modelling 3 D threads in Pro E

[tazengr]

I am new to Pro Engineer Wildfire 3.0 and I am trying to model threads on a plastic component. I have done this many times in solidworks by drawing the thread profile on a sketch and doing a cut-sweep along a helix with the correct pitch.

In Wildfire I can't seem to create a helix that will define the path for the cut-sweep.

Can someone help?

Thanks,
motaz

 

[prohammy]

In Pro its a helical sweep (not sure in WF3, but should be Insert>-Helical Sweep)

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK

 

[tazengr]

well i go into
insert---> cut---> sweep
then it prompts me to define a trajectory, section, and material side.
I assume the trajectory is the helix with appropriate circle dia and pitch
and that the section would be the thread profile.

However when i try to define the helix as the trajectory I can't find the place to define just a helix as a curve rather than a 3d object.

 

[prohammy]

Tazengr,

As I said, I don't have WF3 in front of me but am pretty sure that what you should be looking for is

Insert>-Helical Sweep (option for protrusion/cut available then)

Once there, the traj is simply a straight line defining the length of the threads. Pitch is pitch and sketch is the profile of the thread

(PS Anyone with WF3 who can confirm menu options would be helpful, cheers)

Kevin Hammond

Mechanical Design Engineer
Derbyshire, UK

 

[dgallup]

You've got it prohammy. While you can make a 3D helix and sweep a cut along it the helical sweep feature is much easier to use once you understand it. You never draw the actual helix, just the profile of the shape you want to sweep along and the section of the cut. The shape you want to sweep on can be straight, tapered, barrel or any other shape as long as all segments are tangential.