Modeling metal wire, wire displays etc... 6

[jamieb2k7]

Looking for any good suggestions for modeling metal wire. For drawings for metal store displays such as display stands, baskets, grids etc that use all different shapes and sizes of bent wire. It doesnt seem like there is an easy way.

 

[onefjef]

If you are refering to wire cloth or similar then what I do is create a solid representing the surfaces the wire mesh covers. I then I use the part painter command to change the color to clear white for instance. Less memory consuming than creating each wire.

Jef

 

[jamieb2k7]

Thanks but i am talking about steel wire/rod 1/4 to 3/8 thick. Some paper displays at gas stations, wire wine racks at grocery store, baker displays etc... Any kind of wire p.o.p display at a store.

 

[KENAT]

Well,

Swept protrusion is the obvious choice.

If you have express route you might be able to find a way to use this.

 

[CADSkills]

Use the sweep command. It could get a bit complicated if one bent 1/4 steel rod is following different planes. You'd just need to make sure each sketch is connected to the next. I believe SE can do that...if not it should.
Sketch your paths...then sketch your profile.

Solidworks 2005
Solid Edge V17

 

[beachcomber]

Try using the FRAMES command in Assembly - it's not just for angles and I-beams.
You can draw your paths quite easily and define your wire cross sections in a library. Have a look in help for Frames.

bc

 

[donyoung]

Hi,

also available is the 'OrientXpres' it's accesible from
within the FRAMES environment (as already mentioned by bc)

dy

 

[jamieb2k7]

Thanks for some great ideas! I tried swept protrusions and also revolved to create bends. It seems like swept protrusions are the easiest for basic shapes and revolved if you need to go in different directions. I will check out Frames and OrientXpres.

 

[kjoiner]

If you need to create path curves in 3D, you can also draw the profiles orthogonally and use the cross curve command to create a 3D path.

Kyle

 

[toffeet]

Hello CADSkills,

This is off the topic but I am a curious human being. Why Solidworks and Solid Edge? And how do you compare the two?

Solid Edge V19 SP1 on WinXP SP2

 

[CADSkills]

I just listed both, because i've use both. At home i have SW and on the job i use SE.
As far as comparing, SE and SW seem similiar. SW may have a few more modeling feature(dome, deform, maybe others). SE is much better when it comes to sketching in 2D, ofcourse they are trying to pull acad users. I'm not to fond of how SE feature tree is layed out. Id like the feature tree in draft to also display the features or assy model items, not just views and layers. You are able to get to any model or feature in a model while in a drawing in SW. I like to right click for options alot. so i feel there's not enough right click option. Thats more old habit i guess.
Looks like i'm just noting things i miss from SW. but i'm new to SE gotta lot to learn.

Solidworks 2005
Solid Edge V17