Indent tool location

[guimba]

Hello, I am befuddled as to how to locate, say, a drill bit with its axis coincident with the front face of a plastic surface, as in the drill bit package example in the Indent tool help. I can't pick the axis and then the face using Locate Part because it wants me to pick from the 'moving body'. What to do? Thanks!

Engineering isn't about perfect solutions; it's about doing the best you can with limited resources. - Randy Pausch

 

[mjcole]

This is a bug and has been a subject of many enhancement requests. I think it's because the move body command can work on multiple solid bodies.

You can create or use an Axis in the main part but not the moving Part. I think the problem lies in the discrepancy between temporary axes which move with the body and Reference Axes that are created at a point in model history. and if parent is moved still have original locations.

Until SolidWorks recognizes angular between Axes and planes mates which is geometrically possible This probably won't change. Design Intent should include as many extra reference features.

I have attached a part with possible workarounds 2010

Michael

 

[guimba]

Thanks for the heads up, but I am on 2008 and can't open anything higher. It's ironic that their examples in the help section are actually not 'doable', in terms of positioning the drill bits or whatever circular part one might have. I'm wondering if there's a way I can add a flat face/plane to the part and pick that without affecting the outline of it. Hmm . . .

Engineering isn't about perfect solutions; it's about doing the best you can with limited resources. - Randy Pausch

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Select a plane instead of the axis?

 

[guimba]

The part I'm indenting usually has plenty of flat faces and planes, but with a cylinder for an indent tool I can only locate the ends. If I could create planes orthogonal and parallel to the cylinder axis I would then be able to align the cylinder in both remaining directions.

Engineering isn't about perfect solutions; it's about doing the best you can with limited resources. - Randy Pausch

 

[mjcole]

If you do a split face on the Circular face using a + sketch you can mate the Point Vertex and the Midpoint vertex of the split face to the plane instead of the axis. If I can fire up 2008 on my machine I'll try to duplicate the part file for you.

I'll save the 2010 version as an eDrawing with configs and X-section ability and you can download the 2010 eDrawings viewer.

Michael

 

[mjcole]

eprt

 

[guimba]

My apologies mjcole, I'm not familiar with a split face. I sketched a crosshair on one of the ends - I think that's what you meant - but the sketch is not visible when I insert the tool. And I couldn't open the eprt file, guess I need to update to '10 even if I want to use eDrawings. My situation is hopeless Can you post a jpg or pdf? Thanks!

Engineering isn't about perfect solutions; it's about doing the best you can with limited resources. - Randy Pausch

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Why can you not use the ref planes of the "drill bit"?

See also

http://www.gabijack.com/wp-content/uploads/videos/Indentvideo.htm

 

[mjcole]

If the Drill bit is a separate part and assembled this works but I believe guimba is talking about Move Body for Insert Part. It won't let you select an axis because it's not part of the solid body. SW should consider Temp axes as such but doesn't yet. My workaround was to sketch a cross hair + accross the Quadrant points of a circular face to splai that surface to allow it's center point to be selected as well as the point on tool tip to be coincident to give same result as picking an axis between 2 points.

Split Face using Projected and select the + shape sketch and it will give 4 quadrant faces with a centerpoint.

Pics 1-4 show split face technique

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...c3f676e8b3&file=move_insert_part_wo_axis1.PNG

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...bdc664b33a&file=move_insert_part_wo_axis2.PNG

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...853cd4681c&file=move_insert_part_wo_axis3.PNG

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...1240e74fff&file=move_insert_part_wo_axis4.PNG

Pic 5 shows using small extrude feature with faces at axis

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...1431195cab&file=move_insert_part_wo_axis5.PNG

Michael

 

[guimba]

Thanks for the reply Michael, I was not familiar with the split face command but will look into it. It would've been nice had Gabi told us how the screwdrivers got there in the first place! Cheers...

Engineering isn't about perfect solutions; it's about doing the best you can with limited resources. - Randy Pausch