Surface Loft face not smooth when WEDM machined

[tmalinski]

I created an open surface Loft with tangent s curved geometry (like a wavy carpet) and used the Cut-Thicken command @ .030" thick to cut a simple extruded part in half with it. It created two bodies representing a form punch and die. When I zoom in to the cut faces and rotate it so the light hits it just right I can see transitions along the face as if the shaped curve was made up of small straight segments. I thought this was just a display setting.
But then we WEDM machined the face using a 4 axis cut it has the same subtle flats throughout the curved face. Is there a resolution or fineness setting that controls this at the geometry level in SolidWorks? Our WEDM guys are using the solidworks model directly, no file conversions.

tom

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

 

[Heckler]

Even though they use SWx models directly it still could be the limitation of the machines post processing.

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 3.0 & Pro/E 2001
XP Pro SP2.0 P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
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_`\(,_
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(In reference to David Beckham) "He can't kick with his left foot, he can't tackle, he can't head the ball and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that, he's all right." -- George Best

 

[Theophilus]

I wouldn't think this would matter, but perhaps the image quality settings were low? What happens if you turn it way up and zoom in on the model again? (This could be a loft smoothness issue of some sort.)



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[EEnd]

The PDF linked in thread559-186734 indicates that the image quality setting affects the display list saved with the file, and this display list contains the raw triangles that are used by some other programs to display a 3D version of the model without having to interpret the SolidWorks features. It is plausible that the WEDM package uses this data as well. If that is the case, cranking up the image quality may help.

Eric

 

[tmalinski]

Thanks for your help with this. I am surprised to hear the display quality of the model may actually be used in the creation of geometry for CNC Toolpath data.
Although it certainly looks that way. I'll just have to remember to bump the display quality prior to saving for CNC use.

Thanks,
Tom

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

 

[matherjd]

Just out of curiosity what file format does the WEDM software import, native *.sldprt or something else?

Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Certified SolidWorks Professional

 

[tmalinski]

matherjd
they use the native sldprt file

Tom Malinski
Sr Design Engineer
OKay Industries
New Britain CT

 

[Theophilus]

Something was mentioned in a PDF I partially read the other day--it's the one called Reducing SW File Size:

http://capinc.com/pages/support/techtips.cfm

It was about what SW does with the image quality setting and may be of use in this topic.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Did you miss your morning coffee today Jeff?

Look up 4 or 5 posts.

 

[Theophilus]

Oh, boy. Yes--well, I'm about an inch down from the top of the first cup (late night). So that's like having nothing for me.

Sorry! I'll probably wake up near lunch time.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.