×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Measuring a contoured hole?
2

Measuring a contoured hole?

Measuring a contoured hole?

(OP)
[URL=http://img166.imageshack.us/my.php?image=measurefromendofcontouredholegk8.jpg][IMG]http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/7051/measurefromendofcontouredholegk8.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
How do I measure from the base of hole at its lowest point where it breaks through on a contoured surface to the start of the hole?
I want to create a cbore that is 1.450" from the base to the lowest point of this contoured hole.
When I use the measure tool I only get from the highest point of the hole to the start.
Once I measure the full length of the hole I will subtract the 1.450 and cbore from the back side that depth.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

It can be tricky measuring that way. The tolerances of the hole will affect the CBore depth.
Make a section-cut and measure the distance. Add a plane at the center of the rod and at the distance measured from the section-cut.
If you change the hole at all, you will have to change the plane position. I can't think of another way at the moment.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

One way would be to insert a sketch on a plane that is parallel with the axis of the hole.  Create a construction line that is coincident with the edge of the "top" surface.  You will be able to add a reference dimension between the end of the arc of the contoured hole and the construction line.  You can then use that reference dimension in an equation to drive the counterbore on the hole.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

uh ... ya! That's what I meant.lol
That's one reason to like SW, more than one way to do something.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

Which is the "start of the hole" and which is the "backside"?

Open a sketch and create geometry which has a vertex, point or endpoint at the point you want to dimension from. Create a plane through that vertex, then offset another plane from that one and use it to be the "stopping" surface for the counterbore.

cheers
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to find answers ... FAQ559-1091

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?



Use a plane, your cylindar, and the surface to create a split line (the plane keeps it from being closed). Then convert this split line to a plane, create a horizontal line with tangency to the converted entity and measure.

Viola!

There are ways to do this just with views though.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

Turn on temporary axis
pick a plane that is parallel to the axis, such as front
Insert > reference > plane


Pick the new plane
Insert > Curve > Split line

Pick the face of the tube (use silhouette option)
http://www.paul-flores.com/solidworks_screenshots/insert_split_line.jpg


Now you can either pick the bottom point of the line and the top surface.


http://www.paul-flores.com/solidworks_screenshots/insert_split_line2.jpg

SW06 SP5.0

Flores

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

(OP)
Is there a way to measure using some surface deviation tool from the flat backside surface to the farthest point of the contoured hole?

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

smcadman,

The bottom of your red line in the pic is not at the lowest point where the tube breaks through the surface. Aubreyair asked how to find that point so I'm trying to figure out how you got the star cause that doesn't work.

RFUS

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

No need to split line.  Do as handleman says, start with a sketh on a plane that goes through the hole axis.

Next steps:
  1. Sketch a line perpendicular to the hole axis.
  2. Constrain that line perpendicular to the hole and tangent to the edge.  This will give you max or min heights.
When I need to do this (I've done it before), I prefer to bring the edge into the sketch using "Convert Entities".  I also prefer to trace the hole axis using a construction line that is constrained collinear.

It is possible to do this in 3D sketch as well.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

It took 10 posts but tick said it best, a star for you. I used split line because I had surfaces without thier intersection defined.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

rfus:
You can also use a 3D sketch and an intersection curve to get the intersection of the bodies.

Tools --> Sketch Tools --> Intersection and then pick the two bodies.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

(OP)
You are right in that particular picture the point isn't at the lowest side.
The reason I gave him the star was because I did the split line and had my plane going in the right direction and was able to pick the side with the lowest point.
Hey all of you deserve stars and I appreciate all of the suggestions.
I am sure they all work however I just happened to try his way and it worked this time.
However I am starting to wonder if it is best practice.
Because if your plane isn't in the right orientation your split line may not cut through at the lowest point.
Correct me if I am wrong on this.

RE: Measuring a contoured hole?

(OP)
I have encountered another problem that one of you may have a solution to.
I positioned holes using the hole wizard on contoured walls.
When I used smart dimensions to position them the dimensions displayed on an angle.
So I used the x y parameters in the hole specification window.
The problem is when I try to do a hole table chart it warns that the holes are non circular and that center points are not constrained.
Therefore my x y locations are approximations and not accurate.
Is there a better way of going about what I am trying to do?
[URL=http://img136.imageshack.us/my.php?image=holestableproblemsu2.jpg][IMG]http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/4681/holestableproblemsu2.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=approximatedlocationsjv4.jpg][IMG]http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/4475/approximatedlocationsjv4.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources