solidworks help please!?

Skills software and technology
1

so I am try to do a very organic shape in solidworks, that has no flat or geometric planes at all. I am trying to use the loft cut tool, and use like 3-6 sketches on their own planes (all parellel obviousely). I keep on getting a failure message about the feature creating self intersecting geomatry. What can I do to avoid this? Also all my guide curves come up as ‘invalid curves’, but that is not really bothering me.

all help is gratefully appreciated
stephe

2

Hello supra_stephe,

The best way to think about the error that you are getting is this…

Think of a tube bent piece of metal. If you try to do a sweep and the diameter is larger than an turn radius/bend, then it won’t work. It functions very much like real life in that way.

BUT…

Once you understand the rules, thats when you can break them. Its hard to tell whats going on, but if, when choosing your profiles, make sure that you select in the general same area on each profile. Also, look at the little blue connectors, you can grab those and make adjustments. Last but not least, you can Right Mouse Button click, while in the loft function, and choose to “Show All Connectors”

Hope this helps…

3

You can also try your loft in multiple steps, not all six at once.

4

yes always good to break down the complex form in to simple surfaces, this is how your do automotive surfacing

5

thanks for the help, I will try throughs strategys.

6

3d curves and surfaces…check this tutorial

http://www.productdesignforums.com/index.php?showtopic=230

-s

7

Can we see a screenshot, or even the file itself? That would help troubleshoot the exact problem.

8

Yeah, I’ll post a pic of a foam modle tomarrow.

9

supra_stephe

scb’s suggestion, to go through the 3d curves tutorial, was right on par, but I’ll give you the simple breakdown, and you can give it a try.

First create a 3d sketch for each of your intended guide curves (use “convert entities”)

Next, hide the orrigional sketches containing the intended guide curves, to make selection of the 3d sketches easier.

Now, create your loft. This doesn’t always work, but if the curves aren’t too sharp the loft should work.