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This type of error makes my experience of onshape incredibly frustrating

martin_dangermartin_danger Member Posts: 20

Here Onshape is able to chamfer one edge but fails to chamfer another edge that is identical to the first. Not only is the failure to chamfer illogical, the error message gives the user nothing. As a user, you are left to figure out whether it's your sketch, whether it's a bug, or maybe you clicked the wrong entity? In short, your troubleshooting options are all options. You get zero clues that might narrow down your search for the solution.

Except, there is no error. That 4th edge is able to be chamfered, without alteration. Just do it in a separate operation. When you figure this out, especially after you went searching for why the error occurred in the first place, then you have just wasted your time.

I draw a sketch that is symmetrical. The circles are symmetrical by definition. The edges in the upper half of the sketch are mirrored from the lower half. Therefore the shape I extrude should is symmetrical.

When I go to chamfer the extruded shape, I can chamfer the 3 edges. But not the 4th. Except, I can chamfer the 4th, just as long as I do it in a separate operation, proving that the chamfer tool here in this example does not work consistently. This type of illogical inconsistency is frustrating, makes me second guess myself and wastes users time.

Please Onshape, get rid of these types of errors. They occur regularly for me and turn simple tasks into frustrating wild goose chases often resulting in solutions like this one (which don't always work), or the redoing of work.

The Sketch:

The Shape:

Chamfer tool can do 3 edges:

But it can't do 4 edges and can't tell me why it can't do 4 edges:

Expect it can do that 4th edge:

Comments

  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,750

    Out of interest, if you make the V shaped faces parallel, does it still fail?

    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEA
  • GregBrownGregBrown Member, Onshape Employees, csevp Posts: 233

    Use the "Offset" measurement type

  • glen_dewsburyglen_dewsbury Member Posts: 869 ✭✭✭✭

    In addition to Greg's note, Selecting faces in this set up will also reduce the selection set. Less mouse clicks without zooming around to get back side.

  • MDesignMDesign Member Posts: 365 ✭✭✭

    tangent definitely doesn’t seem to be the right application in this case. Curious why tangent was selected?

    While it can be frustrating for a new user (no idea what your experience is…no judgement there) especially those unfamiliar with some of the terminology that is used in software….the challenging experience now will lessen the impact things like this going forward. Non manifold geometry and self intersecting geometry are foreign concepts in the beginning and trip up many for long than it probably should. Maybe a link when it occurs to an explanation would help. Same with sketch is not fully defined. A link to a thorough explanation for newbies to follow when it occurs would definitely help. Every software has its quirks and preferred way to work with it.

  • martin_dangermartin_danger Member Posts: 20

    Tangent wasn't selected as such, it was the option that the chamfer window opened with.

    How do you get to that conclusion that tangent is not the right method for this scenario? Tangent seems to work because the chamfer applies in 2 separate operations. And, very interestingly, it also works in one operation if I select more edges. With that type of feedback that I get from onshape, where in that feedback is my clue that this is the issue?

    Unconstrained sketch is not important in this case but I understand the importance of constraining sketches when you are going to adjust measurements later, or use variables etc.

  • martin_dangermartin_danger Member Posts: 20

    Yes, seems to fail using the tangent option but works as stated above by others using the offset option:

  • martin_dangermartin_danger Member Posts: 20

    Greg, what's your process to get to that answer? I ask, because from the situation that I was in, I couldn't identify anything that helped me narrow down my options. I'd love to have some idea of where to look when I encounter these situations.

    Also, any idea why it works on 2 separate operations?

  • rick_randallrick_randall Member Posts: 351 ✭✭✭

    @martin_danger - I can't swear to this, but I suspect there are issues with (id's/naming) of faces or edges - and this is causing the feature to fail (and why it works in two separate operations). Fillets and chamfers are notorious for being touchy concerning order of appearance issues. That's why they recommend doing those operations last, if possible. This is not a terribly good explanation, but I hope it helps a little

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