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Thread: Solidworks help

  1. #1

    Solidworks help

    I consider myself profieicent with solidworks and mastercam, but there are people here that are better than I am, and I'm hoping you guys can help me. There are a few features with mastercam that I wish were in solidworks, and vise versa.

    I was woundering if there is a feature in solidworks, like there is in mastercam, where if you draw a 2d scetch above the part, then project it down onto the 3d body. I am getting so tired of having to import back an forth. I'm working on some intricate endraving designs on some odly shaped firearm barrels for my father.

    Any help is much apreciated
    Last edited by evil_racecocker; 07-28-2012 at 02:57 PM.

  2. #2
    You should be able to create whatever you like on a surface or plane above the part and then cut it down into the surface of the part. How far down you cut it and from what point (original plane, surface, vortex etc.) are all options.

    When I am engraving, I tend to then use an extrude cut to cut it 10 thousandths into the part. Then I ignore that in my CAM software and just run my tool around the edge curves that are created from the feature.

    I agree though that there are features in some software I'd rather were in another and vice versa.

  3. #3
    I'm familiar with that, I was more trying to project a 2d scketch onto the part as a 3d sketch, that wraps along all the curved and sharp edges. I use my matercam plug in, in solidworks to create my toolpaths, so I like to have lines for my engraving vs. an extruded cut.
    Last edited by evil_racecocker; 07-28-2012 at 03:44 PM.

  4. #4
    You can wrap a sketch around the part. I haven't done it since training though. I am sure you can find a you tube video with a walk through

  5. #5
    I didn't even think to youtube it.

    thanks

  6. #6
    Insider PBSteve's Avatar
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    The "wrap" feature projects onto a surface, and allows you to emboss, deboss or scribe (as far as I can tell this just means splitting the faces) the feature. The wrap feature maintains the distances between points on the new manifold - so if you have a cylinder it will wrap around the cylinder instead of projecting beyond the edges of a normal projection (tell me if that didn't make sense).

    In addition, if you're using simon's method and projecting an extruded cut along a curved surface, if you use the "Extrude up to offset from surface" (or something - I don't have access to my desktop atm) in the drop down menu the extrusion will follow the curvature of the surface. The downfall of this method as opposed to wrap is that if your projected sketch extends beyond the surface the feature will do odd things.
    Last edited by PBSteve; 07-29-2012 at 04:31 PM.

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