Week 8 - Challenge 4 - Coin Holder Design

Project Title: Modelling a center console coin holder

OBJECTIVES: This project intends to

• Create a tooling axis meeting the required draft angle and an initial draft analysis for the given Class-A surface
• Create a class B and C surfaces
• Generate a solid body with a thickness of 2.5mm
• Finally, a draft analysis on the coin holder solid Plastic component

Introduction:

In this project, a plastic component coin holder is modeled using software CATIA following OEM standards. The coin holder is an automotive plastic trim component. To model, this component surface and part workbenches in Catia V5 are used.

Class A surface (Given input)

Class A is the visible surface after installing in the vehicle. It has aesthetic properties. This class A surface is an input that is given by the designer designed using software Alias. With the reference to this surface, we model class B and C surfaces.

Checking class A surface quality

For a single component, we get the 'n' number of surfaces from the designer. So, all the surfaces are joined using the joint operation and initial design checks are made to make sure that no gaps exist in between the given class-A surface.

Tooling axis creation

The tooling axis is the direction in which the core and cavity opens and ejects the component out. To create a tooling axis all the directions X, Y, and Z of the component are checked. For this component, the tooling axis is taken in the y-direction. Because most of the surfaces of the component, when ejected from the mold can easily clear in that direction only.

Point direction is used to create this tooling axis.

Draft analysis for the given Class A

Draft analysis is made saying that all the surfaces of the component should meet the minimum draft angle which is 3°. Initial draft analysis is done on the given class A surface to make sure whether all the input surfaces that need to clear the tooling axis are clearing it or not.

After performing the draft analysis with the given tooling direction, few surfaces are not clearing (surfaces in red color). This is because few surfaces in the given class A are at a 90° angle. There is a problem with the given class-A surface. Since this is a project to exercise the concept and design skills, without contacting the class A designer the project is continued.

Creation of class B surface

The bottom surface of the component is the class B surface. It contains engineering aspects of the model. Taking the class A reference and maintaining the thickness, functionality, and continuity class B surface is modeled.

Based on the complexity of the component the B surface creation is split into n number of steps also gives 'n' number of surfaces. Finally, all the surfaces are joined together.

The step creation of the class B surface is displayed below

First step

In the first step, the bottom surface and bin wall surfaces are worked using multiple operations. Which gives the output of the below image.

Step two

In step two the top walls are

Step three

Here the outer flange comes into the picture

Step four

From the above three steps, all the required faces are created. In the fourth step, the faces are trimmed together, required fillets are given and a B surface is created.

Creating of class C surface

Class is the surface that connects the A and B surfaces. By extracting the boundary of class A the C surface is created.

Final closed surface

After modeling class B, class C, and with the given class-A surfaces a final closed surface is created. The closed surface is checked for the existing gaps between the surfaces using the boundary definition.

Creation of solid body

In the Part design, a closed surface is used to create a solid body

Draft analysis on solid body

As mentioned earlier, there exist problems within the given class-A surface. So with the performed draft analysis, few surfaces are not clearing with the given tooling direction.

Publications

Publications are used for easy access. The things which are used very often are converted into publications here.

Conclusion

Using the given inputs tooling axis, B surface, C surfaces, solid body, and draft analysis are accomplished. Finally, to make sure whether the required thickness for the component is achieved or not, the surfaces of the component are randomly measured using a measuring tool.