Tilting Sketches in Solidworks

Ok, got one or two more brain cells synchronized with Solidworks. Been experimenting with the Swept Boss/Base function and fiddling with the mirror function.

Got one little issue that I *think* I know how to do, but hope there's an easier way.

Here's a drawing of a bracket to hold a nylon strap.
http://www.wanttaja.com/bracketsw.jpg
It's basically a flat bar, bent at 60 degrees, with a loop at the end for the strap to slip inside. Don't worry about sizing, dimensions,whether there's enough room to fit the strap, etc.

Key component is the loop where the strap goes. I defined the cross-section with a circle sketch, then did another sketch with a horizontal "U" to define the overall shape. Once I did the sweep, I mirrored it, and it came out as the full loop.

However, what I'd *like* to do is have the loop lay back to match the 60 degree angle at end of the bracket, rather than being perpendicular to the base strap. So far, I haven't found a simple way to make a sketch "lay back" in the third plane.

I've been able to do this as an assembly (define the strap and the loops separately). Looking at the SW documentation, I should be able to define a new plane at a 60-degree angle and do the U-sketch on it.

Just wondering if there's an easier way....

Ron Wanttaja

Hi Ron,

To define the plane on which you want to sketch the loop, Insert>Reference Geometry>Plane and for the First Reference choose one of the 60 degree faces on your bracket and set the Offset Distance equal to half the thickness of the bent bracket. Draw your path/loop on this newly created plane.

Hope this helps.

Jeffrey

I'd do a mid plane between the two angled faces like this;

Attachment 7694

Put your U-shaped path sketch on this plane. You could just do an offset plane but this keeps the plane centered on the thickness. You could also pick one face and the mid point of the edge to offset the plane and keep it centered on the thickness;

Attachment 7695

Thanks much for the suggestions. I was hoping there was a simpler way, but I did finally bite the bullet and build a new plane.
http://www.wanttaja.com/bracket2.jpg

3D printer is having trouble with the loops. Will probably need to cut them in half and print separately.

Ron Wanttaja

I'm trying to imagine a simpler way and I can't see one. What were you hoping for Ron? You can tilt a plane but you have to create it first and have it reference another plane or feature with an angle dimension. You can't change one of the three default planes as far as I know.

What you could have done is create the short angled part of your part centered on one of the default planes which would give you a built-in plane for your U-loop. It would also put the part in an odd orientation..........

Or, blowing off the Swept Boss exercise, there's this (for no real gain but no new planes);

Attachment 7696

Hi Bill/Ron,

How about doing it without creating a new plane as follows:
1. Sketch the path loop on one of the angled planes.
2. Sketch the profile (circle) with the center offset by half the material thickness.
(There's no rule that says your profile has to be centered on the path.)

3. If you really want to get smart and do a Phd on this, then you can enter the material thickness as a parameter and make the circular profile radius equal to half this parameter by using equations.
Ron, I doubt that this was what you were looking for, but it will certainly give you practise in using equations in SW;)

Jeffrey

Thanks Jeffrey.

I had forgotten about the path's location being flexible....

I have a love/hate relationship with equations in SWx. :eek:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cwilliamrose

I'm trying to imagine a simpler way and I can't see one. What were you hoping for Ron?

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My background in 3D drawing stems from a tool I wrote about 30 years ago, converting lat/long points on the surface of the Earth or in space to X-Y-Z coordinates and plotting what they and the Earth would look like from a given observation point. At the time, orbit analysis tools required VAX computers, but mine ran on an ordinary IBM PC.
http://www.wanttaja.com/map.jpg

My only other 3D modeling was using a commercial tool to design aircraft for Microsoft Flight Simulator.

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/MSFS/index.html

Both of these were basically sketch tools that used XYZ coordinates, so when I needed to change the shape of something, I'd edit the XYZ coordinates of the points of the polygons. So the 2D sketch environment of Solidworks is new for me. I understand why it has to be this way...it's a tool for precision design, not just casual sketches...but getting all my brain cells re-pointed is a lot of work.

The irony is I've got an old friend as a house guest this weekend, and he's fascinated by my 3D printer. "I don't just want to see the printer work," he said, "I want to see you design something from scratch."

Sheesh. I can barely stumble around in Solidworks, and here I am trying to demonstrate all the neat things it can do. But managed to duplicate an unusual knob on one of my antique radios.

Ron "My brain is full" Wanttaja