STOR STOR CONET STOS TINK TAPB RTY MLoft Conical Transformers (CONET) first created 08/02/06 - last modified 29/08/08 Page Author: Ty Harness
News:

ConeT v1.3 beta is available to full version users of CONET in the members area. Click here for the new features.

[Back] [Pricing information] [Min. Specification] [Features] [Additional material] [FAQ's] [Downloads] [Home Page]
CONET makes the design of standard sheet metal conical work very easy and the pattern draughting of a cone surface flattened onto a 2D plane has been reduced to entering a few key dimensions. CONET can handle right and oblique, full or frustum cones. Like with all Ty Harness Sheet Metal applications, you control the design via parameter inputs like the base diameter and the elevation height. Cones are often used as hoppers, nozzles and transition pieces between pipes of different diameters.

The parameters describing a cone have been chosen for different users. CONET allows a tradesman/sheet metal worker to work with the dimensions that are easily measured on site or in the shop: Base and top diameters, frustum height, and frustum offset. The sheet metal worker may not care about the surface area, volume or apex position but the costing department will need the perimeters and areas for quoting and ordering etc. The engineer may need the mechanical properties such as internal volume for their calculations. The parameter input method means you do not need any draughting or CAD skills to design sheet metal components - there is no learning curve.

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Figure 1 - An oblique frustum cone


CONET draws the front elevation, plan and pattern development. You can specify the two diameters to create a frustum cone. You can then specify an offset in the x direction making an oblique cone as shown in figure 1.

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Figure 2 - A right cone (parallel cuts - producing a circular input and output) and an
oblique cone (which also has a circular input and output)


For a full cone either the base or top diameter is entered as zero, see below in figure 3.

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Figure 3- A full right cone


It's not often you need a full cone in sheet metal work apart from a "Chinese hat" for a chimney stack and you do not often get asked to make candle snuffers or ale warmers these days. The software is not exclusively for the sheet metal worker as there are many other applications outside of sheet metal work that deal with cones.

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Figure 4a - A simple right cylinder
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Figure 4b- Michael Sanders welding an aluminum cylinder with the TIG welding process


Figure 4 shows a simple cylinder - nothing clever here but an essential component in most HVAC systems. OK, you'll probably buy off-the-shelf CHS or spirally welded tube stock but the software generates the right cylinder as a mathematical consequence of having the base and top diameter equal and with no offset.

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Figure 5 - An oblique cylinder




Using the offset you can produce an oblique cylinder - i.e. a circle to circle offset piece. Everyone gets this one wrong and falls into the trap of thinking you can use ordinary tube stock but the actual cross section area is elliptical and not circular. Only the parallel input and outputs are circular with one exception which is the subcontrary section. There is more information on the subcontrary section on the CONET math page, see the additional information section at the bottom of this web page. Figure 6 shows an oblique cylinder with an off set of 200mm over 1000mm with circular flanges at each end. The oblique cylinder is a useful 'get out of jail card' for sheet metal workers needing to connect up misaligned pipes or to avoid an obstacle. You can roll the thin sheet as normal and then just squash the tube into the elliptical form to make the ends circular. You can't just squash thick plate or roll into an ellipse and a lot of thought needs to go into the manufacturing process.




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Figure 6 - D&D Engineering Ltd. fabricate an oblique cylinder from 1.6 mm thick steel sheet


Figure 7 shows a U shaped channel which falls maybe 50mm over 3000mm but has to have semi-circular flanges each end so the plate was pressed to achieve the elliptical cross section.


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Figure 7 - D&D Engineering Ltd. fabricate an oblique
U shaped channel from 3mm thick stainless steel plate


Limited Version Features
  • Draw a oblique or right cone (full or frustum) or even cylinders
  • Stand Alone Windows application. CAD software not required.
  • Snap measuring feature built in the user interface.
  • New: Recent files opened added to the file menu.
  • Print a simple specification sheet for job cards or quotations
  • Print a full size or scaled template for pattern making and fabrication purposes.
  • Additional geometric properties calculated like surface area and internal volume.

    Full Version Features
  • 2D DXF Export of front elevations and pattern - useful for CAD operators
  • 2D DXF pattern only with 1 continuous closed pline designed for CADCAM applications
  • 3D DXF Export using 3DPOLYFACE objects for immediate rendering.
  • 3D VRML Export for web browsers and polygon renderers.
  • 3D Isometric views.
  • Face Normal calculation and Angles between face normals.
  • Export TYFACE format which can be incorporated into any 3rd Party software development.
  • Export JPG and BMP graphics
  • HTML export to enable you to communicate your design quickly over the web.
  • Free version for educational establishments.
  • Commercial full users can install the software on as many PC's at their work premises with only 1 licence.

    Example Output from CONET
    Print Simplex Method
    Print Complex Method
    Example HTML output that includes TYCONET,DXF,VRML,TYFACE href's
    Pricing

    The limited version is free for non-commercial use which displays nag screens and occasionally prints a nag order form before or after printing. The limited version is NOT to be SOLD. The limited version is really to give you the chance the try before you buy. Please fully evaluate the limited version and only buy it if it is of commercial use to you. You can distribute the limited version (in its entirety) to as many people as you like. Shareware compilers are permitted to distribute the limited version providing other engineering shareware products are offered and the cost of any accompanying media is of a nominal value. You should never purchase the limited version. If you require a temporary code to unlock the full features (but nags still occur) to evaluate the full features then please email me.



    The registered (full version) user may install the full version on as many PC's at the owner's home or work premises as required. Minor version upgrades/bug fixes are free by email delivery or via the website. Full version users will also be able to buy all future major upgrades and other Ty Harness Software at a discounted price. Electronic payment is made available only from ShareIT.com to allow you to pay via Credit Card.

    Shop: Current Prices

    I'm also keen to give away the software to educational establishments (charities,schools universities etc.) and students. Please send me an email of your requirements. Tutor's may install as many copies on campus as required. The educational version will be time locked and return to the limited version after 2 semesters or 3 terms giving the student enough time to use it on their course. If the software is needed for a further year then ask your tutor for another unlock code.

    Minimum Specification
    Windows 98SE, Windows Millennium, Windows NT4 SP6a,Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Home or Pro. SP2
    No special graphics card required - 800x600x256 min.

    A printer must be installed (local, network, virtual or generic print to file).
    Additional Material
    CONET mathematics




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    [Sheet metal homepage]
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    Acknowledgments

    DXF file format is a registered Trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

    Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries.

    If I've omitted or incorrectly used any trademark please contact ty@tyharness.co.uk and I'll correct any errors or omissions, Ty Harness