Anyone got any ideas on how to model a realisitic looking fillet weld?
I would suggest building a feature which is reference around a point which is placed at a relative distance from the start of the edge (might have to do this on individual edges or create a copied curve) which represents your weld edge. This relative distance can then be used to pattern the feature along the edge. You would have to look at the weld first and think what an individual element would look like in isolation and how these would overlap and at what pitch distance. Sean -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sean Kerslake Dept. Design & Technology Loughborough University Loughborough LE11 1RN 01509 228317
Looks to me like it's complicated. Best attempt was to construct a triangular fillet, then on the visible surface to draw a curved datum going across it, then to pattern the curve along the length of the fillet, then to create a cut to sweep along the curve, then to ref pattern the cut along the fillet. It works, but it looks too regular. I would have liked it to look more realistic.
: : : > I would suggest building a feature which is reference around a point which : > is placed at a relative distance from the start of the edge (might have to : > do this on individual edges or create a copied curve) which represents : your : > weld edge. This relative distance can then be used to pattern the feature : > along the edge. : > : > You would have to look at the weld first and think what an individual : > element would look like in isolation and how these would overlap and at : what : > pitch distance. : : Looks to me like it's complicated. Best attempt was to construct a : triangular fillet, then on the visible surface to draw a curved datum going : across it, then to pattern the curve along the length of the fillet, then to : create a cut to sweep along the curve, then to ref pattern the cut along the : fillet. : : It works, but it looks too regular. I would have liked it to look more : realistic. : What's your attitude toward weld symbols and just noting such things on drawings? It's actually one of the few things I like about still having drawings is Pro/e's extensive collection of weld symbols. If you know how to use them and your welders know how to read them, you can document any kind of weld that exists. Are you running simulations on welds? Otherwise, what's the point. But assuming this is necessary, it should be a part, placed in assembly, so that it can have its own material properties, and for realism, more complete and accurate description of other things like depth of penetration. And you'd probably use surfaces based on 'wavy' curves through points (at the meniscus), end curves and cross curves to control the shape. But, to do this, I'd need someone breathing down my neck, hot for it, or to have way more time on my hands than I knew what to do with (and even being unemployed, I don't have that much time.)-/ David Janes
It is for no other reaon than to generate a realistic rendered image of the part. Its a small part so the visibility of the bead will be significant. I wouldn't make it a part of an assembly because I don't have an assembly part number for that component, and it will be received in stores as a single part. I also don't want to spend hours creating surfaces, I thought perhaps there may a bead model out there somewhere I could blag and modify.
<snip> : It is for no other reaon than to generate a realistic rendered image of the : part. The only time I've seen weld represented as a feature was on Caterpillar truck struts which went from 3 feet long up to 9 feet fully assembled and weighing over 3 tons. The welds needed to be represented for inspection and analysis. They just made it a a rib type feature, but a real thick rib and of course, flat. 'Realistic', in this case, was large welds, machine filled with rod big enough, and hot enough, that they came out very smooth to begin with, then they were snag ground and painted so you could hardly tell they were welds. : Its a small part so the visibility of the bead will be significant. I : wouldn't make it a part of an assembly because I don't have an assembly part : number for that component, and it will be received in stores as a single : part. Then why not make it an assembly feature, an eliptically shaped, extruded surface that 'joins' both parts. Without doing something like a swept blend or VSS, I don't know how you'd give the impression of a 'lumpy' bead. And that sounds like too much trouble. What you came up with is probably as good as anything I could suggest. Since this is a render issue, had you thought of making the weld feature straight, then using a rendering material to make it look like weld bead with the effect created by shading. A photo, perhaps. David Janes
One method you might consider for creating a 'Realistic' weld is Free Form . Feature, Create, Surface, (new), Advanced, and Done. From the ADV FEAT OPT menu select Free Form and Done. or see link below http://www.ptc.com/cs/cs_21/howto/suf805/suf805.htm Best of luck and Happy Thanksgiving to All Mike C
