Sketch sections for loft

[RexAtHighSpeed]

I need to lean on the experience of the experts in this
forum to suggest an efficient method of creating a
series of sketches to be lofted to make a port (intake
or exhaust).

I have modeled ports for years using Pro/E but now I
must use SolidWorks. In Pro/E I used four conic arcs to
create the sketched sections and it was very easy to
control the size and shape of the sections. I haven't
been able to find a way to do the same thing in
SolidWorks, although I'm sure there is a way. The loft
will go from round (at the valve) to rectangular with
corner radii. I want to be able to control the distance
of each wall from the port centerline. I also need to
control the angle of the walls and the size of the
corner radii.

Any suggestions?

 

[michael3130]

Hi Rex,


Can you post some images of one of the proE models or even the model file itself. I've done quite a lot of lofting lately in SW so may be able to help.


Michael
Edited by: michael3130

 

[dayamoy]

Can i create developped a sheet metal pipe

 

[RexAtHighSpeed]

I no longer work for that company. I don't have the
software anymore.

 

[michael3130]

I can send you a file later if you want in SW format. It has sections going from ellipses to rectangles with rounds. Might be close to what you're after. PM me your e-mail address and I'll send it to you leter on when I get home.

 

[RexAtHighSpeed]

That would be most appreciated! PM on its way...

 

[michael3130]

Got your e-mail address there.


In the meantime, I found it easier toconvert the sketches in the loft to splines. It means you don't need to worry so much about having the same number of entities in each sketch.


Also, in the loft feature, go through all the various options and look at the tangency settings, etc for both the lofted sketches and the guide curves. The way to use them isn't that obvious sometimes.

 

[RexAtHighSpeed]

Thank you Michael. That was helpful.

This may be rudimentary but it is not in any tutorial I
can find. How can I import a solid model and create a
reference curve through each sketch section? I want to
import the solid, then go to each section and mark where
the surfaces of the solid are then hide the solid. I
know how to do it in Pro/E but not in SWx. How would you
do it?

Thanks a ton! You've been as big help!

 

[michael3130]

If I understand correctly, you could place planes where you want the sketches to be then use the intersection command to generate the curves where the planes intersect the solid geometry. Once the curves are all produced you can then go to 'solid bodies' in the feature tree and hide the solid body.


Give that a go.

 

[RexAtHighSpeed]

That didn't work very well! I'll have to play with it.
Thanks