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Solidworks Help - 5/29/2007 2:47:19 AM   
zope_pope



Posts: 1042
Joined: 1/19/2003
From: Aurora, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Hey Everyone,

I am looking to take a shot at scratch building a model and have some familiarity with Solidworks, but I am not sure how to take my extremely basic knowhow and convert that into a 3d model in solidworks with which i can make plans from. I have some 3 view drawings, but if anyone can help point me in the right direction or show me some links on where to begin, that'd be great. Thanks in advance!

Adam

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RE: Solidworks Help - 5/29/2007 7:36:51 AM   
Laird SS


 

Posts: 219
Joined: 4/17/2005
From: Peoria, AZ, USA
Status: offline 		Other than being familiar with extruding shaped pieces (not just rectangles or cylinders), I would think that you will probably have to be familiar with lofting, revolved solids, shelling, and possibly lofted bends. The latter will help you to develop flat patterns for curved surfaces.

I use SW all the time, but I am using Corel Draw and ACAD for scratch building since I am working from scanned 3-views. I scan the 3-view by sections and save them as vector files (wmf), import the scans into Corel and enlarge them to full scale, then save the Corel in dwg. I open the dwg in ACAD and clean up the parts of the scan that I am going to work on. The last step is to create a reduced scale copy of the scan and use that for my plans.

I know it is a lot of work, but going through Corel gives me two hairlines representing the edges of the lines in the 3-view. The center of the lines disappears. In ACAD, I can create a smooth line centrally located between the two hairlines. When I have that step done to my satisfaction, delete the two hairlines. I can then scale the remaining lines to what ever I would like. By working in full scale before reducing the lines, I can be more accurate (I am interested in scale more than stand-off scale). Most of the curves I use are arcs or ellipses rather then splines because there are fewer points involved.

Sorry it was so lengthy, but it is just one way of doing it. If you don't have ACAD, there are other drafting programs that will probably work as well and cost less.

Good luck.

(in reply to zope_pope)
       Post #: 2

RE: Solidworks Help - 5/30/2007 8:53:21 PM   
RookiePilot



Posts: 112
Joined: 1/5/2004
From: Seneca, SC, USA
Status: offline 		Well here is how I would start the project in Solidworks. I would get a 3 view and break it into 3 seperate drawings. By doing this you can bring them into solidworks for tracing. Front view-> front plane etc etc. The images show how to bring in an image for tracing. I just did one image, but you can figure that you will need all three so you can trace all to make cross sections. Clear as mud?

EDIT: Image quality stinks. The first image is when in sketcher go to Tools->Sketch Tools->Sketch Picture

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< Message edited by RookiePilot -- 5/30/2007 8:54:49 PM >

(in reply to Laird SS)
       Post #: 3

RE: Solidworks Help - 5/30/2007 9:01:57 PM   
scratchonly


 

Posts: 945
Joined: 6/3/2006
From: winnipeg, MB, CANADA
Status: offline 		Sounds easier to use a 1/10 ruler or a metric ruler, a calculator. a digital caliper and a pencil, unless you are having more fun with the software, than with building. Don't forget an eraser.

An old guy.

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Real planes have two wings and round engines

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RE: Solidworks Help - 5/30/2007 9:05:29 PM   
RookiePilot



Posts: 112
Joined: 1/5/2004
From: Seneca, SC, USA
Status: offline 		An example. The images are set, now just need to do a side profile, and a top profile.

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RE: Solidworks Help - 5/30/2007 9:22:12 PM   
RookiePilot



Posts: 112
Joined: 1/5/2004
From: Seneca, SC, USA
Status: offline 		A couple splines and lines and you have a profile. In image 3 you can see where I have started adding sketch planes along the length of the fuse. You will need to draw cross sections on these planes, and then use the loft tool to create the fuse. It isnt hard, just takes a little to learn.

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RE: Solidworks Help - 5/31/2007 12:37:39 AM   
zope_pope



Posts: 1042
Joined: 1/19/2003
From: Aurora, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Rookie,

Thanks so much for this! I have designed models in 3dsmax this way, and I am not sure why it didn't click. After you make a nice solid of the model, then I guess you use that to design ribs, formers, wingtubes, servo mount locations, etc. Correct? If you could give me a general layout of what you'd do throughout the project, that would be a great help to not only me, but the entire community. Thanks again!!

_____________________________

If you choose not to make a decision, you have still made a decision.

(in reply to RookiePilot)
       Post #: 7

RE: Solidworks Help - 5/31/2007 1:10:37 AM   
RookiePilot



Posts: 112
Joined: 1/5/2004
From: Seneca, SC, USA
Status: offline 		Well once you get your side profile and top profile you would create a few cross sections so you can loft the profile. Once you have the fuse body, the formers are easy. At any point on the fuse you want a former, just create a plane. Start a sketch on that plane and then go to tools->sketch tools->intersection curve. It will create a sketch where the body intersects the plane. THen all you have to do is give the skecth some depth and you have a former. It is gravy. Wing design is the same. Create a root sketch and a tip sketch and use the loft command to make a solid. It will blend the 2 together. From there you just throw in some planes and intersection curves, add depth and you got it.If you are more comfortable doing it in max, go for it. For example, if you got a cool plane in max just export it into solidworks, throw in some planes and some intersection curves to make the formers and woila. It is really simple once you do one.

(in reply to zope_pope)
       Post #: 8

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