Angular Dimensions

[Bobfromoh]

I am new to Solidworks. I am using the 2016 edition.
I am trying to locate holes in a circular flange. When
placing a bolt hole near the edge, the linear dimension
are active. I could figure out the X-Y coordinates but
I would like to use the radius and an angle to locate
the first hole. How do I do this?

Thanks.

 

[ctopher]

Check into adding a Circular Center Mark, add Radial and Circular lines. You can dim to these.

Chris, CSWP
SolidWorks '16
ctophers home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[Jboggs]

Include sketch construction lines in whatever arrangement you want and move the center of the hole to a line endpoint.

 

[Updraft]

Since you are new to SolidWorks this is an understandable question. In addition to the answers above I HIGHLY recommend you invest a little bit of time in going through the SWX tutorials (Help -> SOLIDWORKS Tutorials). You will be so glad you did.

- - -Updraft

 

[Bobfromoh]

Thanks for the comments.
Yea, about those tutorials....my company computer is restricted from accessing many of the tutorials.
But I'll manage somehow!

 

[Jboggs]

I work in a similarly limited environment. I'll bet if you explain the benefit to the company of allowing you to become more productive by accessing online SW tutorials IT can arrange it if they specifically instructed to do so. Explain that the company will have to pay you for wasting DAYS of your time and thousands of their dollars while you wander around trying to figure out how to do something that can be done with a few clicks of a button. Our whole department has been on SW for five years and we're still learning new things daily! Those tutorials are worth their weight in gold! If you absolutely cannot make it happen, figure out a way to do it on your own time at home. Then at least you can get the benefit of it.

 

[Adrian2]

Hi Bob;

Ive done quite a lot of flanges in my lifetime and typically I dont use any wizard hole features when making the thru holes

I use wizard features on fancy schmancy holes like NPT or BSP or countersinks and counterbores

I just do the following:

Open a sketch, draw a bolt circle using construction line font and add the dimension for the bolt circle

Draw a construction at an angle to the vertical that intersects with the bolt circle

Dimension the angle

Then I use the endpoint of that construction line to draw a circle and dimension that circle the necessary clearance size for the bolt.

I next extrude cut that circle and pattern the resulting hole to match the required hole spec

Finally I adjust the angle to get the holes equally straddled about the vertical centerline.

I do it this way to match industry standard ways of specifying and measuring flanges.

Most vendor cut sheets give you bolt circle diameter, hole diameter and quantity of holes so its easiest if you make those the actual dimensions in your sketch

I you work in a welding shop they will also need the straddle center angle, because most flanges are installed that way

The X-Y dimension method is more used in a machine shop where you might be setting 0,0 and need the coordinates if machined holes for CNC tooling

If you have to use a hole feature, you can usually right click on its sketch and redo it in the manner above.

Hole features often have 2 sketches on for the location as described and another for the revolved shape of the hole.

Hope this helps

Adrian Dunevein
AAA Drafting Services

http://www.aaadrafting.com

 

[drawoh]

Bobfromoh,

I draw line sketches to locate my holes, most of the time. For pitch circles, look for the polygon tool, and use that.

--
JHG