812779e99a15f

Dean_Gardner

Thanks again @S1mon

kenn_sebesta167

S1mon said:

There are a couple custom FeatureScripts out there that do this. They both do essentially the same thing, but the first one is newer and has a little more modern logic which will enable it to work as part of a pattern.

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2dd6d1fe1d89637ea7fc1963/v/355c002924517068fb137860/e/88ee772b21fefde5d657f2d1

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/5370e14526610dcdfe34a4a4/v/cf7da8ecbedcc162cc04499f/e/95f4e29d028812779e99a15f

Very useful! Now, on to a silly question: how can I use those featurescripts to extract the silhouette curve as a separate entity? I have some geometrically very complex generatively designed parts, and for CAM purposes I want to use the silhouette to create a flange coming off the part. The "Silhouette Split" featurescript very nicely finds me the contour, but it leaves it as lines drawn on the existing part. The result is that it's very hard to distinguish the silhouette curve from the part curves, and even once I've figured it out it's still a lot of clicks to do next steps.

Perhaps I'm going about it the wrong way?

P.S. This might be thread-jacking, but I hope it's somewhat relevant in the sense that generating the curve is usually associated with using the curve.

S1mon

Isocline was added as a native feature June 29th.

Improvements to Onshape - June 29th, 2023 — Onshape

@kenn_sebesta167

You should check out this thread for a couple of feature scripts which will project a part onto a surface:

https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/11011/silhouette-outline

NeilCooke

Or you could just use the mold tools: https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/12724/new-custom-features-mold-design

Dean_Gardner

@NeilCooke - this is an awesome set of features, thanks!!!