What's a body? 1

[KenMandu]

So I'm trying to relearn SW, and have come across "bodies" in the Tickoo book.

Now, I know sketches are used to make features, which make components, which make assemblies. So what the heck is a body???

Thanks a million!

Ken

 

[Theophilus]

A body is an entity of some sort. Anything that is solid is a solid body--any surface or set of surfaces is a surface body. You can have multiples of each in any given part file.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[Heckler]

From SWx Help:

A folder named Solid Bodies appears in the FeatureManager design tree when there are solid bodies in a single part document. The number of solid bodies in the part document is displayed in parentheses next to the Solid Bodies folder . You can organize and manage solid bodies in the following ways:

Group bodies into folders in the Solid Bodies folder .

Select commands to apply to all bodies within a folder.

List features that belong to each body.

You can create multiple solid bodies from a single feature with the following commands:

Extrude boss and cut (including thin features)

Revolve boss and cut (including thin features)

Sweep boss and cut (including thin features)

Surface cut

Boss and cut thicken

Cavity



Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001

o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"Avoid the base hypocrisy of condemning in one man what you pass over in silence when committed by another." -- Theodor

 

[KenMandu]

I have never made a part that was more than one body. All the tutorial parts I've made have a "(1)" after "Solid Bodies."

When my text book mentions a body, I'm safe to assume that means the part/component?

Ken

 

[ctopher]

If I mentioned what a real body is, I'll get red-flagged.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-21-07)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

KenMandu ... create a part with two or more features. When extruding the features you should see the Merge option in the Feature Manager. By default it is checked, uncheck it and a multi-body part will be created.

 

[Razberryjones]

Using Multiple Bodies in the design process for one component is huge, and you will love it when you wrap your mind around the concept. Essentially, you can perform top down desing within a single part file now, rather than creating a component based assembly.
Try this... Draw a box, the draw a thin feature on any corner (for instance a 1x1x.125 piece of corner trim).

Extrude it with the Merge results button unchecked.

You Now have two solid bodies.

In your solid bodies folder, right click the (Thin-extrusion and click insert into new part) Voila! you have a new assmembly component without ever creating an assembly.

This works great when trying to hash out the look of a new idea or assembly really quick, to get your message across, then, if it arrives at, let's prototype it, or build it, worry about a polished assembly.

Not to mention the fact that it makes lofting a dream.

Best of Luck!

Craig

 

[KenMandu]

I extruded two separate rectangles to create two separate boxes, but I can't find anything about merging. Though I bought the Student Edition three weeks ago, they gave me 2006. Maybe that is the problem?

And as I recall 2001, each feature of a component had to be built onto an existing feature. This separate bodies thing is definitely something new.

Ken

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Multi-bodies are no longer new. They were first introduced in SW2003.

 

[Theophilus]

Two bodies can be coincident or interfering, and yet remain as two bodies. Merging can be accomplished only if they're at least coincident somewhere besides an edge or point (surface)--so they have to be touching.

Have you checked out SolidProfessor or any of the other tutorial items? They might go a long way in getting you up to speed with many of the more recent updates (as well as updates from 2003).



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

Reason trumps all. And awe transcends reason.

 

[KenMandu]

I can't find anything about merging bodies in my SW2006. Nada. Zip. Nothing in the Feature Manager. No right-click discoveries. Nothing in the help section on merging bodies. Bodies are talked about though.

Maybe this merging thing isn't available in 2006.

I also just tried making a rectangle and extruding it. The on the same plane as the rectangle I opened a new sketch and drew a triangle with one edge being shared with the rectangle, and extruded it in the same direction as the rectangle. They showed up as one body.

This is how learning goes. Beat your head a lot but you finally get it.

That SolidProfessor is expensive for a Rip Van Winkle pauper like me, but I'll bet it's the bomb.

Ken

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The i.get.it tutorials at

http://myigetit.com/

are $25 for the basic set of courses.

SolidProfessor offers a free set of course samples at

http://solidprofessor.com/downloadlms.asp

I will be surprised to learn that the Student Edition does not allow multi-bodies.

The Personal Edition blurb states that it is "functionally identical to the core SolidWorks software".

http://solidworks.com/pages/news/3DSkillsFAQs2.html

 

[KenMandu]

Technical support for the Student Edition is via email only. No phone support at all. So you know what that means.

My last two emails went unanswered.

I will try again and ask about merging bodies.

Ken

 

[TVP45]

Ken,
When you do the rectangle, triangle test, go back to Feature Manager and RMB the SECOND extrude and Edit Feature to see the merge box. The first extrude does not offer a merge option since there is nothing to merge.

 

[MPCLima]

ctopher,

rough working environment..rsrsrsrs
take it easy

http://www.morrisonpump.com

 

[KenMandu]

I do now see the "Merge Results" check box. I also made a cylinder and rectangular box in the same sketch. They weren't touching, but still the merge option was there.

I checked and unchecked it, but couldn't tell that it made a difference.

Also, the naming convention in the feature manager tree hasn't come to me yet. First the 2 bodies were named revolve and extrude. The names were in the opposite order of their creation. Then, I shelled the box, and the names of the two bodies then became revolve and shell. Confusing to me right now, but it will come with time.

For as important as this feature is, I wish there was more about it in the SW help index.

Thank you, all.

Ken