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5.2: Shell

  • Page ID
    53597

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    Shell is a great tool for parts requiring a uniform thickness because it is as easy as Fillet or Chamfer, but it can create some complex uniform thickness parts. Cast and Injection Molded parts are more producible and easier to manufacture if the thickness/cross-section of the parts is uniform and doesn’t result in any drastic thickness changes.

    3D model of a bracket with front and back views.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Cross Section of Before and After Shell Feature

    To use the Shell command, all you need to specify is a face to be removed (in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\), the bottom is removed) and a wall thickness. Shell is also a feature-based feature, so no sketch is required to use the Shell command. However, you must have some sort of solid body in the model already before being able to use Shell.

    Software interface window titled "Shell1" with icons: a green checkmark for confirming and a red "X" for canceling actions. Beneath the title, there is a section labeled "Parameters" with a dropdown input field showing "0.060in" alongside a small arrow button for additional options. Below, a highlighted blue box contains the text "Face<1>". There are two checkboxes labeled "Shell outward" and "Show preview," with only "Show preview" selected. At the bottom, the "Multi-thickness Settings" label is present with an unchecked box next to it.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Shell Property Manager

    When you activate the shell feature from the CommandManager, you select your face and specify your wall thickness. Note that you can select more than one face to create situations such as that shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\).

    Two 3D-rendered metallic components with L-shaped designs and smooth finishes, shown side by side on a white background.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): Removing Two Faces with the Shell Feature

    One thing to be careful of with Shell is proper placement of the feature in the FeatureManager Design Tree. If placed too early or too late, the feature isn’t appropriate for your scenario, but if placed just right, it will allow you to get uniform wall thickness. For the example used in Figures \(\PageIndex{1}\) and \(\PageIndex{3}\), the Shell was placed after all the Fillets to ensure that the Fillet radii would be offset in the Shell. However, it was made sure that Cut-Extrudes were made after the Shell to ensure proper geometry was obtained (Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\)).

    3D-rendered gray geometric object with U-shaped cutout and rounded edges.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): Shelled Part Showing Importance of Order of Features
    Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\): Using Shell in Design

    For this exercise, we will start with a model that has been prepped for using Shell and perform the Shell command.

    1. Download the CAE1009 Starter Part
    2. Roll the part back before the Shell using the rollback bar.
    3. Shell the part with a uniform wall thickness of .060 inches and remove the bottom face. Also, feel free to practice placing cut extrudes after the Shell using the “Up to Next” option.

    This page titled 5.2: Shell is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Melvin Hortman via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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