Circles and arcs in 3D sketches?

[Figbash]

How is it possible to create circles and arcs in 3D sketch mode? I'm modeling a wire grill and I need to create a semicircular lug on the end of an swept wire to serve as a screw mount. I can't figure out a way to do it with only lines and filets like SolidWorks allows in 3D sketch mode.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Theophilus]

If you find difficulties doing this within a single 3D sketch, you can create any entity available in a 2D sketch, then convert the entities you want into the 3D sketch.

You can also use splines and add radii between two lines for an arc.


Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reality is no respecter of good intentions.

 

[SBaugh]

Also you can use the combination of 2D sketches and use Project curve. This is used a lot on springs. Example Extension springs -

http://www.solidworks.com/files/Models/parts/E-Spring/E-Spring.SLDPRT

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[smcadman]

One way to handle this problem is to cheat it by making square corners, then filleting (sp?) the 2 corners. The trick is to to leave a .001" straight line between the 2 fillets to make it look like 1 continuous arc.

Flores

 

[SBaugh]

Instead making it "look" like a 1 continuous arc, actual make into one continuous path..

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[Figbash]

The square corner and fillet thing was what I tried first; it caused problems whe I tried to sweep along the .001 long segments. Scott's composite curve idea from the E-spring example worked great. I was able to easily combine both 2D and 3D sketches to get my guide curve and then sweep a circle along it to form the wire.

Thanks,

Tom