Best method to design fan cover/ventilation grill _ metal sheet

Roberto_Verduci

Hi,

what method could be better for designing a ventilation grill in a metale sheet (see image). In SW there is a function that simplifies the design.
All suggestions are welcome!!



Thanks

Ste_Wilson

Sketch a quarter, extrude remove,mirror, mirror? 

Then you would have control of the sizes and Spacing in one sketch.

Not sure if anyone has done a feature script for this kind of thing.

Roberto_Verduci

that's exactly what I did. I was curious to see if anyone uses an alternative method or feature script

dirk_van_der_vaart

This could be a good way.
https://learn.onshape.com/learning-paths/onshape-configurations

eric_pesty

Definitely doing a quarter is the better options.
If you want something more parametric you can also do it with patterns and variables, something like this:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/852d341b8a1b1f58da6c91d5/w/772cfdd5bc5c2d348305125c/e/59cc60c71f11ba72705e18b6?renderMode=0&tangentEdgeStyle=1&uiState=665750a68ec498535fab94bf

Here's a relevant passage in this webinar too that might be of interest: https://youtu.be/4thhe0pidKI?t=1887

And some more info on the subtleties of using variables in patterns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vVKmfVeWM

That said I thought I had seen a FS for this but I can't seem to find it...

robert_johnston

If you have a fan grill design that is used over and over, you can make a standard punch like solid block with the design, derive and transform the part into the correct location then Boolean away. Saves having to sketch and redraw every time.