Exercise 4 - Connectors

In this exercise you will use the CAD tools to create a square and a circle and then connect/trim the profiles to create the geometry shown below.

Create a new file named CONNECTORS. Set the machine type to 3 axis vertical mill and the units to mm. Enter the values below for the stock size.

Select the Geometry icon from the Top Level Palette.

The Geometry Palette will appear.

Select the Shapes icon.

The Shapes Palette will appear.

Select the Box icon from the Shapes Palette.

Enter the values below to create a square. Click on Do It.

Close the Rectangle dialog box. Your screen should look like this.

Notice that the endpoints of the lines of the square have blue points. These are connectors. Connectors allow the shape to be selected as one continuous entity later on in the machining process.

You will now add the arc to the upper-right hand corner of the square.

To do this you will create a circle and connect/trim it to the existing profile.

Select the Return icon to exit the Shapes Palette and return to the Geometry Palette.

The Geometry Palette will appear.

Click on the Circle icon in the Geometry Palette.

The Circle Palette will appear.

Select the Radius and Center Point icon.

Select the point in the upper right-hand corner of the square as shown. This will be the center point of the circle. Enter 20 for the radius and click on the Single Circle icon .

Your screen should look like the following image.

You will now connect the circle to the square. First, you must disconnect the point you used as the center point of the circle.

Select the point and click on the connect/disconnect icon in the Geometry Palette.

Your screen should look like this.

Notice that the 2 lines joined by the corner point are now disconnected and have turned yellow. You will now connect the arc to the lines.

Select the Point icon from the Geometry Palette.

Hold down the control key and select the top horizontal line of the square and the circle. Click on the single point icon.

The system will find 2 points where the line intersects the circle. A dialog box will ask you which point you want to connect. Select the point on the left and click on OK.

This will trim the line and place a blue connector point between the line and the circle.

Select the Point icon from the Geometry Palette.

Hold down the control key and select the vertical line and the circle as shown. Click on the Single Point icon.

The system will find 2 points where the line intersects the circle. A dialog box will ask you which point you want to connect. Select the bottom point and click OK.

The geometry trims and the arc is now fully connected. Your screen should look like this.

This completes the exercise. Save the file. Choose File-Save from the Main Menu.