Alibre - A First Attempt

Nigel, I know you are not keen on videos but this is the column done as it is described in the article.

It is not so much the subject but the methods you should be concentrating on so whether it is a standard nut or a custom made part makes little difference. Maybe once you have worked through the series you could post a photo or rough pencil sketch of a part or two from your wagon that could be used as an example to walk you though.

I avoid chamfer because it can cause issues and blow up the software, the numbers/calculations do weird things that the software can't handle

Simple Papercut stuff only for beginners IMO, (and middle range dudes like me too)

I would only start chamfering once my final drawing was complete and safely saved

If I really want a "chamfer" I draw a triangle with an arc hypotenuse and extrude cut, it's far more stable

I've not found chamfer to cause any hick-ups in the 10years or so I've had Alibre. if chamfer or fillet is not going to work it tends to just show the OK tab in red.

I've just watched Jason's 'Nigel's Nuts' video through properly this time.

I think I understood what was happening... it seems that CAD is more akin to machining the part than drafting it. That kinda makes CAD a bit easier to grasp, at least for me.

Jason, what particular version of Alibre did you use on the above video... Alibre Atom 3D, Alibre Design or Alibre Workshop? I'm hoping it was Atom 3D

Thanks,

Ches

At the early stage of learning it's important to avoid unnecessary complications. The simplest way or rotating a CAD model is with a three-button mouse, where the middle button is a scroll-wheel. Much more natural than the other rotate methods, which exist for advanced purposes learners don't need, and are likely to become a toxic diversion. Avoid! Wait for the new mouse to arrive, and start by learning to use it properly. Don't drive it like a 2-button mouse - find out what middle button and scroll do. More learning.

When lessons go wrong, and they always do, it's important to go back and identify the misunderstanding. Ploughing on regardless doesn't work - faulty foundations can cause all manner of bizarre havoc later. When CAD tools stop working as normal, it's likely that the model was broken by an inexperienced operator at an earlier stage. Part of the learning is discovering what not to do! Backtrack step by step through the history until the model behaves again, and, having found where it went wrong, look closely at the faulty step - why? If necessary because small mistakes made early on are hard to find, start again from scratch. Don't try and patch a failure unless the reason is understood, a skill that has to be developed. Follow the instructions exactly, and make a note of anything suspicious in them. Instructions are hard to write, so don't be surprised if bits are missing, ambiguous or wrong.

Last point, compared with my rate of learning Nigel races ahead. Even simple tools like Sketch & Extrude take time to learn properly - perhaps a full week doing nothing else. Took me a couple of months to learn the basics before I tackled revolve-cut in FreeCAD. My secret was patience, persistence, and practising the basics until they're mastered. Don't hop around or assume completing a few exercises mean the tools used are fully understood - that's rarely true. Most exercises are designed to demonstrate principles rather than provide complete instruction, and the principle they show has to be practised in different contexts.

I found CAD like learning to ride a bike. Impossible at first to balance, steer, pedal, change gear, and work the brakes without falling off. Suddenly all comes together with a click, and away you go.

Keep trying, the start was very promising.

Dave

Jason:

Once you start doing arty-design type stuff where the edges merge and curves need adjusting it can start getting processor intensive and if it falls over it can't always undo, it just hangs. So I just stick with blockwork. It may be my crappy computer but I just got a decent 4GB graphics card and the issue remained

I'm doing an MG42 as an exercise to build my skills, the square nose part merging into the muzzle as part of the shaped sheet metalwork has given me a lot of hassle for example

ches:

You can download Alibre Design and the Atom Licence will work on it if you do buy it

I have found the Atom downloads don't actually work for me

Alibre Design seems to be the reliable workhorse core program, plus if you want to upgrade from Atom it's just a case of your $1000 key unlocking software you already know will work

Edited By Ady1 on 27/04/2023 10:48:12

Ches, I have Alibre Professional BUT all the features I used to do the nut and the scribing block column are included in Atom3D, just my icons at the top are arranged slightly differently

S.O.D is quite right. All CAD systems require persistence and considerable time in order to become to be productive. It's so tempting to give up, but the rewards far outweigh the learning time.

Personally, I found Fusion 360 easier to learn than Alibre - it just seemed more logical, but it's not a good idea to change horses in midstream.

Edited to correct a spelling error.

Edited By Gary Wooding on 27/04/2023 10:45:30

Thank you but I'm a bit confused by some comments. It was making the taper, which has to match the tapered hole in the Base I'd drawn so far, that baffled me. Not chamfers.

Also as Dave warns, I was trying to follow the instructions carefully, not trying to find other ways that might well work but only if you know what you are doing and am certain they won't cause difficulties later in the same project.

.

I think it was on the previous page but someone likens the Alibre part drawing process to the physical part making. The Tutorial introduces itself by making that point. Though sometimes I've wished I had a Putting On tool for my lathe!

'

Jason -

I've just viewed the video, noting where I had things starting to go wrong. It was around trying to select the edge for making the taper, and in building the Revolve Cut triangle.

I think I had somehow put two drawing elements on parallel but different planes, and at one stage, viewing the image from a different angle showed the triangle was really off in the wilderness.

It does help to get organised before you start. You wouldn't start drawing on a board without a reasonable idea of what you're trying to achieve and at least some of the dimensions - bore, stroke, wheel diameter, whatever - or a basic layout sketch.

I don't know if Alibre does this, but Fusion allows you to define and name parameters before you need them, or to name a dimension when you define it. The same applies to sketches and new planes/axes. I find it much easier to pick the required plane, axis or dimension from a list that includes Main Spindle Axis, Headstock Midplane or Main Bearing Diameter than pointing at the visual representation. So much so that I rarely have such construction features visible. This also makes it easier when you go back to the model later and can't remember what dimension329 refers to.

It is essential to work out why an operation didn't work as expected immediately, as it will probably spoil any subsequent work. That can be as simple as drawing the profile on the wrong face or plane, adding a diameter rather than a radius, or an inadequately defined sketch/extrude/body/component. It's one of many reasons I prefer to model parts in place, as dimensional errors are immediately apparent.

Yes, planes, axis, extrusions and other features can all be given a name that shows in the tree down the left hand side. Just right click and choose "rename"

It is a feature I seldom use.

Why not Revolve the profile of the column, including the tapered section? You could then fillet/chamfer the ends as required.

It would at least make you feel like you'd made some progress and you could then try later with the current method.

Martin.

I have Alibre Professional BUT all the features I used to do the nut and the scribing block column are included in Atom3D

Jason, thanks for that. It's reassuring, if I do take the plunge, that the basic version will be good enough to get the show on the road.

Ches.

When I first bought Alibre they did a version called "Alibre PE" which stood for Personal Edition, this was a slimmed down version much like Atom is and that served me well for several years. When I needed to update due to a computer change and going to 64bit from 32bit they did not offer Atom or PE at the time so I went with the more expensive pro but there are only a few extra bits that I sometimes use.

Ady1 - if you've had problems with particular downloads, you must have been unlucky. Hundreds of customers have successfully downloaded Atom3D. Yes you can download Alibre Expert and then enter an Atom3D licence key - BUT if you've got used to the Expert feature set during trial, you may be disappointed by Atom3D. Note also that the user interface in Atom3D is deliberately simplified to make it easier to learn.

If anyone has problems with downloading, installing, activating licence, Alibre or local reseller can and will assist.

Just tried again.

My drawing's plane indicators don't match the diagram in tutorial and I can't make them to do so.

The little boxes at the top just move the figure around. The plane selectors in Design Explorer don't seem to anything at all, as far as I can see, apart from using the little beady eyes to turn them on or off.

Even so, I can still select the edge, but the Project thing just ignores it no matter what I do.

Can you post a screen shot or photo of the screen of what does not match.

If you are having a job with using project to sketch to place that reference line then you can leave that bit out but draw your triangle at the other end and then the XY plane can be used to position the edge of the triangle using co-linear constraint which is (--)

EDIT

Just checked mine and I get exactly the same planes come up on starting a new part as they show in the series, mine is not altered from the default settings. It should look like this when the part modelling screen comes up

If it does not show the same green plane lines then click the view tab and make sure you have th etwo arrowed icons at the top right clicked as these will also toggle the planes and axis lines on and off.

Edited By JasonB on 27/04/2023 18:44:51

The MEW tutorial was produced before Alibre introduced the individual 'Eyes' (visibility icon) for each plane in the Explorer . More recent versions of Atom3D add the Eyes into the Design Explorer.

The instructions in the tutorial are still valid; BUT do NOT click on the Eye when selecting a Plane, as that will just toggle the visibility. Instead click anywhere else in the name of the plane or the planes icon to the left of the Eye. You can also select the plane by clicking on it in the 3D workspace, instead of in the Design Explorer.

Pay very close attention to which plane the instructions tell you to select.

Nigel,

I am prepared to set up my computer in Atom3D mode, and run a private screen share session to go through any aspect of the tutorial you wish, and answer any questions you might have about any aspect of working with Atom3D.

Jason - Atom3D has a much simplified set of visibility toggles in the View Tab, so screen images from Pro might confuse Nigel further.

Jason -

No, all looks fine, with that starting plane diagram and all. I've just re-opened the simple template I'd made and its planes are labelled as you have them there.: XY.

So I created the column yet again (I know its size by heart by now!) and once again tried that Project To Sketch tool, but although it did pick up the edge this time, that was it. I was left still looking down on the column from above and at an angle to the two vertical planes.

"Next" is selecting the XZ plane. It says.

I can't understand these plane controls. They turn the object in unpredictable ways, including upside down, and enlarge it several times, and I can't work out which is the right view of something that looks the same in several of them. Nor if I am looking at the right plane from the right side.

I gave up at that point.

'

I'm afraid I can't send what I'd tried doing. Although I've a vague idea how to do that now, I do not save failed work.

Would it help anyway? All the screen-shots I've ever seen can't accommodate themselves on a new screen without losing a lot of definition. Nor would it show what I'd done, or what buttons I'd pressed, only the display at the moment of capture.

.

I am losing heart rapidly. Another 3D CAD programme too difficult even at a very basic level?