free form swept as guide from projection on sheet 2

[Enduro99]

Trying to create a swept free form guide string by insert projection of a sketch onto sheet surface consisting of two extruded arcs. Creates guide that is failing during swept process (some strng members are not tangent) among others. String created needs to be cleaned up manually, lines are mismatched on the end points of arcs mostly. After cleaning up the string it seems to be fractured into many individual pieces. Could someone please explain the correct process for achieving a non planar sweep.

Thanks in advance

Enduro99

 

[cowski]

The "right way" to do something in UG depends on what you are trying to achieve, company standards, best practices, etc. As such, I can't say that your overall process is "wrong" but it sounds like you are simply encountering a few bumps along the way.

You want to project a sketch onto an existing sheet and use the result to drive a swept feature. Problem: the resulting geometry is not tangent. This is probably because one (or both) of your inputs is not tangent. Double check your sketch geometry to make sure it is all tangent and also check the sheet geometry to make sure the arcs are tangent, if it is not all tangent your output will not be tangent (GIGO). If part of your manual clean up process involves 'simplify curve', that would be where the fractured individual pieces come from (simplify curve will break a spline into multiple arcs/lines). If all of your input geometry is tangent you should end up with 2 splines that are tangent at their common end point.

 

[Enduro99]

Sketch is tangent and coincindent on all arc end points but will not project correctly with associate setting on. Only option is to use curve operation join to fix gaps in spline or non associative spline at creation. I'm starting think this can't be done in UG. Any other ideas...

Thanks in advance

Enduro99

 

[Azrael]

How do you project it? along vector or face normal??

 

[cowski]

Excellent point, Azrael.

For the situation described, I think 'along vector' would give the best results. If 'face normal' is used you may end up with gaps.

 

[Enduro99]

The setting along vector did the trick. But what is the process for using face normals setting. I can't get any simple sketch to work. Creates erroneous lines not in sketch and when the sketch looks correct, I still get error messages. What gives?

Thanks in advance

Enduro99

 

[cowski]

The 'along vector' setting projects the curves regardless of the surface they are being projected onto, the 'face normal' setting more or less wraps the curve(s) onto the surface. Personally, I have not found a good use for the face normal operation (along vector is almost always what I want) but I would like to hear from someone who does have a good use for the face normal option.