[The New Steve H]

I am still trying to master this program.

Today for practice I am drawing a part for milling. It's a rectangular block with a convex arc on the back. I will attach a picture.

The block is rectangular when viewed from one side, but it is a rectangle with a convex arc on one side when viewed from another perspective. It will have holes drilled into it, perpendicular to the side opposite the arc, starting in the side opposite the arc.

Obviously, you can't mill this thing in one operation. You have to make the rectangular block, machine a couple of holes and rabbets, and then turn it on its side to machine the arc. Or you could use a ball-end mill and machine the arc from the back, with the mill pointing down toward the surface of the arc. In the attached picture, the holes would go down into the block from the horizontal line across the top.

Here is the problem: I can't turn the drawing. In other CAD programs, such as Alibre, this is simple. You click on the drawing and roll the mouse, and the part rotates in 3D. Then you do whatever you want to the surface facing you.

I can't find a way to rotate the part in Dolphin. I can only put features in it from one direction.

Can someone help me out? I'm sure Dolphin doesn't charge hundreds of dollars for a program that only works in 2D.

[The New Steve H]

Here is an Alibre screen capture, to show the kind of thing I am hoping to find in Dolphin.

Attachment 292622

[The New Steve H]

I finally realized you use PM3D to view 3D parts and export 2D surfaces from it, but I do not know how you create the 3D parts to begin with.

[The New Steve H]

.

[countryguy]

Well. As far as I know it is not a 3d cad toolset. You can do some 3d tasks which I am also trying to learn in the cam side of the product. Not sure but this vid may help?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tbkX4BJgdcw. It shows how to take the contours of a 3d part in 2d and setup the cam operations. Just a thought to pop this over to ya. CG.

[andre-dolphin]

Hello,

Have a look at the second video on this page - it should give some insights into how it works.

Dolphin PartMaster Milling - PROFESSIONAL Edition

ATB
Andre