Variable Radius Filleting in Solidworks, comments

I am not a SW user, yet, but am currently shopping several packages
to find a good Variable Radius Filleting solution.
Would SW be a good solution for mechanical parts modeling that demand
a "sound" Variable Radius/Complex Filleting option?
TIA
Michael
--






Michael Gailey
Artistic CNC Mill, Router and Engraver Programming
3D modeling for Product Design and Development
http://www.microsystemsgeorgia.com/toc.htm

 

SW actually has a lot of nifty filleting stuff -
For variable radius fillets, you have three options:
1) The variable radius fillet - specify radii at verteces or points you
prescribe
2) Face fillet with hold line - automatically varies the radius of the
fillet to keep it in contact with an edge that you create and control with a
'split line'(very, very nice for aesthetic fillets)
3) Curvature continuous fillet with two hold lines - changes the radius and
shape of the fillet to keep it in contact with boundaries on both sides.
You create and control these boundaries with a 'split line'.

I don't know what other packages you are looking at, but SW has done a lot
with filleting without fanfare - things have been happening behind the
scenes to allow many more fillets to work that would have failed even a year
ago. Overt improvements are also impressive - for instance, filleting
'features' instead of just edges and faces is mind-blowingly powerful.

Also, since SW became 'essentially' a hybrid surface/solid modeller (I'm
sure Jon Banquer will chime in with his thoughts on that one), the
occasional filleting problem is worked around without a ton of pain. If you
decide to give SW a shot, take a look at the 'filleting' tutorial at
www.dimontegroup.com - go to the tutorials, then go to Curvy Stuff 102, then
look for the filleting module. Multi-bodies are often quite handy to work
through problems, and 'Atomic bomb' filleting will get you through just
about anything.

 

Edward,
Thank you very much for the link, I will explore it. I know Jon, I
sent him an email last week about something but I suppose his email
address has changed or something.
I use Rhino, Alibre, TrueSpace, ZBrush, Smartcam and Visualmill. I
am still looking for a bit more than those packages "presently" offer.
Rhino has been my main modeler since it's inception, but the V3
"difficulties" and as of this week yet another year before the
variable fillet capability get worked on, well what do I do? I look at
is as their dilemma not mine. Anyway, I am looking to get this
Variable Radius filleting impass behind me as well as looking for a
stable piece of software that I don't get patches for every few days
and "hope" that things remain stable.
Care to comment on stability of SW and file Import/Export
translation? I export my models into cnc mills and routers, tell me,
what are the translation capabilities of SW like?
I know that Rhino has never translated to/from SW very well at all.
Over the years I usually cringe when someone says they want to move
files between SW & Rhino. I have a 20 gigabytes model base, what would
SW offer to deal with moving files between Rhino and SW?

Regards,
Michael Gailey

--






Michael Gailey
Artistic CNC Mill, Router and Engraver Programming
3D modeling for Product Design and Development
http://www.microsystemsgeorgia.com/toc.htm

 

Also, since SW became 'essentially' a hybrid surface/solid modeller (I'm

No disagreement, Ed.

IMO, Michael would best be served by IronCAD for the following reasons:

1. IronCAD uses both Parasolid and ACIS for it's modeling kernels.

2. IronCAD has far better integration of Rhino than SolidWorks. See
the IronCAD website for a decent Flash presentation of how this works.

3. Michael can try IronCAD for 90 days free. It's downloadable and has
no limitations.

4. I know for a FACT that the next release of IronCAD due in the 2nd
quarter of 2005 major focus will be on adding surfacing.

jon

 

Michael,

Sorry. I have not been using the old e-mail with a underscore between
my first and last name. The new one does not use an underscore. If
I have not addressed your e-mail in what I wrote above to Ed feel
free to e-mail me at my new Yahoo account.

As I said above to Ed, IMO IronCAD will best offer you the integration with
Rhino that I think you need. I have IronCAD installed on this machine and
if you want me to test something for you feel free to get a hold of me by
e-mail.

I would be glad to download files, bring them into IronCAD and send
you back an ACIS or Parsolid file.

jon

 

Ed,

"I don't know what other packages you are looking at, but SW
has done a lot with filleting without fanfare - things have
been happening behind the scenes to allow many more fillets
to work that would have failed even a year ago. Overt
improvements are also impressive - for instance, filleting
'features' instead of just edges and faces is mind-blowingly
powerful."

I guess the real question is why were they failing in the
first place ? Parasolid is exceptionally strong with
filleting and always has been. Whatever the reason, I'm glad
that you see progress and that it's helpful to you.

Obviously, I would rather see more balance in Solidworks but
in the absence of balance I'm glad that other areas are
being improved to your satisfaction.

If you can't answer Michael's questions on any filleting
problem that Michael would come across in SolidWorks, I
don't know of another SolidWorks user who could.

jon

 

Inovate is just a 60 day eval, but that is plenty. I can use it a few
days and find what I need to know. Inovate was the download I got.
What kind of price is VX Mold & Die? It appears to be pretty good but
their eval doesn't download.
Also where is a SW eval download?
Michael

--






Michael Gailey
Artistic CNC Mill, Router and Engraver Programming
3D modeling for Product Design and Development
http://www.microsystemsgeorgia.com/toc.htm

 

Inovate is just a 60 day eval, but that is plenty.

IMO, you should forget about Inovate and download IronCAD.

http://www.novedge.com/Start_CAM.asp

They show it for $5,500 but I think you can do better from an
aggressive VX VAR.

It should. Contact Mike Lynch at VX if you continue to have
a problem.

You would not need to use Rhino if you go with Vision. VX
will also listen to what you have to say. They are a small
but very responsive company.

IMO, Vision is every bit Unigraphics equal at part modeling.
Vision is used by Newport Tool and Die in Road Island who
does a ton of work for Stanley Products.

Don't know but SolidWorks Corp is really generous about
letting students / unemployed engineers / etc. use the
product to learn it at no charge. They are a very
progressive and good company in this way.

jon

 

Also where is a SW eval download?

SWX does offer a free "Personal" edition to just about anybody. I
believe it is limited to 90 days.

 

What is the link?
Michael

--






Michael Gailey
Artistic CNC Mill, Router and Engraver Programming
3D modeling for Product Design and Development
http://www.microsystemsgeorgia.com/toc.htm

 

Micheal,


-As far as stability, '04 seems to be quite stable. I have had less crashes
with SP0, than I ever had with '03 SP whatever.
-Files being imported have definately gotten better. IMO the real problem is
that most of these companies dont want their programs to "play" with anyone
else. Go figure.

 

Michael,

Have you tried Power Solids for Rhino?

http://www.npowersoftware.com/solids/learnmorePS_rhino.html

...

 

Have you tried Power Solids for Rhino?

Real filleting as an optional add-on ???

Where does the B.S. end ????

The developers of PowerSolids / PowerBooleans are extremely
nice and competent people. Nothing but good things to say
about Gary Crooker and how responsive he is.

Gary and his partner should be directly on McNeel's payroll
but Bob McNeel is too narrow minded and too cheap.

Why not raise the price of Rhino and offer a more complete product
instead of the incomplete one it is now.

After all these years Bob McNeel is still totally lost as
the ship drifts at sea. Perhaps an accountant turned salesman
does not have the proper vision needed to deliver what the
market wants ?

LOL

jon

 

Man, you're such a dick!

This guy ask a question and you offer a total external package, IronCad,
which is 3-4X more expensive and I suggest a $300 addon for his tool for
auto variable fillets!???

In Rhino3D, variable fillets are not a big problem if you are willing to
develop the trims(using pipe) and surface blends.
In fact, it's much cleaner manually because the system is not guessing
for you. Different tools, different workflows and methods.

You continue to do not use ANY of these tools except fantasy demo
software, then you profess what things should be base on what other
companies have been doing and using buzz works as your own idea and/also
pass names of developers, engineers, owners as if you are in the know as
well as your close buddies???

You are so full of BULLSHIT!!

Go away or please go the the Rhino3D ng and get kicked out as you always
do..

On second thought, Joe Dunne at SW Crop probably still thinks you're the
guy to deal with.... which makes anyone think about
who/when/why.....???? Fucked up as the world is, hell, anything is
possible, Arnold as Gov and GWB as Pres.... I would not be surprised to
read someday that SW Corp gets advice from ng trolls... the twisted
insane nightmare continues,... freaking amazing.

...

 

Paul,
Yes, I bought both NPower Booleans and NPower Solids. Still, on some
complex fillets even then it isn't enough. It is much better, but
still not a lock for complex solutions every time.
Michael

--






Michael Gailey
Artistic CNC Mill, Router and Engraver Programming
3D modeling for Product Design and Development
http://www.microsystemsgeorgia.com/toc.htm

 

Michael,

I remember your work... if you recall,.. http://zxys.com/datsun.jpg

You will definitely have to trial out the modelers which have been
suggested and see what works best.
You're going to find all of them easy and restrictive since you are a
Rhino user, and that is more related to workflow than anything else.
You will be thinking or working differently using some of the modelers
and that can be good or bad.

So, if you have time to trail them, you may be in for a lot of
perspective changing.
I'm sure it will not be easy.

If/when you do have an example, I'm sure someone here will help.

...

 

"This guy ask a question and you offer a total external
package, IronCad, which is 3-4X more expensive and I suggest
a $300 addon for his tool for auto variable fillets!???"

It's more than obvious that your still not getting the idea
that some people are just sick and tired of all these basic
functionality add-ins that really should be included in the
base package.

Based on how long I have known Michael and how I'm sure he
has looked at and tired Gary and his partners stuff, I gave
a recommendation that I felt makes more sense for the stuff
that I know he does.

What you did was give the easy answer. Perhaps the easy
answer is not the best answer ???

IMO, IronCAD with it's best in class Rhino integration, and
based on what I know will show up in IronCAD in the second
quarter of next year, it makes me feel very comfortable to
recommend it. If Michael want's to get away from Rhino
altogether than VX's Vision is an excellent choice.

However, I think Michael wants to stay with Rhino and can
probably wait till the second quarter of next year for
IronCAD to deliver decent surfacing without relying on
Rhino.

You may have noticed that IronCAD gets most of it right the
first time around unlike SolidWorks.

"On second thought, Joe Dunne at SW Crop probably still
thinks you're the guy to deal with.... which makes anyone
think about who/when/why.....????"

I always liked Joe Dunne. Very sharp guy.

How are you two getting on lately ???

:>)

jon

 

"You're going to find all of them easy and restrictive since
you are a Rhino user, and that is more related to workflow
than anything else."

Michael posted in the Rhino newsgroup that he uses Alibre.

If Michael goes with IronCAD and still uses Rhino why would
this be "restrictive" ????

IronCAD is one of the less restrictive solid modelers on the
market.

Name another solid modeler or even a hybrid modeler that has
better integration with Rhino than IronCAD.

Name an easier transition for Michael than IronCAD.


jon

 

Paul said:

"On second thought, Joe Dunne at SW Crop probably still
thinks you're the guy to deal with.... which makes anyone
think about who/when/why.....????"

I said:

I always liked Joe Dunne. Very sharp guy.

How are you two getting on lately ???

:>)

I forgot to say:

I should also add that I always thought Joe Dunne
was an excellent judge of character. ;>)

jon

 

.....more bs....

Wow, you're buddies. Say no more,... but why is Michael asking here if
you are his buddy,...? Surely with you as his friend he should be able
to get all the answers that he would ever need from you??

I don't know, maybe??

Please, show your work (no marketing bs, your work) using IronCad and
why it would be a better solution for Michael?
You must have examples from your demo's backing your claims, right??
No excuses, show the variable fillet radii which you are supporting and
post them, ok?
Oh, don't spin this into IC with surfacing is not released until next
year bs because we are talking about variable fillet radii now... not
next year promises from an advert.

I have no association with or will I ever have an association with Joe
Dunne.
Ah, but he did say you were the guy, he really wanted to work with
you!!!
Go for it, you guys are perfect for eachother!!

Makes you go..... HMMMMMMMMM, doesn't it!????

...