how to move features in part drawing?

[pagheca]

Hi,

I recently moved from AutoCAD to Solidworks 2004. I'm not an engineer but a scientist and used it only for short periods (= not a systematic knowledge). I already look to the online topic and I'm currently studying a tutorial.

I have a very basic question I've not been able to solve that is driving me crazy.

I draw a 3D part and later I tried to add another feature. consisting on another part that will be attached to the first one.

This part must be attached to a cylindrical shape, so that there are no reference planes to start in drawing it. I draw the new component somewhere but it is offset respect to the right position.

While I know how to assemble components, I did not understand how to MOVE and ROTATE the new feature (an extrude) in the part drawing. If I select the object in the features manager the move and rotate features are not available.

This must be something really stupid - sorry about that - and probably the heritage of AutoCAD forma mentis doesn't help.

Thanks very much for any advice.

 

[TheTick]

Not a problem. Understandable for one in your position. A few pointers...

[ul][li]You can always create more datum planes/axes/points as needed. This includes creating planes tangent to cylinders.[/li]
[li]You can use sketches to define construction geometry (points and lines for defining planes and axes).[/li]
[li]If you use Insert --> Part to insert one part's geometry into another, you can move that body using Insert --> Feature --> Move/Copy. Unfortunately, inside of a part, there is nothing similar to assembly mates for moving inserted parts.[/li]
[li]In your case, it my be more effective to position two parts in an assembly and then combine them in a third part using the Join command, which joins bodies from assembly components into other parts.[/li][/ul]

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

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-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[Beggar]

A couple more pointers:

[ul disc]
[li]You don't move features, you move the sketch entities that create the feature[/li]
[li]You may reference existing geometry or sketches in creating your new sketch.[/li]
[ul circle]
[li]For example, if you're working in a plane tangent to a cylinder, the cylinder appears as a rectangle. You can do things like dimension to one of the projected edges or add in a centerline to the cylinder[/li]
[li]Regarding sketches, once a sketch is used for a feature ("consumed"), it is turned off. You must find it in the feature tree and make it visible again.[/li]
[/ul]
[li]You can create a new part "in context" of an assembly. That allows you to reference features from other parts in the assembly inside of your new part.[/li]
[/ul]

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[pagheca]

Apparently mechanical engenners works also on Sunday...

Thanks very much. I appreciated both the posts and am now try to apply the suggestions.

ciao,
p

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

To add to the above lists;
[ul]
[li]If the feature/body you are adding to the original part is not too complex, it may be easier & quicker to create it in the original part[/li]
[li]SW2006 has added the ability to position multi-body parts using the regular Mate function[/li]
[/ul]


Helpful SW websites faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091

 

[pagheca]

Thanks for this further comment.

I actually solved the problem splitting the design in a number of little parts as suggested.

IMHO if this feature (mate) has been included in SW 2006 this demonstrate it was a lack in previous versions.

Cheers,

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

To a certain extent, I agree. But if you extend that logic, you could argue that the multi-body function itself was "lacking" in SW96 ... or that AutoCAD v1.0 was lacking solid modelling capability. There are many things which SW06 can do which SW96 could not. Software evolves with knowledge & new avenues open up due to increased processor power.

You were not born with all the knowledge you now posses. You cannot expect SW (or any software) to contain every functionality known to mankind, in its first release.


Helpful SW websites faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091