×
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

3D coils

3D coils

3D coils

(OP)
OK- So I'm an expert Pro/E user and have recently been asked to learn Solid Works for vendor relations :).
I need to create something similar to the coil in this picture
 http://www.kinetivision.com/images/pipe_coil.gif
I can't get a helix to wrap around the pipe path and I don't see the "variable section sweep with trajpar" functionality used to create this type of geometry in Pro/E anywhere in SW 2000. Any technique would be appreciated.

THX

RE: 3D coils

Proguy...

Trajpar? In SW? There is no trajpar in SW. If there was, SW would be a bit better than it is. Being a former CEP with PTC (Pro/E), I miss trajpar. I can't even do an oscillating washer in here.

If you want to do that in SW, you have to wait for more of a SW helix expert than I, or cancel those vendor relations. For some things, why do backwards?

Mr. Pickles

RE: 3D coils

Take a look here:
http://www.nhcad.com/old/html/download.asp

Then scroll down untill you see the <helix.xls> file for download.  I think you might be able to use this.

"The attempt and not the deed confounds us."

RE: 3D coils

(OP)
Thanks for the help madMango. The file is helpful in at least 2 ways. It shows you can do it if you have enough info, such as the equation of the pipe path, since it is not in a plane and is bent in 3D. It also shows me the limitations of SolidWorks. I am surprised by this. I have heard nothing but praise for this software from people changing from it to pro/E. After creating a pile of models and reading extensively it seems SolidWorks is extremely limited in advanced modeling capabilities. It is excellent for small projects but I miss those Power features of Pro/E.
THX again

RE: 3D coils

Well, I'm not sure if it's what you're looking for, but I found a bent spring swept around a composite curve on the SolidWorks subscription service site.  It was created by applications engineer Matt Lombard of CADimensions.  If you give me your email address, I'll send it to you.

Charley Leonard
CSWP
www.2dto3d.com

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