SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [308]
6. Select the sketch created in Step 4 and extrude it to blind depth of 0.050 inch. Apply a fillet around the end face with a radius of 0.010 inch.
7. Activate the Move Face feature, and select all the faces of the two side tabs and the snap feature on the end. Use the Translate option, and the Right (YZ) plane as the direction, and use a distance of 0.25 inch. You should have no less than 21 faces selected. Faces that are parallel to the translate direction do not need to be selected, because they are automatically extended or trimmed to fit. If you are having trouble selecting the right faces, refer to Figure 23.21, and open the finished part on the DVD called Tutorial1finished.sldprt.
Figure 23.21
Moving tabs and snap in a single Move Face feature
8. Save the part under a different name and exit.
Tutorial: Editing with Flex and Freeform Features
This tutorial steps you through importing and editing geometry using the Move Face, Flex, and Freeform features in SolidWorks.
1. Open the Parasolid file from the DVD called ellipse.x_t.
2. Increase the size of the part by using the Move Face feature with the Offset option. You can use the axis of the triad handle to drag the offset distance or key it in in the PropertyManager. Use an offset distance of about 0.08 inch. Make sure only the elliptical face of the model is selected.
3. Activate the Flex feature, and use the settings shown in Figure 23.22:
• Select the body in the graphics window in the top selection box.
• Select Bending option in the Flex Input section.
• Select Hard edges in the Flex Input section.
• Select 190deg for the angle.
• In Trim Plane 1, set the distance to 1.9 inch.
• In Trim Plane 2, set the distance to 4.5 inches.
Accept the feature when you are done.
Figure 23.22
Using Flex Bending to bend an imported part
4. Open a sketch on the Front (XY) plane, orient the view normal to it, and then sketch an ellipse with one end of the major axis at the origin and the rest dimensioned, as shown in Figure 23.23.
Figure 23.23
Sketching an ellipse
5. Initiate a Split Line (Insert⇒Curves⇒Split Line) and select the bent face of the part. Accept the feature when you are done.
Note
The Split Line will split the outside and the inside of the curved face. If you select Shaded With Edges, you will be able to see the split on both sides.
6. Initiate a Freeform feature, and select the elliptical split face on the outside of the bend created by the Flex feature.
Click the Direction 1 Symmetry option, and a gray plane should appear along the Right (YZ) plane.
7. Click the Add Curves button, and then snap the cursor to the symmetry plane and click to add a curve. The symmetry plane will highlight orange when it is selected. Add a second curve parallel to the first one about one-third of the way from the symmetry plane to the edge of the split.
8. Click the Add Points button, and place a point approximately, as shown in Figure 23.24.
Place a point on the second curve in approximately the same location as the first point. Figure 23.24 shows one point on each curve.
Click the Add Points button to deselect it when you are done.
9. Change the Continuity flag pointing to the edge of the split from Contact to Curvature.
10. Click on the curve on the symmetry plane, then click on the point on that curve. Drag the arrow handle to pull the point away from the part approximately, as shown in Figure 23.25.
Figure 23.24
Locating a point
Figure 23.25
Pulling the point to create a freeform shape from the existing face
11. Click on the second curve, and then click and move the second point in a way similar to the first point. When you are done, the part should look similar to Figure 23.26.
Figure 23.26
The finished freeform surface
12. Save the file as a different name.
Summary
In recent years direct edit tools have received a lot of hyped press and marketing attention. However, CAD tools dedicated to working primarily