3D Exercise 128
- Breno Cruz
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
In this CAD tutorial we'll use the features:
1. Extrude
As always, you start by establishing the primary bulk of the part.
Function: You sketch on a primary plane (like the Top plane) and extrude a solid cylinder or disc. This creates the foundational hub, gear blank, or carrier plate that the rest of the mechanism will be built upon.
2. Extrude Offset (Start Condition)
This is the secret weapon in this workflow. Instead of cluttering your timeline by creating a brand new Offset Plane just to draw a floating feature, you handle it all inside the Extrude menu.
Function: You draw a new 2D sketch (like a mounting pin, a clutch tooth, or a standoff) right on the flat face of your base disc. However, in the Extrude settings, you change the Start Condition (or "From" dropdown) to Offset.
The Result: You tell the software, "Start extruding this shape 15mm above the sketch, and make it 10mm thick." The feature generates floating exactly where you need it, perfectly aligned with the base sketch, without needing extra reference geometry.
3. Circular Pattern
Now that you have your single, perfectly positioned, offset feature, you multiply it.
Function: You select that offset extrusion and pattern it radially around the central axis of your base disc.
Mechanism Application: This instantly turns a single standoff into a bolt-hole circle, or a single floating tooth into a fully functional clutch engagement ring. Because the original feature was created with an offset start condition, every single patterned instance obeys that exact same floating geometry.
All dimensions are in mm/g/s/ISO
3D Sketch
Exercise 128 - 3D practice drawing for all CAD software ( AutoCAD, SolidWorks, 3DS Max, Autodesk Inventor, Fusion 360, CATIA, Creo Parametric, SolidEdge etc.)
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Tutorial In Autodesk Fusion: https://youtu.be/Yg1sLeV68iA