SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [185]
To manually create the parting surfaces for this part, you will tackle the difficult step first, which turns out to be easy once you know a couple of tricks. The first step is to create a sketch and use it to lay out directions that you can pull off the non-planar sections of the parting line. Figure 21.23 shows three lines that identify the non-planar top, base of grip, and trigger areas. The sketch lines lead in directions where those edges can be projected without running into other geometry.
Then the edges of each non-planar portion of the parting line can be converted into sketch entities in a 3D sketch and extruded as a surface along each of these three directions. From there, it is simple to create planar surfaces between the non-planar sections. This technique may not work for all non-planar parting lines, but it does work for this one.
FIGURE 21.23
Projecting non-planar sections
Summary
SolidWorks 2011 has added some functionality to its Mold Tools that is worth looking at if you have ignored these tools in the past. The tools are semi-automated and usually require some sort of manual intervention, although the tools greatly speed up some tasks.
Chapter 22: Working with Large Scale Design
In This Chapter
Creating an animation simulating a walk-through
Creating a grid structure
Exporting to IFC
Large Scale Design is the first step that SolidWorks has made into the world of architectural design and documentation. It is intended to be the first of several architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) type tools aimed at the design of large, welded structures. According to SolidWorks marketing materials, “Large Scale Design brings together the tools you need to effectively design machinery, heavy equipment, plants, small ships, and other large objects.”
Dassault Systèmes, the parent company to SolidWorks, is also working on a product called SolidWorks Live Buildings, which is a Catia V6-based full AEC design tool. This is only mentioned here to make clear the distinction between the more basic objectives of SolidWorks Large Scale Design, aimed at large welded or bolted-together structures, and the more polished architectural work for finished buildings.
Large Scale Design encompasses three topics that are covered in this chapter: walk-through animation, GridSystem, and IFC export. Look for Large Scale Design to increase in scope in future releases of SolidWorks. While Large Scale Design also uses standard SolidWorks functionality such as sketching, part modeling, assembly modeling, weldments, and drawings, these other features do not presently have capabilities that are specific to Large Scale Design.
Creating a Walk-Through
Walk-through is a method for creating an animation simulating what a person would see as they walk through a Large Scale Design. It was developed primarily for the new architectural tools that are being added to SolidWorks, but it may also be appropriate for certain types of equipment, facility, or site design.
This chapter looks at the case of the very large dump truck, because this is a good example of equipment design where a walk-through would be useful. Figure 22.1 shows the Walk-through area of the DisplayManager along with the model used for this example. You can create walk-throughs using an interface to direct an avatar, or you can drive the camera along a sketched path. The sketched path method has some overlap with MotionManager animation, which is covered in Chapter 23 of this book.
You can find the Walk-through command through the menu at View⇒Lights and Cameras⇒Add Walk-through, or the DisplayManager⇒Scenes, Lights, and Cameras⇒Walk-through.
FIGURE 22.1
Using the DisplayManager to manage a walk-through
The interface for the walk-through consists of two elements, the Walk-through PropertyManager and the Walk-through toolbar. The initial setup is controlled by the Walk-through PropertyManager,