This tutorial will walk you through creating a custom Nametag using Onshape, a free browser-based CAD program. Nametags are a perfect beginner project for learning Computer Aided Design (CAD).
Originally created for the Sunday Workshop Series by Christopher Hoffman for the Learn CAD class on August 12th, 2018.
Prerequisites[edit]
No previous CAD experience required! An Onshape account is necessary to follow along, as well as a computer or laptop with a modern browser. Chrome or Firefox is suggested.
Finished Project[edit]
The finished Onshape project can be found here. The Onshape document contains a single Part Studio, as well as the Gator Logo used to trace the logo.
Feel free to use it as reference to see step-by-step instructions, or make a copy of it and modify it.
Tutorial[edit]
Instructions
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Visual
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- Create the Base Sketch
- Create a new sketch by clicking on Sketch button in the top toolbar.
- Make sure the Sketch Plane is the Top Plane.
- Using the Center Point Rectangle Tool, create a new rectangle with the center at the origin.
- Use the Dimension Tool and make the box 90 mm wide and 50 mm tall.
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- Extrude the Base
- Create a new Extrude feature using the extrude tool in the top toolbar.
- Select the base sketch created in the previous step.
- Select the following options:
- New: to create a new part
- Blind: extrudes the sketch in a single direction
- Depth 10 mm: the total distance extruded
- Click the Checkmark to save the extrusion
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- Sketch the Bezel
- Create a new Sketch on the top face of the extruded base.
- Use the Offset sketch tool, and select the four edges of the base to create an offset.
- If the offset is on the wrong side, grab the arrow and drag the offset to the inside.
- Give the offset a dimension of 2 mm.
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- Cut the Bezel
- Start the cut by selecting the Extrude feature.
- Select the Remove option to create a cut.
- Select the Bezel Sketch.
- Create a Blind cut that is 3 mm deep.
- Select the Draft option of 45 degrees.
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- Create the text
- Create a new Sketch on the face that was created from the bezel cut.
- Use the Text Tool to add your name and any other text you want.
- Use the Dimension Tool to make your text the right size. 75 mm wide, and 4.5 mm tall worked well for my name.
- Select the Coincidence Relationship in the toolbar, and select the Middle Line of the text and the Right Plane to snap the text to the center.
- Repeat the Coincidence Relationship with any additional text.
- Use the Dimension Tool' to offset the bottom of the text from the bottom of the nametag. 7.5mm and 15mm worked for me, but you may need to modify it.
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- Extrude the Text
- Create a new Extrude feature and select the Text Sketch.
- Select a Blind extrusion of 2 mm.
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- Import reference picture.
- It would be nice to have a picture to reference before we draw a logo.
- Select the + menu at the very bottom-left.
- Click on the Import menu option to open a dialog to select a file.
- Find the file on your computer, and select it.
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- Add reference picture to sketch
- Note: There are better ways of importing a dimensionally accurate logo using a .DXF file. However, free-hand drawing is often a quick and easy way to trace an image, so we will use that method here.
- Create a new Sketch on the top face created by the bezel
- Select the Insert Image tool from the toolbar.
- Select the logo image imported in step 7.
- Use the Dimension Tool to give an edge a dimension in order to scale the image. The size will depend on your image, but 24.142mm worked for me.
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- Trace the Logo
- On the same sketch that you inserted the logo, use the Spline tool to free-hand trace your logo.
- Trace both the inside, and outside surface of any lines. For instance, I wanted to trace the Blue lines of the gator logo, so I traced both the inside and outside of the blue.
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- Extrude the Logo
- Use the Extrude Tool to extrude the traced logo.
- You may need to select each traced area individually.
- Create a Blind extrusion of 5mm.
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- Chamfer Edges
- To finish cleaning up the Nametag, use the Chamfer Tool.
- Select the four outside edges of the nametag, and make a chamfer of 3mmm.
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Where to go from here[edit]
Now that you have a custom 3D Model, you should make it! 3D Printing would be the best way to go, but you can also use it for Laser cutting or CNC Routing as well.