How to make a helix follow a curve in UG NX4!

[cdocni83]

Hi there all,

I am trying to get a spring to follow a curve in UG NX4 but the helix function only allows me to create a straight spring.

Can anyone please advice how to get this helix to follow a curve?

Cheers in advance

Chris.

 

[mmauldin]

See this thread for a parametric curved helix:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=258752

 

[cdocni83]

Thanks I will take a look.

 

[cdocni83]

Hey there.

This is good start but how do I get it to follow a spline?

 

[mmauldin]

I don't have NX4 so I cannot post an example but this is how I would do it.

First create the spline you want to follow. Then create a line segment at one end of the spline, perpendicular to the spline and with the length equal to the helix radius. Then create a swept feature using the line as the section and the spline as the guide and choose "Angular Law" as the orientation method. Law type should be linear, starting at zero and ending with a value of the number of coils*360.

See attached picture.

 

[cdocni83]

Thanks. Seams simple when you put it like that.

 

[SiW979]

here have a look at this. hope it helps

Best regards

Simon NX4.0.4.2 MP10 - TCEng 9.1.3.6.c - (NX6.0.3.6 MP2 native)

http://www.jcb.com

Life shouldn't be measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of times when it's taken away...

 

[mmauldin]

Simon,

I remembered this from an earlier thread, searched but couldn't find the thread. Would have saved me a bit of typing and creating a new model.

 

[SiW979]

Any time someone posts a model (useful ones and even ones that need work) I save them off into a folder for future reference, even if the thread is of no particular interest or I have not replied, you would be surprised how useful and how much I have learnt from doing so.

Best regards

Simon NX4.0.4.2 MP10 - TCEng 9.1.3.6.c - (NX6.0.3.6 MP2 native)

http://www.jcb.com

Life shouldn't be measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of times when it's taken away...

 

[HollyT]

Hi all,

I am trying to create a helix so that the circular ends are flat to parallel surfaces, does anyone know how to do this?

Cheers for any help

 

[cowski]

HollyT,
Unless I have misunderstood the question, you would set up the WCS so that the X direction is parallel to your surface and then make the number of turns a multiple of 0.5. Or you could create an arbitrary helix and trim the ends appropriately.

 

[JohnRBaker]

You mean as in a compression spring with what is called a 'Closed' end (or perhaps even a 'Closed and Ground' end)?

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[HollyT]

I have drawn a sketh of what I am trying to do which may explain it better.
The helix I have created looks like that on the left but I am wanting the ends to end up with the circular cross section flat to parallel surfaces as shown by the sketch on the right.

 

[cowski]

The easiest way that I can think of would be to create the helix, then draw lines near the ends of the helix and use the 'bridge curve' function to connect them. If you are going to make a solid tube out of the result you will need to make sure the radius of curvature in the bridge section isn't too small for your wire diameter.

See attached part; if you increase the tube diameter much it will fail unless you move the straight lines around and/or fiddle with the bridge curve parameters.
(the attached file is NX6)

 

[HollyT]

Thanks for your help, I think I've got it sorted now.

 

[vkumbo]

I quote what John.R Backer wrote: (may be there is another way to quote, but I couln't find it, sorry!)

"You mean as in a compression spring with what is called a 'Closed' end (or perhaps even a 'Closed and Ground' end)?"

YESSSSSS, exactly what i would need.....I need to design the spring exactly as reality, because of overall dimension issues.
Springs with "close and ground" ends are very common, but designing ends with NX4 is driving me crazy....
Did anybody already solve this issue?

Thanks everybody in advance for any help...

Bye
Umberto

 

[mmauldin]

Try this.

 

[vkumbo]

Unfortunately I can't open the file, I'm working on NX4...
Anyhow, cheers for any help!

Umberto Orsini
Tenneco-Marzocchi

 

[TinkyWinky]

I was trying to do a helix on a helical path by extruding a section along a helix with an orientation by angular law (ft/t etc.).

So i ended up with entering like 150 turns on this path but the programm refused to carry it out, error message was something like "wrong definition"

So i examined the problem by using linear rule for angle orientation end entered end value of 50000 degree which resulted again in the above mentionend error i went to to around 35000 degrees at wich it was able to create the extrusion.

So my question now is, why has this "Limitation" been set and how can modify it, can it be modified at all??

NX6

 

[cowski]

You will probably have to break it into chunks. Pick some convenient number below the maximum, then create another swept using the face edges of the previous one and unite them together. Repeat until you get the length you need.