Quote:
Originally Posted by Jared
I start with a layout sketch of center to center distances, and use it to make a second sketch with outlines for bolt holes and bearings. Next, I draw in the webs as just single lines, usually between the center of two circles. I use the offset tool to create the outline of the webs. In the same sketch, I also draw the outline of the gearbox and use the offset tool again to give it thickness. Finally, I fillet and mirror everything. How else are people doing it? I really like the method described in the video.
Here's an example of my normal approach:
http://imgur.com/a/gXYzS |
I've pretty much always done it in a way similar to the video, though I was way worse at it before 973 RAMP came out (thanks Adam!). To me, pocketing is an extra. You make the robot unpocketed and then when you're done, you reduce weight if you have extra design and machining time. If we desperately needed to pocket to make weight, we made a robot that was too complex or we "brute forced" our way through a design problem by throwing way too much material at it. We also sometimes build parts on our practice robots unpocketed and pocket for our competition robot (though this is not really a good idea and has major flaws as a design methodology).
The best part about pocketing last is that if you do it and then you indeed do have to change something, you don't have to practically start the whole design all over again. You just suppress / delete the pocketing, make your changes to the original layout sketch, then redo the pocketing in a new feature. Sometimes you don't even have to redo it.