Shooter_Jay

autocad lt sucks, but full autocad does 3d just fine, and from my experience can actually work with larger assemblies faster than inventer and solidworks(I've used and have at my disposal all 3) because autocad doesn't bog down your processor with the constraints. It helps though to be very creative with layer naming and filters, otherwise it is hard to work with complex modelling. Of course too, you don't have the ability to automatically actuate mechanisms like you do in the constraint based softwares.
This link to our company website has some of my autocad modelling work, all the modelling/rendering shown on this site was done by me in autocad 2002 or older. The page that the link shows is actually my monitor showing one of my models, well my old monitor, my new one matches black! :-)

http://www.entwistleco.com/sub_contr...ing_design.htm

Check this thing out even though I didn't work on the project, it was before I started there, maybe 10 years ago...
http://www.entwistleco.com/defense/g...RTForklift.htm

Shooter_Jay

oops, to stay on topic...Even if you're stuck doing only 2d...if the block is so complicated, just do a way simplified version of the block itself, and concentrate on the rotating assembly. You obviously wont be able to create manufacturing drawings and specifications without a whole lot of reverse engineering (years?) but you can definitely do it all nominal dimensions accurately and it can come out great. Actually I'd love to get copies of the files you make if I could! Don't believe the people that say you can't do what you believe you can do.

Moldmaker

LSx engine information is very difficult to find. If you're just hell bent on modeling an engine, then you can find a good deal of information on the 1st generation small block. I have a number of CAD drawings on the 1st gen all courtesy of the general.

Good luck.

KillerBrink182

thanks everyone. for this to be a good even great final project i'm going to need as much deatail as possible. even though i may have to switch to something "easier" i still plan on doing this just for fun. I'll try and keep everyone updated. due date is early december so you all won't have to wait long to hear from me.

Mike

treyZ28

All I have to say is the UG NX is awesome. I-DEAS SUCKS. Its the worst program I've ever used or had to learn. It should be illegal.

Moldmaker

Interesting you should mention SDRC's I-deas since it's belonged to UG for close to four years now. In fact, NX & NX2 incorporate many of the high end analysis tools from I-deas. I've been a UG user since way before NX and I think the acquisition has helped UG become a better product.

Moldmaker

Mike,

Guess you ARE hell bent on modeling an LS1 after all. Funny that you're professor probably wouldn't know it from any other v8 engine on the market. If you need help with generation 1 information please feel free to e-mail me.

Best of luck.

Teutonic Speedracer

iTrader: (20)

I tried doing a piston & connecting rod from a 1927 Chevy back in my 2nd year of CAD class back in high school. Even having the parts wasn't easy. Measuring radii and complex parts is harder than drawing them at times. I winged it for the class, but they definitely weren't close to being exact.

Shooter_Jay

very true, the hardest part most often times is to get accurate measurements. I had a similar experience with a distributor cap back in tech school, alot of features on that dist cap.

treyZ28

i noticed certain "evolutions." But I got UG first, then I-DEAS. And I only know UGNX, nothing before that.

treyZ28

CMM and 3D scanners!

I've seen entire vehicles stripped down to its most basic components (we are talking ever spot weld drilled out). Every peice of the car was 3d scanned and most important components got materials anaysed so that we had full 3d cad data and material specs for everything.

Probobly took less time to that than to have a CAD guy reverse engineer the hood and fasica

Mike454SS

iTrader: (4)

I was gonna say...I LOVE the CMM at school.

Anyways, I have some spare stock stuff if you're interested in measuring yourself. Sometimes the machine shop at school (if you have one) is your best friend for stuff like this. They have all kinds of measuring tools that'll make this a LOT easier...and that is going to be 99.9% of the work to get it done.

matthud

Can anyone tell me if there is a 3d model available somewhere of the LSx. I would prefer something in a Pro/E format, but any 3d modeling format would work.

ßlackßeard

Call the plant in St. Catherines, Ontario and tell them you are a student, maybe they can help you out with some drawings.

I know I've faciliated similar requests in the past for the 4L60E transmission.

I would suggest calling the HR department, or pull a head hunter move and jsut ask for an engineer, make friends on the ohone (with who ever they transfer you over too) and ask them if they can send you a couple of drawings, even if its only in pdf format.

The way I see it... you have to draw something for this class, you define how much detail you want to go into (with your instructors approval of course) and just do it. Don't let anyone disuade you on this..

Good luck

matthud

I actually just want a model for personal use, not a school project. Which is why I dont want to have to go through the trouble of modeling stuff from drawings.

Shooter_Jay

I thought I saw a model of a corvette ls1 but maybe I was dreaming, don't seem to have it. I know I've seen imported models of cummins engines at work. I'm not sure how detailed they got. I think they were all just like external mockups. Don't recall seeing any rotating ***'y or valvetrain etc.

treyZ28

I remember working at a supplier importing some drawings for my boss.

the file "LS7" file looked awfully tempting 18 months ago... especially since its under his login name

matthud

All I am really looking for is an external mockup of any LS engine.

matthud

OK, does anyone have CAD files for a Big Block?

treyZ28

Do you realize drawings for an engine block will be about a book thick?