Extrusion won’t allow "remove material"!

[Intamin]

Hello, new to the forums, I'm taking a CAD class at the University of Florida and I must say the Pro/E portion of the curriculum needs a little revamping, to say the least! But enough about complaints, I have a problem!

I'm trying to make a removed material extrusion, and the sketch and extrusion creation portion go just fine, but when it comes to clicking that little button that flips from "add" to "remove" material, it's not clickable! It won't let me remove, only add...

I tried to remake the extrusion at least 3 times and every time it doesn't work.

I'm extruding from a self-made datum plane, but that shouldn't make a difference should it?

Thanks for any help--and expect me to be back! haha...

 

[wsylvester]

welcome...oh person in a warm climate

can you attach a screen shot?

 

[mcgowanp]

There are a few things to check. Firstly check that it is not a surface feature, on the very left of your dashboard you will see 2 icons that create either a surface or a solid protrusion. If its a surface you cant cut away in that operation.


If its a cut that your trying to add then I presume that you have at least one feature in there. Make sure that this feature is a solid and not a surface. If its a surface it has no volume and you cant cut away from that.


Hope some of this helps.


Paddy

 

[Intamin]

OK, here you go! Good luck, I have no clue what's going on...

 

[puppet]

Intamin

I would guess that your revolve is not a fully enclosed shape, resulting in a revolved surface rather than a solid. This would then not allow you to remove material.

 

[Intamin]

You know what puppet, that sounds like a very feasible guess. I'll check it out then let you guys know.

Is there a way to see if it's fully revolved or not?

 

[mcgowanp]

quick way to check is to look at the part in wireframe or hidden ine, if the part lines come up purple o magenta, then its a surface. If its the same grey as the part then its a solid.


if you want to upload the part then we might get it sorted al lot quicker for you.
Edited by: mcgowanp

 

[Intamin]

Hey, you guys rock. mcgowanp, that was it! It's purple so it's a surface...how do I get it into a solid?

EDIT: Nevermind, I added a line to make it a surface and then revolved the surface, but is there a way to edit the revolve (i.e. change it from a surface to a solid) so I don't have to make all my chamfer's and threads again?

Thanks a bunch guys.

EDIT 2: Yes! I fixed it! I've got it all settled, thanks for the help, I'm sure I'll be around.


Edited by: Intamin

 

[wsylvester]

click on feature in model tree... right click ....edit definition

 

[mcgowanp]

Hey Itamin, you can redefine a feature and change it from a solid to a surface. its actually very easy to do as the buttons are very close to each other, so its an easy mistake to make. The left icon makes your feature a solid and the right makes it a surface - see image.


Also just a pointer, I notice that on the slot that you are trying to cut out you have the rads in the sketch. I usually advise when teaching Proe that in the beginning its a good idea to keep you sketches as simple as possible and if you can, add in rouds and chamfers later on.


View attachment 3139

 

[Intamin]

That's exactly what I found out mcgowanp, thanks very much!