SolidWorks Tip: Single Sketch Driving Design

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SolidWorks Tip: Single Sketch Driving Design

Submitted by Ricky Jordan on Monday, March 5, 2007View Comments

Over the past few years I’ve seen questions raised on several internet newsgroups on how to drive designs from a single sketch. This can be done in several different ways with SolidWorks and today I thought I would share one such method. Multi-bodies are a powerful function inside of SolidWorks and can be used to create several components within a single part file. The user has the option to export these bodies to an assembly file if so desired.

Click here to see a video highlighting these features.

A few notes about the video: The collection of parts is simple in nature and is used to demonstrate the point. In order to shorten the video, I did not take the time to name the assembly components at the Save Bodies feature creation step.

Stay tuned…more to come!

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Alex LPD

Its a shame, but i cant see the video, its anything wrong with it?
Alex LPD

Hi, its a shame but i cant see the video, anything wrong with it?
Perry Naughton

Hey, I am a high school senior who was just introduced to SolidWorks this year. I have been working on a project with many gears and I havent really been able to make the gear mate work. Other kids have been able to calculate a simulation with just having the teeth interlocking. I was wondering if anyone could tell me which way is better, or how they draw and mate gears. Thanks alot.
Lamont

Hi guys, I'm an Engineering REsearch student at FSU and was wondering if anybody here could help me out. I am trying to create a macro that will create spheres along a surface given x,y,z points through excell. I've already figured out how to link SW, Excell, and VB in which I have made a simple macro that will create a curve and points. If anybody could help me out I would appreciate it. Thanx Guys.

email
-Lamont
Lamont

Hi guys, I'm an Engineering REsearch student at FSU and was wondering if anybody here could help me out. I am trying to create a macro that will create spheres along a surface given x,y,z points through excell. I've already figured out how to link SW, Excell, and VB in which I have made a simple macro that will create a curve and points. If anybody could help me out I would appreciate it. Thanx Guys.

-Lamont
Ricky Jordan

Hi Dave,

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Another method that comes to mind is in-context modeling of parts within an assembly file. Assembly references to parts in general slow the overall performance of the assembly and results in many files as compared to the multi-body method. The assembly performance thing may not be a big deal if your assembly isn't that big.

Another method was brought to my attention by Jason Capriotti. He posted an example model at Sean Dotson's MCAD Forums site. Here is the URL to read the discussion:

http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7544

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,

Ricky Jordan
http://www.rickyjordan.com
Dave

Hi Ricky,

I have tried this multi-body method as a weldment with cut lists and it works pretty good, but the sketching becomes very slow if you add to much to your sketches. I have designed a coil car and have everything but the purchased components in this one part. I organized everything with folders and configs so I can quickly save assemblies for the different weldments.

You say there are several ways to drive a design from a single sketch. Can you elaborate a little on other methods? I am looking for the best method for 'design automation' of machines.

Thanks very much.
Ricky Jordan

Tyler,

If I understand correctly, you want to draw an oval shape consisting of two lines and two arcs.

There are a couple of ways to draw the oval shape. This gives me a good idea for a blog article so stay tuned. Anyway...Unless I misunderstood, I take it you would like to make the 2 lines and 2 arcs a single entity. You can use the Fit Spline tool to do this. You can find it on the Splines Toolbar or you can go to the menu system and find it under: Tools->Spline Tools->Fit Spline

I hope this helps!

Best Regards,

Ricky Jordan
http://www.rickyjordan.com
Ricky Jordan

Tom,

I guess it depends on which areas or functions you would like to become more proficient in. The first place I would look for the 3D Sketcher would be the help files and the tutorials. Carefully study all the data in the help and then work through the Online Tutorials for "3D Sketching" and "3D Sketching with planes".

Jason Pancoast had a breakout session at SolidWorks World on 3D Sketching that I heard was very good. I found a link to a PDF copy of his presentation (see the link below)

http://www.capinc.com/pages/support/documents/pancoast-3dsketching07.pdf

Best Regards,

Ricky Jordan
http://www.rickyjordan.com
Tyler

Hello,

I am trying to make an Oblong circle using 2 circles and 2 lines connecting on the quadrants. I cut out the middle of the 2 circles and I want the 2 lines and remaining arcs to be one sketch line and not multiple. Is there a way to join lines?
thomas lucio

I want to become more proficiant in solidworks. I was wondering if you had any tips as to what I can do to improve my skill set. One thing that has recently caught my interest is 3d sketching in solidworks. Where should I turn for help in that aspect?

regards,

Tom
matt

Very nice. There are a lot of possible variations such as using loop selection instead of contours, making the sketch in an assembly, etc.

It's good to see how other people use the software. Nice job!
Brian

I was going to do a similar skeletal model tutorial! Grr!

LOL, good tip, Ricky!