Making 3d spiral around a surface

[jwilk]

Hello,

While I have been using SolidEdge for five years I am considering changing platforms because I have a project that cannot be done in SE. I am looking to see if it can be done in SolidWorks or ProE.

I need to make multiple 3d spiral cutouts all having the same curve. This curve needs to be linked to another surface. Imagine a solid part that has a funnel shape. Around this solid are twisted multiple long tapered cutouts having a half round profile. I need to vary the pitch and the number of turns of the cutout curve but have it stay attached to the funnel surface. Alternately I need to vary the shape of the funnel and have the cutout remain attached to its surface. I have heard SW can make 3d curves but I don’t know how they are controlled. Ideally they would be controlled dynamically so I could move one curve and see them all move so as to make sure the cutouts do not overlap.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Jeff

 

[TateJ]

I think you want to sweep a cut along a tapered helix. Very possible in SolidWorks...

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[MElam]

Another option would be to:
1. Create the funnel.
2. Sweep a line along a straight helix (which is centered on the funnel) as a surface.
3. use the above features to create an intersection curve.
4. cut-sweep using the intersection curve as your path.
5. hide the helix surface.

The intersection curve will update if either the funnel or helix features are altered.

 

[jwilk]

Yes this makes sense making a curve from intersecting surfaces. However would the curve be parametric? That is if the values of the funnel say, major diameter and hieght were changed would the curve update accordingly or would a new intersection have to be generated each time a change was made to one of the surfaces?

Thanks

 

[beachcomber]

Sweep a cut along a tapered helix - ALSO VERY POSSIBLE in Solid Edge !!
You can then link the start and end radii of the helix to the start and end radius of the conical shape.
For multi-start use a circular pattern if regular spacing.
If the angular spacing is not regular create your original helix as a sketch then use the associative sketch copy command to copy to new reference planes.
If you

Have you posted this problem on the Solid Edge forum ??
I would suggest doing so before buying another CAD system !

bc

 

[MElam]

Yes, the intersection curve is fully parametric. Just make sure that you tie the funnel and helix together so that they always intersect through any changes. The helix height would have to be equal to (or greater than) the funnel height, and the length of the line swept along the helix would have to be greater than the funnel's major diameter. If the surfaces quit intersecting, the curve has nothing to attach to.