3D computer model of Sonex 1560

[steveald]

I have been using CNC machines to cut my sheet stock and to machine my angle extrusion parts. I figured that I might as well see how all the parts fit together on the computer, and got carried away. It has made construction much easier, being able to look at the various assemblies in 3D on the computer before actually putting them together. I am waiting for hangar space to become available to continue building, and I am a bit of a computer geek, so this is how I have been killing time waiting.




Sonex 1560 scratch built (with the help of some pretty cool machines)

[rizzz]

I have been using CNC machines to cut my sheet stock and to machine my angle extrusion parts. I figured that I might as well see how all the parts fit together on the computer, and got carried away. It has made construction much easier, being able to look at the various assemblies in 3D on the computer before actually putting them together. I am waiting for hangar space to become available to continue building, and I am a bit of a computer geek, so this is how I have been killing time waiting.




Sonex 1560 scratch built (with the help of some pretty cool machines)

So were mine:
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 7338&row=8
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 7339&row=9
http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_l ... 340&row=10

They builder who I bought my aluminium parts from had a company that makes pizza ovens & BBQ's so he had very large CNC machines, available.
He completely 3d modeled the Sonex and made al the aluminium sheet parts on his machines. He did all this way before Sonex even had a kit of their own, at the time they were selling the welded parts and some of the difficult to bend stuff like flap & aileron skins. In many ways his "kit" was superior to what Sonex even offers today, to assemble my flaps & ailerons for example I just needed to cleco everything together and updrill, the skins were cut and holes were prepunched in both the ribs and skins, nothing more to do...
His "kit" was not perfect though, that's for sure, some parts had errors and needed to be remade from scratch, but still in the end it saved me a huge amount of time compared to having to make everything from scratch.

But what I really wanted to say is this, the reason he sold everything to me (so he told me) is that he was disgusted by John Monett's reaction when he found out. John had come to Australia to present the Sonex and met the limited crowd of builders (back then), when the builder in question proudly started talking about his project, thinking he would be congratulated for his work, John took him aside and threatened him with lawsuits etc.
Now, the builder told me that it was never his plan to go into production with any of this and it was only for using in his project (I doubt that sometimes though, quite a few of the parts he sold me I have plenty of copies of, even though I only need one, :?, he might just have had too much aluminium but some parts, like the 0.125" spar webs for example, I have really lots of :?).
Anyway, after all that he did not want anything to do with Sonex anymore so he sold the parts he made to me and bought something else.

I guess the moral of the story is, that it's great that you can do this but be aware, Sonex will not take it lightly if you try and productionise the making parts or share 3d models of their plans etc, the story above shows this to be true, and BTW they have made this clear on the yahoo groups themselves as well on multiple occasions.

If you scan my site you'll notice that I do a lot of drawing of Sonex parts in AutoCAD myself and I have been asked multiple times to share those drawings, don't ever do this, regardless of whether the other person is a legit plans owner or not. Sonex does not like this at all.

[Rynoth]

I would love to have a 3d model like you've made just for fun and reference, but I also totally get where Sonex is coming from in protecting their IP. There's a reason there are not PDF or other downloadable versions of their plans, only 1 set of plans is sent to each builder, and each page has a stamp saying Original,do not duplicate. Much like computer software, distributing their IP in an essentially "cracked" format is effectively piracy of their IP. They really are a research/development and IP company first, and a kit vendor second.

Heck, even when I'm taking photographs of my progress that have the plans in view, I wonder if I'm displaying too much when I share them. I tend not to take too many of those kinds of photos, and/or make sure I'm zoomed in to picture the plans incompletely, or too far away to make them out clearly.

[steveald]

I can understand Sonex LLC's position. They have a considerable investment in the design to protect. I have no intention of distributing drawings or fabricating parts for others. A lot of the stuff I have made would have been easier and quicker to make by hand anyway. I was given access to the tools, so I used them. I created the 3D model for the purpose of learning how everything fit together, before actually cutting metal. On several occasions I have caught errors in my interpretation of the plans, that would have resulted in wasted material. The plans were right, I just interpreted them incorrectly. It was the process of creating the model, and not the model itself that helped me understand the process of creating the actual assemblies. The rendering I attached to my post happened totally by accident. I wanted to see the framework through the skins, so I made everything translucent, and was trying to adjust the contrast of the image in PhotoPaint, and stumbled across some special effect filters that resulted in what you see. I doubt I could reproduce the same effect again if I tried. I think it looks pretty cool, and just wanted to share.

[kmacht]

Would love to see pictures of some of the parts being cut on the cnc machines. Are you using a router, laser, plasma, or waterjet machine to cut them out? I designed and built a cnc router for no other reason than I wanted to see if I could do it. The thing has come in handy for cutting out things like form blocks, prop hub spacer and the intrument panel. For most parts that you only make one or two of it has been quicker to just cut them out with hand tools and shape them with a sander. CNC is great for cutting out lots of the same parts but when you count in the time to figure out how to fixture and hold the part and then program the machine you can usually make the part by hand in far less time.

Keith
#554

[Bryan Cotton]

Steve,
Great picture.

[Rynoth]

Yea, Steve don't get me wrong, I think that picture is way cool and wish I knew how to make one for myself. I totally get having idle hands away from the project too, which is why I started a blog... So I can stay mentally close to the project while physically away from it. Might be the definition of obsession, I'm not sure. These forums are an outlet too, I don't post much when I'm home but I probably post too much when I'm away.

[fastj22]

If Sonex LLC has a problem with a builder generating CAD drawings for their own use, imagine the response to Viking for developing the Viking Sport for commercial sales.

[BK9977]

I understand their right to intellectual property. However, once you pay the $ for the plans they are yours. If you decide to sell them or share them isn't that your right since you bought the rights to those plans from them. Same thing with books, music, movies, etc. If I buy it I should be able to sell it, lend it, give it away as long as I am not making a commercial venture out of it. A few years back I got free plans from a kit manufacturer (a well known design that has been around for many years) via download. I asked them why they did that and they said that where they make the money is the part sales and if I emailed the free plans to 5 friends and if me and only one other person of those 5 built, it would be financially better for them than selling the plans for a lot of $ and putting all kinds of transfer fees and restrictions on them and not having as many builders out there. Two different philosophies I guess.

I think if someone wants to make a 3D rendering on cad that is great. I wish I knew how to do that.As state it could really save a lot of time and money building. (Btw, that rendering on this thread is awesome!)

Also, isn't that why they have the proprietary spar caps, so people cant just give plans to their buddies and make a dozen planes off one set of plans.

[Rynoth]

I understand their right to intellectual property. However, once you pay the $ for the plans they are yours. If you decide to sell them or share them isn't that your right since you bought the rights to those plans from them.

Not necessarily. Anyone who buys plans must first sign Sonex' Articles of Agreement, which expressly forbids duplicating the plans, and that the plans cannot be used without the consent of Sonex.