Help with solidworks needed

I am a student who is just beginning with solidworks. I want to
create a sketch that I can later extrude that follows mathematical
equations. In particular at this time epicycloids and hypocycloids. I
would appreciate any advse on how to easily accomplish this task.

Thanks

Bob

 

What exactly does this mean, Bob? Do you want the height of the
extrude to vary cyclically with time (but the x-section.. ie your
sketch,
remains constant)?

Or do you want the path of extrusion (the centerline of extrusion) to
follow some function between two bounds?

 

Thanks for the reply.

Neither, if I understand your question.

I want to sketch epicycloids and hypocycloids in the X-Y plane and
then extrude the resulting sketches a fixed amount in the Z direction.

My problem is I do not know how to sketch arbitrary mathematical
equations or functions in Solidworks. I could calculate a series of
points on the curves and connect the points with a spline but the
resulting sketch would not truly follow the mathematical equation and
in my situation could create points of interference when the parts are
meshed in an assembly.

Bob

 

The latest SW has 2D equation-driven curves. There are limitations, I
think it can only do curves where y=F(x). It can not do curves where
x&y = F(t), which is what I think you need for cycloids.

Pro/E would be perfectly suited for this.

I have generated true involutes using trace paths in COSMOS/Motion.
Perhaps you could do something similar.

With any solution using SW sketches or curve-thru-points, pay close
attention to the curvature of your resultant curve. If you trace a
spline through a set of points, the ends may have errant curvature
that will muck up the whole spline.

 

Can SW do curves in polar. I could convert the equations to polar
(r=F(theta)) using the fact that r = sqrt (x*x + y*y) and theta =
arctan(y/x).

Is this a problem if the spline is closed?

Bob

 

Not a problem with close splines.