Seeing Double: Superimposing a Real Cross Section onto a CAD Model

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers around the experience of creating a CAD model of a quad seal, which resembles an O-ring with a unique cross-section. The user measured critical dimensions and sketched a scale model, then compared it to a physical part using a magnifying glass. By aligning the two images—one from the magnifying glass and the other from the computer screen—they were able to superimpose the images, confirming their accuracy in size and focus. This exercise led to a realization about the ability to shift focus between the two images mentally. The user finds this process intriguing and humorous, noting a playful exchange about sharing this experience with their daughter, who might tease them about it.
Q_Goest
Science Advisor
Messages
3,012
Reaction score
42
This was pretty cool. I had to draw the cross section of a quad seal (on CAD). It’s basically an O-ring with a cross section that looks like a deformed square with these lobes on the corners. It looks like this:
http://www.daemar.com/images/Quad-Ring-PartingLine.jpg

But I don’t have exact dimensions, and the square is only 0.103” across, so it’s tiny. I measured a few critical dimensions and sketched it in by hand on CAD, so I now have a roughly scale model of it on my computer screen.

I have one of these cut so I can look at the cross section under a magnifying glass but I wanted to compare what I was looking at to what I’d drawn on the screen.

---- here’s where it gets interesting ……..

To compare the two, I held the actual part under the magnifying glass and looked at it with one eye, then looked at the picture I drew on the screen with my other eye. After moving the right distance from the screen and getting everything into focus, I could superimpose the two images and see that they were very close to matching! I could actually get the two images to match both in size and focus.

Try it some time. Get a circle or something and look at it under a magnifying glass with one eye and have the same image on your computer screen to look at with your other eye and see if you can superimpose one image on the other. You really don’t need a magnifying glass I suppose, but that might help to allow your eyes to focus since the objects are at different distances from you.

Once you do that, you should also find that in your mind, you can shift between the two images. You can focus your thoughts on one of them then the other so you only see one or the other.

Well, I though it was pretty cool anyway... Now if I tell my daughter, she’s going to tell me I’ve lost another Man Badge. <sigh>…
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
What exactly are we trying to do? Did you know you can think out loud in your head and talk out loud to people at the same time?
 
Similar to the 2024 thread, here I start the 2025 thread. As always it is getting increasingly difficult to predict, so I will make a list based on other article predictions. You can also leave your prediction here. Here are the predictions of 2024 that did not make it: Peter Shor, David Deutsch and all the rest of the quantum computing community (various sources) Pablo Jarrillo Herrero, Allan McDonald and Rafi Bistritzer for magic angle in twisted graphene (various sources) Christoph...
Thread 'My experience as a hostage'
I believe it was the summer of 2001 that I made a trip to Peru for my work. I was a private contractor doing automation engineering and programming for various companies, including Frito Lay. Frito had purchased a snack food plant near Lima, Peru, and sent me down to oversee the upgrades to the systems and the startup. Peru was still suffering the ills of a recent civil war and I knew it was dicey, but the money was too good to pass up. It was a long trip to Lima; about 14 hours of airtime...

Similar threads

Back
Top