Creating o-ring using profile, creating path with o-ring groove?

[jomofro39]

Hello,
I was hoping I could map the path I want by choosing a groove in a casing. The groove is designed to house a .070 inch diameter o-ring cord, which comes in 100 ft length, but gets trimmed to spec.
What I would LIKE to do, is have SW create the path by following the groove, obviously, and then use a (weldment?) profile that creates the o-ring in the groove. The reason I do not just make a part that follows the same sketch and insert it, is because I would like this process to be repeatable.
I have saved the profile in my weldments profile, because what I would like to do, is have SW create the O-ring in assembly mode, while the BOM calls it out as the part #, and it's length. We use similar o-ring cord a lot, and it would be a huge time saver to not have to create a specific o-ring each time, since the part # is just the cord called out, with the length.
TIA for any help.

 

[Updraft]

Look into the Toolbox for o-rings and the Design Library for their grooves. These are the industry standards and are provided as tools so you don't have to reinvent the wheel, or in this case the o-ring.

- - -Updraft

 

[jomofro39]

Well, let me clarify. I am not using o-rings. I am using o-ring material, .070 inches in diameter, viton, to act as a sealing gasket by fitting it into a groove on a cover. It needs to be about 2.25 ft long for this instance. I would like a way to have this cord o-ring material auto-path inside of the groove, with the profile I choose, then be able to appear on the BOM with the length called out. Maybe it's beyond SW capabilities. I was just trying to avoid making a part number for this specific length of cord, as the cord material itself is called out on our database as its own part number, and it would be nice for the BOM generated by SW to reflect that. Thanks for your input though, I personally love the o-ring design library features. Key for anyone who did not know they exist.
TIA

 

[MDGroup]

Have you looked into SW Routing. Essentially, instead of an electrical cable or tubing, you have an o-ring cord that you want to go from point A to point B along a certain path.

I don't have much experience with it, but something you may want to consider if it could work.

 

[Updraft]

You might look at Virtual Components that were touted in the SWX2010 rollout a year ago. I haven't had the need for them, but if I recall correctly it sounds like it might be just what you are looking for.

As far as generating the shape it is simple enough to use a swept path to generate the part.

I hope this helps.

- - -Updraft

 

[jomofro39]

I think I need to get premium to do the routing.

Virtual components- I will look into that.

Yeah, for the time being I just generate the piece by sweeping the profile along the path, but I was hoping that SW could kind of figure it out on its own, along with using the cord part number as the # and the length being called out instead of me having to create a specific part number for that specific configuration of cord.
It's alright, I will live, I was just seeing if it was possible to make my cord act similarly to the weldment structural members, but instead of being called out with length on the cut list, it would show up on the BOM. No bother.
Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[SnowCrash]

I've done something similar. The o-ring is defined as a new swept part with the profile your required diameter and the path defined by the groove. You need to create a path centered on your groove feature, perhaps using an offset to the sketch that defines the groove in the first place. If you define the groove as a swept cut, perhaps you could use the same sketch?

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2010 SP 2.1
HP Pavillion Elite HPE