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1A: Onshape Fundamentals

Exercise #3: Box Tube Frame

For this exercise, you will create a simple frame and two gussets in the part studio, then create an assembly and mate together all the components.

Featurescripts

You will utilize the Extrude Individual, Tube Converter, and Gusset Featurescripts for this exercise.

  • The Gusset Featurescript is an easy way to create simple gussets by selecting the locations of the holes the gusset should attach to.
    • Usually you will want to manually sketch a gusset because you want more control over the shape of it, a more complex shape, or to make it more parametric.
    • Using the holes of tubes created by tube converter can cause sketches and features to break when the length of the tube changes

Instructions

Navigate to the "Exercise #3 Structure" part studio tab in your copied document and follow the instructions in the slides to complete the exercise.

0. Final assembly.
1. Start by sketching the tubes on the right plane.
2. Use the Extrude Individual Featurescript to extrude the blocks.
3. Use Tube Converter Featurescript to turn the blocks into 1/16" wall tubes with a 0.5" spacing pattern of 0.196" holes.
4. Use the Gusset tool to create the top gusset by selecting the holes on the tube.
5. Use the Gusset tool to create the bottom gusset by selecting the holes on the tube.
6. Name the key sketches and parts. The materials will have already been set to 6061 Aluminum from the Featurescripts.
7. Insert the parts into the assembly by directly clicking on the green checkmark. Then, Group all the parts together. Finally, fix the bottom tube in place.
8. Copy and paste the gussets four times. Then, use the Fasten mate to attach the gussets to the tube.
9. Some gussets may need to have their Fasten mate reoriented in order to properly line up.
10. Finished assembly.

Verification

Make sure to have you and/or a more experienced member/mentor of your team review your CAD! Your assembly should have 12 instances and weigh approximately 1.95 lbs.

In this exercise, you were introduced to yet another highly useful Featurescript for creating gussets. Additionally, notice that we only model 1 of each type of gusset in the part studio. For the tubes, we choose to model all of the tubes even though the two vertical tubes are the same - this is to make assembly more parametric since the tube would otherwise be difficult to mate.

It should be noted that while fixing the tube is not considered an assembly best practice for setting the origin of an assembly, it is sufficient for the purposes of these exercises.