I have a tube with a shape of some kind, and I want to carry out material removal by scanning around the neutral fiber at regular intervals. However, this is only possible if the function follows the curve, not if it remains parallel. To remedy this, we are supposed to use "offset curve" and "tangent to the curve", but in this case we need to specify a "normal to the face" (which is shown via the cylinder inscribed in a helical in many examples). In my case I don't have one, what should I do?
We can't necessarily see well, but the curve is good on three dimensions, it's a spline with rather random points. I want to repeat the removal according to the direction of the neutral fiber.
The neutral fiber and the fiber of the tube, i.e. the center of the tube. That's it O/N
Is the material removal unclogging towards the center of the tube or is it blind??? In the first case it's laser cutting, in the second it's removal by milling (although unlikely given the shape of the bent tube ;-) )
Is the removal done before bending the tube or after?
Would the removal you want to do be comparable (although very different) to portions of threads if you were doing an external thread?
Can you post your piece it will be simpler AMHA because your images are moderately understandable for me
At first reading, I wouldn't do it like that, I would use the winding function if the material removals are opening into the tube. I have an example if you want.
Normally you always have the curve that you used as a sketch to create your cable. Try to create a first removal of material around your neutral fiber and then you can use the "curve-driven repetition" function
This will allow you to repeat your material removal on a regular basis while following your curve:)
Thank you for your answers. Indeed, it is comparable to portions of nets, but parallel, without helicoids. The neutral fiber is indeed the "center" of the tube. The removal of material is obtained by revolution around this neutral fiber.
The repetition driven by a curve is precisely inefficient, it does not follow the curve as I would like it to. A single configuration gives a result, and that's not what I'm looking for. I would like the shape on the top to follow the curve, not stay parallel. Is it clearer? It seems that the "normal to the face" is usable, but in my case, it doesn't seem to me that this normal face exists. Thank you again for your quick response!
It all depends on the precision in the shape of the tube.
By precision I mean is you want to do machining once the tube has been shaped: then it requires a formidable precision. On the other hand, if you machine your material removal before the bending of your tube then you have a solution.
But maybe my colleagues will give you another solution.
Let me explain myself and what I propose
Because of a straight cylinder (your tube delivered by your supplier), then a winding with material removal; Then you use the flex function to bend your tube with the shape you want.
Thank you again, I managed to do it thanks to your advice! That being said, depending on the 3D sketches used, I very regularly get the error message "A surface that intersects could not be created", and I can't understand where it comes from, or how to set it, by geometry or by parameters of the "Warp" function.
If you use the FLEXION function as I suggested, you won't have this problem. With the bending function you can even simulate the deformation of a silent block.
