Problems with "cut with surface" when working with "spilt"

Hello.
Found this Usenet group recently and hope that you can help me with a
problem in Solidworks.

I have been using the mold tool functions in Solidworks 2009 and can
make a mold on a complex part in a rather short time.
The problem is that it isn't flexible if changes appears during the
project.
We work 100% with customer parts, so all parts in my mold designs are
imported from different cad systems.
If the customer sends a new part it's often quicker to start all over
with the inserts than to try and reimport it because of all errors.

Another approach would be to use the "older" cavity function in
Solidworks.
I shut off all holes by extruding a thin boss.
Outer parting surface is created with planar, ruled, radiate and
lofted surfaces.

Everything works well until the cavity is made and it's time to cut
the part with my parting surface.
In 9 out of 10 cases, the "cut with surface" doesn't work and it's
failing because of "geometric condition".
The solution is often to extrude the parting surface about 0,2-0,5 mm
into the cativy.
Then it often works, but it takes a lot of time to do this extra step
that shoulden't be required since the parting surface goes all the way
in to the cavity.

How do you handle this problem?
I'm running SW 2009 SP2.1 but this problem is the same also on older
versions.

Thank you in advance for your answers.

 

Can you use the fill surface to close up the parting surface over the
cavity?

TOP

 

Hmm, not sure if I understand what you mean.
I can't just do a fill surface to close the parting surface since
there are several "cores" and bosses in the cavity that extends over
the parting surface.
If I make a fill and then cut with surface, I will also cut the bosses
in the cavity.

It almost seems to be a tolerance problem, since I'm using the outer
edges (parting line) when extruding my surfaces.
This surface should go all the way in to the cavity, but as I mention
it seldom does and I have to extend it a little bit inside to make a
clean cut.

 

Ok, it's not a tolerance problem. I tried to do a mold part in
Solidworks and then made the parting surface with the "radiate
surface" command. Cut with surface failed until I also extended the
parting surface 0,1 mm inside the cavity. Do any of you have a better
idea on how to split the part after using the "cavity" function?

 

SW frequently needs help dealing with tolerances along edges. This
phenomenon is familiar to users who sweep along edges. The fill is a
simple solution if there are no complications. You have complications.

TOP