modeling torsion springs

[SteveVan]

I'm using Wildfire 2.0. Does anyone have any suggestion on how to model a torsion spring with hook ends on both ends. I can model the spring but i'm having a hard time controling the angle of the hooks. I would like to make a family table of the torsion spring in the relaxed state, the pre-load state, and in the fully rotated state. I would like to control the spring by changing the angle of the hooks. Thanks

 

[Guest0527211403]

I've made models of torsion springs for a previous employer.

From what I remember, I modeled it completely as curves first, so no helical sweep feature was used (see the trajpar trick for making a helix with a variable section sweep). I modeled the curves for the hooks in pieces, sketching the hook or straight section and then creating another curve thru points to join the hook to the helix. Finally I made a composite curve (use edit-->copy in WF2) out of all these curves to get a single trajectory for a sweep. You'll have a lot of stuff to put on a blanked layer by the end of this process.

I then made a single variable section sweep for the solid. I remember that my model wasn't exact, but it didn't really matter (in my case).

Hope it works out

 

[dgallup]

Sounds like you are making an extension spring, not a torsion spring.

Try this link for several spring models:

http://www.mcadcentral.com/proe/files/gallery.asp?categoryid=15

In general, the helical sweep feature is used for compression & extension springs. It is really pretty simple to build a hook on the end of the spring, just make sure you only reference the end of the helix for the ending hook.

 

[SteveVan]

Thanks for the suggestion. I called the pro-e tech line.
They e-mailed me a model of a torsion spring It worked ok.