Limitations on Swept Toolbody Cut 4

[rollupswx]

The Sweep-Cut using Toolbody seems to be limited to swept cylinders.
I tried a simple example using a Chamfer cutter and a fillet cutter that failed (see attached).

(Before someone states, "Why don't you simply use Chamfer or Fillet feature" - it is pretty easy to devise scenarios where this doesn't return the same geoemtry as that created on the mill by a swept tool.)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The Solid Swept-Cut has been somewhat flakey since it's introduction.

 

[mncad]

Hi Rollup,

I use the Solid Swept-Cut quite a bit and have run into some quirky things but can usually make it work. I just tried the chamfer and fillet like yours and got it to work just fine. Make sure to click off the merge button when creating your endmill. Also, I would make the endmill form without the shank, just to keep things simpler.

 

[rollupswx]

I just tried the chamfer and fillet like yours and got it to work just fine.

What version of SWx are you using (I'm still using 2011). If 2011 or earlier - attach your file here.

Make sure to click off the merge button when creating your endmill.

I'm not a complete idiot. (CSWP since 2007) (Hmmm, does that make me an "incomplete idiot"?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

One of the biggest limitations is that the tool body must be convex. So no concave fillets allowed on the tool.

 

[rollupswx]

So no concave fillets allowed on the tool.

mncad just wrote, "I just tried the chamfer and fillet like yours and got it to work just fine."

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I just tried with SW12-SP1 and it wouldn't even allow selection of the tool body with a concave fillet.

http://help.solidworks.com/2012/English/solidworks/sldworks/hidd_dve_feat_sweep.htm

Tool body (solid cut sweeps only). The tool body must be convex, not merged with the main body, and consist of:

 

[rollupswx]

We'll just have to wait for mncad "worked just fine for me" to post solution showing that both of us and the SWx program error message are wrong.

 

[rollupswx]

Did you try with a simplified toolbody or with one representing the tool with shaft like I did in my first post.
I'll have to try a simplified toolbody and post back - but the message about convex doesn't encourage me that it will work as mncad stated.

 

[mncad]

Below is the file in 2010, SP4. I did forget the one quirk of Solid sweep cut, it will not do the ID fillet without a workaround. It does an OD fillet (nose radius of the cutter) without a problem. If you look at my sketch of the cutter you will see the corner rounding radius as a construction line, if you change that back to a line and change the chamfer line to construction, the solid sweep cut will work with corner rounding just fine. If you try creating a solid sweep cut with the fillet for corner rounding right from the start, it will show the error you got.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

WTF?

Good workaround to know, mncad.

 

[mncad]

Rollup,

Were you able to get this to work in 2011? We are looking to upgrade to 2012 and I will be testing in that, just curious if it worked in 2011.

 

[JMarv]

mncad,

Your trick worked on my install of 2011 SP5.0. Nice work-around!

Joe
SW Premium 2011 SP5.0
Dell T3500 Xeon W3505 2.4Ghz
6.0GB Win7 Pro x64
ATI FirePro V5800

 

[TheTick]

In the world of pure mathematics, swept solids are still way out on the bleeding edge of our knowledge. You can expect advances in this area to be slow and filled with missteps.

 

[rollupswx]

I haven't used a CAM program in some time (12 years).
How accurate are they showing the toolpath geometry these days?

 

[kellnerp]

I've done swept solid cuts since 98+. Company secret.

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