Threads (Helical Sweep) and rotational pattern 1

[ella0509]

Hello all,

I need to show threads as close to the real thing as possible so as to show when rendering etc (i.e. I do not want to use cosmetic thread feature.)

I can create the threads easily using a hole and a helical sweep. However, I am having trouble when trying to pattern the two features around the face of a cylinder (i.e. rotation pattern). I can get either one to pattern individually, but when I try to do them as reference feature it all goes wrong....

Any ideas on best way of achieving this (if its possible) would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Lee

 

[Heckler]

Lee,

Do you mind me asking why you would want to model threads.....your assemblies will take forever to regenerate.



Best Regards,

Heckler

"Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups" John Kenneth Galbraith

 

[Guest0527211403]

The problem is most likely to do with the planes that are referenced when you created the helical sweep. They are probably no longer valid sketch references at different angles. Try this:

1)Create the hole
2)Create a plane through the axis of the hole and the axis around which the pattern must rotate.
3)Use this new plane as the sketching plane for the helical sweep profile. Use an existing horizontal plane or surface as an X-reference.
4)Complete the helical sweep.
5)Pattern the hole.
6)Reference pattern the datum plane.
7)Reference pattern the helical sweep.

If you create the datum plane as an internal plane to the profile sketch on the helical sweep, you could save a step I believe. You could also create a group containing the hole, plane and helical sweep, and pattern that.

If you are using Wildfire 2, use the axis pattern <smile>

That should make for a good looking render.

Hope it helped
Mark

 

[Guest0527211403]

oops. Wrong brackets on the smile .

 

[ella0509]

Thanks justkeepgiviner,

Tried what you said and it did exactly what I was after. Can get some nice rendered images now. We will obviously revert to cosmetic set-up for the part once the images are done.

Kind regards - and a welcome star for you.

Lee

 

[ianp71]

To avoid the excessive regen time, do a Surface copy of the internals of the hole (surf and bound).
Pattern one instance of the surface copy by 360/N.
Create cut using this quilt (solidify in WF or WF2)
Reference pattern the cut (still only one patterned hole).
CHange the values of angle/number of holes as required.
This will be much faster than patterning all the individual features.