This post is a part of an extended video series covering the basics of SolidWorks. If you are new to this series, start here.
Part 3: Details and Export
- Video 12: coil spring
- Video 13: lid details
- Video 14: embossed logo from illustrator
- Video 15: assembly constraints and animation
- Video 16: export to modo, setup basics
Finally, in part 3 of our three part SolidWorks class we’ll look at some trixy techniques for adding the extra little details that really make the model feel complete. The coil spring is a particularly fun tutorial, involving swept surface that twists along a path. We’ll be importing logo graphics from Adobe Illustrator using a DWG drawing, then scaling and locating it using a “block” in the sketcher. Lastly we will take a quick look at some basic assembly constraints, and even create a simple drawing for export to PDF.
As an added bonus, I’ll even fly through the process of setting up a render in modo using our exported SolidWorks geometry. This should be fun!
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Adam O'Hern is an industrial design consultant specializing in visual brand languages, and has designed products ranging from laptops to power tools, classroom toys to bathroom fixtures, and robots to lint rollers. He has published with 3DWorld Magazine, CGTuts+, and Luxology, and works with Josh Mings of SolidSmack.com on EngineerVsDesigner.com. |
Hey Adam
Thanx for the great tutorials, found you after following your excellent sunglasses tutorial for modo, and this tutorial really got me going with solidworks. Here is the result, rendered in modo.
Aw, dude!! Beautiful work! Keep it up bro :)
Adam
Ta-da!
Fantastic tutorials, Adam.
I don’t have Modo so I’ve imported the parts from SolidWorks into Rhino and rendered with V-ray. Add a little bit of work in Illustrator and a little post process in Photoshop and done.
One thing I’ve noticed is that you did 60 holes around the perimeter of the plunger top plate and 60 turns on the circular spring. I know in reality from my own Bodum French press sitting here my desk that there are actually 80 holes and turns. Using the exact method you demonstrate in the tutorial I found SolidWorks could do no more than 60 turns or twists along path.
I’ve figured out, if we take a thin pie slice out of the circular surface (Masterform Surface-Fill that we copy and offset)for piercing with the sketch and path we can then get at least 80 turns along that path thus creating a circular spring with 80 turns like the real McCoy.
[img]http://cadjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/FrenchPressRGB_18-1.jpg[/img]
Wow, great work Marc! Your image looks fantastic.
And thanks for catching the flub on the number of coils :) I don’t remember having encountered the 60 turn limit, but I’ll take your word for it! Looks like you’ve found a good solution.
So glad you find the info useful, and thanks so much for sharing your work! Don’t hesitate to keep in touch, and let us know when you have questions!
Cheers,
Adam
Thanks Adam!
The modo rendering vids are a great reference for completing this tutorial. I think my motivation for finishing was getting to render it in modo :D
P.S. I used SolidWorks 2007, been almost that long since I’ve modeled anything in it, all Rhino at work these days.
[img]http://cadjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FrenchPress11-1.JPG[/img]
[img]http://cadjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FrenchPress12-1.JPG[/img]
[img]http://cadjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/FrenchPress13-1.JPG[/img]
Lovely work, Raymond! :)
Hey Adam,
i was just curious, when you make 3d models as a designer at a company, do they send your 3D model you would make straight to the manufacturer? or would an engineer or someone re-model it making sure that surface continuity, draft angles, etc are perfect?
Hi Tim:
It really depends on the company, the project, and the manufacturer. I’ve made final tooling geometry for some projects, I’ve directed consultants or surfacing engineers to create the final geometry from my “design CAD,” and I’ve also just “thrown it over the wall” to a manufacturer, who just rebuilds it from scratch based on their internal needs.
I prefer for my models to be as correct as possible, that way I can always refer back to them if the factory gets something wrong. Often the rebuilt CAD looks very different from the design CAD, so it’s nice to be able to go back to my own drawings and say “look, do it like THIS.”
I know very talented designers who get by without ever doing any CAD at all, and others who rely on it heavily. It really just depends on your own temperament, how good you are with hand-sketching, etc.
I hope that helps!
Adam
Hey Adam, love the tutorials. I would love to see more solidworks tutorials. It’s a great way to learn how other designers use the program and discover new tips/features that I haven’t used myself.
I have a suggestion for your future tutorials. How about kitchen or bathroom faucets? Faucets can have really nice surfacing to them, but would be simple enough for people to understand.
Keep up the good work!
Great idea, Al! I actually designed some facets in SolidWorks earlier this year. I’ll definitely seriously consider doing a faucet tutorial, especially since it could be fun to render as well.
Thanks for the feedback!
Adam
Our company has an opening for an innovative product design engineer to help design and grow our catalog of hand tools-someone comfortable using Solidworks and/or Pro-E. We are established tool manufacturers and importers located in the Northeastern U.S. This is a growth oriented position with career potential for the right candidate. Please contact us for further details if either position interests you or if you can recommend someone else who might be interested.
Thank You