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Question on helix

Question on helix

Question on helix

(OP)
I have a fairly small variable pitch spring using a helix and about 50 revolutions.  It takes a bit of time to save, rebuild etc.  Is it video card, RAM, or processor speed that determines this time?  I have a high end VC and a 3.0 Ghz Xeon processor, with 3Gb of RAM.
Thanks for any input.


RE: Question on helix

In this case, a single-threaded process is probably making the most demand--so a quick chip is probably the best thing to combat it (and a quick hard drive to save the larger file).

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
Jeff - When you say "single threaded", are you referring to a single processor?

Thanks

RE: Question on helix

Sort-of--they're related.  If the process is single-threaded (like one thought at a time, serially, not multiple thoughts in parallel), a multi-core processor won't speed this up.  Much of the model feature crunching in SW is single-threaded, so multi-cores don't directly help in speed for basic feature crunching.  Rendering and certain feature crunching (not this one, methinks) can make use of multiple threads, but for the most part, it's stuck in the single-thread arena.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
Thanks for the clarification.

RE: Question on helix

nit-picking...

Looks more like constant-pitch, variable diameter...

Swept helix will take lots of crunching, no matter what.

If you are not actually engaged in manufacture of spring, I wouldn't bother.  No appreciable gain for your pain.  Just model the exterior & interior "envelope" surfaces.  Use texture or thread if it makes you feel better.

p.s. nice model

batHonesty may be the best policy, but insanity is a better defense.bat
http://www.EsoxRepublic.com-SolidWorks API VB programming help

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
Tick - I am kind of a stickler for details and accuracy.  This is how I get the company to keep buying faster computers :)  "You know, we could do this much faster if we had this, or this, and maybe one of these".  Then in 6 months do it all over again. :)))))

RE: Question on helix

Can you post the model....then we can rebuild it on our PCs and compare times. That should tell you how much a new processor will help.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Question on helix

Another method of creating a helical sweep path is to sweep a line along a line.  As it moves, in the options, select twist along path.  This will establish your pitch, but takes a bit of calculating along the way.  You can then create an intersecting surface to your curly surface to establish the variable diameters.  Create a curve at the intersection of the curly and revolved surface and you'll have a sweep path.  Not sure, but this method may take less crunch time--and can also be easier to edit (particularly if you convert your revolved surface segments to a spline [fit spline] before doing so).

So many ways to do things.  The way I mentioned above comes in handy if you need your helix to follow bends and curves.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: Question on helix

Quote (MontyPython):

It's only a model!

RE: Question on helix

That helix is so small and tight that I doubt you would really be able to tell the difference between a helix and a pattern of tori in anything but a direct orthogonal view.  I made a part that just replicates the appearance of your helix using three different revolved tori and three linear patterns, one using the "vary sketch" option.  It rebuilds in 0.27 seconds on my $400 home machine.

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
handleman - Can you post a picture of the model so I can see the visual difference between you method and mine?  Thanks

My rebuild time with verification off is 2.13 seconds.

My forced rebuild (Ctrl-Q) time is over 2 minutes

Here is a picture of the entire model.  It is a "K" type thermocouple.  I will upload it to 3D Content Central today.

RE: Question on helix

Here's the pic:



It's simulating 85 turns.  Total rebuild time 1.05s according to Tools->Feature Statistics.  File size is about 700kb.

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
I understand the small and large Ø's are the linear patterns of tori, but what did you do for the tapered section?  Because of each one being a different Ø, are they individual features as well?

RE: Question on helix

The tapered section is also a linear pattern of tori.  The "vary sketch" option of a linear pattern allows you to do this type of operation.  I would have uploaded the file, but the only site I've been able to access here is Mooload, which seems to be down at the moment.

RE: Question on helix

(OP)
I will check out the "vary sketch" option.  Never used it before.

Thanks much for your skilled input!

RE: Question on helix

I've downloaded your file. I get a rebuild (control q) time of just a few seconds. The feature statistics shows it at around 2.5 seconds though its actually around 10 seconds of actual wait time. I think the extra time is the graphics display updating maybe. Turning on Verification on rebuild didn't affect the time much.

Saving the file takes around 5 seconds to my hardrive.

My PC:
Intel Core2 6300 1.86ghz
4gb ram
Nvidia Quadro 3500 graphics
Winxp sp2
SolidWorks 2008 sp0

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

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