More on slotted holes????? 1

[PCSControls]

Dimensioning slots on drawings:
1) My sheetmetal vendors like dimensions to the center of the slot, and the width and length (what you'd measure by putting a caliper on the punch). SW dimensions the distance between the centers of the two half-circles. That's useful to me, but not the sheetmetal vendor. Is there a way to show the length of a slot??

2) I can "show" the sketch of the slot in a drawing and it shows the center lines, but if I create an array of slots, only the original slot will "show" it's sketch. Is there a way to include a sketch in a Design Library Feature that will "show" on drawings for arrays of features?? I want to show the centers and length of the slots.

Thanks!

 

[Beggar]

Dunno about #2 but for #1 you can dimension the slot length by either:

A) Place your dim as normal then go to its "Properties" (via right click) and select "Max" and "Max" I started SWX with 2004 so I'm not sure which version first included this ability.

B) If (A) fails, make a sketch with two small vertical lines, one tangent to the outside of each end of the slot and then dimension between the lines.

C) Depending on how you build your slot in the model, you could make a reference dim in the model that ties to an equation that equals (Length + 2*Radius) -- Presuming they're full radius slots, of course.

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[Nwaune]

To answer your dimension problem. Create a dimension from the two circle centers by clicking on the circle not the center point. Then right click on the dimension and go to properties. There should be a max/min/center choice in the properties box. Select max for both dimension points. This should give you the overall slot length.

We have also created a Slot Library Feature with a construction circle based at the center of the slot. We show the sketch and place a center mark at the center of the construction circle. We then hide the sketch and are left with only the center mark to dimension to.

I hope this helps,

Nick

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

1) RMB the dimension, select Properties, select Max for First & Second Arc conditions.

2) Use the Centre Mark feature from the Annotations toolbar.


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[smcadman]

More than on e way to skin a cat. Assuming your are using 2005 SP 2: To dimension slot length, while holding shift button, pick outer-most part of one arc, then outer-most part of other arc, and while still holding shift button, place your dimension. The dimension will be automatically max-to-max.
Will try Nuane's construction circle idea, but what I do to dimension centerpoint of slot: Using centerline tool, hover over 1 straight-line of the slot, and a midpoint symbol should automatically pop up. Pick the midpoint of that line, and the other line. Now to dimension, pick 1 edge of part, then while hovering above centerline, right-click and choose "midpoint" option. It will be a driven dimension, but this works.

Flores

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

SW2005 also has the ability to dimension from arc quadrants enabling selection of Max condition when picking points for the dimension.


Making the best use of this Forum. faq559-716
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