Plastic moulding with metal insert

[red devil]

I need to model a moulded plastic part that has a metal insert moulded within it. Does anyone have any idea how to model such a part. Do I model both parts separately and put them into an assembly? Do I model just one part that includes all the features for both parts? Is there an Advanced Assembly method to do this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


TIA


RD

 

[dr_gallup]

You need to model 2 parts and put them together in assembly. If the insert is complex you might want to do a cutout to the plastic part of the insert in the assembly.

 

[red devil]

Great, the cut-outsorted it.


Many thanks DG.

 

[design-engine]

A metal insert is your choice of words typically denotes a
ultrasonic welded metal insert with threads that goes into a boss to form a
clam shell.







I think what you are looking to do is inject plastic around
metal or how would you depict metal inside an assembly? I would use a top down approach with copy
geometry to get a surface from a location in an assembly and use that surface
to make a cut into your plastic part.





Edited by: design-engine

 

[AHA-D]

If you are in a real life situation you have no choice. You have to model the plastic part as it is and the insert as it is. They are different parts anyhow. If the insert is put in the mold before injecting then you have to use the geometry of the insert to "cut away" the material from the plastic part, since they are not overlapping. If the insert is pressed in afterwards then you have to model the plastic part so that it has excess material to let the insert "eat" his way in.


Modeling things to reflect the way (and order) they are used in reality is generally a good approach.


Alex