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How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

(OP)
Is there a simple way to create a spherical helical path (like a continuous orange peel)?  I do not need to start or stop at the poles, near is fine.  I basically want to cover a sphere (except near poles) with a continuous tube.

RE: How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

SW won't do it automagically for you, but you have a few options.

1. Intersect a helical ribbon with a sphere and use the resulting edge.  This one's the easiest to edit.

2. Create curve thru xyz points.  Use Excel and some simple equations that work in the spherical coordinate system to generate the points.  You can edit the Excel file, but it's not linked to the curve.

3.  Use the macro below. It's easy to create the curve, but it's not editable.

http://www.3dcontentcentral.com/Search/macro.aspx?id=6287
 

RE: How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

FYI, here are the spherical equations you'd need to use. I don't remember offhand the formulas to convert from spherical to Cartesian coordinates, but they're easy enough to google.

R = R_Sphere
Theta = 2*pi*NumSpirals*t
Phi = pi*t

0 <= t <= 1

RE: How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

You can also use cylindrical coordinates and replace Phi with Z = R_Sphere*(2*t - 1).

RE: How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

(OP)
Thanks, sounds great.

Best regards,
Daniel L. Thomas, CTO
Novel Concepts, Inc.
http://www.novelconceptsinc.com

RE: How to Create a Spherical Helical Path with Solidworks

I have a barrel-shaped torsion spring that uses a method similar to the one suggested by takedownca.  Find it at <http://www.esoxrepublic.com/models/> in file "hinge.zip"

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

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