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Adding Weight Reduction Holes | 465
Adding Weight Reduction Holes
The axle spacer is a high-performance chassis component, so its weight must
be kept to a minimum. To achieve this, you cut weight reduction holes into
the part. The manufacturer of the part offers several size spacers with differ-
ent size weight reduction holes. The use of parametric Boolean operations is
an ideal way to model the part, because it is easy to replace one combine fea-
ture with another.
The file spacer.dwg already contains the geometry you need to create a weight
reduction extrusion that cuts material from the middle of the spacer. An
external file contains the part that you will use to remove material from each
of the spacer’s four sides.
First, you attach the external file.
To minimize the weight of a part, using an external toolbody
1 Use
AMCATALOG to attach the weight reduction holes toolbody.
Context Menu In the graphics area, right-click and choose Catalog.
In the Part Catalog, choose the External tab. Clear the Return to Dialog check
box. Right-click WR_HOLES, and choose Attach.
2 Respond to the prompts as follows:
Specify new insertion point: Specify a point to the left of the spacer
Specify insertion point for another instance or <continue> Press
ENTER
The spacer is created as a midplane extrusion. Therefore, the parting line
appears as a profile that encircles the part at its midsection. When you con-
strain the weight reduction extrusion to the spacer, you select the parting-
line geometry.
3 Use
AMMATE to constrain the two parts.
Context Menu In the graphics area, right-click and choose 3D
Constraints ➤ Mate.