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Thread: Post SOLIDWORKS Designs Here

  1. #21

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    I know this is nowhere near as complete as the Pitts, above, but it's a start. I'm new to Solidworks, but not 3d modeling. Right now, I'm just inputting a set of plans as drawn and will later go back and try to resolve any issues that don't solve themselves with more time and effort.

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  2. #22
    SOLIDWORKS Support Volunteer Jeffrey Meyer's Avatar
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    Nice

    How did you enter your airfoil and where did you get the data for it?

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeffrey Meyer View Post
    Nice

    How did you enter your airfoil and where did you get the data for it?
    I got the airfoil coordinates off the UIUC Airfoil Data site: http://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/c...atabase.html#N

    Then I opened the .dat file in excel and scaled it with the chord of the airplane. I saved that file back to a tab separated .txt file with a z-coordinate of 0.

    I then followed the instructions on the site below for how to create a spline based on a .txt file:
    https://grabcad.com/questions/tutori...om-a-text-file

    Instead of scaling the file in Excel, there is also a scale option in solidworks under: Insert-->Features-->Scale. I found that after I'd already scaled it in Excel, but it is probably how I'd do it next time.

  4. #24
    Mark Meredith's Avatar
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    All, I posted my Super Chipmunk model in a different thread and placed it on GrabCAD, but figured I'd put it here too. I've only been at this about 3 months - no prior experience with SolidWorks or any kind of CAD. I'm modeling my own airplane (which I rebuilt and modified so know it well) as a way to learn the software. Just learned about "render" and having fun with it.
    Very impressive Pitts, CWILLIAMROSE! I have only learned how to do external lofting so far. Next goal is to turn my surfaces and solids into sheet metal then how to build structure underneath it. I haven't found much on this topic so far in my SolidWorks text or videos, beyond simple sheet metal design. I'm awed by what you have been able to model, Mr. Rose!Name:  Chipmunk Render 8.jpg
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  5. #25
    Mark Meredith's Avatar
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    Cory, is the Zenith available in an .SLDASM file that can be opened in SolidWorks? The eDrawing is interesting, but it's not obvious how to look at any part in detail to see how it was modeled or how the whole thing came together in an assembly tree. Thanks, Mark

  6. #26
    Mark Meredith's Avatar
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    Skier, I downloaded an airfoil into notepad as a txt file then opened a new part in SolidWorks. "Curve Through Reference Point" is grayed out. I can't figure out how to bring it into SolidWorks using the tuturial...I'm missing some step. Any ideas on what to try?

  7. #27
    cwilliamrose's Avatar
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    Thank you Mark,

    Please call me Bill. I have admired your airplane since the first time I saw photos of it. It has style and it manages to distance itself from the stock airplane very nicely. I have flown stock Chipmunks a few times and they're a great flying airplane.

    You have done the hard part in my experience. Using surfaces and lofting can get frustrating, at least for me. Parts in an aircraft structure are usually pretty simple to model but the assemblies can be difficult because SWx requires exact fits or the mates fail. After doing the model shown below I swore off surfacing but I bought a book on the subject so I guess I haven't totally thrown in the towel -- I have a cowling to design for the Pitts after all.
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    Last edited by cwilliamrose; 12-08-2016 at 10:38 AM.

  8. #28

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    I am scratch building a 4 place BearHawk. I have used Solidworks for decades in my work as a race car engineer and car designer.

    Even though I have a complete set of plans for my project, I redraw most of the parts in SolidWorks as part of planning how I am going to build a part. Also by redrawing a part in SolidWorks, I can have any measurement I might want to check the accuracy of what I am building or use to build tooling to make the parts. I have found that I have a better understanding of what the designer of my plane had in mind as he drew the plans.

    I also make use of DraftSight which is a 2D drafting program from the makers of SolidWorks. This package is a free download. It is an AutoCAD like program. This was especially helpful when I was laying out the wings. I was able to make some very simple drilling jigs that allowed me to hold tolerances of a few thousands of an inch over the length of the wings. It also saved days by not having to layout every rivet hole.

  9. #29
    cwilliamrose's Avatar
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    I do my 2D work in SWx. To me DraftSight is next to worthless since the interface is ACAD-based.

  10. #30
    Mark Meredith's Avatar
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    Thanks, Bill. I'm starting to work more and more with assemblies - the main landing gear and fairings are separate parts, and plan to do the tailwheel as a collection parts and assemblies. To make things fit well, is there benefit in building it as one part (well, all but the wheel) then splitting it into separate parts? I tried that out on the whole aircraft which came apart into 148 surfaces or solids! I'm thinking build some of the tailwheel parts that have to mate then split them. Good or bad idea?

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