Professional Documents
Culture Documents
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SolidWorks 2012
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Patent Notices
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In the event that you receive a request from any agency of the
U.S. government to provide Software with rights beyond
those set forth above, you will notify DS SolidWorks of the
scope of the request and DS SolidWorks will have five (5)
business days to, in its sole discretion, accept or reject such
request. Contractor/Manufacturer: Dassault Systmes
SolidWorks Corporation, 175 Wyman Street, Waltham,
Massachusetts 02451 US.
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Contents
Introduction
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Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
Sketching Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Introducing: Spline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Anatomy of a Spline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Evaluating Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Sketching with Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Sketch Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Introducing: Sketch Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Exercise 1: Spline Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Exercise 2: Fun with Splines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Contents
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Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
Multibody Solids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Creating a Multibody . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Merge Result. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Multibody Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Introducing: Solid Bodies Folder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Feature Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Patterning Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Tool Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Introducing: Insert Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Entities to Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Introducing: Move/Copy Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Combining Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Introducing: Combine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Examples of Combined Solids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Exercise 3: Soda Bottle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Exercise 4: Positioning Inserted Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Exercise 5: Copying Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Common Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Indent Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Using Indent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Introducing: Delete Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Local Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Using Local Operations to Solve Filleting Problems . . . . . . . . . . 60
Modeling Negative Space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Using Cut to Create Multibodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Saving Solid Bodies as Parts and Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Default Templates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Introducing: Insert into New Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Introducing: Save Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Creating an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Splitting a Part into Multibodies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Introducing: Split . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Saving the Bodies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Creating an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Introducing: Create Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Using Split Part with Legacy Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Filling the Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Exercise 6: Combining a Multibody Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Exercise 7: Bridging a Multibody Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Exercise 8: Indent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Exercise 9: Modeling for Rapid Tooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
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Contents
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Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
Sweeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Sweep Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Case Study: Faux Raised Panel Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Sweep with Guide Curves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Case Study: Bottle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Sweep Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Sweep with Guide Curves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Showing Intermediate Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Exercise 11: Oval Foot Drawer Pull . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Exercise 12: Tire Iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dome Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Introducing: Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Exercise 13: Build Your Own Bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Exercise 14: Hanger Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Introducing: SelectionManager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Exercise 15: Starship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Case Study: Modeling a Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Sweeping Along a 3D Path . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
3D Sketching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Using Reference Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Subset of Sketch Entities and Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Space Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Introducing: Helix and Spiral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Creating a 3D Curve from Orthogonal Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Introducing: Projected Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Introducing: Composite Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Transitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Introducing: Fit Spline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Applying the Label to the Bottle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Library Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
File Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Projecting a Sketch onto a Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Multi-thickness Shell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Modeling Threads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Creating a Helix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Case Study: Creating a Curve Through a Set of Points . . . . . . . . . . 158
Entering Points On the Fly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Reading Data From a File. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Editing the Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Sketch Blocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
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Contents
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Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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Lesson 7
Lofts
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Contents
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Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Advanced Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Keep Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 290
Keep Edge and Keep Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Round Corners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Select Through Faces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Variable Radius Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Straight and Smooth Transitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Zero Radius Values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Setback Fillets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Face Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Curvature Continuous Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Constant Width Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Hold Lines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Analyzing Geometry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
What is Curvature? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Introducing: Display Curvature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Show Curvature Combs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Introducing: Show Curvature Combs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Intersection Curves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Introducing: Intersection Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Show Minimum Radius . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Show Inflection Points . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Continuity Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Zebra Stripes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Introducing: Zebra Stripes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Boundary Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
Curvature Continuous Fillets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Contents
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Introduction
Introduction
SolidWorks 2012
The goal of this course is to teach you how to build multibody and
complex shape solid models using SolidWorks mechanical design
automation software. Most of the case studies and exercises in this
course are taken from industrial type applications, and the lessons
primarily center around working with solids. Surfacing functions are
covered in depth in the Surface Modeling course.
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About This
Course
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The tools for modeling complex shapes in the SolidWorks software are
quite robust and feature rich. During this course, we will cover many of
the commands and options in great detail. However, it is impractical to
cover every minute detail and still have the course be a reasonable
length. Therefore, the focus of this course is on the fundamental skills,
tools, and concepts central to successfully building multibody and
complex shape solid models. You should view the training course
manual as a supplement to, not a replacement for, the system
documentation and on-line help. Once you have developed a good
foundation in the skills covered in this course, you can refer to the online help for information on less frequently used command options.
Prerequisites
I
I
I
Course Length
No
Course Design
Philosophy
Do
Laboratory
Exercises
Laboratory exercises give you the opportunity to apply and practice the
material covered during the lecture/demonstration portion of the
course. They are designed to represent typical design and modeling
situations while being modest enough to be completed during class
time. You should note that many students work at different paces.
Therefore, we have included more lab exercises than you can
reasonably expect to complete during the course. This ensures that even
the fastest student will not run out of exercises.
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction
The drawings and dimensions given in the lab exercises are not intended
to reflect any particular drafting standard. In fact, sometimes dimensions
are given in a fashion that would never be considered acceptable in
industry. The reason for this is the labs are designed to encourage you to
apply the information covered in class and to employ and reinforce
certain techniques in modeling. As a result, the drawings and dimensions
in the exercises are done in a way that compliments this objective.
About the
Training Files
A complete set of the various files used throughout this course can be
downloaded from the SolidWorks website, www.solidworks.com.
Click on the link for Support, then Training, then Training Files, then
SolidWorks Training Files. Select the link for the desired file set.
There may be more than one version of each file set available.
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Direct URL:
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A Note About
Dimensions
www.solidworks.com/trainingfilessolidworks
The files are organized by lesson number. The Case Study folder
within each lesson contains the files your instructor uses while
presenting the lessons. The Exercises folder contains any files that are
required for doing the laboratory exercises.
Conventions Used
in this Book
Typewriter
No
Do
17 Do this step
Windows 7
Meaning
The screen shots in this manual were made using the SolidWorks
software running on Windows 7.
SolidWorks 2012
Use of Color
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Introduction
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Graphics and
Graphics Cards
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shading in real time. For example, if you rotate a part, it retains its
rendered appearance throughout the rotation.
SolidWorks 2012
Color Schemes
Introduction
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We have not used the same color scheme for every case study and
exercise because some colors are more visible and clear than others
when used with different colored parts.
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Hide/Show Tree
Items
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Introduction
SolidWorks 2012
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Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
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Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
Sketching
Splines
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Sketching with lines and arcs is fine for certain types of geometry, but
lines and arcs are not appropriate for smooth, blended shapes. Since
splines have continuously changing curvature, they cannot be
duplicated using lines and arcs.
Splines are used to sketch curves that
have continuously changing curvature.
Splines are defined by a series points
between which the SolidWorks software
uses equations to interpolate the curve
geometry. You can modify a spline by
adding or deleting points, moving the
points, dimensioning the points,
changing tangency or tangency
weighting at the points or adding
geometric relations. The spline can also be changed by modifying the
spline handles (arrows) that control the tangency of the curve at the
interpolant points or endpoints.
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Introducing: Spline
Where to Find It
I
I
The Anatomy of a
Spline
Endpoints
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Spline Handle
Endpoint
Spline
Point
Control
Polygon
Closed Loop
Spline
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
I
Spline points
Most splines use one or more interpolant spline points between the
endpoints. Spline points can be added (through the shortcut menu) or
deleted.
I
Spline handles
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Spline handles are used to change the direction and magnitude of the
tangency at a spline point or endpoint. Unless a handle is being used to
create tangency other than the default settings, they are not visible
unless the spline is selected.
Spline handles at interior spline points can be dragged asymmetrically
(handles on opposite sides of the point are independent), or by holding
the Alt key, the handles will behave symmetrically.
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Direction Handle
Magnitude Handle
Combination Handle
Control polygon
The control polygon is the series of dotted lines that go around the
spline. It can be used in place of handles. To manipulate the control
polygon, drag the control points.
Note
Moving the control polygon will move spline points but not
reparameterize the curve. Moving the spline handles does not move the
interpolant points but will reparameterize the spline.
Evaluating Splines
Right-click a spline and use the shortcut menu to display graphics that
will help you evaluate its shape.
Curvature comb
Do
No
Curvature
Comb
Inflection
Point
Minimum
Radius
Inflection points
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
Minimum radius
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Here are some general guidelines you may find useful for working with
splines:
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Point density
Control polygon
You can often get better control of the shape of a spline using the
control polygon (dotted lines with handles around the spline) in
conjunction with the tangency direction and magnitude handles.
Two-point splines
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No
10
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
I
But it is the spline points and the handles together that control the shape
of the polygon.
You need a minimum of two points (the endpoints). That will give you
a spline that looks just like a straight line.
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To make a curved spline, you need three controls, either three points, or
two endpoints and a handle. Three controls gives you a polygon with
two sides (three vertices).
To make an S-shape, the polygon must cross the spline. That requires a
minimum of a 3-sided polygon. That means you need four controls.
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Resulting Spline
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No
Which should you use? None of these is better than the others. Your
choice depends on design intent, the modeling situation, and ease of
use. See Using relations on page 12.
11
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
When sketching splines, place initial points near the min/max of the
humps (bottoms of valleys, peaks of hills). Then adjust their positions.
Refine the shape by dragging the points, the vertices of the control
polygon, and the handles.
I
Using relations
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One advantage of the spline handles over the polygon is you can add
relations and dimensions to the handles. You cannot do that with the
polygon vertices.
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Keep it simple
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12
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
I
Equal curvature
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Tangency
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Proportional splines
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13
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
Sketch Picture
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Sketch pictures can be hidden in two different ways. First, you can hide
the sketch the picture is in. Second, you can suppress the image
independently of the sketch itself.
Introducing:
Sketch Picture
An image file of the format .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, or .wmf can
be inserted into a sketch as a sketch picture. (Certain types of
compression may cause tif or gif images to be unusable by
SolidWorks.) The image can be seen from both sides, but cannot be
seen through solid geometry. Transparency can be set for the image
background. The image can be resized or moved by dragging or via the
PropertyManager. Images can also be mirrored or rotated.
Where to Find It
The best way to learn how to sketch with splines is to trace something.
New part.
New sketch.
No
Do
14
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
Sketch picture.
Click Sketch Picture.
Do
No
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15
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
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Click OK.
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Centerline.
Do
No
16
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
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New sketch.
You can sketch the splines in the same sketch as the picture, but best
practice is to use a separate sketch.
10 Sketch a spline.
Click Spline .
No
Do
Tips
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17
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
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Sketch additional splines, one for each segment of the image. Most of
the segments can be sketched with two-point splines.
13 Last segment.
Do
No
18
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 1
Sketching with Splines
15 Mirror.
Use Select Chain to select the splines.
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No
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Review
19
Lesson 1
SolidWorks 2012
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No
Do
20
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 1
Spline Practice
Exercise 1:
Spline Practice
Units: millimeters
Procedure
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New sketch.
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Open a new sketch on the Front reference plane. Name the sketch
Picture.
Sketch picture.
Scale and position the image as desired. You can use the
PropertyManager or you can drag and resize the image in the graphics
window.
Trace.
Do
No
21
Exercise 2
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 2:
Fun with
Splines
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Procedure
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Units: millimeters
New sketch.
Open a new sketch on the Front reference plane. Name the sketch
Picture.
Sketch picture.
Click Sketch Picture.
Taurus
Gemini
Cancer
April 20-May 20
May 21-June 21
June 22-July 22
No
Aries
March 21-April 19
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
August 23-September 22
September 23-October 23
October 23-November 21
Do
Leo
July 23-August 22
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
Pisces
November 22-December 21
December 22-January 19
January 20-February 18
February 19-March 20
22
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 2
Fun with Splines
Transparency.
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Scale and position the image as desired. You can use the
PropertyManager or you can drag and resize the image in the graphics
window.
If the image has symmetrical elements in it, Gemini for example, you
should sketch a centerline through the origin and use that as an aid in
sizing and positioning the image.
With an arbitrary shape like such as Virgo, there is no compelling
reason to position the image in any particular spot relative to the origin.
5
6
Trace the sketch picture using splines and other sketch entities as
necessary.
Do
No
23
Exercise 2
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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24
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Lesson 2
Multibody Solids:
How They Work
Do
No
25
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
Multibody solids occur when there is more than one continuous solid in
a single part file. Often times, multibody techniques are useful for
designing parts that require specific distance separation of features.
These bodies can be accessed and modified separately and later merged
into a single solid.
Creating a
Multibody
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Multibody
Solids
Merge Result
Do
No
However, this option does not appear for the first feature.
26
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
Multibody
Techniques
New part.
Create a multibody.
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Note
Introducing:
Solid Bodies
Folder
The Solid Bodies folder holds all solid bodies in the part. Each solid
body may be hidden from the folder. The names are taken from the last
feature added to that body.
Where to Find It
No
Do
Note
27
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
Tip
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The color scheme is defined so the edges of solid bodies are black.
Notice there are no edges displayed where the third body intersects the
other two. This is a visual clue that the bodies are not merged.
Sketch.
Do
No
Note
28
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
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Feature Scope
The Feature Scope allows you to select which bodies are affected by a
feature. The Feature Scope option exists in the following tools:
I
I
I
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I
Extrude
Revolve
Sweep
Loft
Cut with Surface
Thicken
Do
No
29
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
10 Select body.
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11 Results.
No
Patterning
Bodies
Do
30
I
I
I
I
Linear
Circular
Mirror
Table Driven
Sketch Driven
Curve Driven
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
12 Mirror body.
Insert a Mirror pattern using the Right reference plane.
Note
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There is no point selecting Merge solids because that only merges the
results of the mirror operation with the body being mirrored. Since the
mirrored copy and its parent dont touch each other, they cannot be
merged. The other two bodies are not part of the mirror operation, thus
they are not affected by it.
13 Create a bridge.
No
Do
Merge Result
31
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
The tool body technique is used to add or remove model volume using
specialized tool parts.
Introducing:
Insert Part
You can use the Insert Part command to add one or more solid bodies
into the active part, placing the origin of the inserted part on that of the
active part. The inserted parts are then oriented using the Locate Part
dialog.
Entities to
Transfer
When you insert a part you have the option of transferring with it any
combination of the following:
Solid bodies
Axes
Cosmetic threads
Unabsorbed sketches
Coordinate systems
Hole Wizard data
I
I
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Surface Bodies
Planes
Absorbed sketches
Custom properties
Model dimensions
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Tool Body
Where to Find It
14 Insert a part.
Click Insert, Part. Browse to
the Case Study folder of this
Mounting Lug.
No
Do
32
Click in the graphics area to locate the part and click OK.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
15 Results.
The Locate Part PropertyManager appears and an
instance of the Mounting Lug is added to the
active part.
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Introducing:
Move/Copy Bodies
Note
No
Do
Where to Find It
This example illustrates using mates to locate the solid body. For an
example using explicit translation, see Exercise 3: Soda Bottle on
page 39. The Translate/Rotate and Constraints buttons toggle
between the explicit translation and rotation method and the mate
method respectively.
33
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
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Do
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34
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
18 Additional mate.
Add a Coincident mate between the
bottom faces of the Mounting Lug and
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19 Additional mate.
Add a Distance mate
between the Front plane of
the host part and the Right
Plane-Mounting Lug.
Click OK.
feature listing.
No
Do
Note
35
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
22 Mirror body.
Insert a Mirror pattern using the Front
reference plane.
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Click OK.
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Combining
Bodies
Introducing:
Combine
Add
The Add option uses the Bodies to Combine list to merge the bodies
into a single solid by adding all volumes. This operation is also known
as a union in other systems.
Subtract
The Subtract option uses the Main Body and Bodies to Combine list
Common
The Common option uses the Bodies to Combine list to merge the
bodies into a single solid by finding the volume that is common to all.
This operation is also known as a intersection in other systems.
Menu: Insert, Features, Combine
Tip
No
Where to Find It
Do
36
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 2
Multibody Solids: How They Work
Examples of
Combined Solids
Body3
Body2
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Result
Subtract
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Body1
Result
Body2
Result
Body2
No
Body2
Body1
Do
Result
Body3
37
Lesson 2
SolidWorks 2012
24 Add features.
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and rounds.
Do
No
38
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 3
Soda Bottle
Exercise 3:
Soda Bottle
In this exercise you will model a 20oz. (591ml) soda bottle. Since these
bottles are filled and handled by automated equipment, the bottom of
the bottle and the neck are standard parts. Your task is to design the
area in between. It is this portion of the bottle that gives it its look and
feel, and establishes the branding for the soft drink company.
Multibody Solids on page 26.
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Procedure
Note
Decide whether you want to build the part using English or metric
units. Then open a new part using the appropriate template and name it
Soda Bottle.
The illustrations in this exercise have the material PET, transparency of
0.2, and the color green applied.
Insert part.
No
Click OK.
Insert part.
Do
39
Exercise 3
SolidWorks 2012
Soda Bottle
Locate part.
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Click OK.
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Sketch.
Do
No
40
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 3
Soda Bottle
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Combine.
Click Combine
No
Do
41
Exercise 3
SolidWorks 2012
Soda Bottle
Bodies to keep.
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10 Mass properties.
Click Evaluate > Mass Properties
11 Suppress.
When you are satisfied with the shape and the volume of the bottle,
suppress the Boss-Extrude1 and Combine1 features.
Do
No
42
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 4
Positioning Inserted Parts
Exercise 4:
Positioning
Inserted Parts
Procedure
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Units: millimeters
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Existing part.
Insert part.
Second body.
Do
No
Tip
43
Exercise 4
SolidWorks 2012
Continue.
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Combine all the solid bodies into one. Add 8mm and 2mm fillets as
shown.
Modify sketch.
Open the Lug part and change the 45mm
dimension to 60mm.
Propagate change.
Do
No
44
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 5
Copying Bodies
Exercise 5:
Copying Bodies
Units: millimeters
Open a new part using the Part_MM template and name it Mbody4.
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Procedure
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Insert parts.
Add patterns.
Do
No
45
Exercise 5
SolidWorks 2012
Copying Bodies
Connect
bodies.
Pattern bridge
with 3 instances.
Create plate.
ibu
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Create a bridge
that connects the
bodies without
merging.
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46
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 5
Copying Bodies
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Propagate change.
No
Do
47
Exercise 5
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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Copying Bodies
48
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Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Do
No
49
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Common
Bodies
New part.
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Create a sketch.
Do
No
Tip
50
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Since the sketch is open, you will be asked if you want to close it.
Click No because you want to create a thin feature.
Use Midplane with an Angle of 90.
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Set the Thickness to 1.00mm and make sure the material is added to
the outside of the sketch.
Sketch.
Do
No
51
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Extrude.
Offset plane.
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Important!
Shell.
Do
No
Sketch.
52
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Rib.
Click Rib
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10 Linear pattern.
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No
Do
53
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
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Indent Feature
The Indent feature is used to reshape thin walls of the Target Body to
the shape of one or more intersecting Tool Bodies. The indentation
thickness and optional clearance are controlled by numeric values.
I
Target Body
The Target Body is the body being indented.
Using Indent
No
Where to Find It
Do
54
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Rollback.
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New sketch.
Note
Extrude.
Do
No
Important!
55
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Fillet.
Indent.
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Click Indent.
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Click OK.
Important!
Hide body.
Do
No
56
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Fillet.
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Apply 1.5mm fillets to the convex edges as shown in the section view
below.
Roll forward.
No
The system rebuilds the part incorporating the changes youve made.
Do
Introducing:
Delete Body
Where to Find It
57
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
10 Delete body.
Expand the Solid Bodies folder, right-click the tool body (Fillet1),
and click Delete Body.
Click OK.
Local
Operations
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Shell part.
Section view.
Do
No
58
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Modify feature.
Use Edit Feature on these three
bosses:
I
I
Vertical_Plate
Circular_Boss
Rib_Under
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Click Combine.
Do
No
Tip
Features, such as fillets, that use the edges formed by merged solid
bodies, will fail if Merge result is unchecked in a later operation.
The following rebuild error will appear:
Fillet1: Multiple bodies not supported for this feature.
59
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Using Local
Operations to
Solve Filleting
Problems
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Attempts at filleting.
Do
No
60
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
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Click Combine.
No
Click OK.
Fillet.
Do
61
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Modeling
Negative Space
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You could start with a block of steel and model all the passages as cut
features. An alternative approach is to model the empty, or negative
space, and subtract it from the main body.
The example that follows is a very simple one and because of that, it is
somewhat unrealistic. However, it serves to illustrate the concept of
modeling negative space.
Sketch a rectangle.
Do
No
Open a new sketch on the Top reference plane and sketch a rectangle
whose four sides are colinear with the planar faces of the cavity bodies.
62
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Extrude.
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Do
No
Using the extruded block as the Main Body and the remaining solid
bodies as the Bodies to Subtract, combine with a Subtract operation.
Note
63
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Using Cut to
Create
Multibodies
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Certain cut features will split a part into multiple solid bodies. If this
happens the Bodies to Keep dialog box appears. You can control how
to split the part.
Do
No
Using Sketch3, create a Through All cut with the All bodies option.
64
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
You can save one or more of the solid bodies in a multibody part as
separate part files. There are several commands to do this, each with
different characteristics. Some commands give you the option to also
generate an assembly from the saved parts.
Default Templates
Introducing:
Insert into New Part
Insert into New Part allows you to save individual solid bodies as part
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Note
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Saving Solid
Bodies as Parts
and Assemblies
If you select multiple bodies or the Solid Bodies folder, the saved part
will be a multibody part with a Stock feature for each body.
Insert into New Part does not create a feature in the source part. The
solid bodies are saved as they are after the last part feature is rebuilt.
Any changes you make to the source part will propagate to the saved
parts.
Where to Find It
Expand the Solid Bodies folder. Use Insert into New Part to create
the parts as shown below, one part for each body.
The new parts are opened automatically.
Do
No
clamp top
clamp bottom
5
Create an assembly.
Open a new assembly. Add the saved parts. Name the assembly
clamp_assy.
65
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
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No
Examine the preview. It shows that the feature will cut through both
bodies.
Do
66
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
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11 Results.
No
Do
67
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Introducing:
Save Bodies
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The changes made to the source part propagated to the saved files.
Save Bodies also allows you to save individual solid bodies as part
files. You can indicate which bodies you want to save. Optionally you
can generate an assembly from the saved parts.
source part.
The bodies are saved at the point in the part history where the Save
Bodies feature appears. Any subsequent features added to the source
part will not propagate to the saved files.
Each resulting part file is linked by an external reference back to the
source part. A Stock-<source part name> feature appears in each
saved part. This features carries the external reference.
Where to Find It
I
I
Bodies
No
Do
68
Edit appearance.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
appears.
As you move the cursor over the model, the
individual bodies highlight.
Sometimes it is hard to tell which callout points to
which body. Changing the view usually helps.
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Tip
When you save the bodies you can specify an origin location. If you do
not, the saved parts have the same origin as the source part.
Note
No
Clear the Consume cut bodies option. This will keep the solid bodies
in the source part visible.
Creating an
Assembly
Do
Click OK.
69
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
FeatureManager.
active.
Click Combine.
Subtract the core from the pattern.
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The change made to the source part did not propagate to the saved files.
Do
No
70
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
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Splitting a Part
into Multibodies
Introducing: Split
Split allows you to break a part into multiple solid bodies using
No
Do
Where to Find It
71
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
1
2
Trim tools.
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Click Split.
Do
No
72
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
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In the Split command you have the option to save the resulting bodies
as individual part files. However, doing this within the Split command
is not recommended because if you edit the split feature later, you will
have to remap the saved bodies. It is a better practice to save the bodies
as a separate operation using the Save Bodies command.
Name the bodies Handle Left Side and Handle - Right Side.
Note
When you save the bodies you can specify an origin location. If you do
not, the saved parts have the same origin as the source part.
Clear the Consume cut bodies option. This will keep the solid bodies
in the source part visible.
Click OK.
The new part files are created. Open them in their own windows.
You would now finish modeling the details of each part.
Do
No
73
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Once the solid bodies have been saved as part files, you can use them to
create an assembly just as you would with any other parts. You can
create an assembly manually using traditional bottom-up assembly
modeling techniques, or you can automate the process.
Introducing:
Create Assembly
Create Assembly collects the part files saved by one or more Save
Bodies or Split features and creates a new assembly from them.
Where to Find It
I
I
Create Assembly.
Switch to the Handle part.
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Creating an
Assembly
Click Browse.
Browse to the folder where you want to save the assembly, and type a
name for the assembly in the File name box.
10 Click Save.
The Save As dialog box closes and the file name appears under
Assembly file in the PropertyManager.
11 Click OK.
Note
No
Do
Summary
74
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Technique
If you use Insert into New Part on the Solid Bodies folder instead
of an individual body, you will create a multibody part that is linked
back to the original part. Each body will be represented by its own
Stock feature.
ibu
te
Results
Insert into New Part does not add a feature in the FeatureManager
of the source part. Therefore, any features you add to the bodies in
the source part will propagate to the saved files. Also it is not
possible to navigate to the child part from the source part.
The bodies are saved at the point in the part history where the Split
feature appears. Any subsequent features added to the source part
will not appear in the saved files. Any features added before the
Split feature will propagate to the saved files. While you cannot
directly access the saved files from the source part, editing the Split
feature will give you their full path names.
Save Bodies
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Split Part
the source part. Therefore, it is not parametric in the sense that if you
create more solid bodies later, they do not automatically appear in
the assembly.
No
The bodies are saved at the point in the part history where the Save
Bodies feature appears. Any subsequent features added to the source
part will not appear in the saved files.
Insert, Part
Do
Adds a Stock feature to the current part. Insert, Part does not add
any features to the parent or source part, but it will insert all bodies
from the source. Often, a Delete Bodies feature is used after
inserting multiple bodies. This has the advantage of being more
robust if the number of bodies in the source changes, but has the
disadvantage of not being able to access the child from the source,
and not being able to control the point in the source part history
where the part is taken.
75
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
You can use Split Part to modify imported geometry or legacy parts
that would otherwise be difficult to change.
Before
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After
Import Diagnostics.
Click Yes.
Cutting plane.
No
Do
76
Vertex
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 3
Uses of Multibody Solids
Split Part.
Move/Copy Body.
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Note
No
Do
77
Lesson 3
SolidWorks 2012
Results.
Do
No
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78
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 6
Combining a Multibody Part
Exercise 6:
Combining a
Multibody Part
Units: millimeters
Procedure
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Open a new part using the Part_MM template and name it Mbody1.
1
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Extrude as required.
Combine bodies.
Add features.
No
Do
CBORE for M5
Pan Head
Machine Screw
79
Exercise 7
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 7:
Bridging a
Multibody Part
Multibody Solids
on page 26.
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Units: millimeters
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Design Intent
Procedure
Open a new part using the Part_MM template and name it Mbody2.
Create a multibody part.
Do
No
80
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 7
Bridging a Multibody Part
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Do
No
81
Exercise 8
SolidWorks 2012
Indent
Exercise 8:
Indent
Procedure
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Circular pattern.
Indent.
Click Indent and select the large
solid as the Target body.
No
Do
Important!
82
Click OK.
The preview shows the indent.
Make the tool body region selections from the underside of the target
body as shown.
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 8
Indent
Section View.
Use the Section View tool with the
Front Plane to cut the display.
Delete body.
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Fillet.
Do
No
83
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9:
Modeling for
Rapid Tooling
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Procedure
Do
No
Three of the layout sketches are shown below. The one highlighted in
blue represents the pitch circles of the gears. The black one is the
parting line of the gear case. The orange one represents the bosses for
the mounting bolts.
84
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
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Show the sketch named Core Outline. This sketch was made by
converting entities from the Body and Bosses sketches and then
sketching and trimming additional geometry.
Do
No
85
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
Fillets.
Apply 5mm fillets to the vertical edges.
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Tip
Revolved cut.
Do
No
Use the sketch Core Face Cut to create a revolved cut feature.
86
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
Extruded cut.
Use the sketch Core Bridge Cut to extrude a cut 5mm upwards and
Through All downwards.
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Apply 2 of Draft so that the draft goes inward in the up direction and
outward in the down direction.
Extruded cut.
Do
No
Use the sketch Bosses for Gears to extrude a Through All cut Offset
8.5mm above the sketch plane, with 3 of outward draft.
87
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
Fillets.
Apply 5mm fillets to the edges shown.
Do
No
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88
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
More fillets.
Apply 2mm fillets to the edges shown. Be sure to fillet all four edges
Do
No
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on the underside.
10 Save body.
Use the Save Bodies command to save the body and name it
Sand Core.
11 FeatureManager folders.
89
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
12 Hide.
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direction and outward draft in the down direction so that all the draft
goes in the same direction. Clear Merge results.
14 Revolved cut.
Do
No
Use the sketch Outside Revolved Cut to create a revolved cut feature.
90
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
15 Extruded cut.
Use the sketch Bridge Cut to extrude a cut 2mm towards the body and
Through All away from the body.
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Apply 2 of Draft so that the draft goes inward in the direction towards
the body and outward in the direction away from the body.
16 Fillet.
Do
No
91
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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17 More fillets.
Apply 8mm fillets to the edges shown.
18 Save body.
Use the Save Bodies command to save the body and name it
Body Pattern.
19 FeatureManager folders.
Put the features that make up the pattern body into the Pattern
Features folder.
Expand the Machined Features folder so you can access the next
group of sketches.
92
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
20 Combine.
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Show the core body and subtract it from the pattern body.
Do
No
93
Exercise 9
SolidWorks 2012
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Do
No
94
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 9
Modeling for Rapid Tooling
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Do
No
the sketch plane to form the counterbores for the mounting bolts.
26 Conclusion.
You now have parts representing the sand core, the pattern for the cast
body, and the finished machined part. Providing the pattern maker with
complete and accurate CAD data saves time and money.
27 Save and close all files.
95
Exercise 10
SolidWorks 2012
Split Part
Exercise 10:
Split Part
Units: inches
Procedure
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Click OK.
Add a boss.
Do
No
96
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 10
Split Part
Split the part to create the upper and lower halves of the body. Use the
Parting Surface as the trim tool. The surface is hidden. If you
selected it from the Surfaces folder, it does not have to be visible in
order to use it as a trim tool.
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No
Create an assembly.
Do
97
Exercise 10
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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Split Part
98
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Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
Do
No
99
Lesson 4
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction to Sweeping
Sweeping
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Not to scale
Sweep
Components
Profile
No
Do
Path
Nested contours
Disjoint contours
100
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
I
Sweep Path
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The system also uses the path to position the intermediate sections
along the sweep. Assuming the profile plane is normal to the path:
I
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Case Study:
Faux Raised
Panel Door
Do
No
Examine the part. It consists of a rectangular extruded boss, a userdefined reference plane, and two sketches: the path (in blue) and the
profile (in orange).
101
Lesson 4
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction to Sweeping
Sweep a cut.
Click Swept Cut
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Click OK.
No
Do
Practice Exercises
102
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
Sweep with
Guide Curves
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Sweeps can contain multiple guide curves which are used to shape the
sweep. As the profile is swept, the guide curves can control the profile
sketchs shape, size or orientation. One way to think of guide curves is
to visualize them driving a parameter such as a radius. In the
illustration below, the profile is attached to the guide curve. As the
profile is swept along the path, the radius of the circle changes.
Case Study:
Bottle
No
Procedure
Sweep path.
Do
New sketch.
103
Lesson 4
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction to Sweeping
Sketch picture.
Click Sketch Picture.
I
I
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No
Do
104
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
guide.
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Sweep section.
Click Ellipse
and sketch an ellipse with its
center at the Origin.
No
Do
Fully defined.
The sweep section is now fully defined so you can exit the sketch. We
are now ready to sweep the bottle.
Name the sketch Sweep Profile.
105
Lesson 4
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction to Sweeping
Sweep Options
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Options
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The Options group box contains one or more of the following controls
depending whether the sweep is a boss or a cut, a base feature, or a
multibody.
Orientation/twist type
fluctuations along the path cause the profile to misalign. Options are:
I
None
No
Direction Vector
Do
Note
106
All Faces
When the path includes adjacent faces, makes the sweep profile
tangent to the adjacent face where geometrically possible.
For more detailed information and examples of the Orientation/twist
type and the Path alignment type options, see Orientation and Twist
Control on page 196.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
I
Show preview
Merge result
ibu
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With this option off, the sweep generates an additional solid body. This
option is not available when the sweep is the first feature in the part.
I
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With this option on, it will continue the sweep beyond the geometric
end. For more information, see Align with End Faces on page 213. This
option is not available when the sweep is the first feature in the part.
Sweep with
Guide Curves
As the profile is swept, the guide curves control the profile sketchs
shape, size or orientation. In this example, the guide curves control the
length of the major and minor axes of the ellipse.
Do
No
107
Lesson 4
SolidWorks 2012
Introduction to Sweeping
13 Guide curves.
Expand the Guide
Curves group box.
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Showing
Intermediate
Sections
When sweeping a complex shape, you can see how the intermediate
sections will be generated by clicking the Show Sections option.
When the system computes the sections, it displays a spin box listing
the number of the intermediate section. You can click the up and down
arrows to display any of them.
14 Showing Sections.
Click Show Sections
, and use
the spin box to display the
intermediate sections.
15 Options.
Do
No
108
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 4
Introduction to Sweeping
16 Finished sweep.
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Do
No
109
Exercise 11
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 11:
Oval Foot
Drawer Pull
Procedure
Sketching Splines on
page 8.
Sweeping on page 100.
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Sketch a spline.
Add relations.
Add Vertical relations to the drag handles at the two ends of the spline.
No
Do
Do not modify the drag handles at the middle point of the spline.
110
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 11
Oval Foot Drawer Pull
Symmetry.
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But you can dimension their lengths and use a global variable to make
them equal.
In order to execute the Sweep command, you must exit the sketch.
No
Note
Insert sweep.
Do
111
Exercise 11
SolidWorks 2012
Oval foot.
Fillets.
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Mirror.
No
Mirror the extruded boss and both fillets with respect to the Right
reference plane.
Do
112
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 12
Tire Iron
Exercise 12:
Tire Iron
Design Intent
Sweeping on
page 100.
ibu
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Procedure
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Open a new part using the Part_IN template and name it Tire Iron.
Do
No
113
Exercise 12
SolidWorks 2012
Tire Iron
Insert sweep.
Revolved feature.
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Create a new reference plane and use it to sketch the sweep profile.
Sweep the profile along the path.
Create a revolved feature on the angled end of the sweep feature. This
boss will hold the hexagon cut.
Hexagonal cut.
Do
No
114
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 12
Tire Iron
The Dome feature lets you deform the face of a model creating either a
convex (default) or concave shape.
Introducing: Dome
To create a dome, select the face or faces you wish to deform. Specify a
distance and optionally, a direction. By default the dome is created
normal to the selected faces. You can select faces whose centroid lies
outside the face. This allows you to apply domes to irregularly shaped
faces.
Where to Find It
I
I
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Dome Feature
Click OK.
Create the flat end of the part using a sketch and a through all cut.
Do
No
115
Exercise 13
SolidWorks 2012
Using sweep with guide curves, design your own bottle. The shape is
not critical. The intent is to practice and understand how guide curves
control the shape of the profile as it is swept. The images below are just
examples to give you some ideas. Use your imagination.
No
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Exercise 13:
Build Your Own
Bottle
Do
116
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 14
Hanger Bracket
Exercise 14:
Hanger Bracket
Units: millimeters
Design Intent
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Procedure
Do
No
117
Exercise 14
SolidWorks 2012
Hanger Bracket
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In the same sketch, sketch the guide curve referencing the existing
geometry, including the path.
Path
Guide Curve
Do
No
Create the sweep profile as a sketch using the dimensions shown below.
118
The sweep path and the guide are built in the same sketch because that
was a very easy way to sketch them. However, when it comes to
selecting them in the Sweep command, you need a way to tell the
system to use some of the entities in the sketch for the path, but not all
of them. Likewise, you need to do the same with the guide curve.
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 14
Hanger Bracket
Introducing:
SelectionManager
Where to Find It
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SelectionManager
Tool
Description
Cancel
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OK
Select Closed
Loop
Select Open
Loop
Select Group
Select Region
Standard
Selection
No
Clear All
Do
119
Exercise 14
SolidWorks 2012
Hanger Bracket
SelectionManager.
and
Click Select Open Loop
select one of the entities that makes
up the path.
The system selects all the connected
entities.
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Do
No
120
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 14
Hanger Bracket
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Tip
Do
No
121
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
Exercise 15:
Starship
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No
Units: centimeters
Procedure
Do
122
Units.
Viewport background.
Click Tools, Options, System Options, Colors.
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
Save.
Sweep path.
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Select the line in the Path sketch and click Convert Entities.
Change the converted line to construction geometry.
Sketch a line and tangent arc as shown below.
Select the line in the Path sketch and click Convert Entities.
Change the converted line to construction geometry.
Do
No
Sketch a line and three tangent arcs as shown. The arc without a
dimension has an Equal relation to the R762 arc.
123
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
Sweep profile.
I
I
I
I
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Construction lines.
Sketch two construction lines from the center to the end of the minor
axis, and then to the end of the major axis.
No
Do
124
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
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There are two important options in the sweep command that affect the
quality of the resulting faces. They are Merge tangent faces which is
located in the Options box, and Merge smooth faces which is located
in the Guide Curves box.
If the sweep profile has segments that are tangent, Merge tangent
faces causes the corresponding surfaces to be tangent.
Clearing Merge smooth faces improves performance of sweeps with
guide curves. However, it will break the faces into segments at all
points where the guide curve or path is not curvature continuous.
Do
No
125
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
11 Rename.
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14 Wing section.
Do
No
box.
126
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
16 Fillets.
Add a 91.50cm radius fillet to the leading edge of the Wing.
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17 Engine.
From the Design Library, in the Exercises folder for this lesson, drag
the library feature named Engine Profile and drop it on the planar face
at the end of the wing.
Do
No
127
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
19 Add relations.
Add a Midpoint relation
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20 Revolve.
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Select the sketch and click Revolve Boss/Base. Since sketches can be
shared between features, it is not necessary to dissolve the library
feature first.
Be sure Merge result is selected so the revolved feature merges with
the Wing.
Rename the feature Engine.
No
21 Fillet.
Do
128
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
22 Mirror.
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23 Combine.
Click Combine
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Do
No
For Operation Type, click Add and select all three solid bodies.
129
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
24 Fillets.
Create 120cm fillets between the Wing and the Fuselage.
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26 Revolve.
Do
No
130
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
27 Edit color.
Select the topmost feature and change the part color to medium gray.
The R, G, B values are 128, 128, 128.
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Select the two pointed faces (the engine exhaust) and change their color
to red (255, 0, 0).
28 DisplayManager.
29 Lights.
Do
No
131
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
31 Adjust settings.
Do
No
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Adjust the settings of the two spot lights to match the illustrations
below. The color of Spot2 is dark maroon. The R, G, B values are 128,
0, 64.
132
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 15
Starship
32 Scene editor.
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Inserting Image
Files as
Background
Pictures
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Click Yes.
Do
No
Click OK.
133
Exercise 15
SolidWorks 2012
Starship
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Rotate the view until you are satisfied with the appearance.
To turn off the reference triad, click Tools, Options, System Options,
Display/Selection and clear the Display reference triad check mark.
Tip
35 Save.
Save the view state. Then save and exit the part.
Try using some of the other TIFF images that are supplied in the
Exercises folder as backgrounds.
Do
No
Optional
134
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Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Create a helix.
Model threads.
Do
No
135
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Sweeping
Along a 3D Path
3D Sketching
Where to Find It
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Case Study:
Modeling a
Spring
> 3D Sketch
Subset of Sketch
Entities and
Relations
No
Using Reference
Planes
Do
Space Handle
136
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
New part.
Click 3D Sketch
3
Centerlines.
Click Centerline
ibu
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Start sketching at the Origin. Sketch the centerline using the Along Y
marker to keep it on the Y axis of model space.
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to keep it on
First centerline
Second centerline
Dimensions
Sketching a line.
Click Line .
No
Do
137
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Continue sketching.
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Do
No
138
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Viewports.
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Drag.
Do
No
Drag the endpoint that is shared between the two blue lines. With
multiple viewports, it is easy to see how the angled line moved off of
the Front reference plane.
139
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
relation.
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Select the Front reference plane and the end of the third line, the one
going along the Z axis. Add an On Plane relation.
10 Fillets.
Do
No
140
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
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13 New sketch.
14 Sketch a circle.
If you start the circle from the center and drag the cursor to the
endpoint of the 3D sketch, the circle will automatically have a
Coincident relationship without the need to apply it manually later.
No
Tip
Do
141
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Introducing: Helix
and Spiral
Where to Find It
Spiral
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Revolution
Diameter
2mm
6.5mm
2mm
6.5mm
1.25mm
4.5mm
1.25mm
7.5
4.5mm
No
Do
Click OK.
142
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Creating a 3D
Curve from
Orthogonal Views
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The ends of the spring have loops to connect to rods. The loops are
curved in two different directions which are easy to describe from
orthogonal views. The illustration below shows a close up view of one
of the loops on the end of the spring.
Introducing:
Projected Curve
techniques:
2D Sketches
No
Do
Where to Find It
I
I
Projected Curve
143
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Open a new sketch on the Right reference plane, and sketch the side
view of the loop as shown.
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Connect the rightmost end of the sketch to end of the helix using a
Pierce relation.
Tip
Do
No
Click OK.
144
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Introducing:
Composite Curve
Where to Find It
Curve
I
22 Composite curve.
> Composite
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23 Profile.
Do
No
Create a Pierce relation between the center of the circle and the
composite curve.
145
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Unlike an extrude or revolve feature, you must exit the sketch before
you can create the sweep feature.
ibu
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25 Sweep.
Click Swept Boss/Base.
Transitions
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You might notice that at the ends of the helix are transitions which
arent perfectly tangent. This is a problem for 3D curves, since the 3D
curves cannot be filleted like 2D sketches.
Do
No
146
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
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Introducing:
Fit Spline
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Where to Find It
I
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Do
No
147
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
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the composite curve, and recreate it to the 3D fit spline. To do this, you
will need to reorder the profile sketch to the end of the FeatureManager.
Now recreate the sweep with
the small circle as the profile
and the fit spline as the path.
Notice that the sweep is one
continuous face, rather than
being broken up into several
faces as it was before. Also
notice that it is much
smoother than it was before
at the transition areas.
Do
No
Select the flat face nearest the Front reference plane, and mirror as
before.
148
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Applying the
Label to the
Bottle
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Library Features
Library Features are generally applied using the Design Library (see
File Explorer
The File Explorer is used to search drives and folders for SolidWorks
file types. The files can be dragged and dropped into SolidWorks.
Do
No
149
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
the part.
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Tip
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References.
Tip
Do
No
150
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Projecting a
Sketch onto a
Surface
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Selections.
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Do
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Click OK.
151
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Projected curve.
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Pierce relation.
Add a Pierce relation between the
Do
No
152
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Click OK.
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Do
No
153
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
The Shell Feature command gives you the option of creating a multithickness shell, in which some walls are thicker (or thinner) than
others. You should decide what thickness represents the usual case,
which is applied to most faces. Then, you should determine what
thickness represents the exceptions, applied to fewer faces. In the case
of the bottle, all faces are 0.020 thick except the neck, which is 0.060.
Create a multi-thickness shell, removing the top of the bottle neck. Use
a wall thickness of 0.060 for the neck and 0.020 for all the other
faces.
12 Shell command.
Click Shell .
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Multi-thickness
Shell
13 Multiple thickness.
Expand the Multi-thickness Settings group box.
Face selections made here will not use the default thickness.
Do
No
154
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Modeling
Threads
Creating a Helix
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The helix is based on a sketched circle tied to the diameter of the neck.
The sketch is oriented with respect to the helix and penetrates the neck.
Sweep the sketch along the path (helix) either as a boss or a cut
feature.
Procedure
16 Offset plane.
Do
No
17 Insert sketch.
155
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
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Note
20 Insert a sketch.
No
Do
21 Relations.
156
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
. Select the
sketch as the sweep section, and the
helix as the sweep path.
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Click OK.
If you are wondering what the option Align with End Faces is used
for, we will cover a simple example explaining its purpose later in the
course. See Align with End Faces on page 213.
Note
23 Results.
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Tip
Use the vertical edge where the thread meets the body of
the neck as the axis of revolution for the revolved
feature.
Do
No
157
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
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Case Study:
Creating a
Curve Through
a Set of Points
Important!
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Where to Find It
XYZ Points
Menu: Insert, Curve, Curve Through XYZ Points
Do
158
No
Entering Points
On the Fly
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Double-click in the next cell below Point #1 to add more rows. If you
need to, you can insert a row in the middle of the list. Highlight the row
by single-clicking the number in the point column and clicking the
Insert button.
Reading Data
From a File
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If you anticipate using this data set again, you can save it to a file using
the Save button. If you are editing an existing file, Save will overwrite
the original file; Save As will save a copy of it.
Instead of entering the point data directly, you can browse for a file and
read the data from it.
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If you need to modify the data points associated with a curve created
through a data point set, use Edit Feature, the same as you would for
any feature. When editing the definition of the curve, you have several
options:
I
I
I
Special
Considerations for
Airfoil Data
No
Do
The data is unit sized. That means the X coordinate goes from 1
to 0 and back to 0. In order to model an actual wing, the data has to
be scaled to the chord length of the airfoil.
In order to create the wing in its proper orientation with respect to
the aircraft coordinate system, you will have to rearrange the X, Y,
and Z values. For example, of you want the airfoil crated parallel to
the Right reference plane, the X values in the original data must go
in the Z column and the sign must be reversed.
If you wanted to change the angle of attack of the airfoil, that is,
rotate it, you would have to transform the values in the file. Not a
trivial task.
159
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Procedure
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Strategy: Use
Sketch Blocks
Change units.
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Change the units to feet & inches. We use feet and inches because the
airfoil data is from a World War II-era Boeing B-17 and its
specifications are all in those units.
Insert curve.
Note
Note
The browser can be set to search for Curves (*.sldcrv) or Text Files
(*.txt).
NACA stands for National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the
precursor to NASA.
Do
No
New sketch.
Convert Entities.
Use Convert Entities to copy the curve feature into the active sketch.
160
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
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Introducing: Sketch
Blocks
You can create blocks from single or multiple sketch entities. Using
blocks you can:
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Sketch Blocks
I
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To create a block you can either select entities in the graphics area, or
save a sketch directly to a block file.
Blocks are separate SolidWorks files with the file extension *.sldblk.
Where to Find It
I
I
Create block.
Select the Origin. Click Tools, Blocks, Save.
In the Save As dialog box, browse to the Curve Data folder and save
the block as NACA_0018.sldblk.
No
Click Save.
Selecting the Origin defines that location as the insertion point of the
block. In other words, when you insert the block, this is the point that
lines up with the cursor in the graphics window and determines the
location of the block when you click.
Do
Repeat.
Repeat step 5 through step 8 this time using the curve file
NACA_0010.sldcrv. Likewise, name the block NACA_0019.sldblk.
10 New part.
Change the units to feet & inches. Save the part and name it Wing.
161
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
11 Reference plane.
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14 Offset plane.
Create a reference plane offset 45 feet from the Root reference plane.
Name this plane Tip.
15 New sketch.
Do
No
162
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
17 Insert block.
Click Tools, Blocks, Insert.
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This scales the airfoil to 7.25 feet which is the length of the chord at the
tip of the wing.
Click the sketch point to insert the block.
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Click OK.
18 Loft.
Do
No
Click OK.
163
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
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Equation Driven
Curves
Introducing:
Equation Driven
Curve
The equations for equation driven curves can be either Explicit where
Y is a function of X, or Parametric where X, Y, and Z are functions of
T. If you create a parametric equation driven curve in a 2D sketch, only
X and Y can be defined.
3D sketches support parametric equations only.
No
You can use any functions that are supported in the Equations dialog
box. For example: D1@Sketch1*sin(t).
Where to Find It
Curve
Do
New part.
Open a new part using the Part_MM template. Name it Wave Spring
Washer.
2
3D sketch.
164
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
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. Enter the
parametric equations shown at the right and
click OK.
What do the
Equations Mean?
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In a 3D sketch, Xt, Yt, and Zt are interpreted with respect to the model
coordinate system. The equations for Xt and Zt together define a circle.
The value 14 is the radius of that circle.
The equation for Yt defines a cosine curve. (The only difference
between a sine curve and a cosine curve is the phase the cosine
curves is shifted 90 out of phase compared to the sine curve as
illustrated below.)
Cosine curve
Sine curve
No
In the equation for Yt, 1.25*cos(5*t), the value 1.25 is the amplitude
of the curve. As written, the amplitude is centered with respect to Y=0.
If you wanted to offset the amplitude you would add an offset value.
For example, 1.25*cos(5*t)+2 would center the curve with respect to
Y=2 causing it to oscillate between Y=0.75 and Y=3.25.
Do
165
Lesson 5
SolidWorks 2012
Second curve.
I
I
I
I
I
Xt = 17.5*sin(t)
Yt = 1.25*cos(5*t)
Zt = 17.5*cos(t)
t1 = 0
t2 = pi
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Profile sketch.
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Sweep.
166
No
Do
Note
Click OK.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 5
Working with Curves
Mirror.
Question
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Do
No
167
Exercise 16
SolidWorks 2012
Worm Gear
Exercise 16:
Worm Gear
Procedure
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Do
No
168
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 16
Worm Gear
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Sweep.
No
Do
169
Exercise 16
SolidWorks 2012
Worm Gear
Extrude a boss.
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Mirror.
Do
No
170
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 17
D-cell Flashlight Spring
Exercise 17:
D-cell Flashlight
Spring
Procedure
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Revolution
Diameter
0.5mm
40mm
2.0mm
40mm
5.0mm
35mm
5mm
4.5
22.5mm
0.001mm
15mm
Do
No
171
Exercise 18
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 18:
Water Bottle
Cage
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Procedure
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Units: millimeters
Open a new part using the Part_MM template and name it Water
Bottle Cage.
New sketch.
reference plane.
Do
No
172
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 18
Water Bottle Cage
Projected curve.
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Sweep profile.
Sweep.
Do
No
173
Exercise 19
SolidWorks 2012
3D Sketching
Exercise 19:
3D Sketching
Procedure
3D Sketching on
page 136.
Sweeping on
page 100.
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Sketch lines.
Switch planes.
No
Do
174
Continue lines.
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 19
3D Sketching
Relation.
Add a Coincident relation between
Dimensions.
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Fillets.
Profile sketch.
No
Do
Sketch a circle of
diameter 15mm.
175
Exercise 19
SolidWorks 2012
3D Sketching
10 Sweep.
Optional
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12 Modified sweep.
Do
No
176
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 20
3D Sketching with Planes
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No
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Exercise 20:
3D Sketching
with Planes
Do
Planning Ahead
Procedure
Often times when 3D sketching you will need reference planes other
than the three default ones. Whenever possible, it is a good idea to
create these before you start 3D sketching. This usually requires some
preplanning as well as some construction geometry.
Open an existing part named 3DSketchAngle.
177
Exercise 20
SolidWorks 2012
Reference plane.
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Do
No
178
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 20
3D Sketching with Planes
3
4
New 3D sketch.
Create a new 3D Sketch and change the view orientation to Isometric.
Sketching a line.
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Switching Sketch
Planes
The green square indicates that you have selected a plane for
sketching.
The On Surface symbol indicates you are capturing an On
Surface relation between the line and the plane.
No
Do
179
Exercise 20
SolidWorks 2012
Continue sketching.
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Add relation.
Deselect the Line tool.
Do
No
Add an On Plane relation between the end of the line and the
Angle 60 reference plane.
180
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 20
3D Sketching with Planes
sketch plane.
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Note
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Add relations.
Deselect the Line tool. Add an On Plane relation between the end of
the angled line and the Top reference plane.
The two angled planes were hidden for illustration purposes.
Do
No
Note
181
Exercise 20
SolidWorks 2012
10 Continue sketching.
Deactivate the Angle 60 reference plane by double-clicking an empty
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Starting at the end of the angled line, sketch along the model X axis
ending the line so it is Coincident with the corner of the Setup sketch.
Do
No
182
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 20
3D Sketching with Planes
12 Add dimensions.
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Dimension the sketch as shown below. This fully defines the sketch.
13 Fillet.
Add 30mm fillets to all six corners.
No
14 Sweep.
Do
183
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Blower Housing
Exercise 21:
Blower Housing
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Getting Started
In this part, the overall shape is a flat spiral, but the cross section of the
involute shape changes in two directions as the sweep progresses.
Making the profile grow taller around the sweep will mean that we use
a spiral for the path and a spiral of a slightly larger pitch for the first
guide curve. Making the sweep grow in width will be the work of a
helix.
Open a new part from the Part_IN template and name it
Blower Housing.
No
Procedure
Do
184
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 21
Blower Housing
I
I
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I
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Draw a second circle again on the Front reference plane, this time with
a 5 inch diameter centered at the Origin.
Use the settings below to create a second spiral which will function as a
guide curve:
I
I
I
I
Constant pitch
For Height enter 0.500.
For Revolutions enter 1.
For Start angle enter 0 and click Counterclockwise.
No
I
I
Do
185
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Blower Housing
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Open a sketch on the Top reference plane, and sketch a rectangle with
two tangent arcs on the horizontal ends, turning two of the lines of the
rectangle to construction geometry as shown.
No
Do
Note
186
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 21
Blower Housing
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Important!
Do
No
187
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Blower Housing
11 Offset.
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Do
No
188
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 21
Blower Housing
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Tip
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Create a Pierce relation between the endpoint of the arc and the edge of
the Outlet.
Edge of Outlet
No
Do
189
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Blower Housing
16 Create extrusion.
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Splitting a Face
A split line is used to divide model faces into two. Split lines are
created like any other sketched feature. They can be one or more
connected sketch entities. They must be oriented so that they will pass
through model faces when projected normal to the sketch plane.
Introducing:
Split Line
Split Line uses one or more curves to split one model face into two.
Where to Find It
The curves are sketched on a plane and projected onto the faces to be
split.
I
Do
No
190
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 21
Blower Housing
18 Split line.
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Do
No
191
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Blower Housing
20 Add fillets.
Do
No
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192
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 21
Blower Housing
21 Shell.
No
Tip
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For the Faces to Remove, select the three faces that were created by
the split lines in step 18 and step 19.
Do
193
Exercise 21
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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Blower Housing
194
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Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Do
No
195
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Yaw
Path
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Profile
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Orientation and
Twist Control
Pitch
Roll is the twisting or spinning of
Roll
the profile around the path.
Generally the challenge is to either induce twist, or prevent it. This is
done using options or guide curves.
Do
No
Intermediate
Sections
196
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Follow Path
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Do
No
Keep Normal
Constant
197
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
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Which to Use?
Do
No
198
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Procedure
Edit feature.
Edit the Sweep1 feature. The Orientation/twist type is set to Follow
Path.
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Click Cancel.
Edit Sketch6.
This sketch was created using
the Intersection Curves
command to find the
intersection between the
Right reference plane and
two faces in the part. The
angle dimension was created
by selecting the two ends and the corner of the intersection curves.
Notice that even though the profile had the proper amount of draft built
into it, the side of the rib has less than the required 5 of draft. This is
because as the profile rotates to stay normal to the path, it has the effect
of foreshortening the draft angle.
Exit the sketch.
Edit feature.
Edit the Sweep1 feature.
No
Do
Edit Sketch6.
Notice that the draft angle is
now correct.
199
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Controlling Twist
The concepts of Follow Path and Keep Normal Constant also hold
true for sweeps with 3D paths. However, with a 3D path, there is an
additional degree of freedom how the intermediate sections rotate or
spin around the path.
Do
No
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200
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Notice how the sweep twists. If the profile had been circular, this may
not have been noticeable.
Do
No
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The goal is to make the rectangular profile remain aligned with Axis1,
such that the faces on the inside and outside of the ring are normal to
the Front reference plane.
201
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Predicting twist.
The twist of this part may not be intuitively clear, but it can be
predicted by looking at the curvature comb for the path.
Show the path sketch and the profile sketch.
Show curvature comb for the path spline.
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Notice that the relationship between the curvature comb and the profile
remains approximately constant throughout the sweep.
Turn off the curvature comb display and hide the two sketches.
Minimize twist.
Do
No
202
Section View
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Since we know that a sweep with a planar path does not twist, we can
use that to prevent the section from spinning.
ibu
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To do this while still keeping the 3D shape of the sweep, we will use
the 3D spline as a guide curve, and a projection of the 3D spline onto
the Front reference plane as the path.
Expand the sweep feature. Show the path sketch, 3DSketch1.
Drag the rollback bar just after the sweep feature and before Sketch1.
You may receive a message telling you the sketches will be temporarily
unabsorbed for editing purposes. If so, click OK.
Open a new sketch on the Front reference plane.
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Use Convert Entities to project the 3D spline onto the sketch plane.
No
Do
203
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
3D sketch
2D sketch
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Do
No
204
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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Above we have seen eliminating twist using guide curves and settings.
Next we explore inducing controlled twist and other uses for guide
curves.
When creating a profile sketch for a sweep that you know is going to
have a tendency to twist, it is a good idea to avoid Horizontal, Vertical
and any external sketch relations other than Pierce. This is especially
true for lines that go between the path and guide curves. When a sweep
section twists, horizontal and vertical relations may cause the sketch to
fail because they can not be solved in one or more of the intermediate
positions.
Sketch Relations
But if relations like Parallel and Perpendicular are used, the sketch is
allowed to move and rotate independently from the sketch plane itself.
This often makes the difference between a sweep that works and one
that does not.
Do
No
Profile
Path
205
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Predicting twist.
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Open a 3D sketch.
Select the path, Curve2, and click Convert Entities. This creates a
copy of the curve as a spline.
Right-click the spline and click Show Curvature Combs.
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This graphically shows how the path twists which in turn will cause the
profile to twist as it is swept.
Do
No
206
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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The sweep follows the path, but it also twists in a way that for this part,
is not useful.
Path alignment.
Expand Options and set the Path alignment type to Minimum twist.
This eliminates some of the twist but the result is still not acceptable.
Select the first guide curve.
Select Curve1 as the first guide curve.
Do
No
207
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
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This straightens out the sweep because the intermediate sections are no
longer relying on just the path to determine their orientation.
Using the Follow path and 1st guide curve option, the twist
orientation of each intermediate section is determined by a vector
between the path and the first guide curve.
No
Do
The option Follow 1st and 2nd guide curves uses the same concept,
except that the alignment is defined by a vector between two guide
curves instead of between the path and first guide curve.
208
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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This curve controls the height of the sweep as it moves along the path.
In this example, the height of the section affects the radius of the arcs
on the top of the profile sketch. This is done with construction
geometry and an Equal relation.
Click OK.
Do
No
Alternative Method
Results.
209
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
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10 Add relations.
11 Add relations.
Do
No
210
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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Best Practice
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No
Do
211
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Defining Twist
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Path
Profile
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I
Sweep.
Click Cut Sweep
and
create a simple cut sweep
using the default Follow Path
option.
Edit Cut-Sweep1
feature.
Edit the Cut-Sweep1
No
Orientation/twist type to
Twist Along Path.
Do
212
Click OK.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Completed.
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No
Do
Sweeping
Along Model
Edges
213
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
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Propagate Along
Tangent Edges
or click Insert,
SelectionManager.
Do
No
214
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
Remaining edges.
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Click OK.
No
Sweeping a
Tool Body
You can sweep a solid tool body along a path to make a swept cut using
the Solid sweep option. One common application is creating cuts
around cylindrical bodies such as on a drill bit.
Do
215
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced Sweeping
Tool body
Drill body
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I
I
Do
No
216
Path
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 6
Advanced Sweeping
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Click OK.
Results.
Circular pattern.
Make a circular pattern of the cut sweep feature. Use the cylindrical
face of the drill bit body as the Pattern axis.
No
Do
217
Lesson 6
SolidWorks 2012
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Advanced Sweeping
Do
No
218
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 22
Makeup Case
Exercise 22:
Makeup Case
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This is a concept model for a cosmetics case such as one that powder or
rouge would be packaged in. As such, it is a single, monolithic solid
with no internal components or details, much like the USB flash drive
you worked on in Exercise 10: Split Part on page 96.
Thanks to Keith Pedersen at Computer-Aided Products, Inc. for submitting this example.
Units: millimeters
Procedure
No
Do
Edit sketch.
219
Exercise 22
SolidWorks 2012
Makeup Case
Split line.
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Add relation.
Add a Pierce relation between the split
No
Do
220
Add relation.
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 22
Makeup Case
Sweep a cut.
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11 Mirror.
No
Mirror the swept cut with respect to the Front reference plane.
Do
221
Exercise 23
SolidWorks 2012
Mouse
Exercise 23:
Mouse
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Units: millimeters
Procedure
1
2
Do
No
Sweep a 0.5mm square profile along the edge of the model to create the
reveal, shown in orange below. Try to complete this exercise without
referring to the answer on the following pages.
222
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 23
Mouse
Answer
If you were not able to control the twisting of the profile to create a
satisfactory sweep, follow the steps below.
1
Composite curve.
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Create a composite curve using the edges of the mouse. This will be the
guide curve.
Because of the shape of the path, you can anticipate that the profile will
tend to twist when it is swept. This means two things:
I
I
The guide curve has to be created before the sweep profile so you can
relate the profile to it.
Open a sketch on the Top reference plane.
Do
No
Use Convert Entities to copy the edges of the mouse into the sketch.
223
Exercise 23
SolidWorks 2012
Mouse
Pierce relations.
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reference plane.
Dimension.
Add a 0.5mm dimension to one
Do
No
224
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Lesson 7
Lofts
Do
No
225
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Lofting and
Sweeping:
Whats the
Difference?
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Consider the first feature of a plastic bottle such as the one we worked
on in Lesson 4: Introduction to Sweeping. If the design data you are
working with consists of the two curves that describe the outline of the
bottle as seen from the front and side, and the cross section is similar
throughout the shape, you can create the feature using sweep, with
guide curves controlling the major and minor axes of the elliptical
section.
If the design data you are working with consists of a set of cross sections,
you can use loft to build the part. This is especially useful when the cross
sections are dissimilar, although that is not the case in this example.
Do
No
226
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
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How Lofting
Works
No
Do
Instead of this:
227
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Basic Lofting
Do
No
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228
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Stages in the
Process
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Where you select each profile and the order in which you select them is
important.
Introducing: Loft
Where to Find It
I
I
I
I
Procedure
Do
No
Insert a loft.
229
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Loft PropertyManager.
Click in the Profiles list and select the three
Tip
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Note
No
Do
230
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Merge Tangent
Faces
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The Merge tangent faces option causes the surfaces in the loft feature
to be tangent if the corresponding segments in the profiles are tangent.
Faces that can be represented as planes, cylinders, or cones are
maintained. Other adjacent faces are merged, and the sections are
approximated. Sketch arcs may be converted to splines.
When lofting, you can control the shape at the ends of the loft by using
options that influence the direction of the loft at the beginning and
ending profiles. You can also control the length and direction of the
influence at each end.
Do
No
231
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Normal to Profile.
Select the options Normal to Profile for both the start and end of the
loft. The tangent vector arrows should point in the directions shown.
If they do not, click Reverse Direction
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Leave the start and end tangent length values at the default 1. Changing
the tangent length changes the influence on the shape of the loft.
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You can change all the Tangent Length values by typing a value and
clicking Apply to all. Individually, a single tangent vector arrow can be
dragged.
Do
No
Pay attention to the preview. If the tangent arrows are in the incorrect
direction, the preview will look something like the illustration below.
232
Click OK.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Note
Normal to Profile
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10 Results.
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No
Lofting Using a 3D
Sketch
233
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Merging a
Multibody with
Loft
The Merge result check box can be used on any boss feature aside
from the first feature. In this example, we will create the transitional
feature from the head of a golf club into the shaft using a multibody.
Open the part Lofted Merge.
It contains two solid bodies that cannot be merged.
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Start/End constraints.
checked.
Note
Merged feature.
Do
No
234
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Using Derived
and Copied
Sketches
Original Sketch
Copied Sketch
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To create another profile of similar shape, copy and paste the existing
sketch onto the desired sketch plane. Copied sketches can be edited in
any way and are not linked back to the original. In this example, the
sketch Source will be copied onto the plane Right and edited.
No
Copying a
Sketch
Do
Select sketch.
Select the sketch Source. The sketch geometry will highlight on the
screen.
Copy sketch.
235
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Edit sketch.
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Add relations.
No
Do
Make changes.
236
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Derived
Sketches
Introducing:
Insert Derived
Sketch
Where to Find It
Creating a Derived
Sketch
Create the derived sketch on the plane Top. Once copied, the sketch
can be rotated and repositioned if it is at the wrong orientation.
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Derived sketches are dependent on the original for size and shape but
not location and usage. You cannot edit the geometry or dimensions of
a derived sketch. You can only locate it with respect to the model.
Changes to the original sketch propagate to the derived copies.
Hold down Ctrl and select the sketch Source and the plane you want it
copied to (Top). The sketch will be copied to the selected plane in the
next step.
Click Insert, Derived Sketch. The sketch is inserted onto the selected
plane, but it is under defined.
Unlike Copy and Paste, the system automatically puts you into the
Edit Sketch mode. Also, notice that derived sketches are identified as
such by the derived suffix appended to their names in the
FeatureManager design tree.
Locating the
Derived Sketch
orientation.
No
.
Position the cursor over the
black origin symbol as
indicated.
Before
Do
After
237
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
11 Drag.
12 Fully define.
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13 Insert a loft.
Click Loft Boss/Base
Do
No
Loft the three profiles without using guide curves or centerlines. Select
the profiles near a common vertex.
238
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Loft Viewing
Options
When you are creating or editing a loft feature, you can enhance the
preview by displaying Connectors, Mesh, or Zebra Stripes.
Where to Find It
Faces
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15 Mesh Preview.
Right-click Mesh Preview,
Mesh All Faces. A surface
Do
No
239
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Centerline
Lofting
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The part shown at the right is a heat shield that goes over a hot gas
manifold. It consists of several shapes a semi-circle, a rectangle, a
half ellipse all of which must be smoothly blended together. Since the
basic shapes are the result of blending two or more profiles, lofting is
the approach of choice.
Do
No
240
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Preparation of the
Profiles
When lofting, you have to give special consideration to the way you
sketch the profiles, and how you subsequently select them in the Loft
command. In general, there are two rules you should follow for good
results:
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Insert a loft.
Click Loft Boss/Base
Do
No
241
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Preview.
Select Sketch6 and then
Sketch4. Notice the
preview. Be careful to
pick the same relative
corner of each profile.
Centerline.
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Because of the
importance of where you
pick the profiles, it is
usually not a good idea
to select them from the FeatureManager design tree.
Tip
Do
No
242
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Sharing Sketches
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Shared sketch.
Sketch4 is shared by both
Show Connectors.
Right-click the Loft2 feature
and click Edit Feature. Right-
Do
No
243
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
10 Results.
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11 Delete.
Delete the Loft2 feature and use a modified sketch with an equal
number of segments.
sketch.
No
Where to Find It
Do
Introducing:
Split Entities
244
selected locations.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
13 Split entities.
Split Points
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No
17 Results.
Do
245
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Cleaning Up a
Model
Artifact
Changing the display to Shaded With Edges also helps make artifacts
more visible.
The Delete Face tool removes one or more faces from the model,
allowing it to be replaced by extending the boundaries of adjacent faces
or by filling in the gap with a completely new surface. Delete Face can
also turn a solid body into a surface body by simply removing the face
and not replacing it with anything.
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Introducing:
Delete Face
Where to Find It
I
I
18 Change colors.
Tip
19 Delete face.
Click Delete Face
No
Do
246
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
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Artifact faces
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Lofts
Click OK.
20 Remove color.
Introducing:
Deviation Analysis
Where to Find It
I
I
21 Analysis parameters.
Click Deviation Analysis
Do
No
Click Calculate.
247
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
Do
No
Face Fillets
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248
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
23 Face fillet.
Click Fillet
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Click OK.
25 Remaining fillets.
No
Run a 55mm radius fillet up the edge between the two lofts.
Do
Note
Tip
249
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
27 Sketch profile.
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28 Extrude.
29 Add fillet.
Run a 12.5mm radius fillet around
Do
No
250
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
30 Shell part.
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Shell the part towards the inside using a wall thickness of 1.5mm.
Advanced
Lofting
No
Design requirements
Sizes
Materials
Manufacturing processes
The application in which it will be
used
Do
251
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Planning a
Modeling Strategy
Before tackling a part like this, it is a good idea to plan out the task.
Placement of the origin is one of the first things that should be
considered, since it can be important to downstream tasks such as
mating in an assembly. In this case, the origin could go at the center of
the top loop or at the center of the hook throat. There may be other
valid locations but these are two examples.
Next you should try to identify
functional shapes on the part. For
example:
I
I
I
I
The loop
The hook
The transition between the
hook and the loop
The tip on the end of the hook
Loop
Transition
Tip
Do
No
Hook
Once you have identified the
functional shapes, it may become easier to assign features to make each
shape. The loop is most easily created as a revolve. A transition from
one shape to another is a good description of a loft, so we will use a loft
for the transition area. The hook could be created with either a loft or a
sweep, but a loft will be easier to set up to get the desired shape. Again,
there are several ways to make the tip, but here we will create it with a
loft.
252
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Procedure
To simplify matters somewhat, this part has been partially set up for
you.
1
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Layout
Sketches
Now you are ready to use a spline to trace the back side of the hook.
Edit Hook Layout
Sketch.
Create a second spline
around the outside curve of
the main hook body. It will
take some adjustment to get
it close to the sketch picture
image. The purpose of this
spline is to help you set up
the loft which will form the
main part of the hook body.
Do
No
253
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
3
4
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Right click Sketch Picture1 and click Suppress from the shortcut
menu.
Note
8
9
Do
No
254
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
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Tip
Do
No
255
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Do
No
256
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
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mesh lines are the thin black lines on the loft preview. In this case, the
mesh looks clean, and the lines dont bunch together, twist or kink. In
some lofts, the mesh will preview areas which appear rippled, kinked,
or twisted. This is usually an indication that there are problems with the
loft or that there will be problems later with features such as shell,
offset or fillet.
No
Do
257
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
To transition from the hook loft to the loop, we need a place on the loop
to transition to.
Again on the Right reference plane, draw a circle dimensioned as
shown.
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Extrude a Through All cut in both directions. Use the Feature Scope
so that it only cuts the revolved body.
Do
No
258
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
20 Sketch a point.
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Do
No
Start/End Constraints
should be set Tangency To
Face for the face profile.
259
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
22 Results.
Boundary
Feature
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The Boundary feature (boss, cut, surface) is much like Loft with some
exceptions. The best way to understand the Boundary feature is to
compare it with Loft and illustrate the differences. This will help you
decide which tool to use in different modeling situations.
Do
No
260
Loft
Boundary
Which result is correct? They both are. When you are modeling
features that are not analytic, such as extrudes and revolves are, but
rather are created by interpolating between cross sections, there is
virtually an unlimited number of correct answers.
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 7
Lofts
Do
No
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261
Lesson 7
SolidWorks 2012
Lofts
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Optional
No
Lofted Merge
Do
Hook
262
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 24
Funnel
Exercise 24:
Funnel
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Procedure
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Open a new part using the Part_MM template and name it Funnel.
Second profile.
No
Do
263
Exercise 24
SolidWorks 2012
Funnel
Breakup.
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Add centerlines radially from the circles center to the endpoints of the
first profile. This geometry will cross the circles circumference at several places.
First loft.
Do
No
Important!
Note
264
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 24
Funnel
Resulting loft.
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Circular Edge
Do
No
265
Exercise 24
SolidWorks 2012
Funnel
Neck loft.
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Select the sketches in the FeatureManager design tree and loft between
the profiles.
Do
No
266
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 24
Funnel
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Sketch the outline of the rim using the dimensions given. Use Convert
Entities to create the inner outline. Extrude the rim to a depth of
1.50mm. Make the two thickness values equal using a global variable.
Do
No
Tip
267
Exercise 24
SolidWorks 2012
Funnel
Profile
Sweep Path
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An easy way to
construct this curve is
to sketch a line and
constrain it with
Pierce relations to
model edges at the
opening and where the inside of the neck meets the main body.
14 Pattern the rib.
15 Problem.
Do
No
268
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 24
Funnel
16 One solution.
Edit the sketch for the path of the rib and make the path longer by a
adding a short, colinear line. Make the line about 1mm long.
If you make the path too long, the rib will protrude into the inside of the
funnel.
Note
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Using the dimensions provided, sketch a profile to cut through the rim
so the funnel can be hung on a hook. Notice the use of an angular
dimension on an arc. This can be created by picking the arcs
centerpoint and its two ends.
Do
No
269
Exercise 24
SolidWorks 2012
Funnel
Do
No
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270
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 25
Rocker Arm
Exercise 25:
Rocker Arm
Sketching Splines on
page 8.
Derived Sketches on
page 237.
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Design Intent
Procedure
No
Do
New sketch.
271
Exercise 25
SolidWorks 2012
Rocker Arm
Plane2
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No
Derived sketch.
Do
272
Plane3
Plane1
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 25
Rocker Arm
dimensioned as shown.
Begin loft.
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Do
No
Click OK.
273
Exercise 25
SolidWorks 2012
Rocker Arm
Optional
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11 Cut holes.
12 Add fillets.
Add 10mm fillets around the
bosses.
Do
No
Tip
274
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SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 26
Boat Hull
Exercise 26:
Boat Hull
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Design Intent
Procedure
New part.
No
Do
Rename it to Scale_Reference.
275
Exercise 26
SolidWorks 2012
Boat Hull
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The other end of each spline is Coincident with the rightmost vertical
construction line in the Scale_Reference sketch.
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Sheer
Keel
Keel
On this part, especially on the keel, you want to create a spline that
does not change convexity. The best way to find a convexity change is
to right-click the spline and click Show Inflection Points.
Inflection Point
Do
No
Tip
Remember the relationship between splines and lofts: loft sections are
analogous to spline points. When using a spline to lay out the keel, it is
a good idea to make the spline points and the loft sections coincide.
Later we will create the profile planes at the spline points of the keel.
The curvature comb and the control polygon can also show an
inflection point where they cross the spline.
6
Rename it Layout_Sketch.
276
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 26
Boat Hull
Sketch picture.
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Sketch a rectangle of
construction lines as shown.
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Sketch a spline.
No
Do
277
Exercise 26
SolidWorks 2012
Boat Hull
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Do
No
When making a part much larger than most of the other parts you have
worked on, the default display size of the reference planes may be too
small.
278
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 26
Boat Hull
Create new planes in the order shown parallel to the Front reference
plane and at each of the keel spline points and at the end of the keel
using the Parallel to Plane at Point plane type.
Plane3
Plane4
Plane5
After you create the first plane, select the Front reference plane and
the next spline point. Then press Enter. This repeats the previous
command. Now press Enter again to create the next plane.
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Tip
Plane2
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Plane1
The first profile will be the point at the bow of the boat.
On the Front reference plane, place a sketch point
at the Origin.
No
Do
Select Plane2 and press Ctrl+V. Do the same for Plane3 and Plane4,
but not Plane5.
Plane5 will get its own sketch.
279
Exercise 26
SolidWorks 2012
Boat Hull
dimensions as shown.
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Third_Profile
Fourth_Profile
Fifth_Profile
No
The Fifth_Profile will get some additional attention in the next step.
22 Fit spline.
Edit Fifth_Profile.
Do
Select the lower four sketch lines and fit a spline to them as follows:
280
Constrained
Tolerance = 0.05 m
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 26
Boat Hull
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In the previous step, the Tolerance was set to 0.05 m. This means the
spline can be as far as that distance away from the original lines.
Because loft guide curves have to contact the profiles, we need to
adjust the sketch to compensate for this.
Fit Spline
Considerations
You cannot add relations to a fit spline. This poses a challenge when
trying to attach the fit spline to the guide curve. Normally we would
insert a sketch point and constrain it to the intersection of the
construction line and the fit spline. We then could add a Pierce relation
between the point and the guide curve. However, since we cannot add
relations to a fit spline, that technique wont work.
Under defined
Do
No
26 Remove relation.
Delete the Pierce relation between the
Delete
281
Exercise 26
SolidWorks 2012
Boat Hull
27 Add relation.
Add a Pierce relation between the end of
29 Transom sketch.
On Plane5, draw several
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The Fifth_Profile, the fit spline, has no point on the Right reference
plane and the guide curve has to be related to the profile geometry.
No
Add a Pierce relation between the spline point and the fit spline in the
Fifth_Profile.
Do
282
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 26
Boat Hull
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35 Show connectors.
36 Adjust connectors.
No
Do
Adjust
283
Exercise 26
SolidWorks 2012
Boat Hull
Before Adjustment
After Adjustment
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39 Shell.
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37 Adjustment.
Optionally you can shell the boat, removing the top face. Shell with a
Thickness of 0.006 m (6.0mm).
Do
No
40 Results.
284
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 27
Light Cover
Exercise 27:
Light Cover
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Design Intent
Procedure
This part uses a projected curve to set up the loft, but does not use the
curve as a guide curve or a centerline.
I
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Do
No
285
Exercise 27
SolidWorks 2012
Light Cover
Second sketch.
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No
Do
286
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 27
Light Cover
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Do
No
287
Exercise 27
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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Light Cover
288
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Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
No
Do
289
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Advanced
Fillets
ibu
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There are many filleting functions beyond the most commonly used
default constant radius fillet. Advanced fillets can be powerful tools to
help you achieve your design goals. This lesson will help you explore
these. Advanced fillet types include:
I
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Variable radius
Setback fillet
Face fillet
There are also various options which affect the finished fillet:
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Keep Features
Multiple radius
Overflow type (Keep edge, Keep surface)
Round corners
Curvature continuous
Constant width
Smooth or straight transition for variable radius fillet
Using hold lines
The Keep features option controls the behavior of fillets when they
fully surround an existing feature.
Click Fillet
Do
No
Expand the Fillet Options group box and look at the Keep features
option. By default it is selected.
290
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Click OK.
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Notice that both the hole and the boss are affected by the fillet and are
either trimmed or extended to adjust for it.
Notice that the fillet completely surrounds the boss but not the hole.
Both features are still extended or trimmed back to compensate.
Click OK.
Do
No
291
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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I
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These options enable you to specify how fillets will act when they are
larger than the space available for them.
Click Fillet
Do
No
292
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Face is unbroken
Edges have changed
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Click OK.
Do
No
Round Corners
293
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Variable Radius
Fillets
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Select Through
Faces
Click Fillet
Note
Do
No
294
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Control Points
Click OK.
Do
No
295
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Straight and
Smooth
Transitions
Smooth Transition
Zero Radius
Values
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Straight Transition
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Do
Note
No
296
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Setback Fillets
Do
No
Setback Fillet
Default Fillet
297
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Click Fillet
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No
Do
298
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Tip
The fillet preview will disappear until you have entered all the values
for a given vertex.
Using the Set Unassigned and Set All buttons can save a lot of set up
time if there are many common values.
Do
No
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299
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Click OK.
The final result with edges displayed shows how SolidWorks patches
together this complex fillet.
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This example uses only constant radius fillets. If you think about the
added work to do this with variable radius fillets on each edge, you
begin to see how complex the set up for this fillet type can be.
Do
No
Face Fillets
300
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Chamfer
Imperfections
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Note
Notice the chamfer on one side and the imperfections along the edge on
the other side. Both of these will prevent edge fillets from being applied
to this part.
Click Fillet
In a situation like this one, where the face fillet is removing an existing
face, the chamfer, the radius must be larger than the geometry it is
meant to cover. Edge fillets often fail because the fillet is too large.
Face fillets sometimes fail because the fillet is too small.
Do
Tip
No
301
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Flip the part over so you can now see the face that has
two small cuts.
Create a face fillet similar to the one just created on
the other side.
Save and close the part.
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Curvature
Continuous Fillets
Important!
Do
No
302
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Constant Width
Fillets
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The Constant width fillet works like an automatic variable radius fillet
where the radius is determined automatically by keeping the chord
length of the fillet constant.
Constant radius
Hold Lines
Constant width
No
Open part.
Do
Click Fillet.
303
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Since the Hold line will define the radius, you do not need to enter a
radius value. Also, when you expand the Fillet Options group box and
select a hold line, the Radius field disappears.
3
Select faces.
ibu
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Note
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Click in Hold line selection list, and select the three edges as shown in
the illustration.
Click OK to create the fillet.
Results.
Do
No
304
Hold Lines
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Analyzing
Geometry
SolidWorks has several tools that are used to obtain information and to
assess the quality of curves and surfaces. They include:
Display Curvature
Show Curvature Combs
Show Minimum Radius
Show Inflection Points
Zebra Stripes
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What is
Curvature?
ibu
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To avoid getting too deep into mathematics, we will use this working
definition: Curvature is the reciprocal of the radius.
If a surface has a local radius of 0.25, it has a curvature of 4. The
smaller the curvature value, the flatter the surface.
Introducing:
Display Curvature
Where to Find It
I
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No
Tip
Open part.
Do
305
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Display Curvature.
Click Curvature .
ibu
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Notice the dramatic change in color from the body of the bottle to the
fillet around the bottom. This indicates that although the fillet is tangent
to the body, it is not curvature continiuous.This means the faces do not
have the same curvature at the edge where they meet.
Show Curvature
Combs
No
Introducing: Show
Curvature Combs
Do
306
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
ibu
te
In the illustration below there are two very similar looking curves, both
of which appear to have two inflection points.
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When you use Show Curvature Combs, it becomes obvious that the
bottom most curve is not smooth and has many inflection points.
Do
No
You can use Show Curvature Combs to learn about how curves are
connected. Look at the illustration below.
The two sketch entities are a circular arc and a quarter of an ellipse. The
two curves are tangent but not matched in curvature. This is indicated
by the fact that the curvature lines at the common endpoint are:
I
I
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Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Where to Find It
Menu: Select the spline and click Tools, Spline Tools, Show
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Curvature
Intersection
Curves
Introducing:
Intersection Curve
where you do not have a sketch entity, you will have to apply other
techniques. For example, to evaluate a face or surface, one technique is
to generate an intersection curve.
Where to Find It
Do
No
308
ibu
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>
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Intersection curves.
Select the Front reference plane and open a
sketch.
Click Intersection Curve
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Results.
Do
No
309
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Color
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Show Minimum
Radius
Where to Find It
Do
No
310
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Show Inflection
Points
Where to Find It
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Inflection
Points
Minimum Radius.
Do
No
311
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
10 Inflection Points.
ibu
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Continuity
Explained
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Do
No
Contact, or C0 continuity,
Tangent, or C1 continuity, and
Curvature, or C2 continuity.
312
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
While there are orders of continuity higher than C2, they are not used in
the SolidWorks software and therefore will not be addressed here.
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Do
No
313
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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Note
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Introducing:
Zebra Stripes
Boundary
Conditions
The way the zebra stripes appear when they cross the boundaries of
faces tells you how the faces within a part are blended one into the
other.
No
Zebra Stripes
Do
Tangent
314
Contact
Curvature
Continuous
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Where to Find It
I
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13 Zebra stripes.
Click Zebra Stripes
Tip
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Curvature
Continuous Fillets
Where to Find It
No
Do
315
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
ibu
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The face set list that represents the bottom of the bottle (Face Set 1in
this example) now has two faces listed because the bottom was split
into two during step 16.
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Click in the Hold line list, and select the edge of the face for the second
hold line.
18 Intersection curves.
Do
No
316
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
21 Zebra stripes.
Click View, Display, Zebra Stripes. Examine
Wrap Feature
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The Wrap feature takes a flat sketch and wraps it around a cylindrical
or conical surface, embossing (adding material), debossing (removing
material) or scribing (splitting faces). The sketch must be a single or
multiple closed loop, (not an open loop), and must be on a plane that is
parallel to a plane that is tangent to the surface.
Extrude a cylinder.
Define a plane.
Do
No
317
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Equation.
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Write an equation that sets the overall length of the sketch equal to pi
times the diameter of the cylinder.
Introducing: Wrap
The Wrap feature will emboss (add material), deboss (remove material)
or scribe (split faces) a sketch around a cylindrical or conical face.
No
The Wrap feature can also deboss or emboss while allowing you to
specify a pull direction. This is for creating inset areas on plastic parts.
Where to Find It
Do
318
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Click Wrap
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track.
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Note
Better cam design would use spline transitions rather than simple
fillets, to make the transitions smoother. A fit spline might be used for
the contour instead of simple lines.
Deform Feature
No
Do
Introducing: Deform
Where to Find It
Point
Curve to curve
Surface push
319
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Point Deformation
The Point option allows you to apply a bump to a part at a point, and
allows you to control the diameter of the effected area as well as the
height of the bump.
The Deform Distance
the deformation will be.
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Stiffness - Minimum
Stiffness - Medium
Stiffness - Maximum
Do
No
320
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Click Deform .
For Deform Type, click Point.
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No
Click OK.
Do
321
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
Curve to Curve
Deformation
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Note
, select the
No
Fixed Face
Click OK.
Do
322
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Tool Body
ibu
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Surface Push
Deformation
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Joining Surfaces
In the next step we will create our own tool body. We want to do this by
extruding a sketch using the Offset From Surface end condition.
However, the sketch spans two faces, and the command only allows us
to select one face. We need a way to combine two faces into a single
surface body. This means utilizing surface and solid modeling
techniques together which is fairly common in advanced modeling.
Introducing: Knit
Surface
Knit Surface takes faces that touch edge to edge with no gaps or
Where to Find It
Do
No
323
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
ibu
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Note
11 Extrude.
Do
No
324
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
13 Click Deform .
For Deform Type, click Surface push.
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No
Click OK.
Do
Right-click on the tool body either in the graphics window, in the Solid
Bodies folder, or on the feature that created it, and click Hide .
325
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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15 Results.
No
I
I
Do
Introducing: Move
Face
Move Face will move a face on a solid or surface body, and extend or
Where to Find It
326
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
Select
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No
Do
faces.
327
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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Click OK.
Preview
Results
Chamfer.
Do
No
328
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Notice that when the boss was revolved, some extra material stuck out
of the part. This is because the Up To Surface end condition for the
revolved boss would not work because the profile intersects the surface
that defines the end condition.
Do
No
Using 3D
Sketch with the
Hole Wizard
329
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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No
Do
330
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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reference plane.
Dimensioned 10mm from the vertical
face as shown.
plane.
No
Do
331
Lesson 8
SolidWorks 2012
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feature.
No
Do
Performance
Considerations
Performance
Settings
332
SolidWorks 2012
Lesson 8
Other Advanced Tools
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Image Quality
Suppressing
Features
Parent/Child
Relationships
Accessing the
Suppress Command
Press Esc to interrupt the regeneration of a part. This also works when
opening parts, during rollback, and so on.
No
Interrupt
Regeneration
Do
333
Exercise 28
SolidWorks 2012
Face Fillets
Exercise 28:
Face Fillets
Procedure
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Do
No
334
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 29
Variable Radius Fillet
Exercise 29:
Variable Radius
Fillet
Procedure
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Variable radius
fillet.
Apply a variable
radius fillet as
shown.
Do
No
335
Exercise 30
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 30:
Hold Line Fillet
Procedure
ibu
te
This is the same base part as was used in the previous exercise, but this
time we will use hold lines to create a curvature continuous face fillet.
Draw a spline.
On the Right reference plane, sketch a spline like the one shown. The
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Note
To add the Horizontal relation, you must select the option Enable
Spline Tangency and Curvature handles in Tools, Options,
System Options, Sketch.
No
Do
336
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 30
Hold Line Fillet
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Tip
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Do
No
Create a curvature continuous face fillet using the two split lines as
hold lines.
337
Exercise 31
SolidWorks 2012
Move Face
Exercise 31:
Move Face
Procedure
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directional full
cylindrical/conical on
the menu
to
select the other three holes.
No
Do
Tip
338
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 31
Move Face
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Again select the seven faces of the bar and Translate them upwards
6.25mm using the Top reference plane for the Direction reference.
Measure distance.
No
Note
Do
339
Exercise 32
SolidWorks 2012
Delete Face
Procedure
Bump to remove
Artifact to remove
ibu
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Exercise 32:
Delete Face
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Select the split face and the two faces that make up the artifact.
Use the Delete and Patch option.
The Delete and Patch option completely removes the edges around
the faces, and restores the underlying, untrimmed base surface.
Do
No
Use the Delete and Fill and the Tangent fill options.
340
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 32
Delete Face
Analyze results.
The Delete and Fill option automatically creates a Filled Surface
feature to patch the hole. At first glance the results look pretty good.
The Filled Surface feature is covered in depth in the Advanced Surface
Modeling course.
Note
ibu
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Edit the DeleteFace2 feature and select the Delete and Patch option.
Notice the improvement.
Tip
Do
No
341
Exercise 33
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 33:
Hole Wizard
and 3D
Sketches
Procedure
ibu
te
Reference planes.
At Angle angle of 10
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Do
No
342
SolidWorks 2012
Exercise 33
Hole Wizard and 3D Sketches
Hole size.
Click Hole Wizard
Placement.
ibu
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Patterns.
Do
No
343
Exercise 33
SolidWorks 2012
Do
No
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344
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Numerics
3D curves 143, 151, 308
See also curves
3D sketches 136140, 174, 177, 342
space handle 136
ibu
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Index
A
analysis
curvature 305
deviation 247
analyzing geometry 305
B
background images 133
bodies to keep dialog 64
boundary feature 260262
Do
No
C
combine 36
combined bodies
examples 37
combining bodies 36
common bodies 50
composite curve 145
connectors 283, 286
constant width fillets 303
constraints 231
See also relations
control points 295
convert entities 77, 153, 156, 244, 267,
277
copy sketch 234235
See also derived sketch
counterbore, See hole wizard
curvature
definition of 305
display 305
equal 13
inspect 305
show combs 306
curvature comb 336
curvature continuous fillets 302, 315,
337
curve file 158
curves
composite 145
editing 159
from a file 158
helix 142
intersection 308
D
deform 319
curve to curve deformation 322
point deformation 320
surface push deformation 323
delete
body 57
delete face 246, 326, 340
delete and patch 329
delete picture 133
deleting solid bodies 57
deleting surface bodies 57
derived sketch 237, 278
See also copy sketch
detailed preview 29, 66
deviation analysis 247
display curvature 305
dissolve library feature 150
dividing a curve, See split entities
dividing an entity 244
dome 115
draft 233
in extruded features 250
drag and drop
library feature 150
drill, See hole wizard
E
edit
curve data read from file 159
suppress 333
end conditions
up to next 250
entities
convert 77, 153, 156, 244, 267
split 244
equal curvature 13
explode, See dissolve library feature
F
face blends 248, 300
face fillets 248, 300
hold lines 303
faces
345
Index
SolidWorks 2012
G
geometric relations
along x 136
along y 136137
along z 136137
collinear 156
considerations in lofting 205, 209
on plane 140, 180
on surface 179
pierce 105, 144, 152
M
merge result 2627, 31, 52, 55, 5859
merge smooth faces 125
merge tangent faces 125
mesh 239
minimum radius, show 310
mirror
sketch 237
modify picture 133
modify sketch 236237
move face 326, 338
offset 328
translate 327
move/copy body 33
multibody parts 2627, 5874
combining bodies 36
common bodies 50
creating 26
creating with cuts 64
feature scope 29
local operations 58
merge result 2627, 31, 52, 55, 58
59
merging 59
merging using loft 234
saving as assemblies 65
saving bodies as parts 65
sweep 106
tool body 32
multi-thickness shell 154
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H
helix 142
hold line, fillets 304
hold lines 303
hole wizard 342
hollowing a part, See shelling a part
258
centerline 235, 240, 242
closed loop 287
compared to sweep 226
connectors 239, 243, 259, 283, 286
merging a multibody 234
mesh 239
preparing the profiles 241
reorder profiles 230
rules for profiles 241
tangency control 231233
ibu
te
I
indent 54
inflection points 276, 311
insert
composite curve 145
curve through XYZ points 158
derived sketch 237
fillet 303
helix 142
loft 229
part into an existing part 32
picture 133
shell 154
solid body into new part 65
spline 8
split line 190
inspect curvature 305
interpolate 146, 228
interrupt regeneration 333
intersection curves 308
No
K
keep edge 292
keep features 290
keep normal constant 197199
keep surface 292
Do
L
layout sketch 253, 275
library features 149150
dissolve 150
feature folder 150
light lines, See zebra stripes
lights 131
local operations 58
loft 229, 273
advanced 251
basic 228
blending between two bodies 234,
346
O
offset plane 250
options 65, 301
orientation and twist control 196, 200
213
follow path 197199
keep normal constant 197199
P
parent/child relationships 333
parts
inserting 32
inserting a solid body into a new
part 65
performance considerations 332333
pictures
as backgrounds in parts or
assemblies 133
pierce 186
planes
offset 250
S
saving solid body as a part 65
section views 154
select through faces 294
selecting items
propagate along tangent edges 214
SelectionManager 119, 214
setback fillets 297
sharing sketches 243
shelling a part 154, 251
show curvature combs 306
show inflection points 311
show minimum radius 310
silhouette edges 156
sketch
3D 136140, 174, 177, 342
convert entities 77, 153, 156, 244,
267, 277
copying 234235
See also derived
derived 237, 278
See also copy
fully defined 14
intersection curve 308
layout 253, 275
modify 236237
sharing 243
sketch picture 14
split entities 244
solid bodies folder 27, 31, 36, 59, 65,
68, 75
solid sweep 215
space handle 136
spiral 185
splines 8, 272, 336
control polygon 9
curvature comb 9, 306, 336
fit 13, 147, 280281
handles 9
inflection points 9, 276, 311
minimum radius 10
proportional 255
spline points 9
split entities 244
split line 190191, 320, 336337
t C DR
op AF
yo T
rD
ist
r
Index
ibu
te
SolidWorks 2012
T
tangent 146, 231
tap, See hole wizard
threads, modeling 155
TIFF images as backgrounds 133
tool body 32, 215, 325
tools, options 65, 301
transitions
straight and smooth 296
twist
controlling in sweeps 196, 200213
twisting along a sweep path 212
No
V
variable radius fillets 294
variational sweep, See sweep, guide
curves
view picture 133
Do
W-Z
wrap 317
zebra stripes 305, 314315
zero radius fillets 296
347
Do
t C DR
op AF
yo T
rD
ist
r
No
ibu
te
Index
348
SolidWorks 2012