Creating bolt patterns and flanges and scaling

[Fastyankee]

I build a lot of off road parts were I need to create bolt patterns on mounting plates. I also create a lot of tabs shock mounts and the such.
I’m interested in knowing what techniques some of you use to creat simple bolt patterns both on circle and square mounts and flanges.
Dave hopefully you will chime in on this :0) I’m use to creating these with an array tool.

I’m also interesting to know if there is a way to scale parts to different sizes. Such as say a fixture table were I have several .645 holes in a plate that’s 2x2 and I want to make the same plate in 4x8 but want to keep the same .645 holes. If I simply just use select all and enlarge the plate it will enlarge the wholes as well.If I use a scaling tool it will rescale the object with out effecting the hole size. Just not sure how to do scaling in Inkscape.

[adbuch]

I'm not a big fan of the Inkscape "array tool" for precision drawing. I would personally just draw them from scratch if I had to.
David

[adbuch]

Fusion 360 is free and a much better tool to use for creating bolt circles, etc. The fact that it is a parametric modeling program makes it super simple and quick to go back and make changes to bolt hole sizes, bolt circle size, number of bolt holes, etc. Draw in Fusion 360, save the dxf, and import to Inkscape for further incorporation into your design.

David

[adbuch]

I generally use manual scaling with Inkscape.
David

[martyy]

I see you have sheetcam, it has some built in shape libraries you can manipulate. Screenshot is just and example of some.

Screenshot 2024-07-10 083059.png (34.13 KiB) Viewed 2165 times

Screenshot 2024-07-10 083059.png (34.13 KiB) Viewed 2165 times

[tcaudle]

In Inkscape if you know the bolt hole diameter and the number of holes its pretty easy. . Draw a circle the exact diameter of the Bolt holediameter
First a little geometry: The angles between holes = 360/number of holes. So a 5 hole patter = 72 (degs) Each hole is 72degs from the adjacent hole
Drag a vertical Guideline from the left ruler bar and snap it to the center of the bolt hole circle. It Wil be at 0 degs and 180 on the circle.

Make sure that Center object snap is turn on in the Snap menu. Draw a bolt hole of the correct diamter.. Place it on the circle at zero degrees.

Here is the magic:

select the Guideline (double click when you hover over it and it turns red) YOu will get a menu

GuideLine72.png (17.16 KiB) Viewed 2157 times

GuideLine72.png (17.16 KiB) Viewed 2157 times

Make sure the Relative box is selected and set the angle to 72.00 degrees and click DUPLICATE. That will place another guide line at 72 degs from the first one. You can Duplicate (Ctrl-D) that hole at zero and drag it to snap at the bolt cirlse and the 72 guideline.

Now, select the new guidline (the one at 72 degs) and set the Replicate to 72 degs again and DUPLICATE THAT guideline . it puts a guideline at 144 degs . Add the bolt hole and do it again using the 144 deg guideline as the base to duplicate from..

YOu end up with t bolt holes. You can delete the guide lines if you want.Its a good idea to select all the 5 bolt hole and Group (Ctrl-G) them together . Now you can choose to move or rotate them around the bolt hole circle as you desire. When you select a group of objects it automatically finds the centre of the group and rotate rotates around that centrer point. It will also snap to any object or guideline(s) using that center point.


IF you save the SVG file with the Guidlines and circles and you need another 5 bolt hole pattern you can simple select he bolt hole circle change the XY dimensions and move the holes out to the new intersection of the 72 deg offset guidelines and save that as a new SVG.

Learning to use Guidelines in Inkscape is a primary skill that will take a lot of frustration out of drawing shapes .

[tcaudle]

The Patterns in ShettCAM are pretty handy as well. You just cant go back to a drawing file from the contours in SheetCAM.

[tcaudle]

Here is the basic Inkscape drawing.

5holeBoltHole.png (53.95 KiB) Viewed 2154 times

5holeBoltHole.png (53.95 KiB) Viewed 2154 times

[acourtjester]

You can also use the Path Effects operation, there are many videos showing how to use it. I used it to make a flap disc for sanding on my 2X72 grinder made the DXF file in Inkscape using path effects. Little CNC router work, slam dunk

[adbuch]

You can also use the Path Effects operation, there are many videos showing how to use it. I used it to make a flap disc for sanding on my 2X72 grinder made the DXF file in Inkscape using path effects. Little CNC router work, slam dunk
path effects.JPG
patheffects 2.JPG
DSCN0530.JPG
FHD0021.JPG

[adbuch]

In Inkscape if you know the bolt hole diameter and the number of holes its pretty easy. . Draw a circle the exact diameter of the Bolt holediameter
First a little geometry: The angles between holes = 360/number of holes. So a 5 hole patter = 72 (degs) Each hole is 72degs from the adjacent hole
Drag a vertical Guideline from the left ruler bar and snap it to the center of the bolt hole circle. It Wil be at 0 degs and 180 on the circle.

Make sure that Center object snap is turn on in the Snap menu. Draw a bolt hole of the correct diamter.. Place it on the circle at zero degrees.

Here is the magic:

select the Guideline (double click when you hover over it and it turns red) YOu will get a menu

GuideLine72.png


Make sure the Relative box is selected and set the angle to 72.00 degrees and click DUPLICATE. That will place another guide line at 72 degs from the first one. You can Duplicate (Ctrl-D) that hole at zero and drag it to snap at the bolt cirlse and the 72 guideline.

Now, select the new guidline (the one at 72 degs) and set the Replicate to 72 degs again and DUPLICATE THAT guideline . it puts a guideline at 144 degs . Add the bolt hole and do it again using the 144 deg guideline as the base to duplicate from..

YOu end up with t bolt holes. You can delete the guide lines if you want.Its a good idea to select all the 5 bolt hole and Group (Ctrl-G) them together . Now you can choose to move or rotate them around the bolt hole circle as you desire. When you select a group of objects it automatically finds the centre of the group and rotate rotates around that centrer point. It will also snap to any object or guideline(s) using that center point.


IF you save the SVG file with the Guidlines and circles and you need another 5 bolt hole pattern you can simple select he bolt hole circle change the XY dimensions and move the holes out to the new intersection of the 72 deg offset guidelines and save that as a new SVG.

Learning to use Guidelines in Inkscape is a primary skill that will take a lot of frustration out of drawing shapes .

Tom - thanks for that great tutorial. I have not used Guidelines before - but I will give it a try and report back.

David

[adbuch]

I see you have sheetcam, it has some built in shape libraries you can manipulate. Screenshot is just and example of some.
Screenshot 2024-07-10 083059.png

Martyy - thanks for that tip! I do have SheetCam and have not used the shapes library before. I will try it out and report back.

Thanks,
David

[adbuch]

Here is the basic Inkscape drawing.

5holeBoltHole.png

[adbuch]

I see you have sheetcam, it has some built in shape libraries you can manipulate. Screenshot is just and example of some.
Screenshot 2024-07-10 083059.png

I found the shape library, and tried to add a new shape to an existing part as Les says is the way to do it. When I created the tool paths, it only created a cut path for the added shape, but not the original part. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
David

[acourtjester]

One thing for sure is the knowledge base on PS is great, simply ask a question and members will give you answers and tutorials.

[tcaudle]

I took 3 years of Drafing and Desing in High School . It was LONG before small computers or Al invented the Internet. They gave us:
1. Wood drafting board
2. One T-Square
3. Two Plastic Ti angles , One 30/60 , one 45/45
4. One set dividers and compass (two sizes)
5 One 3 sided Scale to measure with
6 One French Curve Template
We had to furnish drafting pencils , leads and erasers.

We learned to draw everything with just those tools. You used "Construction Lines " (same as Guidelines) drawing lightly in pencil.
To set a circle you measured off a starting point , drew a Vertical Construction Line and Horizontal Construction line in the center point of the circle and you set you compass to the radius of the circle and drew it using the center point. We learned to "Letter" drawings using three parallel lines upper and lower for capitals and mid line and lower for small letters. Everything had to be perfect. We were graded on our lettering and neatness and accuracy.. To this day I draw numbers like I was taught in drafting class. My senior year my semester project was an isometric (kinda like 3D) cut away view of a small table saw. In those days "Draftsman " was a skilled job title. Two of my class buddies worked their way though college as Draftsmen at machine shops. I learned how to fix TV's and radios as I went though college .

Those basics have helped me in using CAD , Drawing and CAM tools. As a kid I played with "maze" drawings that forced you to find a complex path though a maze to complete the puzzle. That helps to this day with doing PCB layout .

Most high schools now have stopped teaching any "trades" Its unfortunate because so many college courses are not worth a warm bucket of spit for earning a living or getting though life.

Anyway , Guidelines come natural to me for mechanical drawing. Snap is another great tool .

Most of my generation can barely dial a smart phone. I was lucky and as an Engineer ended up in the computer industry in the magic of the Personal PC (1980's) .

[martyy]

I see you have sheetcam, it has some built in shape libraries you can manipulate. Screenshot is just and example of some.
Screenshot 2024-07-10 083059.png

I found the shape library, and tried to add a new shape to an existing part as Les says is the way to do it. When I created the tool paths, it only created a cut path for the added shape, but not the original part. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
David

Did it put it as another layer?

[adbuch]

Did it put it as another layer?

Yes. I did get the adding shapes feature to work for me and I get the basic idea. For me personally - I would probably create whatever I needed in Inkscape or a separate drawing program, and then import to Sheetcam for processing. Thanks for your suggestion!!

David

[TJS]

This is a great thread. Albeit it will take some study and trial in inkscape. This should be a sticky.

[cutnweld]

I use array function in turbocad, works well and is easy to do. Also Plasmac has conversational that you can draw up and cut parts right at the table in a matter of moments. Bolt patterns, flanges, radius edges and the works right in your control software.

[SegoMan DeSigns]

I use array function in turbocad, works well and is easy to do. Also Plasmac has conversational that you can draw up and cut parts right at the table in a matter of moments. Bolt patterns, flanges, radius edges and the works right in your control software.

Basic shapes library are handy for that, my plasma controller has no computer so I leave the CAD / CAM computer in the office for cleanliness and do a lot of footwork in between the two. For drawing software I use CD 16, I like it as it has the drivers for my vinyl cutter so I don't have to use 2 programs and deal with separate file types. CAM software is SheetCam.

[martyy]

Did it put it as another layer?

Yes. I did get the adding shapes feature to work for me and I get the basic idea. For me personally - I would probably create whatever I needed in Inkscape or a separate drawing program, and then import to Sheetcam for processing. Thanks for your suggestion!!

David

No problem. Just sharing another way to skin a cat. One of the definite drawbacks, is you only get the tap files. No svg or dxf to edit in future (without jumping through hoops)

[adbuch]

I use array function in turbocad, works well and is easy to do. Also Plasmac has conversational that you can draw up and cut parts right at the table in a matter of moments. Bolt patterns, flanges, radius edges and the works right in your control software.

Plasmacam Design Edge also has what you might call a "conversational" shape tool which allows drawing bolt circles, flanges, and many other shapes right at the table for cutting. So draw it on the screen and cut it - simple as that.

David

[adbuch]

Plasmacam Design Edge also has an Array tool which is just as quick and easy to use.

David

[adbuch]

Here is the basic Inkscape drawing.

5holeBoltHole.png

Tom,

Is there an Inkcsape tool to create these angular dimensions other than simply using old school drafting techniques?
Thanks,
David