Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G.

Holmes Developing a Regular Pyramid Frustum

Pictured: Square Pyramid, Frustum (pyramid or conical solid interrupted by two parallel clipping planes)

In technical drawing, views of objects are oriented for the maximum extraction of information in the fewest possible views. As will be seen in the following drawings, this is a regular pyramid, indicating that all sides are the same size and shape, so repeating a view in orthographic projection (front and right side, in this case) is not warranted, as these views would be identical. Orthographic projection drawings, then, will not sufficiently explain this object, but are necessary to indicate height and depth, and also in staging the views to extract the missing information. The missing information is the true length of the angled edges which are foreshortened in every normal view, but can be derived from an auxiliary view, or through the revolution method (as would be preformed in a development drawing).

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes True Length of a Line: Auxiliary View Method

Figure 1-2

As can be seen in Figure 1-2, producing a depth auxiliary view using a fold line produces only one true side. Where it would be simple to duplicate and align this geometry using CAD programs in the creation of a development, a more useful procedure will be discussed in the next illustration the revolution method. Prior to the creation of a development, however, it is most productive to label the vertices, such that edge lines can be properly described and aligned. In doing so, it can be useful (though not necessary) to label the top of a prism numerically, and the base using alpha characters. In prisms with parallel faces, some vertices may be obscured by overlying line work in some views, so indication of the closest point is normally placed to the outside of the outside of the geometry, and obscured points are placed inside the bounding geometry.

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Labeling Vertices In top view of Figure 1-3, the vertices are labeled where convenience allows, but close enough to indicate they belong to a particular intersection (Base: A, B, C, D, and Crown: 1, 2, 3, 4). In the front view, some vertices are now hidden. In such a case the visible vertices are placed outside of the geometry (Front View: Visible: 2, 3, B, C, and Hidden: 1, 4, A, D).

Figure 1-3

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes True Length of a Line: The Revolution Method As in Figure 1-4, the revolution method involves extending the lines representing the vertical edges (A1, B2, C3, and D4) to a coincidental point. This point acts as an axis of revolution, about which the points representing the terminated prism edges can be rotated to the frontal plane (dashed horizontal red line in the top view). This geometric principal also allows us to treat the prism as a cone in the development of its faces, as will be illustrated in the next section. Figure 1-4: Vertices B and 2 are rotated into the front view plane the (in top view), designated now as B1 and 21. Projected to the front view, at their intersection of the conical edge they represent the true length of the edges A1 and B2, and with symmetry, C3 and D4, as well. Figure 1-4

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Development Radii As mentioned, the revolution method allows us to treat the prism as a cone in the development of its sides. The radii produced from the projected cone height to the projected base and crown of the theoretical cone provide the arc paths in constraint of the line segments comprising the prisms base and crown (Figure 1-5), while also duplicating the true vertical edge length. Along these arcs, then, delineation of the base and crown of the prism edges must be solved (lines AB, BC, CD, and DA for the base, and lines 12, 23, 34, and 41 for the crown). As line B121 represents the true length of a vertical edge of the prism, with the known base and crown segment lengths (2-inches, and 1-inch, respectively), the logical starting point is B1 for the base and point 21 for the crown. Figure 1-5

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Base and Crown Segment Delineation Knowing the base edge length of 2-inches, a 2-inch radius circle is created coincident with point B1 which will intersect all other geometry the distance of its radius, provided that geometry is also coincident with its center point, as is the radius formed for the cone height (in Figure 1-5). This provides an OSNAP in AutoCAD at the intersection of these radii, which, when connected, produce the first base edge (line segment AB1) When this process is repeated for the four base edges, and then the four the crown edges (starting at point 21 for the crown and with a known radius of 1-inch), connecting these intersection points from the small radius circle to the large produce the fold lines and prism edges (Figure 1-6, and Figure 1-7).

Figure 1-6

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Development of Sides Following the steps in Figure 1-6 (pervious) in production of all line segments comprising the base and crown of the prism, connecting those intersection points along the cone development radii produces the edges of the prism, and the fold lines for physical construction. One of the final steps is to add the top and bottom of the prism to the development, as is shown in Figure 1-8.

Figure 1-7

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Addition of Base and Crown to Development As is illustrated in Figure 1-8, the addition of the base and crow geometry has been added to the development, and consistent with the vertices in which they will come in contact. The final phase (for construction purposes) will be to add tabs for construction, as is shown in Figure 1-9.

Figure 1-8

Development Tutorial 1, Regular Pyramid Frustum, CAD-212, Fall 2010, Bryan G. Holmes Addition of Tabs for Construction of Development Notwithstanding offsets for material thickness and growth of material stressed through a coldformed bend (which will be discussed in class), addition of the tabs, and even the placement the attaching faces can be laid out to optimize material usage in manufacturing environments, where even minimal savings can reduce productions costs. Figure 1-9