Sweep Help

The best way to explain the feature I'm trying to model is to have a
rectangular profile follow along a sweep path which is shaped like a
horseshoe "U". {A handle if you will] The rectangular profile will have a
constant thickness of 1/4" and a width of 1" at both the start and end of
the sweep path with it pinching in to 5/8 wide at the bottom of the "U".

Is the sweep feature the best approach? I can manage a simple straight
forward 1" x 1/4" sweep, but its the pinching I need a lead and guidance on.

 

From your description, it appears that you could sketch the horseshoe with
the dimensions you want and extrude it. You could sweep it with guide curves
to give you the desired profile but I do not see this being necessary.

Dennis

 

it sounds like you need a guide curve. from your description, a projected
curve should work for that.

http://users.adelphia.net/~mjlombard/horseshoe.sldprt

 

Dennis,

A straight horseshoe extrution does not give me the desired results. I still
thing the sweep in needed.

 

Matt,

Thanks for the attempted link, but I'm using 2003 and your part must be
newer version. Some sort of guide curve is needed I believe just as you
mentioned, I'm just not familiar enough on how to utilize them.

Tom

 

What you have to do is to constrain the sweep contour to the guide curve and
the profile in your case it is a rectangle so you constrain the midpoint of
the contour to the profile of the centerline. and the Edge of the contour
to the guide curve. This will cause the edge to follow the guide curve and
the center to follow the profile. Or you can constrain each end or have a
profile for every point, Make sure that your profile sketch is only
dimensioned in the places you want a consistent dimension thruout the sweep.
Clear as mud?

Corey

 

Think about how you'd build a wireframe model of the part. you have the
big U shape that has a dip in the bend of the U in a direction out of
the plane of the U.

Think about building just that edge. You know what the edge should look
like from two orthogonal directions. From the top, it looks like a U
and from one side it looks like a "pregnant stick" or something. From
that info, you can make a projected curve (sketch on sketch) that
combines the U with the "pregnant stick".

Now if you have the regular flat U at some distance above the projected
curve, you can make a rectangle at one end of the U and use the "pierce"
constraint between one corner of the rectangle and the U and another
corner of the rectangle and the projected curve.

Use the rectangle as the profile, the U as the Path and the projected
curve as the guide curve, and all should be well. The part that
confuses most people is the projected curve.

It's a lot of words, but I don't have 2003 installed to build an example
for you.

matt