Creating tube with bends

I am working with solidworks 2004 and I am having a difficult time figuring
out the best way to create a tube frame. I will be using a 3" CLR with 1"
diameter round tubing. I will also be bending in the X, Y and Z axis on a
single piece of tube. I was planning on making a mock up frame out of some
thinwall copper tubing that I could re-bend and get the desired shape and
angles I want, then measuring off of this mock up and creating my actual
frame. But I thought it would be much better do design it in solidworks
first and see how I like it before I start bending.

I have most everything else already designed. The tires, hubs, sprocket,
axle mounts, forks, triple clamps, steering tube, swing arm, etc. I was
leaving the frame for last because I had no idea where to start.

Any help or tutorials would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Terry,

Just a comment; Thin wall tubing presents far more difficulty to bend
than thick wall, in case you were thinking of actually trying it.

Sincerely,
Jerry Forcier

 

Terry,
Here is my suggestion. Set orthogonal views of your frame ( top,front,
side) . This will be your base to build to.

As an example here is a frame or roll cage .
__ __ ____
/\ \ \
/ \ \ \
/ \ \__ \___ _ \
\ / | \
/ __ _|__ _ \
/ \
( really bad isometric view of frame or roll cage )

The frame or roll cage runs in a curved shape like the top of a turtles
shell in the front view
__ ___ __
/ \
/ \
/ \
(side view of one side of frame)

but looking at it from the top view it is curving in towards the center (
like the side view but on top)
__ ___ __
/ \
/ \
/ \
(top view of same side of frame)

Take those two curves and make a composite curve of the two
(insert-curve-composite). That will give you a curve to run a sweep using a
sketch (create plane normal to line at one of the end points.) with a
circle.
Repeat for the other side. Solid works will let you do this using multiple
bodies. Now take your cross members and using the a plane created between
the members you can extrude those pieces up to surface on both sides.
once it is done. place the art in your assembly to see that everything fits
okay. then you can go back and break the part up into individual pieces for
manufacturing. you can interrogate the composite curve for total length to
tell you how long that piece needs to be cut .

I hope this helps. If I have confused you just email off group and I can
send you a file example.

Todd Anderson

 

Thanks for the comment. The problem is not bending the tube. Thick or
thin wall, I have the proper tools for this. I wanted to simulate
what I was building before I actually built it. Since this is a one
of a kind frame I am designing, I do not have any exact dimensions,
just ideas and some sketches. It would be nice to create the frame in
solidworks, add it to my other components and then be able to tweak it
until I was happy with the shape and fit. Then I could take
measurements from this simulated frame to create the actual one.

I know it can be done, I just don't know how to go about it. I was
able to create all my other components without much trouble, but I'm
just not sure how to create tubing with bends in it.