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Is Onshape right for me - Steel fabricator designing with flexible dimensions like length
chris_purser
Member Posts: 2 ✭
I was wondering if you might answer a question I've had trouble getting an answer for. It might be very simple for someone with experience in Onshape and others.
I'm a fabricator. I build things from steel.
In this example, I'd like to model a part or 2 and then use them to assemble something I will then build in the real world. I'm looking to move my design process digitally.
I would like to model a single size of steel square tube and then use it in an 'assembly'(?) to design my thing. Let's call it a bookshelf.
So far, in Onshape I seem to be led down this very long and dark path of either creating many individual parts with fixed lengths that I then use in an assembly, OR at each attempt to add a part, I would need to take measurements of how long that part needed to be in the assembly and then edit the part in context, etc. It's such a long process. It would seem there should be a way to simply constrain the part to its cross section (as sketched) but then change the extrusion dimension on the fly in an assembly until (for example) it meets another part. (like at a corner)
I'm being led to believe that Onshape is not capable of this simpler way of assembling these types of parts, parts that have a flexible dimension like 'length'.
Would anyone with a bunch of experience be able to help me refine this determination so I can decide whether or not I need to just go back to [evil alternative] and learn to do it there?
I'm being led to suspect that this desire is in the realm of what "parametric modeling" is and that Onshape does not have this capability. I'm not sure.
I'm not looking for any step by step instructions or handholding here. But if someone was able to simply say "No, Onshape is not the right tool for this" or "Absolutely, Onshape IS the right tool, but look up [magic keywords here] to get what you're after" - anything simple as that would be super helpful.
I'm many hours of what may be wasted time learning a new tool that I am now finding may not work for me at all.
Thank you
Comments
I'd be curious to know who told you that OS is not parametric. It most certainly is.
Attached is a simple model to demonstrate use of a configured column that wants input for height when inserted in an assembly.
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/1968e34cd2a55fcbd15b0d8d/w/539503809272e06b14d52a40/e/72937bbcfc743447cce9037b
Single parametric column in part studio.
Many different column height from one model in the assembly.
I would also suggest looking at the "frames" tools for what you describe.
Here's a good example of a parametric design, in this case it's lumber but the process would be identical with steel profiles:
What is the evil alternative? Paper and pencil? If it works it works. Maybe it would help if you expanded on why you are seeking an alternative?
Configurations and frames are magic words as mentioned above. But you don’t even need to use the magic words. You can set up a few key dimensions like the length width and height of an assembly as variables. And then model your parts parametrically which then can be flexed with those variables. All the parts will update dimensions according to the change. This is parametric behavior I believe you are searching for.
Onshape is very parametric.
Learning is never wasted time. NEVER.