Description of the issue: I am designing a protective wire cover for automotive use, intended to be 3D printed in resin. I require a wall thickness of approximately 3mm to ensure durability against vibrations.
I am encountering a blocking issue when trying to apply the Shell command to my main body. The error message is: “The face couldn’t be offset because the offset surface would result in self-intersection or regions of tight curvature.”
My Workflow & Goal: I have successfully modeled this part before using a “messy” workflow (modeling the base and top as separate solid blocks with details, then boolean unioning them — see the attached black render). However, for serial production, I am trying to optimize the workflow to be cleaner and more parametric:
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Create the main form (Loft).
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Shell the entire body.
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Add cuts/details last.
The Geometry Setup:
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Base: A rectangular profile (dimensions are fixed as this is a press-fit connector for a plug).
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Top: A loft connecting the base face to a top oval sketch.
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Loft Settings: Start Continuity: None, End Continuity: G2, End Magnitude: 2.
Observations & Questions:
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Asymmetry: When editing the Loft, I noticed that the white control points are not symmetrical left-to-right (see attached screenshot with control points). Could this slight twist/asymmetry be causing the Shell calculation to fail?
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Curvature: Is the “End Magnitude: 2” creating internal geometry that is too tight for a 3mm offset? I am open to adjusting the curvature (G1 or lower magnitude) as long as the transition remains visually smooth.
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Best Practice: Is my approach (Body → Shell → Details) the recommended workflow for this type of part in Shapr3D, or should I stick to my previous method of booleaning solid chunks?
Attachments:
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Screenshot of the Shell error.
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Screenshot of the Loft control points showing asymmetry.
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Render of the final goal (black part) created with the old workflow.
