Plastic Part Design Series Episode 5 - Laying Out a Complex Base Surface

[@scottsherrard]

Why have I never heard that I can create a user parameter that way? Seems intuitive but I’ve always added them first and therefor don’t use them as often as I should. Great tip

[@usamahibrahim2201]

ahh great, I always look for this type of series

[@Pocketninjanight]

I’ve learned to design a frame to hold electronics, battery, USB ports, etc in place and adding plenty of room for screw bosses before designing the enclosure.

[@LearnEverythingAboutDesign]

Hey Phil, interesting approach. When you are done is that frame integrated into the housing? Or are you saying you build them as a separate part? If so what does the assembly look like? I have always designed the electronics in place, made the housing around and then the attachment points from there.

[@RawBeeCG]

Nice series of videos. One suggestion. Instead of creating a solid (Body10) for the base rectangular shape, create a surface extrusion and add fillet as you've done. Use the surface to trim the curved surface. Same result but with fewer features to get there and nothing to remove. Fewer features that might fail if changed.

[@LearnEverythingAboutDesign]

Thanks RawBeeCG, I do agree that I could have used a surface extrude and then added the fillets. That flat solid face actually comes into play a little later. When I went through this is was "first time" designing this housing so I was making those decisions on the fly and exploring options you might have. If going in you know that the edge of the base is going to be extruded upwards with a taper then 100% agree you could create the swept base, extrude it up then fillet those vertical edges and the intersecting edges. When I started my intent was to do it with solid bodies and the shell it but I pivoted in this video to using surface tools.