Drawing sections of complex shapes

[J-C]

When you need to section and dimension profiles of lofted parts, you cannot dimension it since it's a spline. If there a way to turn the spline into arcs for dimensioning?

How do other here dimension complex shaped parts?

thanks

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

 

[SBaugh]

If I use a spline I usually just dimension the points along the spline. If it needs to be very accurate I use alot of points along my spline and dimension each point. Time consuming, but if you don't have the correct data to make the arcs it works pretty well.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

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[J-C]

I mean a section from a model in a drawing. Try lofting a circle to a square. Create a drawing view of it and then a section view through the middle somewhere. The profile of the shape in the section view is impossible to dimension, it's a spline edge.

I need a way to dimension it though. UG NX2 can convert a spline edge in a section view to severals arcs and you can dimension those.



Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

 

[ewh]

We DON'T dimension lofted features. We add a note on the drawing specifying that the geometry is per the indicated model file. About the only dimensioning we do to lofted features are the geometric controls. See ASME Y14.41-2003 DIGITAL PRODUCT DEFINITION DATA PRACTICES.

 

[TheTick]

Usually, I find that the defining points of a spline don't quite match the best dimensioning locations.

In the past, I have dimensioned spline-shaped sections by placing sketch points along the spline, dimensioning in one direction (usually "X") with driving dimensions and in the other direction (usually "Y") with driven dimensions. This is equivalent to telling a CMM operator what the "Y should be at a basic "X" location.

 

[aamoroso]

I agreee with Tick, one thing you will learn in most instances, If its difficult to measure in Solidworks it is going to be difficult to measure in the real world. A reference dim at a reference location is usually as accurate as you will get on a lofted part. Ordinarily to inspect something of that nature a custom gage is made.

 

[J-C]

Not my call, the company I work for does it this way. The parts are lofted and there are Geometric tolerances and basic dimension all over across several section views.

They use UG NX2 but I'm thinking of attempting to persuade them toward Solidworks. This is one stumbling block I've ran into however when I've modeled the parts in Solidworks and try to detail the drawing.

In UG you have to select the section profile in the drawing and select "Simplify" which breaks it into several arc segements. Then you can dimension it.

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.