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how to create helical spring with both ends washed 1
- Thread starter NXsupport
- Start date
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1
- #2
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
Prior to NX 8.5 you’d have to create a ‘Closed End’ spring by combining several curves including the base Helical curve and a couple of Bridge curves as well as a couple of points. However, the resulting model will not be fully parametric since the points are not linked to the size of the spring and the bridge curves will have to be adjusted manually by eye to get them to be the right shape, which again reduces the ability to parametrically edit the spring, such as changing the diameter or length.
However, starting with NX 8.5 you can now create the complete spring using only single law controlled Helix which makes it very easy to edit any aspect of the model.
Attached is a zip file with an NX 8.0 version of both a 'Simple' and a 'Closed End' spring as well as a video showing how you'll be able edit an NX 8.5 version of a 'Closed End' spring constructed as described above.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
However, starting with NX 8.5 you can now create the complete spring using only single law controlled Helix which makes it very easy to edit any aspect of the model.
Attached is a zip file with an NX 8.0 version of both a 'Simple' and a 'Closed End' spring as well as a video showing how you'll be able edit an NX 8.5 version of a 'Closed End' spring constructed as described above.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
in short what you hve to do is create 3 helixes one for each of the ends and one for the main body. associative move them to be end on end then use edit arc length (associative) and bridge curve (associative) to create the final centerline to create the spring from there you create the planes to do your end grinds. With those basic steps and abunch of expressions linking the curves I was able to create a fully editable compression spring that could be fulley edited for length, end turns (or not), end grinds or not (as well as the depth of end grind), diameter, wire gage. as well as the abilty to be compressed (deformed)
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
Yea, but that's a lot of work compared to the single law-curve controlled approach which will be available in NX 8.5. The example I provided for the NX 8.0 approach was done only as a comparison to what you'll be able to do in NX 8.5.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
I understand, and my NX 8.0 example represents about the absolute minimum effort needed to get an albeit 'static' model of a 'closed end' compression spring.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
- Thread starter
- #8
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
If you can do the math, you can create ANY shape curve using a straight-out 'Law Curve', but what NX 8.5 is going to provide is something very different; a Helical curve with specific options to define such parameters as Diameter/Radius and Pitch using 'Law Controls'. Also there will be options to control the overall 'Length' of a Helix by either a numerical distance or by the number of turns. There will also be controls for the starting angle as well as whether the orientation will be define as the vector of CSYS object or even along a path defined by a curve, which of course could a 'Law Curve' itself.
I think people will find that irrespective of what approach they've used in the past, if what they're trying to model uses a Helix, that they will now have all of the controls that they could possibly need to get the job done in ONE easy to understand and use function.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
I think people will find that irrespective of what approach they've used in the past, if what they're trying to model uses a Helix, that they will now have all of the controls that they could possibly need to get the job done in ONE easy to understand and use function.
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
I hope I didn't come across as belittling the improvements to the helix function. It sounds like what I've been wanting for a while. My intention was to provide an easily editable model for others using NX7.5 who may not be getting 8.5 anytime soon (like me) and to show another approach to the closed end spring problem. Also to demonstrate that with a bit of exploration and experimentation, what seems difficult is often fairly straight forward. To that end, attached is another coil spring model that uses neither helix's or law curves both returns the same result.
JohnRBaker
Mechanical
The Helical curve function, be it the new one in NX 8.5 or what you see in current versions of NX, have nothing to with the type of profile which one could sweep along it. That's strictly the function of the Sweep method used, of which there are several. If all you want is a circular result, like for a normal compression spring, then the 'Tube' function with an Inner Diameter value = 0.00 is probably best, but there are also other functions which you can sweep a profile or curve(s) along a primary trajectory, such as a Helix. These include 'Styled Sweep', 'Swept' and 'Sweep along Guide', all of which can be found at...
Insert -> Sweep
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
Insert -> Sweep
John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:
To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.
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