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Dimensioning an Extruded Helix in a Drawing 3

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quest4k

Industrial
Aug 31, 2005
382
Good morning, I made an extruded helix model, which is of course a spring. It looks correct an all, but when I put it into a drawing I can not do anything with it. I can not put a cross hair in the right view, nor can I dimension the ID of the model in that view. In the front view I can not dimension the length. Is there a reason why nothing is working with this model? Is there a way I can dimension this model? Thank you in advance to anyone answering my questions.
 
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Use project edges in the drawing, then you will have an arc or at least spline points to dimension...
 
Look up "silhouette" in help.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
Thank you both for your responses. I did check help for silhouette and I could not get anything to un-grey that was mentioned in help and my options are set like the tip option mentioned. I tried the project edges and it would only work with te sketch for the helix and the sketch for the extrusion, which both are just circles. Any way nothing really happened. I think I might as well just lie to it again.
 
Thank you for you response Jeff, but it is larger that the ID that I need to dimension. I think I will just creat a circle and dimension it and then hide it. Well at least it will look like a dimension, I guess.
 
Well, why not sketch a "construction geometry" circle in your helix sketch for outer and inner diameters? As long as it's construction geometry, the helix will generate properly, plus you'll have your pick on what to dimension to.

You can even drive your "wire" diameter by these circle sketches if you create some equal relationships between the sketches, so your ID and OD will never be out of accord with your true dimensions (such as if you change your wire diameter).

Try it out. I can send a sample if necessary (and if time allows later). Don't post an email address here, whatever you do. My web site has contact info.

Jeff Mowry
Reason trumps all. And awe trumps reason.
 
quest4k ... you mentioned "cross hair" in your first post. Are you using the 2D emulator? If so, de-select it & try again.

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
You will need a split line.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
Also, you could try the Split Line tool.

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
[lol] Faster than a speeding bullet, eh Chris?

[cheers]
Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091
 
Thanks, I think that will be good enough to get the job done. That is kind of what I was thinking about doing, but only in the drawing, so I guess I will start to work with construction geometry.
 
CBL, faster than light! [atom]
[lol]

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
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