Automatic merge for solid modelling

[Art V]

Solidworks has a nice feature where you can automatically merge a new solid object being drawn on an existing solid object.

 

E.g. when I draw a plate with a certain thickness and then want to add a vertical plate on top of it to create a side plate then Solidworks can automatically join the two into a single solid object when you extrude the 2nd shape that is drawn on the first shape. For e.g. sheet metal parts this would eliminate the step of adding solids to each other afterwards, which can save quite a bit of time if you have to do this a lot.

 

It would be nice if VW could have such an automatic merge option.

[zoomer]

Not sure if I got the problem correct,

but I can draw a 2D object on any Solid's face (auto plane),

get the typical push pull option and when I hold ALT before

releasing it will automatically add or subtract, depending on direction

inward or outward.

 

You meant something else ?

 

 

Edited June 21, 2018 by zoomer

[Andy Broomell]

In the meantime, a workaround you may be aware of is once you've added two solids together, you can double click to go inside the Solid Addition and just keep adding solid objects there. A single Solid Addition container can actually contain numerous objects that you can continue adding to.

 

But I do see ways in which your wish is different...

[zoomer]

4 minutes ago, Andy Broomell said:

go inside the Solid Addition and just keep adding solid objects there.

 

huh, I had some very bad experiences in doing so,

meanwhile I avoid that ....

[Andy Broomell]

7 minutes ago, zoomer said:

huh, I had some very bad experiences in doing so,

meanwhile I avoid that ....

 

What sorts of things have occurred for you?

 

(I should note that it's a bit more complicated with Solid Subtractions because you could inadvertently switch which object is being subtracted, based on the stacking order of the objects.... but I've never had an issue with Solid Additions).

[Art V]

1 hour ago, zoomer said:

Not sure if I got the problem correct,

but I can draw a 2D object on any Solid's face (auto plane),

get the typical push pull option and when I hold ALT before

releasing it will automatically add or subtract, depending on direction

inward or outward.

 

You meant something else ?

 

 

This is sort of what I meant, but without having to use the ALT key. The "problem" is that if you release too soon you have to start all over again as it only seems to work upon creation of the 2D shape on the face and immediate automatic push-pull. Using it afterwards with the push-pull tool doesn't seem to work here.  With Solidworks it always works upon using the extrude command, it actually has two extrude options,  boss and cut extrudes which acts as additions and substractions, but the boss (addition) extrude has the option to either merge the solids or not. 

Edited June 21, 2018 by Art V

[zoomer]

OK, I understand.

 

I also have lots of problems with the intuitiveness and timing needed in many of VW's hidden behaviors.

[zoomer]

1 hour ago, Andy Broomell said:

 

What sorts of things have occurred for you?

 

(I should note that it's a bit more complicated with Solid Subtractions because you could inadvertently switch which object is being subtracted, based on the stacking order of the objects.... but I've never had an issue with Solid Additions).

 

 

Maybe it were Subtractions or even mixed with Add Solids, but I thought even Add Solids itself.

They looked fine in OpenGL but went nuts when RW Rendering or C4D export.

Had to rebuild all of these from scratch.

 

There were some other problems too which corrupted C4D exchange or other exports.

There was missing a Wall but I can't remember what I did to her at that time and such things ....