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Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

(OP)
I am a new user to this forum and a newer user to Solidworks. I have a question regarding a sweeps and helix. I am trying to replicate something close to a refridgerator coil. I have a helix that is tapered with 3 turns to it. I need to create a sweep that will go around the helix and follow it thru the length of the helix. Does any one have any suggestions on how to create this? The sweeps would work great if I could use the center of the helix as a path to follow.

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

Create a sketched circle on a plane that is coincident and perpendicular to an endpoint of the helix.
You might also want to look up sweep in the help files...

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

(OP)
The Tick helped me out....but it is not exactly what I need. I can make the spring easily enough. If you look at the file Tick attached (compoundangletogethelixsection), you have a good start. I then need to wrap another helix around the diameter of the spring. I actually called our Solidworks support and was told that it can not be done. I have a hard time believing this. I am a newer user, but find it hard to believe that I have already found 2 items this program can not do?? Again any help would be appreciated.

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

dys1688 ... can you post an image/sketch of what you are trying to do. Your first post sounded like you needed a simple swept profile along a helix. Your second one sounds like you need a second swept helix to wrap around the first helix ... a coil wrapped around another coil.

cheers

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

You need a helix wrapped around a helix (like a wound piano string formed into a helix)?

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

Wow--if so, that would take some considerable rebuild time.  You can do it with the methods mentioned in the tutorials above.

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

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

(OP)
I can draw an image, but actually have a file that is close. Unfortunately work will not let me upload the file to Engineering.com. If someone would be gracious enough to provide me an email addy, possibly I could email it to them to post it?

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

Posting email addresses in these fora is frowned upon by site management.

Quote (Personal Profile):

Do not post e-mail addresses, IM's or phone numbers in the forums as this attracts salespeople and recruiters to the forums.

Are you allowed to upload to any other hosting site? Can you post from home? Or do they just not want the file in the public domain?

cheers

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

If the file is large, try suppressing all the features or extruding a very simple box to encompass all geometry.  That sometimes helps.

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

FYI my helix around a helix around a helix part file was 9.62M with none of the  features suppressed.  Total rebuild time was 20.85 seconds with most of that being the last sweep.  With all of the features suppressed the file size reduces to .536M.

Dan

www.eltronresearch.com

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

(OP)
Here is a .jpg of what I am trying to do. The tapered helix is the correct dimension. The helix that wraps around the tapered helix needs to have a .1 distence between the coils and go from the start of the tapered helix all the way thru to the end. I also need to keep a .1 distence from the helix and the tapered helix, meaning they can not touch.

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

That shouldn't be a problem if you use your helical curve as your center (path) curve for both helical generations.  Just keep in mind that the .1" distance is not going to be held on both the inside and outside of the inner tapered helix--but as a minimum, you could certainly use that dimension.

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

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

(OP)
Okay, I am learning and doing a lot by trial and error, but am now down to crunch time. How can I get this smaller helix to follow the path of the larger one? (reference attached file). If I can get a good clear explanation, hopefully I can get my assembly completed and not take too much heat from the senior engineer. Any and all help is appreciated.....BTW...thanx to all who have helped me out already. (Often people forget to Say Thanx.)

RE: Sweeps and Helix qUESTION

The solution you need is in the tutorials which Theophilus posted on the 12th. You just have to apply it to your situation.

Sweep a surface using the Twist along path option. The path being the helix of the tapered coil. Then use the edge of the surface as the path of the sweep for the wrap-around coil.

cheers

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