Advanced Modeling 301

Mark Biasotti Product Manager New Product Concepts

Dassault Systmes - SolidWorks

Agenda

Creating and modifying 2D splines

Creating and modifying 3D splines (managing and controlling 3Dsketch)
Advanced 3D curve creation Wrap, SOS, intersection curve, Fit Spline etc.
When and when not to use C2 and how to achieve it
Sketch pictures how to use them to effectively reference from
Differences between Loft, Boundary, Sweep and Fill and what are appropriate situations to use them?
Boundary in depth
Conics
Fill in depth
Sweep in depth
Freeform in depth how to control it, where best used
Deform in depth
Freeform how do you use it.
Patterning - especially on non planar surfaces
Flex in depth
Knit feature (new functionality for 2010)
Shelling tips and tricks
Trimming Extending techniques
Delete, replace, Heal Face in depth

Agenda
Best practices

for strategizing
execution of complex models

C2 When and when not to use it and

how to achieve it

2D curves for surfaces

3D curves

for surfaces

Differences between
surface types
Surface features in depth

Example Models

Downy Bottle*

SoundDock 2010*
* Downy bottle and Apple iPhone not representative of actual production models but facsimiles

Anatomy of the SoundDock model (click

to play)

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Strategize your approach and dont be afraid to

experiment and change it as you discover
obstacles.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Just like chess, think of as many moves ahead as possible.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Determine the units (metric / inch) before you get started.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Generally for molded products use the master
model approach verses trying to build it top
down (in context of the assembly)

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

When building up features, reference default
datum planes, axis as much as possible. Also
reference original sketch geometry over the
features (edges) that are created by them.

Use original sketch instead of

resulting model edge when
possible
Convert sketch entity

Reference to the default datum planes and axis

as much as possible. Default are GOD and dont
change.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Periodically as you build up your
surface features, check them if
they can be offset inward. This
goes toward insuring better
success with shelling.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Be mindful of manufacturing processes from the beginning i.e. build draft into
your features.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Build a curve network for the
base shape, if possible.

Best Practices for Advanced modeling

Dont leave the hard features still last, in fact,
figure your how to do them and let the easier
stuff follow.

Why is surface modeling important?

Many products, although they look prismatic, are not.

Curvature
Visual difference between curvature vs. tangent connection of surfaces

Regular Fillet
Curve Continuous Fillet

Explanation of C0 thru C3
Surface matching conditions explained

C2
C0 Condition Surface boundarie
C3
C1
Common edge
but no tangency
boundaries
share
Common edge with curvature
tangency
matching
greater degree
than
but rate oftocurvature
does not
C2
match at boundary

Curve Continuous

Equal Curvature C2

Higher Degree C3>

Achieving C2
C2 Curvature continuity can be achieve
throughout many SW surfaces and curves

The Good
With it comes the reward of a smoother

transition between adjacent faces.

The Bad
The

cost is that it is somewhat harder to

achieve and manage with SW features.

The Ugly
Curvature

Continuous constraints on curves

and surfaces can cause unpredictable results
if not carefully and accurately constructed.

Achieving C2
So why use it?
Use it when products material is aesthetic
and high gloss, especially black, white or
chrome.
When faces are ergonomic or aerodynamic.
When is it not worth using it?
Then

products material requires texturing

(hiding sink marks etc.) and the MoldTech
texture is =>MT11020.
If

the Industrial Designer doesnt ask for it.

Some internal statistics for SW surfacing

1. What kind of splines are used in SW?

SW curves and surfaces are B-splines

2. What degree are SW splines?

3rd degree cubic B-splines

Fill Feature uses 5th degree quintic

3. What is the accuracy of SW surfaces?

Generally for surface features 1.0e-5(m) or .01mm

Surface fill 1.0e-6(m) or .001mm

4. What is the maximum allowed distance between surfaces edges to be

knitted?

<2010 1.0e-3(m) or 1mm 2010> 1.0e-4(m) or .1mm

2D curves

Overcoming 3D sketch constraint

problems

SOS (Spline on Surface)

SOS can be sketched directly on the surface and then
used directly for a trim or split line curve.
2nd SOS to maintain point at upper left
Label surface needs to be cylindrical

Split line
Delete face

.
1st SOS

2D bridge curve with Conical nature

3D bridge curve with Conical nature

Misalig
curvat

Differences between surface types

Sketch driven surface features
Extrude, Revolve
Planar
Loft, Boundary

Non-Sketch driven surface features*

Dome
Face to Face C2
Freeform
Deform, Flex

Sweep
Rule
Fill

* Generally speaking

Differences between Loft and Boundary

Boundary Feature Background

Project started in 2004 for SW 2006 release as a mathematical
replacement for Loft but was not ready until 2007 release.
Pros

Curve continuous matching in both directions

Unlike Loft, equal influence between first (profile) and second

(guide curve) directions.

User controllable Surface Connectors

1x1 curves can be created.

Additional UV and edge matching control.

Cons

Surface only feature (no solid feature creation)

Can not do Centerline or Close Loop surfaces etc.

Boundary Introduction
Features:
Unlike Loft, there is not influence of curve direction 1 over curve direction 2.

s
Fir

tD

ct
ir e

ion

Because of this C2 matching can be applied to all sides.

Se
co
nd
Dir
e

cti
on

Boundary Introduction
Features:
Can create surfaces with only 1 curve in each direction

Boundary Introduction
Features:
Can add connectors in both directions

For extraordinary influence of the surface

Boundary Introduction
Features:
No longer need to predefine explicit sketch or compound curves

One 3D sketch can provide all of these solutions

Boundary Introduction
Features:
Special Modifiers in the Property manager influence surface and provide different
solutions.

Boundary Surface

Curve Influence options

Guides have
equal influence

Global

Guides go to
next sharp

To Next Sharp

No edge here

Guides go to
next edge

To Next Edge

Influence to
Next guide

To Next Curve

Differences between surface types

Extrude, Revolve is just like Solid modeling except you
are creating a surface body (infinitely thin sheet body)

Planar ability to create a planar surface using a

sketch or model edges.

Differences between surface types

Loft creating a algorithmic (nonanalytical simple prismatic) surface
face or solid between multiple profile
and with 2nd direction curves (guide
curves)
Profile B
Profile C
Profile A

Boundary Like Loft but higher

quality and with ability to do maintain
C2 at all boundaries.

Differences between surface types

An additional benefit of Loft or Boundary is the ability to
loft to a Sketch Point and if that point is created on a ref.
plane you can assign it Normal To to influence the end
condition of the loft. You can even do this with guide
curves.
Plane which point is on

Sketch Point
Profile

Loft direction
Profile

With Guide curves

Whats a Centerline Loft?

Whats a Centerline Loft?

Center Line Loft = Swept Blend

Centerline

Sweep In Depth
Sweep is useful for when you need to create a solid whos
cross-section is similar along the sweep path (length) or
multiple paths (Guide curve/s) of the face.

Path
Addition Path
(Guide Curve)
Profile

Sweep In Depth
Sweep is a higher quality surface than
Loft or Boundary when accomplishing
this type of shape and usually with
less features to create.

Boundary = 7 curves

Sweep = 3 curves

Sweep In Depth
Sweep controlling sweep orientation

Sweep In Depth

Sweep In Depth
Sweep controlling sweep orientation

Use Minimum Twist or Direction Vector

options

If path is multi-segment, consider making a

Fit Spline over it this usually results in a
smoother sweep solution.

Watch out for paths that cause selfintersection

Differences between surface types

An additional benefit of Sweep is that you can sweep the
profile to guide curves that converge thereby allowing you
to create capped faces.
Profile

Path

Guide Curve A

Guide Curve B

Fill Feature In Depth

Fill Feature surface feature which, unlike Loft or
Boundary, can build a surface between any number of
boundaries.

Boundary 2

Boundary 3
Boundary 1

Boundary 4

Boundary 5

Fill Feature Background

Introduced to SolidWorks 2001 Useful for creating N sided patches (3 or 5 or
more sides)
Only one of its kind in the industry
Pros:

Especially useful for Capping, complex surface patches and for

repairing import surfaces.

Curve Continuous (C2) matching (New for 2007)

Fix Up Boundary does not require closed or contiguous boundary (new

for 2007)

Cons:

Can only use one or two Constraint curves

In some cases needs edge matching to control surface

First Fill Feature (import repair)

Fill Example

Samsung Syncmaster 700

How Reference Surface aid the Fill

Feature

Fill Feature In Depth

The key to success with Fill is drive its shape with
reference surfaces.

Reference Surface
Reference Surface

Reference Surface

Optimized vs. non-Optimized