Shelling: Using Pro/DESKTOP to design a Circuit Box

This sheet will show you how to design a vacuum-formed box for an electronic circuit.  Draw the design below before going on to develop your own shape.

1. Open a new Design. Save it as Circuit Box.

2. Draw a rectangle.

3. Click on the dimension tool (bottom icon of the toolbar on the right). Click on the edge of your rectangle and drag away. A dimension should appear. Double click on this until you get a dialogue box. Enter 140 into the box and click OK.

4. Repeat this operation for the other side, this time entering 120. You should end up with a rectangle 140 by 120 mm.

5. Click on Feature, then Extrude Profile. Choose Add Material then Above Workplane. Enter 6 into the Distance box. Click OK.

6. Click on Select then Edges. Select the small vertical edges of your rectangle. To select all four at once hold down the Shift key while you select each one in turn.

7. Click on Features then Round Edges. Enter 10 in the Radius box. Click OK. You should end up with a 6mm thick base with rounded corners.

8. Click on Select then Faces. Highlight the top face of the rectangle. Click on Workplane then New Sketch. Click on OK.

9. Draw a rectangle 100 by 120 in the centre of the base rectangle.

10. Click on Feature, then Extrude Profile. Choose Add Material then Above Workplane. Enter 45 into the Distance box. Pick up the green square on the drawing and taper the top. Click OK.

11. Round the edges of the mould top. (Repeat steps 6 and 7.) The radius of the uprights should be 6mm and the radius of the top should be 3mm.

12. Scroll the mould around until you can see the bottom.

13. Click on Select then Faces. Highlight the bottom face of the mould.

14. Click on Feature then Shell Solids. Enter 2 into the Offset box. The mould should become a shell structure.

15. Click on Select then Faces. Highlight the top face of the mould.

16. Click on Workplane then New Sketch. Click on OK.

17. Draw a circle of 5mm diameter on the top of the mould.

18. Click on Feature, then Extrude Profile. Choose Remove Material then Below Workplane. Type in 3 into the Distance box. A hole should appear.

19. Repeat steps 15 to 18 to draw another hole – this time of 4mm diameter – and a small rectangle. Remember to make each a New Sketch.

20. Save your design.