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Toy coaster track

kohinoor_basukohinoor_basu Member Posts: 6

Hi,

I am working on a toy coaster track. My first crude attempt can be seen here - https://cad.onshape.com/documents/e4d5d804d5c21cb23d8d2a9a/w/669ac9f5575bff339ebff0e7/e/9d8feefb7f146d2ae57e3498. As you see, the track gets twisted at the end of the loop. Is there a way to get this type of track done without using the complex bridging curve I have used. I am sure there is a better way of achieving this lot simpler.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kohinoor.

Comments

  • GregBrownGregBrown Member, Onshape Employees, csevp Posts: 219
    edited January 2

    Try the Lock profile direction:

  • MDesignMDesign Member Posts: 283 ✭✭✭

    you will have better luck with a loft & path with this

  • kohinoor_basukohinoor_basu Member Posts: 6

    @MDesign thanks for the tip. Loft and path is the way to go.

    Regards.

  • MDesignMDesign Member Posts: 283 ✭✭✭

    I keep seeing this as a suggestion but it seems to just keep the profile locked in space instead of normal to the curve. and creates self intersecting geometry. I think I need to find the tutorial again to study up on that if its supposed to do something different.

  • glen_dewsburyglen_dewsbury Member Posts: 835 ✭✭✭✭

    My 2c worth. I like the sweep since it only needs 1 profile sketch with lock profile direction as Greg noted.

    This one has a fairly simple pattern but I can see where complexity could build for sweep path on a busier track.

    https://cad.onshape.com/documents/4bcbae0784f02710cb82f364/w/9fe7f6cd51ebd954ff54e999/e/430b3b2778f5c934a438489f

  • MDesignMDesign Member Posts: 283 ✭✭✭

    @kohinoor_basu I've led you astray. My apologies. @glen_dewsbury has helped me see the light. Profile direction lock with the front plane as the lock was the solution. I didn't quite have a grasp on how those locks worked yet. They don't come up much in the stuff I work on. Also I see you've been playing with lofts with paths. You don't need a different loft with each segment of the path. that's a lot of extra sketches. just a profile at the start and the end. and pick all the segments in between for the path. Much like the sweep with one profile.

  • GregBrownGregBrown Member, Onshape Employees, csevp Posts: 219

    The solution is in my post at the top of this thread.

    Lock profile direction does indeed (as the name suggests) lock the profile to a given direction (e.g. a plane, a Mate connector primary axis etc etc)

    The What's New from release 1.174 (Dec 15, 2023) when we introduced these controls has a short but nice example of these.

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