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Case Study Gallery: Rhinoceros
Digitizing Ports in a Cylinder Head
Courtesy of Stretch Plastics
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The 2D CAD drawings generated
from the MicroScribe |
My name is Charles Crittenden and I work for Stretch Plastics. The images
on this page are some of the projects that the MicroScribe made possible.
We purchased our MicroScribe in the middle of 1997, along with a 5-axis
CNC machine and VisiCAD software.
Ports in a cylinder head are a challenge to digitize. Light and laser scanners don't work very well in holes, and CMM scanning would take several set-ups.
In addition, the raw data would need to be converted to NURBS so it could be edited. These scanning devices and software would probably cost between 25 and 60 thousand dollars, if not more.
With the MicroScribe and Rhinoceros software we were able to digitize the part in one set-up. The Section Planar Curves command in Rhino was very useful for this project. The finished design was a very editable NURBS model. It was also suitable for importing to almost any CAD/CAM software to machine the port or create a pattern for a casting.
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| Rendering of the digitized port |
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| Rendering of the digitized port |
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I used this demonstration to show Indian Motorcycle what the MicroScribe was capable of. They were so impressed that they bought one of their own!
On another project I was assigned to design a new model of a golf cart dashboard, but at the same time I needed to keep some of the features from the older version. I used the MicroScribe and Rhino to digitize a vacuum mold of the current golf car dash. I then used Rhino to model the new dash and create 3D renders for final approval.
Once approved, I imported the iges file from Rhino into VisiCAD and made the CNC file for machining the mold. The first vacuum-formed part was perfect, it fit the cart like a glove!
The MicroScribe is also great for digitizing existing parts and can aid in designing new mating parts. I use this technique for creating new accessories for existing golf cart frames. I designed a four seater flat bed and with the help of the MicroScribe I was able to locate existing holes in the golf car frame for the mounting brackets. I was also able to develop 2D CAD drawings for design and assembly instructions. I transferred them from Rhinoceros and finished them in Bobcad. This flexibility also allowed me to fit my design to over six other golf cars. |
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| The physical dashboard |
Screen shot of the dashboard in Rhino |
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| A render of the digitized dashboard |
The new golf cart frame |
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