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Swept solid 2

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Timelord

Timelord

Mechanical
Dec 18, 2002
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I haven't loaded SW2006 yet, so I cannot test it but I was wondering if SW has added the ability to sweep a solid yet? I tried to make a barrel cam once but couldn't get the slot so both sides remained tangent to my follower. The only way I can see this being done is to have the ability to sweep the cylindrical shape of the end mill while translating and rotating the cylindrical cam blank. The ability to sweep a solid has been requested of SW and promised since I can remember. It seems to me that this should be a requirement of any decent solid modeler, otherwise it is near impossible to model a simple cut that any 2 axis computer controlled machine can easily make.

TIA,

Timelord
 
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I don't believe it does solids yet. However, you can probably work around this by building the surfaces you need and then cutting with the surfaces. (Depends what you need--I'm not sure what a barrel cam is or how it would require a swept solid.)

Yesterday I was able to complete some complex forms with surface fills and lofts--very nice in 2006. Much less hassle with twisting and other complications and the results are great.


Jeff Mowry
Reality is no respecter of good intentions.
 
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Swept solids is on the bleeding edge of mathematical theory, far from mainstream CAD application programming. Don't expect to see it in SW or anywhere else before someone wins a Nobel prize for it.

[bat]I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.[bat]
-SolidWorks API VB programming help
 
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Theophilus,

Thanks for the quick answer. It is not possible to work around this limitation, I've tried many different ways. The line guide cam on a fishing reel is a type of barrel cam.

TheTick,

I can't be all that bleeding edge, the software that calculates tool paths for NC machines must do it all the time.

Timelord
 
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So is the difficulty in keeping the orientation of your solid "tool" aligned the way you need it with the part and path? I think this could be done by sweeping a profile in the example you gave above, couldn't it? Couldn't this be done with guide paths?


Jeff Mowry
Reality is no respecter of good intentions.
 
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I have requested the same thing from SW. I did get an email from them earlier this summer showing a sample of a swept volume, but it was somewhat limited. I have no idea when they are looking at adding it to the software, it is not in SW2006 yet. Not having that capability is somewhat of a limitation for us also. We can't model our parts to look like what is actually made on the shop floor. The parts are close, but not exact and it takes alot of effort just to get them close. Hopefully it will be added soon.

mncad
 
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CNC software is actually sweeping the 2D cutter profile, not the full 3D shape. (The sweep also accounts for the 180° zero radius end of a cutter path).

BTW, it sounds like an interesting problem. I'm tempted to ask for a swipe at it, but I'm swamped.
 
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I'd love to swipe at it... but I got no clue what you're talking about


Windows 2000 Professional / Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
SolidWorks 2006 SP01.0 / SpaceBall 4000 FLX
Diet Coke with Lime / Dark Chocolate
Lava Lamp​
 
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The only way I have come up with to model a track cam is to do it with sheet metal. It is a bit of a hack but it produces quite good results.

Basically you model a sheet metal tube, unfold it, cut the cam curve out of it and then refold it back into a tube. You can then extrude a cylinder inside it to make the body of the cam.

SW sheet metal functionality makes sure that all edges of a sheet metal part remain perpendicular to the face of the sheet. This is same thing that happens when you machine a slot in the periphery of a cylinder using a cylindrical cutter who's axis is perpendicular to and intersects the axis of the part being machined.

To get a closed track I have to make two parts and put them together in an assembly to get what I want. I guess they then could be joined but I dont bother.

I could offer an example part which would describe the process better than I can here in words. The process is really pretty simple.

If one of you guys with a website would be so kind as to host it I could e-mail the parts and an assembly.

Tom Rice
 
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... now I get it!

Thanks Tar


Windows 2000 Professional / Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
SolidWorks 2006 SP01.0 / SpaceBall 4000 FLX
Diet Coke with Lime / Dark Chocolate
Lava Lamp​
 
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Shoot Theo... I was just going to try that... It should work though, I think.


Windows 2000 Professional / Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
SolidWorks 2006 SP01.0 / SpaceBall 4000 FLX
Diet Coke with Lime / Dark Chocolate
Lava Lamp​
 
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tar ... it looks like you cannot have spaces in the file name.

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites every user should be aware of faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091
 
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