[Beezer]

I am a newb when it comes to working with Autocad in 3D. Could you explain abit how to do this? What info will I need to know about the helix to get it to turn out properly?

Thanks

[C.Michael]

The way I would do it is with the 3d slice command..Imagine a round loaf of bread that you cut at an angle twice and then remove the slice of bread that you just cut..You have to draw a 2 d drawing first to show the angle of the cut..Then when you have the slice out of there,hollow out the bread with another circle extruded thru the middle of it..Follow the idea?

[Beezer]

I will give the slice command a try but I have a feeling the edge of the slot will not be correct. The edge or wall of the slot needs to stay at a 90 deg. angle in relation to outer surface as the part is rotated in the 4th axis.

I have been playing around with extruding of a helix. Still not getting the correct twist of helix to match the cylinder diameter. Will keep plugging away at it but I have a feeling that AutoCad can't do exactly what I want easily. I may need to have someone with Solidworks give it a try.

[Kiwi]

I may need to have someone with Solidworks give it a try.

This may help. Drawn with Solidworks.
Small bridge across slot to join two halve which you may need to remove.
See attached IGS file.

[Beezer]

Kiwi...That appears to be exactly what I am trying to do. What commands or steps in Solidworks did you need to perform to accomplish that?


What I had planned on doing to get this part machined was to turn the OD to within .025"-.030" of the finished size and leave the ID .200" undersize. That way the groove could be CNC'd and still holiding the two halves together for the other machining that needed to be done later on. The last step would be to finish the bore till the parts seperated.

[Kiwi]

Kiwi...That appears to be exactly what I am trying to do. What commands or steps in Solidworks did you need to perform to accomplish that?

Beezer... Some may say I cheated because I used the sheet metal feature.
I drew it while in flat mode and rolled it up. I considered this the easiest way
The dimensions may not be correct, I took them from the DWG model.
I can alter if required and post a revised IGS file.

[Beezer]

I don't consider it cheating if it works.

Well the original way I was told how to make this part was to take the scaled template that came with the drawings. Cut it out and wrap it around the tube that had already be machine to it's proper OD and transfer the lines on the template to the tube. Then I would need to cut it out using a hacksaw.
Then file and grind the piece till the matched the outline.

So your idea to wrap the sheet into a cylinder was the correct one.

Here is the 2D drawing of the proper template. Looks pretty close to what you came up with.